As I called out his name, “Cameron…”
I saw Queenie standing next to him, looking smug and ostentatious.
“So coincidental, Laura!” She walked toward me, “Didn’t expect to run into you here! What are you doing here? Do you have acquaintances in prison, or are you here for a prison visit? Or are you here to see Patrick?”
I knew Queenie was intentionally saying this in front of Cameron.
I looked at Cameron, his face dark, standing under a tree, eyes fixed on me as if trying to bore a hole through me.
“Cameron, let me explain…” I took a couple of steps forward but was intercepted by Queenie.
“Cameron doesn’t have time to listen to your nonsense right now!” She held her head high. “Laura, do you even know what kind of person you are? The daughter of a murderer, and you still want to compete with me?”
“What are you saying! Queenie, you…”
“Am I slandering you?” She sneered, pointing her sharp finger at my chest. “I’m telling the truth, and you know it best!”
Cameron approached, his eyes filled with distrust.
His hand clenched into a fist, and the corners of his mouth twitched.
“Cameron…” I looked at him, still hold hope for him.
But he just gave me a cold glance. Queenie casually looped her arm through his.
“Laura, stop pretending! We know everything! Jacob Campbell inside is not just your father; he’s also Anne’s killer fifteen years ago!”
“No!”
I kept retreating.
At that moment, my world seemed to collapse.
At that moment, I realized that the past fifteen years were a dream I wove for myself. In the dream, I was born into a wealthy family, living a princess-like life. I became Anne’s substitute, enjoying everything she was supposed to. In the dream, I had a love I couldn’t speak of, and Cameron was the boyfriend every girl envied. I fantasized that one day he would dress me in a wedding gown, lead me down the aisle, and make a lifelong commitment before a priest.
But now, everything was ruined.
After waking up from the dream, reality was harsh and cold.
“Cameron, let me explain…” Tears welled up in my eyes. “I… I didn’t mean to hide it from you. I didn’t want you to know that my biological father is like this… because I care too much about you. I care too much about how I appear in your eyes!”
“Laura.” After a long silence, he spoke with a cold tone. “You really surprised me.”
“Yes, I suspected you. I’ve said it before; I’ve been suspecting you from the beginning, suspecting your involvement in my sister’s death… but I thought the worst-case scenario would be finding out that you, out of fear, let my sister die for you. I’ve convinced myself countless times that even if the truth is like that, it’s not your fault.”
“But I never thought you would be the daughter of a murderer!”
He glared at me, his eyes filled with nothing but hatred. He seemed like he wanted to tear me into pieces.
…
I forced a bitter smile. “Is my identity really that important, Cameron? Even if I’m the daughter of a murderer, my feelings for you are genuine!”
“Slap!” A resounding slap struck my face.
I looked up, meeting Queenie’s furious gaze.
“You bitch…” she gritted her teeth. “What, even in front of me, you still want to seduce Cameron? Your feelings are genuine. What about mine? What about my feelings? What do my feelings mean?”
“Bitch, I’ll kill you!” She delivered another slap, hitting the other side of my face.
My head spun, and I considered resisting.
But I felt a sense of despair. What was the point of resisting now?
“Laura, you’re just the daughter of a murderer. You have no right to compete with me!” She hysterically shouted. “You deserve to die! You should die! Shameless!”
She forcefully pushed me down, then proceeded to kick my waist twice. Next, she used both hands and feet to unleash a flurry of punches and kicks on me.
The excruciating pain instantly spread through my entire body. But more painful than the physical torment was Cameron’s cold gaze from the sidelines.
Queenie seemed determined to beat me to death, and Cameron just stood there, expressionless, watching. My heart shattered into pieces. Just yesterday, this man had rushed into the bathroom to rescue me, carefully tending to my wounds, and passionately entwining with me. Today, we had become strangers so easily.
I lay on the ground, allowing Queenie to hit and berate me, silent and indifferent. The smell of blood pervaded my nose and mouth, yet I strangely felt no pain.
