Chapter 27 If Birth Alone Is a Debt, Then Let Me Repay It With a Finger
Jack, if you touch Marilyn again. I''ll kill you."
Finished
Lauren called David by name, her voice sharp as a de, her eyes filled with the kind of desperation that left no room for negotiation
For a moment, David froze, startled by the sheer intensity of her gaze
But then rage flooded over his hesitation, hotter, stronger, and uncontroble. "You little bitch, you dare threaten me now? Let''s see if I don''t beat you to death today!"
He lunged at her again, swinging wildly.
Marilyn immediately threw herself in front of Lauren, shielding her once more.
The leather beltshed across Marilyn''s back, her body swaying from the force of the blow. But she didn''t fall
She stayed standing, stubborn and unyielding.
Lauren''s tears spilled over, streaming down her face.
Kill him. Kill him. Kill him,
That was the only thought in her mind.
Her life was already in ruins. When she got out of prison, she had nned to disappear, to find a quiet ce where no one knew her name and live the rest of her days in peace.
But the Bet family wouldn''t let her go.
They had to keep tormenting her.
She was so tired. Every second of her existence was suffering. There was no point in going on
If she had to die-then fine.
But she''d take them with her
Let''s all die together!
With a sudden burst of strength, she shoved Marilyn aside. Marilyn stumbled backward, barely managing to stay on her feet.
Ignoring the pain in her leg, Lauren ran toward the kitchen.
When she came back out, she was holding a knife.
Her gaze locked onto David like a predator tracking its prey, and she walked straight toward him.
David''s eyes flickered with fear when he saw the de in her hands. But his pride refused to let him back down. "Lauren. what the hell do you think you''re doing? Are you out of your damn mind?"
"Crazy?" Lauren let out a wild, hollowugh. "Yeah, I lost my mind. And you''re the ones who drove me to it!"
With a scream, she raised the knife and swung,
There was no hesitation.
No second-guessing
Only pure, unfiltered hatred.
David''s face drained of color as he instinctively ducked to the side
The knife missed him by inches, slicing through the air with a sharp whoosh-
Chapter 27 If Birth Alone Is a Debt, Then Let Me Repay It With a Finger
And buried itself into the massive porcin vase behind him.
Crash!
The vase shattered instantly, shards flying in every direction.
Everyone in the room froze, eyes wide in shock.
There was no doubt-Lauren hadn''t been bluffing.
She had every intention of killing him.
For the first time, David was truly afraid. His legs trembled as he stumbled backward.
Finished
He never thought that the daughter he used to beat and humiliate without consequence would one day be ready to take his life.
It was true what they said. The poor feared the ruthless, and the ruthless feared those who had nothing left to lose.
"Lauren, this is a crime!" David stammered.
Lauren took another step forward, the knife still clutched tightly in her hand. "I''m already dead inside. You think I give a shit about thew?"
David was terrified. His false bravado crumbled.
Alice finally snapped out of her daze, her protective instincts kicking in as she ran to block Lauren. Lauren, put the knife down! We''re family. We can talk this through!"
"Talk?" Laurenughed again, her voice broken. I tried talking. You never listened. But now that I''ve had enough and I''m ready to kill, suddenly you want to talk!"
"You''re telling me I deserved to be bullied and beaten because I didn''t fight back?" Alice shook her head frantically, "No, no, that''s not what I meant-
Lauren''s eyes filled with cold amusement. "Isn''t it?"
Alice''s heart clenched painfully. She reached for Lauren, pleading. Lauren, please, listen to your mother. I know you''re hurting. Tell me what''s wrong, and I''ll listen, I promise."
Lauren''s face twisted. "Toote."
"Madam Alice," she said mockingly, "I won''t touch you. You gave birth to me, so I''ll spare you. But Jack and Willow-one them is dying tonight. And after that. I''ll turn myself in."
Alice''s face went deathly pale. "Lauren, no!”
"Why not?" Lauren sneered. "Murderers should pay with their lives. That''s what you taught me, isn''t it?"
Alice was trembling. "Lauren, if you do this, you''ll regret it for the rest of your life. You''re still young. You still have a future."
Lauren''s lips curled into something resembling a smile, but it was cold, empty. "Regret? My only regret ising back to this
house"
"Tell me something. Madam Alice. Her voice was eerily calm now. "In the five years I spent in prison, did you ever regret what you did to me? When I was being beaten, when they broke my leg, when I had to fight just to stay alive-where were You Were you thinking about me?"
Alice opened her mouth, but no words came out.
"You weren''t, were you? Lauren''s voice sharpened. "Because in your eyes, I was nothing. Only Willow mattered. Even though she''s the one who framed me. She''s the one who should''ve gone to prison. But you all stood by and let it happen."
"Tell me, Alice. Her voice cracked. "Why was I the only one who had to suffer?"
21
Chapter 27 If Birth Alone Is a Debt. Then Let Me Repay It With a Finger
Finished
Alice couldn''t answer.
Lauren let out a breathlessugh. "You can''t even lie your way out of it, huh!
That''s how you know it''s true. Fine, then. Let''s end this tonight"
She raised the knife high, its de glinting under the chandelier''s light-
And swung it straight at Willow.
Alice screamed, lunging forward and wrapping her arms around Lauren to stop
her, "Willow, run! Go find your brother
Lauren thrashed against her. Let go of me, Madam Alice!"
Alice sobbed, her grip tightening. "Lauren, I''m not Madam Alice! I''m your mother!"
"You''re not"
"I am! I gave birth to your Alice''s voice cracked with desperation "Please, my
baby, listen to me-don''t do this!
Lauren suddenly stopped struggling.
Hope flickered in Alice''s eyes
But then-
Laurenughed.
Not the kind ofugh that came from amusement.
It was the kind that chilled the bones.
"You gave birth to me?" Lauren whispered. "And you think that means you own
me? That I owe you for simply existing?"
Alice flinched. A horrible feeling spread through her chest.
Lauren met her gaze
Fine"
"If birth alone is a debt, then let me repay it
Alice''s breath caught, Lauren, what are you-
Lauren pulled herself free, stepping back.
She ced her left hand t on the dining table, her fingers spread out
She looked Alice dead in the eye.
"Birth without raising warrants a severed finger"
"Raising without birth warrants a severed head?
"Without birth and without raising the debt is never owed
"Madam Alice, Lauren said softly, the life you gave me is worth only one finger"
Without hesitation, she raised the knife-
And brought it down.
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