Chapter 24
“Alice Campbell!”
In a daze, I suddenly heard that all–too–familiar voice.
I turned to see Bradley rushing toward me, looking furious. It was clear he was enraged at the sight of me with Simon.
Without warning, Bradley kicked Simon, who was completely unprepared. Simon fell to the ground with a thud.
I immediately pushed Bradley away with force and hurried to help Simon up.
Bradley seemed surprised that I would push him and almost lost his balance on the sand. His eyes were wide with shock as he shouted, “Alice, you actually pushed me for him?” Ignoring him, I focused on carefully lifting Simon.
“Simon, are you okay? Did you hurt anywhere?”
“I’m fine, Serena. Who is he?”
“Just a friend,” I answered.
Bradley heard me telling Simon that he was just a friend, and it instantly enraged him. He stepped forward, trying to continue the confrontation.
I glanced at Simon, who had been kicked for no reason, and felt a surge of anger rise within me.
Without thinking, I slapped Bradley hard across the face.
A loud, resounding smack echoed as a bright red handprint appeared on his fair cheek.
The slap seemed to calm him down for a moment, leaving him frozen in place.
“Simon, could you wait for me in the car?” I asked.
“Okay, I’ll wait for you there. If anything happens, just call me. I’ll come back for you in ten minutes.” Simon, sensing who Bradley was, didn’t seem entirely comfortable leaving me alone with him.
I gave him a reassuring nod, signaling that I was okay. Only then did he slowly step away.
“Who is he, Alice? What’s your relationship with him?” Bradley’s voice sounded stuffy with a heavy nasal tone.
“That’s none of your business. If you have nothing else to say, I’ll be leaving.”
I had sent Simon away because I didn’t want him to be dragged into unnecessary trouble because of me.
Plus, Bradley was a vengeful person. And I had no desire to get tangled up with him any further.
Seeing that I was about to leave, he immediately stepped forward and grabbed my arm. I felt a wave of disgust at his touch and swiftly pulled my arm away.
His face twisted in anger. That was when I truly looked at him for the first time in a long time. He had lost weight, and his cheekbones were now more prominent.
He, who had always been so conscious of his appearance, now had a layer of stubble on his face.
He noticed my surprise and spoke again. “Alice, I know I was wrong in the past, but I’ve realized my mistakes. Can you give me one more chance?
“I’ve made sure Maisy pays for what she did. I’ve been arranging for her to be punished every day. Don’t worry. Her days will never be easy.
“And I broke Daniel’s legs. Keira tried to run off with his money when she saw that he was crippled, but he caught her. She accidentally stabbed him to death in a tit of rage.” Bradley went on and on, telling me the fates of those people, but I felt no reaction inside.
“Where’s your punishment?” I asked as I looked at him.
Bradley froze, clearly caught off guard by the question. As expected, he was always forgiving of his own actions but harsh toward others.
When he didn’t answer, I continued, “Bradley, those people hurt me, and maybe now they’ve received some punishment. But where’s your punishment?
You had someone kili my mom just so Maisy could get a heart transplant. But that was my mother! She didn’t even know what she had done wrong. She never got to see me mary or have children she was innocent! Did you ever regret killing her, even for just a moment?
“When i was eight months pregnant, Maisy falsely accused me of pushing her down the stairs and causing a miscarriage. Daniel burned my hand with boiling water, and you didn’t stop hun As my husband, you even suggested burning only ruy right hand! You knew how much I loved painting!
“dways thought you cated, but you even planned to give our child away to Maisy. You must have seen the baby already. It had formed, and I’ll never forget the first tuve I saw his fare foven now, I still dream of him asking the why I didn’t want him!”
Upen hearing that, Bradley staggered and eventually collapsed to the ground. His eyes were filled with pante, as if he had just realized everything he had done
Bat this was typic gel of jope who hurt others They never fully understood the pain they caused others. Bradley was one of those people. “Alve, j”
He insker up at me, so trying to find onething to say, but I didn’t give him the chance.
“Bradley, you kali»d ney moan and my baby Luever want to see you again in this Betone, you truly want to atone for your sins, then day, thend them and confess your crimes to
them!”
