Chapter 17
Ruby knelt before the glass coffin, her teardrops falling onto its surface. In a quiet voice, she recounted the things that happened over the years, as if Patty was still around to listen to her stories.
“Grandma Patty, do you know how much I miss you? I miss you so, so much…”
Her voice slowly faded into sobs.
After a while, she slowly rose to her feet and wiped the tears from her face.
“I should get going, Grandma Patty,” she whispered. “Don’t worry, I’ll take good care of myself. I won’t let anyone hurt me ever again.”
With that, she turned around to leave. Her footsteps were firm and resolute.
However, the moment she stepped out from the funeral parlor, she heard a familiar voice behind her.
“Ruby!”
Ruby stopped in her tracks, her body instantly freezing.
Turning around slowly, she spotted Ian and Henry standing not too far away. They were staring at her, their eyes shimmering with complex emotions.
“Ruby, it’s really you…” Ian murmured, his voice trembling slightly. He couldn’t stop himself from taking a step forward.
Ruby glared at them coldly, her eyes completely devoid of warmth.
“You’ve got the wrong person.”
“Ruby!” Henry rushed forward and grabbed her wrist. “We’ve been searching for you for three years. Stop hiding from us, alright?”
Ruby shook his hand off harshly. “Don’t touch me, Henry,” she said in a frigid tone.
Henry’s hand hung in mid–air, and a look of hurt flashed in his eyes.
“Ruby, we know we were wrong,” Ian said, practically begging. “We spent every day of the past few years overcome with regret. We thought about you every day. Please give us another chance, okay? Let us make things up to you—”
“Make things up to me?” Ruby sneered, giving them a scornful look. “How do you plan to do that? Will you give me your money, or your guilt?”
She paused for a moment then said with finality, “I don’t need it.”
“Ruby…” lan said, getting choked up. “We know that we were at fault… Don’t be so cruel, okay?”
“Cruel?” Ruby’s cold gaze swept over their faces, and she continued mockingly, “If you think I’m cruel now, then what were you when you did all those things to me in the past?” Her eyes burning with rage, she suddenly raised her voice, “You pushed me down the stairs, held me down in a fire, and forced me to donate blood. Have you forgotten all of this?” lan and Henry instantly paled. Their gazes filled with pain and regret.
“Ruby, we know we made a mistake,” Henry said, his voice shaking. “A–At the time, we were blinded. We—”
“Enough!” Ruby interrupted coldly. “I don’t want to hear your explanations anymore. You only know that you made a mistake because you found out that I’m your biological sister. If I wasn’t, would you still admit fault?”
She snorted sarcastically. “Of course you wouldn’t. You’d only think that I deserved it.”
lan’s and Henry’s faces immediately turned ashen. Their lips trembled, but they couldn’t even say a word.
As soon as Ruby finished speaking, she walked away determinedly.
lan and Henry didn’t move as they watched her retreating back. A feeling of helplessness filled their chests.
They knew that Ruby was no longer the same young woman who let anyone walk all over her anymore. She’d grown strong and independent. She no longer needed their protection, nor did she need their reparation. However, they couldn’t let go of her.
