Library

Maghanap

Home / Belated Redemption / Kabanata 1 - Kabanata 10

Lahat ng Kabanata ng Belated Redemption: Kabanata 1 - Kabanata 10

10 Kabanata

Chapter 1

Blood trickled from the wound and streamed down my thigh, soaking into the carpet until the fibers turned dark red. Agony shot through my leg, the pain sharp enough to make anyone else scream. I barely reacted. I was used to pain, after all. During the seven years I had spent in the mountains, I experienced it every day. I had endured pain much, much worse than this. Jasmin's hand trembled as she snatched the glass shard out of my hands. My dad rushed over with a muffled cry and pressed both hands against my thigh. Blood seeped through his fingers almost instantly. My mom grabbed her phone to call an ambulance, only to drop it because of how much she was trembling. Jasmin spun toward me, her face pale with fury. "Are you insane? Did you seriously just cut yourself because I told you to?" I looked at her calmly, not quite understanding why she was so angry. "Didn't you tell me to do that, Jasmin?" I had to obey if I didn't want to get beaten up. That was the only rul

Chapter 2

Jasmin finally broke the silence. "Deagan, this little guilt trip of yours isn't going to work." She folded her arms across her chest, visibly irritated. "Reagan's been pampered his whole life. Can't you just let him have his way once in a while?" I nodded without hesitation. "Okay. I'll do whatever you tell me to do, Jasmin." She turned sharply and stared at me. "If you're really that obedient, go apologize to Reagan." I immediately pushed the covers aside and climbed out of bed. The movement pulled at the stitches on my thigh. A sharp pain tore through the wound as it split open again, and fresh blood quickly seeped through the bandages. I kept walking. I crossed the hallway barefooted and headed straight for Reagan's ward.… My mom was sitting beside his bed, cutting an apple into slices for him. Reagan had just taken a bite when he noticed me standing in the doorway. His whole body stiffened. A second later, he scrambled backward and pulled the covers up to h

Chapter 3

The housekeeper found me with a burning fever the next morning. By the time the family doctor arrived, my whole body felt like it was burning up. He gave me an injection to bring my fever down, and I spent the next several hours drifting in and out of consciousness. Somewhere through the haze, Reagan's gentle voice reached me. "Dad, Mom, Deagan didn't mean any of it. He's just used to living that way in the mountains. Please don't be angry with him." My dad released a long, tired exhale. "It's such a curse. If we'd known this was how he'd turn out after bringing him home, maybe we should've just..." He grew quiet, though he didn't have to finish his sentence. I understood exactly what he meant. My mom scoffed coldly. "I think he's just acting crazy on purpose so everyone will feel sorry for him. Ever since he came back, he's brought nothing but trouble into this house." Jasmin sounded even more irritated. "He's probably covered in germs from that place. Don't let him touc

Chapter 4

After that, they locked me in my room. My daily meals were passed through a narrow slot at the bottom of the door by the housekeeping staff, and I never complained. I had food, water, and a warm place to sleep. Most importantly, no one came in to beat me. Compared to the mountains, this place already felt like heaven. ... Two days later, the door finally opened. Reagan stepped inside wearing a crisp, expensive shirt while carrying a bowl of steaming chicken noodle soup. "Deagan, I made you some chicken noodle soup. It'll help you gain your strength back." He placed the bowl on the table and smiled warmly at me. "Drink it while it's hot." I walked over, picked up the bowl, and drank without stopping. The scalding soup burned my tongue and throat as it went down, yet I forced myself to finish every last drop. He told me to drink it while it was hot. So I did. When I handed the empty bowl back to him, Reagan's smile stiffened for a moment before returning to normal.

