Chapter 14 Skin Her
Standing by the bed, I stared at my body, which didn’t decay and had no lividity.
My face was a bit pale, and one might think I was just a sickly person.
If it weren’t for the fact that I wasn’t breathing, I would have thought I was just sleeping.
All this time, I hadn’t seen my body, and a small part of me still hoped that maybe I was severely injured or vegetative, but anyway, I was alive.
If Kaleb found me in time, maybe I could make it.
But now, as I stared at my body, I accepted the harsh reality.
I was dead.
Sitting next to my body, I looked down at my palm. Where should I go from now on? Was I supposed to exist in this form forever?
I couldn’t taste or smell anything, and even if I wanted to cry, I had no. tears. So, this was the world people lived in after they died?
No one could hear or see me, but I could hear and see them all.
I lowered my head and cried, though no tears came out.
Just then, I heard hurried footsteps from more than one person.
I recognized the eyes of the person who came into the chamber, but since he was wearing a mask, I couldn’t see his face.
Another beefy man wearing a leather jacket and furs followed him.
“That’s her.” the beefy man said, pointing at my body.
The ranger yanked off the white shroud covering my body. I was all naked, and I could see the wound across my abdomen.
Also, I saw a layer of transparent grease on my fair skin. Presumably, some kind of medicine had prevented the lividity.
The ranger…
A bad feeling crept up my heart.
He sized me up from head to toe while pressing my flesh from time to time, likely testing elasticity.
I felt like I was some merchandise under his scrutinizing gaze.
Pointing at my wound, he said with a thick accent, “It’s a shame–see the scar here? Or we could have peeled off her skin intact.”
Peel off my skin?
Was I hearing things? He wanted to skin me?
Seriously? This was a society ruled by law!
But they seemed so serious. I didn’t think they were joking at all.
The man prepared the tools and approached my body. I couldn’t help but scream hysterically, “No! Go away!”
In the next second, I blacked out. When I opened my eyes, I was in familiar surroundings again.
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I was at the Harrington’s residence.
I slumped to the floor, still shaken by the horrifying scene.
“On your knees!” An old, authoritative voice rang out, snapping me back to reality.
It was Daniel; it felt like ages since I last saw him.
After his wife, Vivian Harrington, passed away a few years ago, his condition worsened both physically and mentally, and he drifted in and out of lucidity.
Worried that he might go out and get lost, the Harrington family arranged for him to live in a care facility these years.
The last time I visited him, he behaved no differently from a kid.
Yet, now, he seemed all solemn, which suggested he was sane again.
Utterly frightened and uneasy, I ran toward him and said at the top of my lungs, “Sir Harrington, help! Please, help me! Don’t let them skin me!”
But he ignored me and continued, his majestic voice echoing through the living room.
“On the big wedding day, you left Savannah alone at the venue. I don’t give a damn about Alena. How could you make such a stupid mistake? You have no respect for the relationship between the Harrington family and the Brook family at all. How could I hand over the family to you like.
this?”
Victor insisted on being with Tracy and didn’t love Fiona, Daniel’s preferred daughter–in–law. Because of that, Daniel was deeply. disappointed in Victor and placed all his hope on Kaleb ever since Kaleb was a little boy.
And of course, Daniel wouldn’t let Kaleb off this time.
Kaleb dropped to his knees, not daring to say a word.
“My whip,” Daniel commanded.
It seemed he was set to discipline Kaleb.
“Ever since you were little, I told you repeatedly–the head of the Harrington family must not act willfully and has to have high standards. for himself. Have you completely forgotten my words?”
Victor was no stranger to the whip and pleaded for Kaleb’s sake, “Dad, Kaleb was just worried about Alena. He did make a mistake, but it was justifiable.”
Daniel fumed, “A mistake is a mistake. Whatever reason he had, that’s not. important. He’s as unruly as you, huh? Step aside, or I’ll whip you, too.”
Then he turned back to Kaleb. “Take off your shirt.”
Kaleb could only do as he was told.
I saw the marks on his back left by Alena that night, but they had become very faint after days, so no one got suspicious.
Daniel whipped Kaleb without hesitation. After a lash, blood immediately oozed out.
Alena pounced over. “Grandpa, it’s all my fault! Please, just punish me! I shouldn’t have called Kaleb.”
Back then, after Fiona passed away, Victor insisted on bringing Tracy back, which caused the final fallout between him and Daniel. Daniel loathed Tracy, and of course, the same went for Alena.
—
Chapter Li
Daniel said, “Oh, so you do know it’s your fault? You’re such a slut, just like Tracy,”
With this, he raised his hand and was about to whip Alena. Seeing this, Kaleb immediately protected her with his body.
He got whipped again.
Suddenly, someone clapped their hands.
Landen pushed Terrence’s wheelchair as they came into view.
Terrence said mockingly, “Kaleb, it seems you care about Ms. Alena so much. You should be glad there are no outsiders here, or they would have thought she was your wife.”
The expressions of several people present changed drastically.
Kaleb panicked; somehow, he felt Terrence’s gaze pierce through his heart.
Tracy, who didn’t show any reaction at all when Kaleb was whipped, suddenly stepped forward. “Terrence, watch your words. Ally isn’t married; if others hear what you said, they may point fingers at her. Reputation means the world to women.”
“Oh? You know that?”
Terrence’s implication and mocking gaze made Kaleb flustered.
Then Tracy turned to Daniel. “Ally relies on Kaleb too much, and she did nothing wrong. It’s all my fault. Please come at me and spare them.”
Daniel flew into a rage. “Did I say you get to speak? You’re a nobody here. Stop being delusional and thinking you’re part of the family!”
Charter 14 Skin Her
Kaleb said, “Grandpa, I know how stupid the mistake I made. Tracy and Ally didn’t do anything wrong. Please punish me.”
Terrence sneered, “Well, well. Look at you, Kaleb, so generous. You actually became friends with the woman who’s to blame for your mom’s death? No wonder you got so captivated that you can’t tell right from Wrong anymore.”
Kaleb retorted, “Didn’t you say you’d never set foot in here again? Look who’s breaking their promise right now.”
Terrence glanced coldly at Kaleb, who was on his knees.
Though Terrence was sitting in his wheelchair, he gave off an imposing aura, overshadowing Kaleb completely.
“I changed my mind.”
Tapping the wheelchair’s armrest, Terrence said nonchalantly, “Instead of letting you, a total loser, take over the family, I might as well do it.”
“What?!”
Immediately, everyone’s gaze fell on Terrence.
Meanwhile, he wheeled himself to Kaleb.
Meeting Kaleb’s eyes from above, he continued, “I regret it, Kaleb.”
Kaleb’s expression changed drastically, and he panicked.
My gut told me there was something between the two that I didn’t know
of
Terrence’s gaze was icy as he said to Kaleb word by word, “Since you don’t appreciate it, from now on, I’ll be in charge of everything related to
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the Harrington family.”
