Chapter 269 Karma
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The White family had been terrified for so long that the fear seemed to seep into their bones. and hollow them out from the inside. In the beginning, they could still curse and scream as they splashed at the snakes and rats that slithered and scurried through the water.
But the hours dragged into days, and not a single drop of clean water touched their lips. Their strength was drained away until their bodies felt empty and weak.
They leaned against the damp stone walls, too frail to stand on their own. The filthy water rose to their waists, leaving them without even the chance to sit down and rest.
Their faces had turned ghostly pale, their stiff bodies resembling corpses bloated by days of decay.
Their skin had puffed and swelled from the endless soaking. The bites from rats, snakes, and insects had split open into wounds that festered white with rot.
Each one of them burned with fever. And each one knew the truth. If it continued like this, they would die in this pit.
“Mom… we’re gonna die down here. I don’t wanna die. I really don’t.”
Selina clung to Melanie as if she were her last anchor.
The fever had left Selina delirious. Her lips were cracked, bleeding, and dry. Worse, she had been bitten by snakes.
The snakes didn’t seem to carry venom, but it didn’t matter. Her calf and arm had swollen monstrously, round and tight like dough rising in the oven, and she wished she could cut the flesh away to stop the pain.
Rashes had broken out across her skin, leaving angry red blotches that itched and burned all at
once.
The surface of the water carried bloated rat corpses and floating vomit, and the stench of rot pressed against their nostrils until every breath felt like swallowing filth.
Every second was torment for Selina. Fear wrapped around her throat like a rope. She did not want to die here,
And she knew who was to blame. It was Anneliese.
That vile woman should have been the one trapped down here.
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Chapter 269 Karma
“We’re not gonna die. We’ll make it through this. You have to hold on, Selina.”
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Melanie’s voice was faint, barely stronger than a whisper, but she forced it out as if words could keep her sister alive. She herself was trembling, starving, and close to breaking.
Selina leaned against her harder, her weight dragging down like a stone. Melanie’s legs. buckled, and she slipped into the water. The foul liquid rushed into her mouth, and she came up choking and coughing, her frail body shaking.
“Perseus, Timothy… I can’t take it anymore.”
Among them, Perseus still had the most strength. His young body hadn’t yet given out.
He snatched up a broken brick and slammed it against the wall, blow after blow, his movements filled with fury. The wall was closest to the plaza outside. By reason, someone should have heard it.
If only someone had noticed, then they would be saved.
But for two days straight, they had screamed, pounded, and begged until their throats were raw, and no help had ever come.
Rage filled Perseus until he could think of nothing else.
He swore that once he got out, he would kill Anneliese, the venomous woman who tried to destroy them all.
“Somebody! Please! Anyone out there, help us!”
The sound of his strikes rang through the basement, harsh and heavy against the stone.
The others raised their heads, hope flickering in their dull eyes. But just as quickly, it withered.
There was no answer. Only silence. It was odd that no one noticed the sounds. They made a din loud enough to wake a town.
At last, his strength failed. The brick slipped from his hand and fell into the water with a splash.
His body slid down the wall as if every bone had turned to dust.
A snake glided past him, the ripples spreading as its body cut through the water. It raised its head and flicked its tongue, mocking him like a judge passing sentence. Then it drifted away, slow and careless.
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Chapter 269 Karma
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Perseus held still, frozen in terror, until it disappeared into the dark.
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Selina broke into sobs again, her whimpers soft and pitiful. No one spoke to soothe her this time.
Irritation coiled through them instead. Every one of them knew the truth but refused to speak it aloud. If Selina hadn’t pushed for the divorce payout from Anneliese, none of this would have happened.
“Stop crying already! I’m still alive, but you’re bawling like you’re at my funeral. You’re dragging us all down!”
Timothy’s head pounded with pain until rage spilled out of him. His voice cracked, sharp but powerless. Selina only sobbed harder.
Time blurred until it lost all shape. None of them could tell how long they had been left to rot. Then, at last, footsteps echoed from beyond the door.
The five of them forced their eyes open, their lids heavy as iron. They strained to focus on the shadow that stopped in front of the iron door.
Perseus reacted first, forcing his trembling arm through the bars. “Please… save us.”
Timothy and Christopher, half–conscious, slurred out their pleas.
“Get us out of here. We’ll repay you.”
“Call the cops. Somebody’s trying to wipe out our whole family. It’s Anneliese!”
This was the Whites‘ basement. The only way that led to this place was a narrow path.
The basement had no windows. The iron door was their only link to the narrow hall above.
Once the door shut, the darkness was suffocating, sealing them away from day and night alike.
Now, finally, light poured down the passage and spilled into the cell. Someone had come.
The figure outside stood in that glow. The White family couldn’t see their face or even tell how many had come.
They staggered forward, their voices breaking with desperation.
They looked like beggars stripped of all dignity.
Then a woman’s voice rang out. It was sharp, steady, and merciless.
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Chapter 269 Karma
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“Trying to kill your whole family? So, you do understand that locking people down here and depriving them of food and water means death.”
12:11 Thu, Sep 18