Chapter 5

That night, Jasmin came into my room alone. She sat beside my bed and stared at me without a word. The silence stretched on for so long that I began to wonder if she planned to sit there until morning. Eventually, she broke the silence. "Why?" she asked hoarsely. I looked at her, unsure what she meant. "Why do you keep doing this? Do you like torturing us?" I shook my head. "What could it be, then?" Her voice rose sharply as everything she'd been holding back finally burst out. "Do you have any idea what you've done? Mom's heart condition flared up because of you, and Reagan hasn't eaten all day because he's been worried sick about you!" With my head lowered, I apologized, "I'm sorry." "Sorry?" Jasmin snapped. "Is that the only thing you know how to say?" She snatched the glass from the nightstand and hurled it onto the floor, shattering it. "Deagan, do you think everyone in this family owes you something?" Her eyes were bloodshot as she stared at me. "Did you

Chapter 6

The doctor's every word seemed to strike my family like a blow. My dad's quiet sobs quickly turned into uncontrollable weeping, while my mom slumped against the wall and covered her face with both hands. At the foot of my bed, Jasmin suddenly swayed and grabbed the rail to keep herself upright. She stared at me, her lips quivering. However, she couldn't bring herself to speak.… The police launched an investigation soon afterward and reopened the case surrounding my disappearance seven years earlier. According to the original report, I had wandered off during a family outing near the city's outskirts and simply vanished. But after everything that had happened since my return, one thing had become painfully clear: my disappearance was no accident. Investigators began going through the records of everyone who had worked for the Rhodes family at the time, from household staff to former drivers. A name immediately drew their focus: Edward Shaw. He had worked as my fam

Chapter 7

When did everything between Jasmin and me start to fall apart? It all began with Reagan. He never openly went against me. Instead, he slipped small, seemingly harmless comments about me into casual conversations with Jasmin. Whenever something went wrong, he somehow made me look guilty while standing beside her, wearing that same innocent expression. His tears did the rest. Little by little, he chipped away at Jasmin's trust in me until there was almost nothing left. Eventually, the sister who had once protected me became the one who pushed me away. She was the one who convinced me to end my life. Meanwhile, I had nearly obeyed her. The realization seemed to crush her. Jasmin struck herself across the face several times. By the third blow, her cheek was swollen, and blood had appeared at the corner of her mouth. She didn't seem to notice it, though. Whatever pain she caused herself was nothing compared to the pounding ache in her chest. My parents were not d

Chapter 8

Whenever I tried to shake my head, my body would nod before I could stop it. Seven years of conditioning had rooted itself deeply, and obedience was no longer something I consciously chose. It had become an instinct my body followed on its own. Dr. Fraser told me recovery would take time. He taught me a few simple ways to regain control. Whenever I wanted to refuse something, I was supposed to clench my fist. Whenever I wanted to express what I truly felt, I had to look the other person directly in the eyes. One afternoon, my dad came into my room carrying a bowl of creamy seafood chowder. "Deagan, it's time to eat. I added some seafood today. You used to love this." I felt my stomach drop the moment I smelled it. The woman in the mountains had often cooked seafood. Every time she forced me to eat it, hives spread across my body, leaving me itching so badly that I could not sleep through the night. I did not want any. Still, when I saw the hopeful look on my dad's fac

Chapter 9

"Deagan, I know none of this can ever make up for what you went through." My mom glanced at the thick stack of documents on the desk between us. "This is the least I can do for you." I looked at the papers but made no move to take them. "I don't want them." I spoke clearly and without hesitation. It was the first time I had ever refused her so directly. My mom froze. A flash of hurt crossed her usually composed face before she quickly tried to hide it. "Why not? Are you still angry with me?" I shook my head. "What do you want, then?" I remained silent for a long moment, gathering the courage to say what had been on my mind. "I want to go to school." More than anything, I wanted the chance to live like a normal person. I wanted to sit in a classroom, make friends, and see the world outside the Rhodes Residence. I did not want to spend the rest of my life sheltered, surrounded by their guilt and endless attempts to make up for everything that had happened. My request

Chapter 10

I knew some scars would never completely fade, but all of us were slowly learning how to move forward. During my junior year, I met my girlfriend, Lilia Irwin. She was one of the most well-known students on campus—president of the student union, beautiful, brilliant, and seemingly good at everything she did. Half the guys at school probably had a crush on her. Someone like her had nothing to do with someone like me. At least, that was what I thought. One afternoon, I was organizing materials in the library when I accidentally bumped into a bookshelf. Several heavy books immediately tumbled from the upper shelves. Before I could react, Lilia rushed over and threw herself between me and the falling books. One after another, they slammed into her back. I walked away without a scratch. Meanwhile, she ended up with a broken arm. The guilt ate at me, so I went to the hospital to check on her and help however I could. One visit turned into another, and before I knew it,

I-scan ang code para mabasa sa App

DMCA.com Protection Status