Chapter 32
Kristin was squirming on the spot, gripping her hands tightly in anxiety. She didn’t dare get in
the car.
“Thank… thanks, but no. I’ll pass Kristin waved her hand stiffly
Rhett didn’t say much. He was about to take off, but catching a glimpse of Kristin hobbling sway in the rearview mirror, he felt an annoying itch he couldn’t scratch.
Kristin didn’t go home. She was a hot mess and had wounds on her face and hands. Garner would freak out if he saw her like this
Getting her family worried when one couldn’t change things only added to the headache.
Kristin was the Turner family’s golden girl back then, so she had never tasted much injustice. or hardship growing up.
She was cocooned in too much care, basking in the sun, clueless about the darkness in the trenches
After losing everything, she got the joke that rebelling was just a laughable act of futility for someone without a powerful background.
Finding a bench in a nearby park, Kristin touched her forehead and slowly lay down. Text property © Nôvel(D)ra/ma.Org.
Her head was spinning.
At this rate, she’d probably check out a bit sooner.
While looking at her scalded hand, Kristin’s gaze went distant.
Did it hurt? She’d become numb to it.
When Vincent misunderstood her before, it felt like the end of the world. But now, it was just
par for the course.
She thought they loved each other deeply, yet such vile treatment was the payback of the
love.
Sometimes, Kristin wondered if Vincent would’ve been one of the bullies leading the charge against her if she hadn’t been Ms. Turner or if Vincent hadn’t fallen for her in high school.
His true colors were anything but kind.
“Kristin, you’re such a faker, acting all pure and innocent, luring the boys in. Strip her down. Let’s see how she flirts then.”
“What do you think you’re doing? I’ll tell the teacher.”
“Oh, I’ve heard you’ve got several boyfriends outside school, much for being pure and innocent.”
10:30
In high school, rumors and gossip could destroy a person.
Some were jealous of her looks, others of the attention she got from teachers.
“Kristin is my girl. If anyone touches her again, try me.” Vincent used to protect her.
“Let’s date.” Later, Vincent sat on her desk, reaching out his hand to her.
Kristin cautiously reached out, only to be yanked into the abyss by Vincent.
“No!” Kristin was having a nightmare again. It was a nightmare about the past.
Winter in Silvergrove City wasn’t too cold, but the night wind cut to the bone.
Kristin curled up, wrapping herself tightly.
“Get up.”
In her groggy state, Kristin thought she saw a figure standing in the park lights, backlit, looking like a God coming to lead her out of hell.
“Are you taking me away?” Kristin asked hoarsely, probably hallucinating from the fever.
“Hmm,” the man replied in a deep voice.
Kristin closed her eyes. “I’m going to hell, right?”
“Why?”
“I should’ve been dead a long time ago…” Kristin’s voice was raspy.
She would’ve been dead long ago if it weren’t for her mom’s desperate swap of her and Ruby’s lives and if she hadn’t stayed with the Turner family and had the heart. surgery.
That was like defying fate.
So, she would go to hell.
“You can’t die just yet.” Rhett touched Kristin’s forehead, frowning. “York, call the family
doctor.”
The warmth was spreading, and Kristin instinctively snuggled into the heat source.
Rhett watched Kristin nuzzle into his arms, his face showing little emotion.
York, who had been dragged out in the midnight, was shaking. He had doubts before, but it seemed clear that Mr. FitzGerald had a thing for this Kristin chick. Otherwise, with Mr. FitzGerald’s personality, he’d never let a woman get close like that!
York was baffled by Rhett’s choice. Sure, Kristin was drop–dead gorgeous, no question, with flawless skin.
But that wasn’t the point. The point was that this woman was no easy walk in the park.
To York, Kristin kept pulling the pity card to stay in Rhett’s line of sight, playing the victim.
10 30
In Silvergrove City, everyone knew Kristin was a fake who switched lives with the true Tome heiress to bask in luxury, only to end up like this after being exposed
Her messy personal life led to her being utterly shunned by her ex fiancé Vincent and thrown in jail.
She was out of prison, and the FitzGerald and the Turner families wouldn’t let her off easy if she wanted to keep living the high life, Rhett was the only one in Silvergrove City who could protect her.
Kristin was sharp as a tack.
“Mr. FitzGerald… Don’t you think it’s more than a coincidence, her popping up before you all the time?” York whispered, trying to give Rhett a heads–up. “She’s pretty crafty“