Chapter 33
In the end, it was Richard who came to bail Nevin out. The entrance of the detention center was surprisingly busy that early in the morning.
As soon as Nevin stepped outside, he asked Richard for a cigarette and took deep drags, with thin trails of smoke swirling in the dim light. Once he calmed down, he started venting. “It’s all Yvonne’s fault. Where’s Hayden? I need to find him.”
Richard quickly stopped him. “I heard Mrs. Deborah Parker is at the Rosy House. Are you sure you want to go
there?”
Nevin’s anger cooled instantly. He wouldn’t dare mess with Deborah at all. After taking a few more puffs, be coughed and said, “If Grandina’s around, forget it. But Yvonne is really despicable. She got Jamie to sur me. I need to get back at her.”
Richard frowned. “I just reviewed your case. Jamie’s injury report is still on üle, and it doesn’t look good for you.”
“So what! It’s been a while, and I don’t believe the Parker family can’t find a decent lawyer.” Nevin was cocky and never took Jamie seriously. He had always been bailed out of trouble, and he figured this time would be no different.
Richard adjusted his glasses and fell silent, which annoyed Nevin even more. “Why aren’t you saying anything? Where’s Hayden’s legal team?”
“The best criminal defense lawyer in Elysiumville is Stanley, Richard finally said.
“Then hire him. My family has pleaty of money, He can ask for whatever he wants,” Nevin said proudly
Richard’s expression tensed a bit. “Stanley is Yvonne’s cousin.”
“What?” Nevin was stunned, his jaw practically hiring the floor, Doesn’t that mean I’m done for? Yvonne is basically my worst enemy?
The next day, Kander found out about the trouble Nevin had caused, and everyone returned to the Parker residence.
The Parker family had a rule–anyone who messed up had to be punished first. Xander showed no favoritism and sent both Nevin and me to pick watercress from the pond in the backyard.
I’d heard that there used to be harsher punishments, like whipping, but those times were long gone. Still, some traditions lingered.
Picking watercress under the blazing
sounded poetic, but it was unbearable. Before heading out, I slathered on sunscreen and wore protective clothing, but the heat was relentless, and soon I felt dizzy,
Nevin took the opportunity to steer the small boat into mine, jostling it and making it sway.
“What are you doing?” I yelled, frowning in anger. It seemed like a trip to the detention center hadn’t taught Nevin anything.
“This is my family’s pond. I was paddling just fine unul Nevin started messing around” Nevin acted all innocent.
I knew he was out to get me, so I didn’t want to waste my breath arguing. I took a glance at the watercress in his boat; he had barely picked a
handful.
Xander had said we all needed to gather a hundred bunches. A man was watching us from the shore–failure to finish meant we couldn’t return. But they were also there to make sure we were safe.
The sun was scorching, and all I could think about was wrapping up and getting back to the blissful cool of the air conditioning. With a wince, I paddled my ladle boat away from Nevin and kept picking the watercress.
But Nevin wouldn’t let me off that easily. He clung to my boat like a leech, using his pole to knock off the watercress I had just gathered.
The watercress dropped into the water and drifted away fast, impossible to get back. Furious. I turned to him and glared. “If you mess with me again, I won’t go easy on you!”
“Oh, you’ve got quite the temper. What are you going to do? I heard you can’t swim. Pretending to be all tough here? Just watch that boat; it might spring a leak. I won’t be saving you,” Nevin taumed, his obnoxious grin making it worse.
Leouldn’t understand how Nevin and Hayden could be brothers with such different personalities. Taking a deep breath, I turned back to my watercress, trying to ignore him.
But Nevin seemed too excited. With me not responding, he started hanging on my Lule boat with a bamboo stick. “Why aren’t you talking! Are you scared?” Nevin laughed.
2/2
Chapter 33
I thought he’d get bored after a bit, but suddenly, he jumped onto my boat with a thud.
The bour rocked wildly, and I lost my balance. Panic flashed across my face. “Nevin Parker! If you keep this up, I’ll call for help.”
“Go ahead. I’ve sent all the servants away. Didn’t see that coming, did you? Now there’s no one to save you” Nevin grinned, pushing down with his feet, making the already shaky boat sway even more
1 wasn’t great at rowing, and after being out in the sun for so long, I started feeling woozy. In a moment of carelessness, the boat tipped, and I was
thrown into the water.
The splash and my scream sounded at the same time. Before I could process what was happening, the cool water enveloped me completely. covering my mouth, nose, and ears..
Panic set in as I failed around, I felt completely lost, the suffocation filling me with fear. 1 kicked desperately. But the more I kicked, the more I sant.
“Help. I managed to shout but with little strength. Through the splashes, I saw Nevin squatting on the boat, laughing hysterically, I felt my strength fading
As I neared my breaking point, memories flashed before my eyes; the first time I met Hayden, our first time standing together, our first hand- holding then I saw him with Joanna, looking like the perfect couple
A sharp wave of sadness hit me. Was my life really going to end like this just when I was starting to move on from Hayden.
Nevin looked like a mad victor, soaking in his triumph. You dared to go against me and even tried to throw me in jail. Now you see what happens, right? Don’t think just because Hayilen married you, you can do whatever you want.”
After letting out a few curses, Nevin felt a bit better. But then, he noticed that Yvonne in the pond seemed to have stopped moving. After the last bubbles floated to the surface, everything went still.
Panic started to set in for Nevin “Yvonne? Come on, don’t pretend. I mean it; Im not going to save you. This pond is too shallow to drown in. Don’t try to trick me.”
23 25 1
Silence followed. Nevin’s face went pale, and without thinking he jumped into the water. He was only trying to teach Yvonne a lesson, but he never meant to kill her. If she actually drowned, Hayden would definitely make him pay
SIND GET
