Tous les chapitres de : Chapitre 1 - Chapitre 8

I grabbed Adrian’s arm, trying to stop him, my voice shaking.“Adrian, are you seriously going to let them die just for Vanessa?”He didn’t even pause.“Your parents have lived long enough. If they die, then that’s just fate.“And Vanessa? She almost never asks me for anything. This time, I’m making sure she gets what she wants.”A chill ran straight through me.He thought the people trapped inside were my parents. That was the only reason he could say something like that so easily.Vanessa shot him a smirk. “Wow. Can’t even keep your own wife in line? Are you a real man?”Adrian glanced at her, a slow smile spreading across his face.“You really want to question that? Or should I prove it to you right now?”She laughed and punched his shoulder, playing along.Inside the flooding cabin, his parents were screaming themselves hoarse, begging for help.And their son stood here, flirting.The absurdity of it made my chest tighten.I didn’t even have the strength to react anymore. I just ke

Someone in the group immediately scoffed.“Every time she shows up, she kills the mood. We were having so much fun and now it has to end. What a letdown!”“She’s always had it out for Vanessa. Now she’s even making up excuses to drag Adrian away.”“Seriously, marrying someone like her just ruins your social life.”Vanessa slipped off Adrian’s shoulders and patted him lightly, pouting.“You should probably go check on her. Otherwise she’ll throw another scene.”Adrian’s expression cooled.He looked at me like I was the problem.“What, Claire? You don’t know how to sign your own name?“You hate seeing me with Vanessa that much you’re making up stories about your parents being dead?“Even if they were, I wouldn’t go. I have nothing to do with them.“Go home. Stop embarrassing yourself.”Something inside me finally went quiet.All hope has been gone.I clenched my teeth. “Adrian, this is your last chance. If you don’t go now, you’ll regret it for the rest of your life.”He let out a short

Adrian went completely still.Even his voice cracked.“What are you doing here?”Then realization struck.He spun toward me, his voice ripping out of his throat.“Claire, didn’t you say they were dead?“What the hell is going on?“If they’re standing right here, then who died?”I looked at him and smiled coldly.“Adrian, how many times did I tell you?“The people who died were your parents.“Your mother. Your father.“The people who gave you life, raised you, and became first-class national heroes.“The people trapped inside that ship while you turned your back on them.”Adrian staggered back.“No… no, that’s impossible.“My parents were overseas recovering. They were supposed to stay there for years. How could they have been on that ship?“Claire, you’re lying. Don’t try to fool me. I don’t believe you.”I stared at him and destroyed the last of his denial.“Listen carefully.“Your parents were on a classified mission. After receiving their first-class medals, they took a cruise home.

Adrian’s eyes went blood-red.Rage burned through the last of his sanity, and he lunged at Vanessa like a rabid dog.A few hard slaps left her face swollen.Vanessa fought back with everything she had.Soon, Adrian’s face and neck were covered in scratches.He grabbed her by the hair and slammed her head against the floor.Again.And again.Blood spread beneath her.“You bitch.“You bitch.“This is all your fault.“If it weren’t for you, my parents would still be alive.“I’ll kill you.”Vanessa’s frantic struggling grew weaker.It took several people to drag her out from under him.By then, her eyes had rolled back, and she had passed out. She was rushed to the hospital.Adrian was still screaming and fighting.Richard looked at the grandson who had disappointed him beyond words.He struck his cane against the floor and snapped, “Enough.”“Look at yourself, Adrian.“How did the Cole family produce someone like you?Only then did Adrian seem to come back to himself.When he saw the offi