I slammed on the brakes and looked back.
Mr. Thompson appeared behind the car, calm
as ever.
“Grace, you stole my car and you think you
can escape?”
I bit my lip, trying to start the car, but it
wouldn’t turn over.
I got out.
Mr. Thompson was holding his new
“Katherine,” his face full of satisfaction.
He was wearing a bathrobe, loosely tied
around his waist; the breeze revealed the
marks on his skin.
The woman shyly nestled in his arms,
occasionally peeking out.
She said coquettishly, “Mr. Thompson, isn’t
having me enough? Just let her go. I’ll be
jealous.”
I suppressed my disgust.
“Mr. Thompson, I’ve fulfilled our agreement,
you have a replacement, why won’t you let
me leave?”
Mr. Thompson laughed freely.
“Eleanor, after all this time, you still don’t
understand me.”
“Once I’ve used something, even if I’m tired of it, I won’t let it go.”
He looked at me with a smile, like he was
looking at a disobedient dog.
Seeing his expression, which mirrored
Grace’s, I started laughing.
The power of genes was truly strong, no
matter how hard I tried to raise Grace
differently, she still turned out like her father.
Seeing my laughter, the smile vanished from
Mr. Thompson’s face.
He narrowed his eyes. “Eleanor, what’s so
funny?!”
“I’m being lenient by keeping you alive.‘
وو
“If you insist on leaving today, leave your life
here!”
He suddenly pushed away “Katherine,” pulled
out a gun and pointed it at me.
I frowned, walked towards him.
The atmosphere froze.
Mr. Thompson, thinking I’d surrendered,
smiled slightly.
“Smart girl.
“”
“Considering you’ve been with me for so
long, you’ll always have a place in this
family.
وو
“As for Grace, guide her well, and she’ll
forgive you.
وو
He turned the gun, ready to holster it.
I spoke calmly, one word at a time.
“Mr. Thompson, listen carefully. I. Will. Not.
Return.”
وو
“I don’t want your position, or you or Grace. I
only want freedom.”
The man’s face changed, and he aimed the
gun at me again.
“Eleanor, don’t push your luck!”
Click. The gun was cocked.
“Think carefully, do you really want to die
here?”
I was resolute, stepped forward, my temple
against the barrel.
“Mr. Thompson, if I have to stay by your side,
I’d rather die!”
Mr. Thompson gritted his teeth.
His calm demeanor was gone, rage burning in
his eyes.
“Eleanor, I misjudged you.‘
وو
“Fine, if you want to die, I’ll grant your wish!”
I closed my eyes.
Finally, it would all be over.
Death would bring freedom for my soul.
As long as I could leave the Thompson family,
I would accept it.
His finger tightened on the trigger, but then
hesitated.
A shout rang out.
“Mr. Thompson, let her go!”
I opened my eyes, seeing a woman, worriedly
calling out my name.
“Jane, no!”
Mr. Thompson’s gaze shifted between her
and me, slightly narrowed.
“What’s your relationship?”
I bit my lip. “We just grew up in the same
orphanage, we’re not close.”
“Not close?”
The man sneered. “Not close, yet she’s here
to save you?”
“Intentionally appearing beside my mother,
volunteering to replace you, you planned this,
2
L
didn’t you?!”
Seeing that he had guessed everything, I
didn’t hide it anymore.
“Yes, Jane is here to help me.”
After so many years in the Thompson.
household, I knew their cruelty.
Though I had a contract with Mrs. Thompson,
Mr. Thompson would likely break it and keep
- me.
So, I secretly confided in the matron.
Jane volunteered to help me.
She was rescued from a circus by the matron,
and trained in flexibility and contortion since
childhood.
Seeing her bruised and battered, I cried. I
gave her all my love and care.
Even after I went to the Thompsons, I still
cared for her.
She overheard my conversation with the
matron and had facial reconstructive surgery.
I didn’t want her involved, but she threatened
suicide and guaranteed our escape.
So I agreed.
We planned for me to leave first, and she
would escape when Mr. Thompson was
relaxed.
But it ended up like this.
I had implicated her.
I swallowed the bitterness and looked at Jane
with a forced indifference.
“Jane, this has nothing to do with you.
“Don’t get involved.”
“Go.”
Jane stubbornly refused. “No, Eleanor! We
leave together!”
“If we kill this man, we’ll be free.”
Mr. Thompson burst out laughing.
“Hahaha, you’re so naive.”
“Kill me? You’re still on my property!”
He regained his composure, clapping his
୮
hands.
Several tall, imposing men appeared, guns.
aimed at Jane.
She looked around nervously. Mr. Thompson
disarmed her with a swift blow and tossed
her gun away. He then strode forward,
restraining her, the gun pressed to her head.
Like a predator stalking its prey, his eyes
were sinister.
“Eleanor?”
Two simple words, filled with deadly threat.
I didn’t doubt he’d shoot Jane if I resisted.
“Eleanor, don’t go back with him!”
Tears of regret and anxiety filled Jane’s eyes,
she struggled, but the man knocked her
unconscious with another blow.
“So noisy.”
The man frowned in disgust, looking at me.
“Eleanor, I’ll give you one last chance. Come
back with me.”
“Or you both die here.”
