Chapter445ALoveThatCameTooLate EthanandJakebothdiedinaccidents.Iwasnttherewhenithappened.Asidefromsorrowfortheirliveslosttoosoonandhatredforthepersonbehinditall,Ididntfeelmuch.
TheonlyeffectithadonmewasthatIcouldntsleepwellthatnight.
IthoughtIhadlongsinceseveredtieswiththeidentityofbeingtheSanderfamilysfourthdaughter.ButwhenGregswarmbloodsplatteredalloverme,IrealizedsomethingIdtriedtodenyforyears.Bloodties-nomatterhowbroken,evenifthebodiesweretorntopiecescouldnevertrulybecut.
JoshandKatestumbledtowardus,theirmovementsunsteady.Kate,inherpanicandworry,trippedandfellheavilytotheground.
Penelopetriedtostandup,butherfrailbodywouldntlether.Shecouldonlycrawlacrossthefloor,inchbyinch,towardGreg.
Whitneytookastepback,likeshehadbeenscaredstiffTearsslidslowlyfromhereyes.
Yetagain,herlovedoneswerebleedingoutrightinfrontofher.Shehadtobetheonehurtingthemost.
Myvisionwascompletelyfilledwiththepiercingredofblood.BeforeIcouldeventhinkclearly,Ihadalreadycroucheddownandwaspressinghardonhiswound.
Butthegashwastoobig.Bloodkeptpouringout,coveringmyhands.
Coco.
Hereachedupweaklyandtouchedmyface.ItsbeenalongtimesinceIcalledyou that.
IImsorry… Heletoutasoft,resignedlaugh.Soitturnsout…sayingsorryisntashardasIthought.
Iheldbackmytears,forcingmyvoicetoremaincoldasItoldhim,Iwontacceptyourapology.Dontthinkthatdyingwillmakeeverythinggoaway.
Heh…cough…Yourestillsokind.HowcouldIeverhavedoubtedthatyoumightvejoinedtheCarlynstohurtus?Actually…undertheplumtree,Iburied ajarofRubyToast.Idplannedtoopenitforyourweddingnight,but…butfateplayeditstricks.Imsorry.Thatnight,Ithoughtyoudjustrunoffinatantrum.Ineverimagined…Coco,endinguplikethisitswhatIdeserve.
Hegaveabittersmile.Dad,Mom…ImsorryIcouldntfulfillmydutyasyourson,tocareforyouuntiltheend.
Katestearswerefallinguncontrollably.Sheshookherheadfrantically,crying,No,no!Dontsaystupidthingslikethat!Youllbefine! Josh,usuallythequieterone,wasalsointearsnow,hisfacestreakedwithgrief.
ButWhitneywhenshefinallysnappedoutofhershockdidntrushtoGreg.Instead,shehurriedforwardanddroppedtoherkneesinfrontofDominic GrabbingthehemofDominicscoat,shepleaded,Mr.Carlyn,ImaSanders.Please,letmeatoneforthe 1/4 09:58FT, Chapter445ALoveThatCameTooLate me,torturemehoweveryoulike,butplease…savehim! Tearsrolleddownhersharpchin,onedropafteranother.

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ButtherewasnoTaylorhere.Noonewouldpityher.
Dominicliftedherchinwithhisfingers.Anna,Ivealreadyshownyoumercybylettingyou live.
Finished Whitneypushedhishandawayandloweredherheadtothegroundindesperation.Mr.Carlyn,theSandersareatfaultforeverythingeverylastmistakeisours.EthanandJakearealreadydead.GregisthelastSandersalive.Imbeggingyou…pleasesparehim.GivetheSandersonelastchance.Illtrademylifeforhis.Please…Imbeggingyou… Shekeptbowingherhead,hittingitagainstthegroundwithsomuchforcethatblood hadstartedto showonherforehead.Seeingitmademyheartache.
Iwantedtostopher,butIcouldntmove.MyhandswerepressedfirmlyagainstGregswound,tryingtoholdintheblood.
Ihadseenhiswound.Axeswereweaponsdesignedforheavystrikesandchopping,farlessprecisethanadaggerthatcouldtakealifewithonecleancut.
Whenhecrashedintome,Iinstinctivelypulledback,looseningtheforceofmygrip.Thewoundwasntdeepenoughtobefatal.
Aslongashegotmedicalattentionintime,therewasstillachanceforhimtosurvive.
Whitneyhadshownhercomposureandlogic,bothinthecarearlierandnow.
Sheknewwhatneededtobedone,inanygivensituation,insteadofbreakingdownandcryingmindlessly.
TheCarlynbrothersandAmberwerenowheretobeseen,whichmadeitobviousthatDominichadplannedthiscarefully.Hedidntwantanyoneinterferingwithorruininghiswork.
ComparedtoWisteria,Dominicmightactuallyleaveuswithasliverofhope.
ThatswhyWhitneykeptbowing,beggingformercy.Shewastryingtostireventhetiniestshredofhumanitywithinhim.
