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Chapter 7
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Turning a Deaf Ear to a Decade of Lies Chapter 8
My family did not leave.The very next morning when I headed over to the school, a row of tents had sprung up at the entrance to the village.Dad and my three brothers were slinging mud around to pave the road, pants rolled up to their knees, while Mom was hauling buckets of water for the villagers.The locals whispered among themselves amid the scene.“What on earth are these city folk up to?”“Looks like they’re trying to pay penance.”“Well, if that’s what they’re trying to do, they shouldn’t be blocking the damn school gates.”Ethan had somehow dragged in a state-of-the-art sound system, blasting a brand-new song he had written for me on a non-stop loop, day in and day out.Every line of the lyrics was choked with “I’m sorry,” “Please come home,” and “It was my fault.”By day two, the villagers were ready to lose their minds.Tommy, covering his ear, was cursing at the top of his lungs, “Have these city bastards lost their bloody minds?!”On the third day, the team of ot
Turning a Deaf Ear to a Decade of Lies Chapter 7
“Ms. Lawrence, I can read now!”I turned around. Hugo was already running up to me, holding his textbook above his head.He stood close, his voice loud and clear.“Apple, bee, cat—I know all the words!”I smiled and nodded. “One more time, please.”Morning mist drifted over the earthy playground.Drafts seeped through the cracks in the classroom, plastic sheeting covered the windows, and paint was peeling off along the edges of the chalkboard.Yet when the children looked at me, their eyes always shone bright.No matter when, I was always surrounded by a big crowd of them.“Ms. Lawrence.”“Ms. Lawrence, did I write this right?”“Ms. Lawrence, we’re having sweet potatoes for lunch today!”Their voices called out to me one after another, purer and better than any applause I had ever heard.Meanwhile, back in the city, chaos had broken out.Over the past two weeks, Josh had scoured every neighboring city, checking bus stations, inns and local schools.Driving late at night
Turning a Deaf Ear to a Decade of Lies Chapter 6
“Mom, your hand is bleeding!”When Ethan walked into the kitchen, Mom was still standing in the exact same spot.She looked down at her wound, and tears suddenly spilled over.“She really wants nothing to do with us now.”Covering her face with her trembling hands, she sobbed, “I forced her to take the fall... even tried to use Grandma’s belongings to blackmail her.”“She didn’t even take her spare hearing aid with her. She’s really never coming back.”Josh just got home from the police station, doubled over from a sharp heartburn.Mia, who had just been released on bail, caught the acidic whiff of breath coming from him. She wrinkled her nose, recoiling in disgust.“Ugh, stay away from me! That smells awful.”Josh froze, lifting his head to glare at her. “What did you say?”Mia scoffed, impatience written all over her face. “I’m in enough of a mess already! People online are tearing me apart, and you guys can’t even pull yourselves together. Can’t I just have some peace?”J
Turning a Deaf Ear to a Decade of Lies Chapter 5
The train rattled through the night.After daybreak, I transferred to two different buses before finally boarding a village tractor that came to pick me up, bringing me to my teaching post.The second the tractor ground to a halt, I popped the SIM card out of my phone and tossed it into a roadside ditch.The village chief, Earl Cooper, stared in surprise. “Ms. Lawrence, what are you doing?”I smiled casually. “I won’t be needing the old number anymore.”He nodded, helping me with my suitcase. “Fair enough. Let’s head to the school now.”At that very moment, total chaos was erupting back at the house.At three in the morning, a phone call from the Fergusons broke through the silence.The second Dad picked up, an icy voice came from the other end.“Mr. Lawrence, the engagement is off. The Fergusons will not accept a bride who commits a DUI hit-and-run and attempted murder of her own sister.”Before Dad could even process the words, the doorbell began ringing frantically.Befor
Turning a Deaf Ear to a Decade of Lies Chapter 4
Dad was the first to sit down. “Elaine, come sit. Let’s talk.”I didn’t budge.Mom grabbed my hand, leading me to a chair. “Eat first, darling. You must be hungry.”Josh tossed a manila folder onto the table. “Take a look at this.”I pulled out the document. It was a confessional statement for a hit-and-run.I looked up. “What is this supposed to mean?”Mom’s eyes turned red instantly. “Mia hit someone while driving a couple of days ago. She was terrified, so she left the scene. Now the victim’s family has posted about it online, and things have spiraled out of control.”Ethan immediately cut in. “The Fergusons are about maintaining a spotless reputation. If Mia gets a record, her engagement is ruined.”I stared at them in silence.Dad spoke in a heavy voice. “Take the fall for her. Say you were the driver.”I burst out laughing. “Dad, you know that means serving time, right?”Mom gripped my hand, tears streaming down her cheeks. “Elaine, help Mia out just this once, will yo
Turning a Deaf Ear to a Decade of Lies Chapter 3
Early the next morning, I stepped out of my room to find the living room overwhelmed with betrothal gifts delivered by the Fergusons.Velvet jewelry cases, heavy chests of wedding gifts, and right at the center sat a bespoke haute couture wedding gown, its immaculate train cascading across the floor like a wave.I halted at the landing, my footsteps freezing mid-stride.Back when I was twelve, my classmates had cornered me in the restroom and mocked me because of my difference. They mimicked my dazed, vacant stares, forcing me to write down that I was a "little deaf dummy" before they'd let me go home.Later, through stifled tears, I pleaded with Mom to get me a discreet, higher-end hearing aid.She continued leafing through the stack of household bills, dismissing my agony with not much care. “Just make do with the one you have. I’m sure you can hear well enough with that.”So I endured school wearing that bargain-bin device, struggling to decipher lectures during class, not dar
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