If she were to beat me to death, so be it…
Queenie lifted her foot, and the seven-centimeter pointed high heel rushed towards my eyes… I closed my eyes, suddenly hearing her scream, and the imagined pain did not hit my eyes.
“Cameron, you…”
Queenie’s voice held a hint of disbelief.
I slowly opened my eyes, witnessing her surprised expression. Behind her, Cameron tightly gripped her wrist, pulling her to the side.
“The beating will suffice to vent your anger.” His voice remained cold. “Don’t make a scene. After all, this is the entrance to the prison.”
“Alright…” Queenie immediately put on a pleasing smile. “Since you won’t let me hit her, Cameron, I won’t. Spare her wretched life!”
“Yes, spare her wretched life,” Cameron chuckled coldly. “When we get back, I’ll deal with her properly!”
…
I was brought back to The Lynch Family.
Everyone sat down, and I knelt. What right did the daughter of a murderer have to sit? Moreover, my father owed them lives! My identity was fully exposed.
Stella’s wailing echoed through the entire living room. She kept saying she was blind, that all these years, she had kept a wolf by her side. She repeatedly apologized, calling out “Anne,” expressing regret, and shouting any words that could embarrass me. When she got tired of shouting, she stood up and grabbed anything she could find, hurling them at me.
Teacups, teapots, vases.
One by one, handicrafts, pottery, crystal ornaments.
Everything shattered on the floor.
“No hiding, Laura!” she screamed.
She ordered the servants to stab the glass shards on the floor into my body. When the servants hesitated, she took matters into her own hands, picking up a large piece of glass and fiercely stabbing it into my back.
The pain was hellish. I screamed in a tone that even I couldn’t believe I produced such a miserable sound.
“Mom!” Cameron stepped forward to block her, glanced back at me, and said, “Don’t get angry for the sake of someone like her.”
I was in pain, sweating profusely, curled up on the floor, convulsing. My eyelids felt heavy, gradually losing sight of Cameron’s face.
Suddenly, a bucket of cold water was poured over me.
I reached out for Cameron to save me. He grabbed my wrist, lifted me up, and strode towards the door.
“Cameron… Cameron, what are you doing…” My arm was about to be dislocated by his grip. “Cameron, it hurts so much… please…”
“There are still glass shards on my back… please let me go, save me, Cameron!”
…
“Kneel!”
He gave me a harsh push.
I fell forward, and my forehead hit a stone.
Everything around me turned pitch black, with only the sound of the wind rustling through the trees.
It was quiet and cold here. I began to hallucinate, hearing a faint sobbing sound in my ears…
“Kneel here and apologize to Anne!” Cameron commanded.
I looked up, screamed in terror, and crawled backward on the ground.
This was Anne’s grave!
“Cameron… please no!”
“Apologize to Anne!”
He pressed my head down, relentlessly knocking it against the green stone slab.
I had no strength to resist, no strength to struggle. I couldn’t even muster the strength to speak for myself… I became a puppet, letting him vent his anger.
Blood trickled down my face, and I felt the tingling warmth, slightly sweet and metallic.
My vision was bathed in crimson. Hell couldn’t be worse than this… I laughed, but tears kept streaming down my face. I opened my mouth, emitting a hoarse voice.
“Cameron… why…”
“To atone.” He squatted down, gripping my hair, forcing me to lift my face, meeting his fierce gaze. “Your father cut her tongue, took her life. You dying a thousand times won’t be enough!”
Yes, my wretched life is worth nothing. But even in its worthlessness, it’s still a life, isn’t it?
Why is it that only your sister is worth cherishing, while I’m utterly worthless?
I closed my eyes…
Suddenly, I felt a moist and warm kiss. The kiss carried a familiar dominance, yet it was gentle and compassionate… He held me in his arms, as if cherishing a precious treasure.
Slowly, it seems like I’m losing consciousness, my whole body feels light as if drifting on clouds…
I had another dream, and this time, it was just a vast expanse of whiteness. But it felt warm, as if someone was holding my hand, though I couldn’t see the person’s face…