Joshstoodup,andnoonenoticedhimatfirst.
HepickeduptheaxeIhaddroppedontheground.
Dominic,mymotherisguilty.Letme,asherson,paythepriceforhersíns.Ivealreadylosttwosons,andmytwodaughtershave sufferedendlesslybecauseofthis.NowGregslifehangsbyathread.Ifrevengehasatarget,letitfallon me.Sparehislife,andIlltradeoneofmylegsforit.Howaboutthat?hesaid,hisvoicesteady.
Mypupilswidenedinshock.Inmyeyes,Joshhadalwaysbeenselfish,timid,andcowardly.Yet,inthismoment,hehadstepped forward.
Dominicslipscurledintoanamusedsmile,makingitclearthatheandWisteriawantedtodragtheSandersthroughendlesstorment: Iftheyhadtrulywantedtokillus,wedalreadybedeadwithouteverseeingitcoming.
2/4 09:58Fri,Jan17 Chapter445ALoveThatCameTooLate 81%1 Finished JoshsoffercaughtDominicsinterest.Hesneered,Alrightthen.Aslongasyoucutoffyourownlegwithyourownhands,Illspare yourson.
Penelope,lyingontheground,wassodistraughtthatherfacewascoveredintears.Shewastoooverwhelmedtoevenstringtogetherafullsentence.No…no!Dont! Wisteriawalkeduptoherandgrabbedafistfulofherhair,yankingherheadback.Watchcarefully,youoldhag.Watchhowyoursonloseshisleg.Hurts,doesntit?Butletmeaskyouthisdidyoufeelanythingbackthenwhenmyfatherlosthislegatjusttwoyearsold?Hewasjustachild!HowcouldyouSandersbesocruelastobreakhisleg? Takemineinstead.Illpayforitwithmyleg,Penelopecried.
Wisterialaughedcoldly.You?Adecrepitoldbagwhoshalfwayinthegraveanyway?Youvelivedalifeofluxuryandindulgence,andnowyouthinkyoucandietoescapeyoursins?Notsofast! Hervoiceturnedvenomous.Doyouhaveanyideahowmuchshamemyfathercarriedfortherestofhislifebecauseofthatleg?Doyouknowwhatwewentthrough?Whileyoursonlivedlikeaprince,eatingdelicaciesandflauntinghisstatus,wetheCarlynsworemourningclothesoverandoveragain.Myfatherandmyunclewatchedastheyburiedoneelderafteranother,andtheywerejust kids.TheywatchedastheCar
lynsfellfromprosperityintoruinuntilyourfamilydroveustothebrinkofdespair.Wehadnochoicebuttofleeoverseas.Doyouknowwhatitsliketodriftaimlesslyontheocean?Tobeattackedbypirates?Toendurewarandsurvivebysheerluck?YouSandersthinkyourbloodlineisprecious,butdoesthatmeanweCarlynsdeservetodie? Wisteriapointedatme,herexpressionfanatical.AndherChloe.Shewasbornintoaworldwhereeveryoneadoredher,treatedherlikeaprincess.Andwhataboutus?Wehadtojoinanorganizationjusttosurvive.Doyouknowhow oldIwaswhenIfirstkilledsomeon
e?DoyouknowwhatIhadtoendurejusttofightforabiteofrottingfood?AmIreallyborntobeinferior?Isthatwhatyouthink?ThatswhyImgoingtodragallofyoudownfromyourpedestal.Yourpreciousgranddaughteroh,Imnotjustgoingtotakeawayherloveandthemenwhoadoreher.Illmakesureshedieswithnopeace,nodignity.Illhaveherbodycrushedtopieces,herskinpeeledoff,hereyesgougedout,herheadsevered- Enough! Katescreamed,herfacestreakedwithtears.
ButWisteriaonlysmiled,herexpressiontwistedlikeademons.Whatsthematter,Mom?Whyareyoulookingatmelikethat?Doyoufinallyfeelsorryforhernow?Toobaditsalreadytoolate.TheoneswhopushedChloeintotheabysswereyou.Allofyou! Shutup!Justshutup! ButWisteriassmileonlygrewdarker.Doyouthinkeatingfromherasheswassatisfying?Howaboutyou,oldhag?Youflippedthroughherskin,prayingtoyourGodformercydoyouthinkHewillblessyou?AndLuke,thatfool,wearingabraceletmadeofherashes,whisperingabouthowmuchhelovedher.Hah!Youidiots,allofyou.E
vennow,youblameherforeverything… EverywordshesaidwaslikeaknifetwistingintotheheartsoftheSandersfamily.Andsheknewexactlywheretostrike.
Whatswrong?Feeling regretnow?Wanttoplaythepartofalovingfamily,pretendingyouwantherback?Howpathetic.Alovethatcomestoolate…isworthlessthan dirt,Wisteriaslaughterrangout,sharpandbitter.
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