Anastasia couldnt believe it. The case hadnt been adjudicated yet; how could he have jumped and ended it all? Her father wasnt the kind of man to take the cowards way out. Despite her disbelief, Anastasia lifted the white sheet. The pale face on the bed was indeed Noah Calhoun.
"Dad!" Claire had already thrown herself onto the cold body, wailing uncontrollably, while Anastasia was eerily quiet. The last time they had seen each other was when Anastasia watched him being taken away by the police from their home. In just a few days, they had been separated by life and death. The sudden farewell was like a lightning strike, leaving Anastasia stunned. Yet, she couldnt shed a single tear, couldnt even muster an expression of grief.
"Stasia..." A deep voice, tinged with gentleness, came from behind. Anastasia looked up, her eyes clearing from their vacant stare, and finally recognized the man before her. It was Jamie Fraser, her fathers adopted son from a decade ago. After the Steele family had fallen from grace, he had been the one to deal with the mess.
"Stasia, are you okay?" Jamie shook her shoulders anxiously. "Dont scare me, let it out if it hurts... dont hold it in..."
Anastasia opened her mouth but couldnt make a sound. The pain was real, so profound she was left speechless.
"Jamie..." Just one word felt like it was tearing her vocal cords to get out.
Her eyes, shattered and hollow, made it hard for anyone to look at her without feeling a pang in their heart.
"Dont be afraid, Im here..." Jamie pulled her into a hug, comforting her over and over again.
Three days later, at the cemetery, Anastasia knelt on the cement steps, her legs numb from staying in one position for so long.
"Dad..." The word came out with a flood of tears.
"I was wrong, I shouldnt have been with him... shouldnt have ignored you..." The tears flowed like a broken string of pearls, covering her face. "If it werent for him, you wouldnt have gone to prison, you wouldnt have died..."
Anastasia spoke in fits and starts, her mind involuntarily recalling the bloody past that had been buried for so long.
Six years ago, Edwards father and Noah had a falling out, pulling his investments out of Steele Enterprises and going to Barkley Enterprises. A few days later, Edwards father died unexpectedly, and all fingers pointed at Noah.
Anastasias love story ended that day with a sharp stop, and Edward disappeared from her life completely. There was no parting word, only a bloodied couples ring in the trash and torn photos that indicated his stance.
It wasnt until Isabelle from the Barkley family had her accident that Anastasia saw him again. But at that time, Edwards eyes were like a venomous snake, with no place for her in them...
The sound of footsteps approaching interrupted Anastasias memories. Sensing the familiar scent, Anastasias mind suddenly felt hypoxia.
He was here.
Anastasia looked up at him, her eyes devoid of any ripples. "Edward, my dad is already dead, the debts are settled, let it all go... let it end..."
Edwards brows furrowed, and a dark look spilled from the depths of his pupils. "One thing at a time, Noah has paid for my fathers life, but what about what happened to Isabelle?"
Anastasias breath hitched, and her face turned pale. "What... what do you mean?"
Edward sneered but said nothing. He grabbed Anastasia and pulled her into his car.
At the abandoned factory, Edward threw Anastasia onto a tattered mattress, and four lecherous men looked at her with ill intent.
"Edward!!" Anastasia looked at him in disbelief, her insides convulsing.
Edward glanced at her coldly, then turned and left.
Seeing the group of men about to surround her, Anastasia completely broke down. "No... dont leave me..." she clutched at Edward, but he pushed her away without mercy.
"Isabelles suffering back then, now its your turn." His words sentenced her to death. He was determined to destroy her. The men closed the door and lunged at her like hungry wolves.
That night, Anastasia was taken to the hospital on a stretcher, her clothes in disarray, her body bruised, and her face covered in blood. No one knew what she had been through, only she herself knew. Along with her, a man was also taken to the hospital. The mans thigh was bitten off, hitting an artery, and by the time he was taken to the hospital, he had already gone into shock due to excessive blood loss.
Anastasia woke up from her stupor three days later, looking at Edward, who was dangerously close. There was fear, anger, and hatred.
"Cant take it?" Edward lifted her chin, examining her pale and bluish face. "Anastasia, listen, this is not the taste of hell yet."
Anastasia clenched her teeth and didnt say a word. If she had the strength, she would have swallowed the man in front of her.
Seeing Edwards hand reaching into her hospital gown, Anastasia couldnt bear her anger anymore.
"Why, the body touched by other men still interests you?" she sneered.
Edwards eyes darkened, and his hand strength suddenly increased, causing Anastasia to cry out in pain.
"Anastasia, if you dont want to, you can refuse. Theres more than one woman in the Steele family!" Edward said in an indifferent tone without any emotion. "Guess what... would your sister Claire like it if I treated her like this?"
Anastasias head almost exploded: "Edward, youre not a man! I wont let you succeed!"
"Am I not a man? You should know best," Edward said coldly, and his hand had already reached for her waistband.
At this moment, Edwards phone rang twice. He opened WeChat, raised his eyebrows in surprise, and then threw the lit screen phone in front of Anastasia.
"Look at what your good sister sent me," he said with a thin lip.
Anastasia only took a glance, and her mind went blank as if a bomb had been dropped, leaving her mind blank - on the chat interface, it was a naked photo of a woman.
