Harrison practically scrambled out of his office.
He shakily called the police, got my location,
and ran eight red lights.
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He shoved through onlookers, only to be
stopped by police.
“Move! That’s my sister!” he rasped, barely
audible.
The officers exchanged glances. “When we
arrived, we only found the livestream
equipment, no one else.”
A police officer pointed to a nearby river.
“There’s a river behind the building. We’ve
sent divers, but a fall from that height…even
if she landed in the water, the impact…the
chances of survival are practically zero.”
Harrison’s knees buckled; he knelt on the wet
bank.
After thirty days of searching, the rescue
team withdrew.
Harrison knelt by the river, his suit pants
L
muddy. The always composed man finally
broke down, sobbing uncontrollably.
Back at the mansion, Jenny greeted him in a
silk robe, her neckline deliberately low.
“Harrison, don’t be sad…”
“What’s done is done…life goes on.”
“She was my good friend. I’m heartbroken too.”
“I had her things burned. Tradition dictates
that when someone dies, their belongings must be burned.”
“And, our wedding next week…the planner called…”
“Postpone the wedding,” Harrison brushed her hand away.
Jenny’s face paled; her nails dug into her palm. “But the invitations…”
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“I said cancel!” he roared. “And who
authorized you to touch Talia’s things?”
Jenny’s face was ashen. “Tradition…”
Harrison rubbed his temples. “I need some
alone time. Go home for a while. The wedding is off. I’m not in the mood.”
Jenny’s mouth opened and shut; a flicker of hatred in her eyes before she remained silent. The moment the door closed, Harrison slid to the floor.
Harrison used every connection, scouring the city, but found no trace of the kidnappers. He returned to the hospital. The attending physician handed him a file.
“We wanted to tell you…she had many signs of abuse…and…and…”
Harrison stared at the doctor. “And what?”
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<
The doctor sighed. “Besides the external
injuries, she’d undergone multiple forced
abortions.”
“What?!” Harrison staggered back, his face
white.
The doctor said helplessly, “We tried to give you the physical exam reports, but both times you left in a hurry…”
Harrison clutched the report, his knuckles white.
What had happened all these years?!
Harrison sped to Grace Academy.
The late–night calls, the sobs he’d ignored,
echoed in his ears.
Every word, every sob, a clear cry for help. At Grace Academy, he walked inside.
A stench of blood hit him.
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<
6
Harrison stood at the end of the hallway, dark
red stains spreading from the corner to the ceiling.
Several vacant–eyed students stumbled past, their movements like puppets.
He went to the principal’s office and kicked
the door open.
Two people hastily separated. The principal wiped his mouth. “Sir…”
“I’m Talia Hayes‘ brother,” Harrison said
coldly. “What kind of ‘education‘ did she receive here?”
The principal offered a fawning smile. “Oh, I remember, we followed your instructions. We disciplined her well!”
“We handle any troublemakers; they become
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obedient.”
Harrison’s face changed. “My instructions?” The principal nodded, a lecherous smile spreading across his face.
“Your secretary gave instructions, we ‘took special care‘ of her! In fact, I was the one who deflowered her!”
Before he finished, Harrison’s fist connected with his face.
Harrison couldn’t count the blows, until the
man fell silent, a limp mass on the floor.
Harrison grabbed the trembling woman. “Who else touched her?”
“All…all the male teachers…” she stammered. Ten minutes later, everyone in the academy was held down by Harrison’s bodyguards. Harrison wiped the blood from his hands, his
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voice icy. “Take them to the station! Not one
gets away!”
He opened the innermost door. The sight
froze his blood.
The small room had no bed, only a rusty dog
cage.
The walls were covered in scratch marks and
blood–stained scrawls.
“Save me”
“I’ll be good”
“Don’t hit me”
“Hungry”
“I have a baby”
“Baby’s gone”
His fists hammered the concrete wall, until his
hands bled.
Harrison’s chest ached. Talia had lived in
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<
darkness for three years.
He opened the “Princess” photo album on his phone. Talia’s bright smile was blinding.
It contained her life.
Hot tears streamed down Harrison’s face, his
chest constricting.
He should have admitted it. From the moment she timidly called him “brother” at ten, she’d lived in his heart.
But he hadn’t dared. No blood relation, yet he feared judgment, his dark desires corrupting
her.
Seeing her with the doll, his first reaction was a secret delight, quickly swallowed by guilt. He’d used the cruelest words to punish himself for his dark thoughts.
When Jenny suggested sending Talia away,
ho’d readily agroad Ho thought if he couldn’t
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L
he’d readily agreed. He thought if he couldn’t
see her, the thoughts would vanish. He even
decided to marry someone else, but when
Talia returned, his gaze would always follow her.
Now, kneeling before that cage, seeing the desperate scratches, he saw his weakness and cruelty, the monstrous thing he’d done. He’d pushed his beloved into hell.
Back at the mansion, Harrison heard Jenny’s shrill voice.
“Get out! Who do you think you are? How
dare you stop me!” Jenny yelled at Lin,
“Why won’t you let me in? I’m Harrison’s wife!”
Lin stood firm. “Excuse me, Ms. Parker, the master is upset. He instructed no one is to
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see him.”
Jenny was about to explode, but caught sight
of Harrison. She instantly adopted a sweet
tone. “Harrison~ your maid is bullying me! Fire her!”
Harrison’s lips curled, his voice cold. “Lin has been here for years. She watched Talia grow up. What right do you have to fire her?” Jenny flinched under his gaze, her face contorted with hurt. “But I’m your fiancée… don’t I even have the right to fire a maid…” She thought a little charm would work as before.
“Fiancée?” Harrison sneered. His bodyguards stepped forward, kicking Jenny to the ground. “Ouch!” she cried, “Harrison! Are you crazy?!” Harrison looked down on her, his eyes
