Chapter 71
Bad feelings overwhelmed Kristin.
“James, I never had the wild hope that you’d marry me…” With a somewhat strained smile, Kristin fought back the tears welling in her eyes. “Just tuck me away somewhere safe. I promise, I’ll be good,” she uttered.
As long as James was willing to call off the engagement and ready to publicly admit that Adrienne was guilty, Kristin would hand over her body and soul.
James reached out to pull Kristin into his arms and hugged her tightly.
“Kris… give me some time to think about it.”
His voice was hoarse. For a split second, he actually considered throwing caution to the wind and agreeing to Kristin’s request, taking her home and hiding her away.
“Give me an answer at the Chamber of Commerce dinner, okay?” Kristin knew James was
smart.
He knew what Kristin wanted. She wanted James to use Adrienne’s guilt as an excuse to cut ties with the Haywood family. It was the best reason and excuse she could come up with for James.
At the hospital.
After a thorough examination of Kristin, the doctor’s expression was grave. “Your ear… is so badly injured. Why haven’t you been protecting it?”
Kristin just looked down, silent.
“Your left ear has permanent hearing damage.” the doctor said.
Kristin numbly looked up at the doctor. “Does causing disability increase the penalty?”
The doctor sighed. “Of course, the forensic expert will assess the severity of the injury.”
Kristin continued sitting numbly.
Outside the examination room, James was grim as he repeatedly watched the video of Kristin being bullied five years ago.
“Mr. Bryce, take this opportunity to call off the engagement with the Haywood family,” Bill whispered.
James gave Bill a cold glance and said nothing.
Bill looked down, his chest aching slightly.
If James didn’t call off the engagement, he’d definitely get involved, since scandals from the Haywood family could also impact the Bryce family.
Chapter 71
Once James got involved with Adrienne’s case, Kristin would not be able to handle it.
Kristin was already pitiful enough, what wrong had she done?
Buzz! Just as James was about to say something, his phone rang.
It was Carter Bryce, James‘ grandfather.
James took a deep breath and headed to the emergency exit.
Clearly, the Haywood family had gotten wind of the situation and had immediately contacted Carter.
Bill was worried. James feared nothing, except for his grandfather.
He wouldn’t go against Carter.
“Ms. Turner.” Seeing Kristin come out of the examination room and sit weakly in the corridor, Bill rushed over and handed her a warm bottle of water.
Kristin accepted the water and said thank you.
Bill smiled awkwardly and sat next to Kristin, comforting her, “Ms. Turner, it’s not your fault. Don’t mind those videos online. Mr. Bryce has taken action. All those videos have been taken down and the links can’t be opened again.”
Kristin didn’t respond.
“Don’t pay attention to those comments. The idea that the victim is to blame is fundamentally wrong. You did nothing wrong and the bullies are the ones at fault.” Bill didn’t know how to comfort her. He couldn’t protect Kristin, all he could do was… try to reassure her.
Kristin smiled at Bill “Thank you.”
#
Bill was taken aback, feeling his ears heat up. Kristin looked really pretty when she smiled even
now.
“Your ear…” Bill quickly changed the subject.
“Permanent hearing loss, it can’t be fixed,” Kristin said calmly. She liked the quiet and it was fine this way. She still had her right ear to hear things.
“Kristin…” Bill took a deep breath, his fingers clenched. “Don’t hold out too much hope for Mr. Bryce. The union between the Bryce family and the Haywood family isn’t as simple as it seems, involving Mr. Bryce’s grandfather. Besides, his grandfather hasn’t fully relinquished his power yet, and Mr. Bryce…”
Kristin understood what Bill was getting at and continued to look down in silence.
She never had much hope for herself in the first place.
What was her tainted body worth?
It wasn’t worth it for James to completely fall out with the Haywood family.
Chapter 71
With a self–deprecating smile, Kristin stood up and walked out of the hospital.
After James finished the call his face remained troubled.
He glanced at Bill and asked, “Where’s Kristin?”
“Ms. Turner said she was going out for some air.” Bill handed over the examination results to James, which read permanent and incurable hearing loss, severe depression and anxiety, multiple suicide attempts…”
James, holding the results, felt a pang in his heart. He ran out of the hospital frantically, searching for Kristin’s figure.
In the gazebo, Kristin sat on a bench, dressed thinly, staring at the frozen lake.
It was snowing again in Crescendo Town.
Yara said this might be Crescendo Town’s last snow this year.
Christmas was coming.
For twenty years with the Turner family, Kristin had always looked forward to celebrating Christmas.
Every Christmas, Clarence would go to great lengths to give her the most stunning gifts.
Kristin liked fireworks, and Clarence would host a fireworks show every year, taking her to watch the sky filled with them.
Her gaze drifting. Kristin reached out to catch the falling snowflakes outside the gazebo.
In stark contrast to Silvergrove City, where snow was a rare sight and usually fell as mere ice pellets, here the snowflakes were impressively large.
“Kristin, do you still want to go back to school?” James came over and asked softly.
He wanted to try to make amends for Kristin.
“I got thrown in the slammer in my sophomore year and got booted off the university rolls. How am I supposed to go back to school?” Kristin shook her head.
She didn’t even feel like hitting the books anymore.
In just a few days, she’d be hitting 27.
With a wry smile, Kristin leaned on the railing, watching the snowfall. “James, are you tied up? If so, you can head out.”
She just wanted some peace and quiet, the hospital was dead silent.
“I got you.” James wrapped his coat around Kristin and took the scarf Bill handed him. wrapping her up too.
Chapter 71
Kristin moved her lips but ended up not saying a thing.
“Weren’t you once the top talented student in Silvergrove City? How about giving the SAT another shot?” James knew it was a damn shame about Kristin.
Kristin reddened her eyes and pointed to her head. “… It’s all gone.”
Her memory was no longer what it used to be. Several CT treatments had blurred her memory. diminished her recall, and left her feeling numb and slow–witted.
James took a deep breath, realizing he’d struck a nerve with Kristin again and took her hand.
“It’ll get better.” he said.
Kristin didn’t speak, nor did she ask James what to choose.
Since she had given James seven days, she’d just wait.
e
When the stuff with Adrienne hit the fan, the internet went nuts with a pile–on. At first, folks. slammed the bullies. However, the moment discourse was deliberately diverted towards Kristin’s alleged switch with a wealthy girl, all restraint was lost. The internet was suddenly on fire with backlash against Kristin, with numerous comments suggesting she got what she deserved.
Clearly, someone was intentionally stirring the pot online.
“Did you find out who it is?” James asked coldly.
Bill looked down, replying, “It might be the Turner family.”
The Turner family was tight with the Haywood family. They were trying to spin the narrative to save Adrienne.
“Shut down all the negative chatter!” James looked furious.
“Mr. Bryce, unless you call off your engagement with the Haywood family, you can’t squash it.” Bill said, mustering up some courage.
James paused for a moment, massaging his temples. “I can make it up to her in other ways…”
