<b>Chapter </b><b>207 </b>
<b>Chapter </b><b>4</b><b>: </b><b>A </b><b>not </b><b>so </b><b>weed </b><b>home</b>.
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Josie got to the Taylor estate around 2:30pm. As she walked up to the gate, a feeling of numbness rush ed over her. It had been four years since shest stepped foot in the house, but her hatred was tenfold. As she rang the doorbell<b>, </b>she could hear voices on the inside.
“Yes, <i>may </i><i>I help</i><i>…</i><i>young </i><i>miss</i><i>? </i><i>Is </i><i>that </i><i>you</i><i>?</i><i>” </i>
The head maid Rhonda’s eyes widen as she realized it was Josie.
“Hello <i>Rhonda</i><i>. </i><i>It’s </i><i>nice </i>to <i>see </i><i>you</i><i>.</i><i>‘ </i>
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“Oh<i>, </i><i>yes</i><i>!! </i><i>Please </i><ie </i><i>in</i><i>! </i><i>The </i><i>sir </i><i>and </i><i>madam </i><i>informed </i><i>me </i><i>of </i><i>your </i><i>arrival</i><i>!</i><i>” </i>
Josie smiled lightly, Rhonda was always nice her. As she made her way into the mansion<b>, </b>everything wa
s basically the same. Some minor changes of décor here and there, but for the most part, the same.
As Josie walked passed the foyer, she could hear her mother.
<i>“</i>Josie? Is <i>that </i><i>you</i><i>? </i><i>Oh </i><i>my </i><i>goodness</i>!!! <i>Wee </i><i>home</i><i>!!</i><i>” </i>
Laura rushed over to Josie, a bright smile on her face. You would have thought Josie had just got home
from college instead of prison.
“<i>Well</i><i>, </i><i>look </i><i>at </i><i>you</i><i>! </i><i>Wee </i><i>home</i><i>!</i><i>” </i>
Josie didn’t say a word; she just stared at Laura. Feeling uneasy, Laura began to make small talk.
<i>“</i><i>Well</i><b><i>, </i></b><i>I’m </i><i>sure </i><i>you’re </i><i>hungry</i>! <i>I </i><i>had </i><i>the </i><i>cook </i><i>prepare </i><i>all </i><i>of </i><i>your </i><i>favorites</i><i>!</i><i>” </i>
Josie still said nothing; what she really wanted to know is how her mother even knew what her favorite
s were. Just then, Harold walked in.
“<i>Wee </i><i>home </i>Josie<i>. </i><i>What </i>took <i>you </i>so <i>long</i><i>?</i><i>” </i>
Josie looked at Harlod, a distant disgust in her eyes caused him to slightly shudder.
<i>“</i><i>I </i>took <i>the </i><i>bus</i>.”
Laura smiled nervously.
9:59 Fri, Sep 19
“Oh, yes… Chris told <i>us </i>about that…<i>why </i><i>didn’t </i>you <i>let </i><i>him </i><i>give </i><i>you </i>a <i>ride </i>home?”
Josie looked back at her mother.
“I didn’t want to get <i>his </i>car dirty.”
Her voice was t, emotionless…almost robotic. It was making Laura feel ufortable.
“Oh for <i>Christ </i>sake <i>Josie</i>, you don’t have to <i>act </i>like <i>this</i><i>. We’re </i><i>you’re </i><i>family </i><i>after </i><i>all</i><i>!</i>”
Laura looked over Harlod with a nervous expression.
<i>“</i>It’s okay <i>Harold</i><i>. </i><i>Maybe </i><i>it </i><i>felt </i>good <i>riding </i><i>the </i><i>bus</i>.”
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Harlod however was growing tired of her distant behavior; before prison, Josie used to always flutter ar ound with bouncing energy.
“<i>Well what </i><i>the </i><i>hell </i><i>is </i><i>this </i><i>behavior </i><i>for</i>! <i>You </i><i>have </i><i>been </i><i>home </i><i>five </i>minutes <i>and </i><i>already-</i>”
<i>“</i><i>Already </i><i>what</i><i>? </i>Is <i>there </i><i>a </i><i>particr </i><i>way </i><i>you </i><i>think </i><i>someone </i><i>should </i><i>act </i><i>after </i><iing </i><i>home </i><i>from </i><i>prison </i><i>Mr. </i>
<i>Taylor</i><i>?</i>”
“That’s <i>not </i><i>what </i>I’m <i>saying</i>! I’m….<i>did </i><i>you </i><i>call </i><i>me </i><i>Mr. </i><i>Taylor</i><i>?</i><i>” </i>
Harold’s eyes widen. He couldn’t believe it! Josie used to call him dad so much it drove him crazy! Now it was Mr. Taylor. Laura frantically looked at Josie.
