“A mistake? Hmph! I see that both of you are still unrepentant.” Noah, who had been watching from the side, castigated.
Vivian was at a loss as she could not quite make sense of the exchange. What did Ashley do? Did she upset Finnick? Or does it have something to do with me?
Ashley was in tears as she struggled against her restraints in vain. She was only able to let out muffled cries through her gag.
Fabian’s heart ached to see Ashley in this manner.
He approached Finnick. “Finnick, consider yourself doing me a favor. She’s pregnant! Whatever it was that she did wrong, allow me to make it up to you. Just let her go first.”
Fabian’s words had Finnick incensed.
He said mockingly, “Fabian, aren’t you being selfish! For all the atrocities Ashley had done, you want me to let her off just because she’s carrying your child? Don’t forget that you were her victim as well!”
The color fell from Fabian’s face.
That’s right. How could I not hate Ashley? But she is with my child. What choice do I have? What else can I do? The unborn baby is innocent!
Fabian said, “Let’s just forget it, Finnick. She’s carrying another life inside her! There’s nothing that could be done to undo the past. And isn’t Vivian doing just fine right now?”
Vivian was starting to connect the dots between Ashley’s kidnapping, Finnick’s fury, and Emma and Fabian’s pleas. But did we not agree to steer clear of each other?
What unforgivable thing has Ashley done to have Finnick act this way?
It did not cross Vivian’s mind that all of it had to do with what happened to her two years ago.
The oblivious Vivian asked, “Finnick, what has Ashley done?”
Finnick took a glance at Ashley before he turned to Vivian. “The incident two years ago. It was Ashley who instigated it.”
It was Ashley?
Vivian could not believe what she was hearing. In the past two years, she was ostracized, gossiped about, almost taken advantage of by strange men, and had broken up with Fabian all because of that incident.
The realization that her sister was the mastermind behind it hit Vivian like a bolt of lightning.
Noah explained, “I’ve done a thorough investigation. It was Ashley who spiked your drink two years ago. She then hired someone to violate you, took your lewd photos, and distributed them. She was also the one who sent those photos to Fabian and smeared your reputation in school! Ashley was responsible for all of that!”
Dumbstruck, Vivian looked at the ragged Ashley. The bitterness in her half-sister’s eyes confirmed her guilt.
“No! It was not Ashley!” Emma dashed forward to interject. “It was me. Those were my ideas! If you want someone to hold it against, let it be me!”
Fabian and Ashley were stunned. Was Emma out of her mind? Was it motherly love that gave her the courage to sacrifice herself? But what good would that do?
Emma sobbed, “Two years ago, when I saw Vivian dating such an outstanding young man, I sought to mess things up for her. So I came up with the idea of drugging, pimping, and documenting. But that didn’t feel enough, so I went on to spread the photos around the school to ruin her completely… All of this was my doing! Ashley has nothing to do with it!”
However, Finnick knew Emma was lying. She was willing to be her daughter’s scapegoat for the sake of her future happiness as any mother would.
He proclaimed in an icy tone, “Neither one of you should expect to walk away from this scot-free!”
At that moment, Ashley struggled with all her might as though she wanted to speak. Fabian came forward and removed the gag from her mouth.
As she choked on her own breath, he rubbed her chest to help her recover.
Emma said, “No! No! It was me! I did all of that! My daughter had nothing to do with it whatsoever! I just couldn’t stand seeing this little b**** happy! I wanted to destroy her completely! She and her mother should both boil in the depths of hellfire!”
