A Journey from Bitterness to Truth

Chapter 9

Glancing upward, the sight that met his gaze was a stark and jarring one: Matilda’s right hand was marred by the absence of a part of her little finger – a shocking imperfection laid bare

before his eyes,

In that instant, the strikingly handsome man could no longer contain his voice, which erupted in an anguished cry. “What the hell happened?”

Matilda’s laughter was wild and unrestrained, as if she had been possessed by madness, her eyes reflecting Yvan’s stunned expression.

“Isn’t this the very gift you gave to me? Yvan, I’ve had my fill of the bitterness you’ve doled out in my life. Please, just let me gol” she begged.

Yvan stumbled backward, his grip on her hand slackening as disbelief lifted his gaze to meet hers.

In her fractured eyes, there was no love left, only a deep–seated loathing that seemed to burn within her very marrow.

Pain spread through him unguarded, like reaching out to grasp something fiercely only to find it. shattering into pieces the next moment. The unexpected sting began to prickle and spread throughout his body.

to lock her away, to make her rue

in prison, who had stripped her of

at Matilda, a sudden intense fear gripped him; he was terrified that he could no longer understand the

did she feel like such

loss of reason that Matilda had endured for over five years. That despair had killed

were filled with nothing but vehement

place as if escaping, slamming the door behind him. He stood outside, hunched over, clutching at his collar as

What had happened to her in those five

was something he should have been pleased to witness, but why…

side of the door, Matilda’s body slid down, collapsing against Logan in

agony.

escaped her as if trying to

12:05

Chapter 9