Even without clicking to enlarge, Anastasia could see clearly that the face was her sister Claire!
"Brother Edward, am I better looking... or my sister?" Edward opened the voice, and Claires coquettish voice came through.
He frowned, that woman really hasnt changed, still as disgusting as six years ago.
"Now... do you still think I cant succeed?" Edward looked at Anastasia with a smile, as if enjoying the last struggle of the prey.
Anastasia shivered, and the plea in her eyes spread like weeds.
She couldnt figure out what Claire was thinking, but she couldnt let her sister fall into this swamp at the moment.
For the Steele family, and for her father who had not yet turned cold.
After being discharged from the hospital, Anastasia was taken back to Green Hill Manor by Edward.
He didnt give up, and she would never be able to escape.
She could only watch helplessly as he devoured and tortured her until she died with her eyes open.
Late at night.
Anastasia got up to use the bathroom and heard a womans indecent cry coming from Edwards room.
"Brother Edward, I want me..."
She stopped in her tracks, rooted to the spot.
She had always known that Edward had other women besides herself—
But the womans voice just now was Claires.
Why...
He had promised her that he wouldnt touch her!
"Brother Edward, what my sister can give you... I can also..." Claires coquettish voice pierced Anastasias eardrum.
"Sister has been very messy in her private life in recent years, I dont know how many men she has been with... But I am still a pure body, all for you..."
Anastasia was frozen in place, all emotions stuck in her throat.
This was the good sister she had given everything to protect...
She couldnt help it anymore and pushed the door in!
In the room, Edward sat on the sofa like an emperor, and Claire, dressed in a mess, knelt by his trousers.
"Sister..." Claire saw Anastasia and turned pale with fear.
"What are you doing?" Anastasia saw clearly that Edwards clothes were not wrinkled at all, only Claire was messy.
Claires eyes filled with tears: "Sister... I want to help the Steele family through difficulties in my own way... I dont want to be protected behind you, and I dont want to be a greenhouse flower all my life..."
Anastasia felt absurd and ridiculous, but she couldnt refute anything.
"Ill take you back to the hospital, this is not a place for you." She was calmer than she thought.
"I dont want to! I am also a member of the Steele family, I want to stand up and protect the Steele family!" Claire said eagerly.
"Shut up, come with me!" Anastasia had a splitting headache and raised her hand to grab her.
"Enough!" Claire shook off Anastasia, her emotions becoming excited, "Why can you climb his bed, and I cant!"
Anastasia looked at her dumbfounded, she couldnt believe her ears.
"I see that you still love Brother Edward, so you dont let him touch me! Im not going to live for long, why are you so selfish!"
Claire was still talking incessantly, Anastasia couldnt bear it anymore and slapped her in the face.
"Claire! When will you stop talking nonsense!"
Claire was stunned, her eyes were red and almost bleeding: "You hit me? Dad didnt dare to hit me, and you actually hit me for a man..."
She rushed out the door and disappeared into the night.
Anastasia looked straight at Edward, who was smoking on the side, trying to restrain her anger.
"You have to be so ruthless?"
Edward exhaled a puff of smoke, and there was no change in the expression on his face.
"You might as well ask your sister, who is not dressed properly, how she got into my room!"
"Edward, dont force me to die with you!"
Anastasia glared at Edward resolutely and ran in the direction where Claire left.
Green Hill Manor is far from the city center, and there are not many street lights at night, and the quiet path is creepy.
Anastasia followed the path and searched for a while before she saw Claire sobbing under a tree.
"Have you made enough trouble?" Anastasia looked down at her, feeling exasperated.
If it werent for the blood relationship, Anastasia really didnt want to give her a good face.
Claire raised her tearful eyes: "Sister, I..."
As soon as she spoke, she heard a rustling sound from behind.
The sisters turned their heads at the same time and saw two men with a strong smell of alcohol, looking at them with squinting eyes.
"Hey! Todays luck is not bad, one for each brother!"
Claire turned pale with fear and didnt know what to do.
"Dont be afraid, look for a chance to run, call someone to save me." Anastasia pinched her hand and whispered.
"Sister..." Before Claire could speak, Anastasia had stood in front of her.
"What do you want to do!" Anastasia looked at them warily, while gesturing for Claire to run.
Claire was stiff and quickly shrank behind the tree.
"What to do? Of course, its to do you! Haha..." The man laughed, showing a mouthful of yellow teeth.
Anastasia didnt dare to hesitate, she quickly grabbed a handful of gravel from the ground and threw it at their faces.
"Damn woman, its hot!" The man cursed.
Anastasia didnt dare to hesitate, she turned and ran, her heart almost jumping out of her throat!
On the other hand, Claire ran towards the lit direction, wanting to call someone to save Anastasia.
But as she was about to enter the main road, she stopped.
Her goal tonight was Edward, and nothing could stop her.
As long as no one saves Anastasia, she must be destroyed.
Destroyed in the wilderness.
No one will like her anymore, everything she has will be her own.
Including everything of the Steele family, including Jamie, including Edward...
Claire smiled, and finally took a look at the dark forest not far away.
"Sister... you enjoy it... Brother Edward, tonight is mine."