Chapter 17
Samara was gasping, her collar yanked so tight she could barely breathe, coughing her lungs out and unable to speak.
Ryan was losing it, his grip tightening. “Spit it out! Where’s Ariel?!”
Howell glanced up, seeing his sons, Gavin and Simon, just standing there, hands in pockets, watching like it was a Netflix drama.
He sighed. Typical. Can’t count on these two to keep this family from imploding. Guess it’s on me.’
“Hey, Ryan, ease up,” Howell said, keeping it light. “You’re choking your aunt out.”
Ryan didn’t even blink, his bloodshot eyes glaring at Samara like some demon from a horror flick.
Howell, used to being ignored, just shrugged. ‘Fine.’
He went back to scribbling, humming a tune. If he didn’t look, it wasn’t his problem. Out of sight, out of mind.
Samara’s eyes were streaming, her face red from the chokehold.
Gavin strolled over, gave her a cold glance, and muttered, “Chill, she’s not gonna die.”
Samara kept flailing, but the stone–cold crew around her didn’t care. Simon even whistled, turning to Howell to chat about whether his handwriting looked dope enough.
Finally, Ryan got fed up and let her go.
Samara hit the floor hard, shaking, clutching her throat, coughing and crying.
Ryan crouched down, pulling a knife from his pocket and holding it close to her neck. “Last chance—”
“It wasn’t Ariel…” Samara croaked, barely able to talk. “It was… Joanna who messed her up…”
Terrified Ryan would think Ariel hurt Joanna, she pushed through the pain. “I don’t know who this ‘Muse‘ is… but if someone’s getting a beating, it’s Joanna dishing it.”
She struggled to sit up. “Joanna’s upstairs, poking around the renovations… Go now, she’s not going anywhere. You can settle the score.”
Ryan let out a dark chuckle. “My Muse? That’s Joanna.”
Samara’s arms gave out, and she collapsed, stunned.
Gavin, watching the mess, shook his head, feeling bad for Joanna. “You’re so scared Ryan’s gonna go after Ariel that you’re quick to throw Joanna under the bus? Your own kid?”
Samara hung her head, her voice weak. “Yeah, I’m her mom. That’s why I’m ashamed I gave birth to a lowlife like her.”
Gavin’s fists clenched. “You bitch! I oughta put a bullet in you!”
If she wasn’t Joanna’s mom, he’d have her beaten and tossed out like trash.
Ryan, who didn’t care about anyone except his own mom, gave Samara a sharp kick. “Not every mammal with a pulse
counts as human.”
1/2
Upstairs, Joanna was poking around, noticing all the furniture meant for her room had been sent to Ariel’s instead.
She let out a relieved sigh. “I beat the crap out of Ariel this time. Samara might let it slide, but Howell? No way he’s cool with this. I’m not even his kid.”
She grinned, feeling free. “Does this mean I’m finally getting kicked out?”
Joanna started packing her bag in the hallway, ready to bounce with a smile.
But as she turned, someone pulled her into a hug, the faint scent of fancy cologne hitting her nose.
Simon’s voice, dripping with pity, came from above. “You’ve been through hell, huh?”
Joanna froze. ‘Hell?‘
She was the one who stomped Ariel into the ground. If anyone was hurting, it wasn’t her.
Simon held her tighter, feeling how small she seemed in his arms.
His heart was drowning in sympathy. “Forget the furniture. They gave it away? Screw it. That bed’s worth less than my coffee mug. I’ll get you a bed ten times fancier.”
Joanna stayed quiet. ‘Rich people, man! Measuring money in mugs. But she didn’t care about beds–she just wanted out.
She looked up at Simon. “Does your dad know I beat up Ariel?”
Worried he wasn’t following, she clarified. “Like, I snapped her fingers and bashed her head in. He knows, right?”
Simon nodded. “Yeah, he’s clued in.”
Joanna’s eyes lit up. “So, he’s pissed, right? Like, super pissed? Told me to hit the road?”
‘Come on, I’m spelling it out. Let me go,‘ she prayed.
Simon just hugged her closer, sighing. “I got you, don’t worry. I’ll keep you safe.”
Joanna went dead silent. ‘What the hell?‘
2/2
田
AD
Comment
Send gift
