Chapter 45
Garner was flailing like a fish out of water. “Clarence, you son of a gun, come at me!” he shouted in desperation.
Kristin’s bandaged ear was hurt again, and now she might lose hearing in her left ear for good.
Lying on the ground, Kristin tried feebly to crawl towards Summer.
He was scared out of his mind, still wiping away a never–ending stream of nosebleeds.
“Garner, Ruby nearly got killed by Kristin, and she still managed to pull Rhett into this mess. Quite the mover and shaker, huh?” Clarence kicked Kristin hard in the stomach, clearly pissed off that Kristin had found herself a powerful backer.
“Kristin, are you stepping up your game, huh? What tricks did you pull to reel Rhett in?” Clarence grabbed her hair again, forcing her to look up. “Take a good look.”
After that, Clarence signaled his bodyguard to rough up Garner. “Which hand of yours was getting fresh with Ruby, huh? Let Kristin watch how I make you useless.”
Garner struggled as his right hand was pinned to the ground.
He’d learned some handy skills in the military and even specialized in car repair after his discharge. His livelihood depended on those hands.
If they wrecked Garner’s hands, they might as well be taking his life.
“Don’t… Please…” Kristin was on her knees begging Clarence, “Take mine, not my brother’s. please…”
Kristin’s voice was hoarse from screaming, pleading for Garner’s safety. But Clarence just stood there cold as ice, forcing her to watch with eyes wide open.
A bodyguard picked up a hammer and smashed it down on Garner’s hand, again and again, until it was a bloody, unrecognizable mess…
Kristin knelt there stiffly, her body slowly numbing, growing cold.
Summer was still crying, throwing himself on Garner’s hand.
And those monsters were still swinging the hammer down.
It was just a kid…How could they be so heartless?
Garner was fighting like a madman, punching the bodyguard in the face with his bloodied fists, as if he wanted to kill the man.
It was all their doing, pushing him to the edge.
Kristin just knelt there, surrounded by silence.
With a raspy volce and eyes locked onto Clarence’s, she asserted, “I’ve long since repaid any
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debt I owed to the Turner family… and yet, you persist in hounding me…”
Death didn’t scare her, what else could?
“Kristin, you think you can settle your debt with the Turner family and Ruby that easily? Ruby has been tormented by depression and nightmares since she was little, now she’s got one kidney less from a suicide attempt after a car crash, and you’ve pushed her to the brink of death again. Do you think the Turner family and the FitzGerald family would let you off? Let me tell you, this is just the beginning.”
Clarence was telling the truth, Ruby was in a coma from stress, and Mamie and Johnnie had lost their minds, hell–bent on taking Kristin’s life.
Clarence came himself to at least ensure Kristin wouldn’t die…
“Let’s go.” Maybe feeling satisfied, Clarence threw Kristin aside and left with his crew.
Garner was comforting Summer, who was still shaking from shock.
They all knew this couldn’t go on. If it did… Summer could get sick.
Kristin sat on the ground in silence for a long time.
Maybe coming back was a mistake. Kristin should’ve stayed away from Summer, to let him have a peaceful childhood.
“Garner, I’ve gotta go.” Kristin had thought donating a kidney would cover her debt, but now it seemed the Turner family wasn’t worth it anymore.
They had stripped her of far too much, more than anyone should ever bear. She’d more than repaid their so–called kindness over the past twenty years.
“Where will you go…” Garner’s voice was raspy, leaning against the wall and chain–smoking.
Summer had passed out, deeply traumatized. His condition hadn’t been properly treated yet. and Kristin needed money, a lot of it.
“I’ll go work…” Kristin glanced at Garner. “Garner, I’ll send money home every month. Don’t skimp on food for yourself. As for the education of Summer, if it’s too expensive, just skip preschool.”
Garner nodded. They didn’t have much choice.
“If I stay, the Turner and FitzGerald families won’t leave me alone. Summer will keep getting traumatized, and he’s showing signs of autism and can’t be stressed out anymore.” Kristin cleaned her tears, the cigarette burning on her face stung with the wetness.
“Going into hiding might be best.” Garner agreed. “Take this money, I’ve found a new job that’s not as hard as fixing cars, working 24 on and 24 off. It’s kinda laid–back and I can take care of Summer.”
Kristin only took five hundred–dollar bills for travel expenses from the money Garner offered, insisting he keep the rest. “Taking care of Summer costs money…
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Chapter 45
Choking back tears, Kristin turned and walked away.
“Kris…” Garner called out. “No matter where you go, give me a call,”
Kristin, deaf in one ear, didn’t stop. She was leaving and breaking free to make money.
Without donating a kidney to Ruby, the Turner family would hunt her down even more fiercely,
Perhaps one day she would end up dead in the wilderness, her organs harvested,
Kristin let out a hollow laugh as she limped away. After a few paces, she turned to cast one last look over her shoulder. What she couldn’t bear to leave behind was her son..