<i>J</i><i>–</i>Josie dear….<i>why </i><i>are </i><i>you </i><i>calling </i><i>your </i><i>father </i><i>Mr. </i><i>Taylor</i><i>?</i>”
Josie looked at Laura with a stoic expression.
<i>“</i>Because <i>ording </i><i>to </i><i>Mr. </i><i>Taylor</i><i>, </i><i>he’s </i><i>no </i><i>longer </i><i>my </i><i>father</i><i>.</i><i>” </i>
Laura’s eyes widen; guilt poured through. She’d forgotten about Harold disowning Josie. Harold’s expr
ession darkened, he hadn’t expected that news to reach her.
“<i>How </i><i>did </i><i>you </i><i>know </i><i>about </i><i>that</i><i>?</i><i>” </i>
Josie stared directly at Harold.
“<i>They </i><i>made </i><i>sure </i>I <i>saw </i>it in prison when <i>I </i><i>asked </i><i>why </i><i>you </i>wouldn’t take <i>my </i><i>calls</i><i>.</i>”
9:59 Fri, Sep 19
Harold’s brows furrowed, guilt began to seep through. He’d intentionally disconnected with Josie in or der to please the board. Surely she would understand that.
<i>“</i>Josie…<i>what </i>I <i>did </i>was for <i>the </i><i>sake-</i><i>” </i>
<i>“</i><i>It’s </i><i>no </i>need to <i>exin </i><i>Mr. </i><i>Taylor</i>. <i>The </i><i>other </i><i>Mr. </i><i>Taylor </i>already did. I understand<i>.</i><i>” </i>
<i>“</i><i>Well</i><i>, </i>if <i>you </i>understand <i>why </i><i>are </i><i>you </i><i>calling </i><i>Mr.-</i><i>” </i>
<i>“</i><i>Just </i>want to <i>make </i><i>sure </i><i>you </i><i>keep </i><i>the </i><i>board </i><i>happy</i>. <i>If </i><i>you’ll </i>excuse <i>me</i><i>.</i><i>” </i>
Laura and Harold stared nervously at Josie.
<i>“</i><i>S</i><i>–</i><i>Sure</i>… Um<i>…</i><i>we’ve </i><i>made </i><i>a </i><i>wee </i><i>home </i><i>dinner</i><i>. </i><i>When </i><i>you </i>get <i>settled </i><i>in</i><b><i>; </i></be <i>down </i><i>and </i><i>eat</i><i>.</i><i>” </i>
Josie didn’t say a word. She just walked past Harold. As soon as she was out of ear–shot, Harold fumed.
“<i>What </i><i>the hell </i><i>was </i><i>that </i><i>all </i><i>about</i><i>!</i><i>” </i>
Before Laura could answer, Jamie and Vanessa walked into the foyer.
“Is <i>Josie </i><i>home</i><i>!!</i><b>” </b>
Vanessa asked brightly.
“Yes<i>, </i><i>um</i>…<i>she’s </i><i>upstairs </i>now <i>getting </i><i>settled</i><i>.</i>”
Jamie looked surprised.
“<i>Really</i>? And <i>she </i><i>didn’t </i><i>say </i><i>anything </i><i>to </i>us<i>? </i><i>That’s </i><i>weird</i><i>, </i><i>she’s </i><i>usually </i><i>happy </i>to see <i>everyone</i>.”
Harold scoffed.
“I don’t <i>know </i><i>what </i><i>the </i><i>hell </i><i>is </i>wrong <i>with </i><i>that </i><i>girl</i><i>!</i>”
“Harold<i>…</i><i>maybe </i>we should give <i>her </i><i>time</i>. <i>She </i>did just spend <i>four </i>years <i>in </i>prison.”
Suddenly, Vanessa began to cry,
<i>“</i><i>This </i><i>is </i><i>all </i>my fault isn’t <i>it</i>!!! If I hadn’t…<i>if </i><i>I </i><i>hadn’t</i>!!!<i>” </i>
9:59 Fri, Sep 19
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Before <b>she </b>could get the words out, everyone immediately startedforting her.
<i>“</i><i>Ness </i><i>stop </i><i>it</i><i>!! </i><i>It’s </i>not your <i>fault</i><i>! </i><i>Look </i><i>Josie </i><i>is </i>fine…<i>I’m </i><i>sure </i><i>she’s </i><i>just </i><i>tired</i>.<i>” </i>
Jamie rubbed her back as he tried to reassure her.
<i>“</i><i>Yes </i><i>sweetie</i><i>, </i><i>none </i><i>of </i><i>this </i><i>on </i>you<i>. </i><i>Josie </i><i>will </i>be fine.”
Laura said in a soothing tone.
“<i>You </i><i>would </i><i>think </i><i>the </i><i>girl </i><i>did </i><i>100 </i><i>years </i><i>instead </i><i>of </i><i>four</i><i>! </i><i>All </i><i>this </i><i>drama</i><i>! </i><i>What </i>does <i>she </i>want from us<i>!</i><i>” </i>
Harold stormed off leaving the three of them in the foyer. Suddenly, Vanessa became cheerful again.
<i>“</i><i>Maybe </i>I <i>should </i><i>go </i><i>see </i><i>her</i><i>!</i><i>” </i>
Laura immediately stopped her.
“<i>Nessie</i>…<i>sweetie</i>…<i>I </i><i>don’t </i><i>think </i><i>that’s </i><i>a </i><i>good </i><i>idea</i><i>. </i><i>She </i><i>just </i><i>got </i>home; <i>why </i><i>don’t </i>we let <i>her </i>get settled.” <fn0fbf> Latest content published on find~novel</fn0fbf>
Vanessa’s eyes shed a ping of irritation before her sugary mask came back.
“<i>You’re </i><i>right </i><i>mom</i>, <i>her </i><i>resting </i><i>is </i><i>for </i><i>the </i><i>best</i><i>.</i>”
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They all made their way back into the grand room. Christian stood in the stairway witnessing the entir e exchange. Irritated, he made his way to Josie’s room. He couldn’t understand why she was being so di
fficult.
As he approached her room, Christian didn’t even knock, he just burst in causing Josie to panic.
“What <i>the </i><i>fuck</i>!!! <i>Don’t </i><i>you </i><i>knock</i>!!!”
Christian waspletely taken
aback, in the past, Josie never said so much as a word like damn, let alone use hard profanity.
He was just about to say something when he noticed her back. There were bruises all over her. Some w ere older than the others. Christian’s eyes widen in horror.
“<i>What </i><i>happened </i>to you<i>?</i><i>” </i>
His voice was low and rough. Josie quickly pulled her shirt over. Ignoring Christian’s question.
9:59 Fri, Sep <b>19 </b>
“<i>What </i><i>do </i><i>you </i>want Mr. <i>Taylor</i><i>?</i><i>” </i>
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<i>“</i><i>Josie</i>! <i>Enough</i><i>! </i>I’m <i>you’re </i><i>brother</i><i>! </i><i>Now </i><i>stop </i><i>with </i><i>the </i><i>Mr. </i><i>Taylor </i>and <i>tell </i><i>me </i><i>what </i><i>happened </i><i>to </i><i>your </i><i>back</i><i>!</i>”
Josie stared at Christian with no emotion. It was toote for him to y the dutiful brother.
<i>“</i><i>Is </i><i>that </i><i>why </i>your <i>burst </i>into <i>my </i><i>room</i>?<i>” </i>
<i>“</i><i>No</i>…I-<i>” </i>
“<i>Then </i><i>I </i><i>reiterate</i>….<i>what </i><i>do </i><i>you </i><i>want </i>Mr. <i>Taylor</i>? <i>Because </i><i>there </i><i>is </i><i>absolutely </i><i>no </i><i>reason </i><i>for </i><i>me </i><i>to </i><i>call </i><i>you </i><i>a </i><i>nything </i><i>else</i><i>. </i><i>You </i>made <i>your </i><i>stance </i><i>very </i><i>clear </i><i>about </i><i>who </i><i>and </i><i>what </i><i>you </i><i>were </i><i>four </i><i>years </i><i>ago</i>. As for <i>my </i><i>back </i>….it’s <i>none </i><i>of </i><i>your </i><i>business</i>…it’s not <i>like </i><i>you </i><i>can </i><i>do </i><i>anything </i><i>about </i><i>it</i><i>.</i><i>” </i>
Christian’s eyes widen in slight panic. What the hell happened to her while she was
in there? Sure, they hadn’te to visit, but that prison was well aware she was a Tay…suddenly…
Christian realized something.
<i>“</i><i>I</i>–<i>Is </i><i>this </i><i>because </i><i>father </i><i>denounced </i><i>you</i><i>?</i><i>” </i>
Josie smiled sardonically but refused to answer. As she walked past Christian, he grabbed her arm.
<i>“</i><i>Josie</i><i>…</i><i>I </i>am <i>still </i><i>your </i><i>brother</i><i>. </i><i>Tell </i><i>me </i><i>what </i><i>happened</i>.<i>” </i>
Josie looked at Christian, unmoved by his brotherly love.
“<i>You’ve </i><i>got </i><i>all the </i><i>answers </i><i>right</i>? <i>Figure </i><i>it </i><i>out </i><i>on </i><i>your </i><i>own</i>.”
Josie snatched her arm out of his grasp and went downstairs leaving Christian in shock.
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