After her rebirth by Cici

Chapter 72

The southern winters were brutal-cold and damp.

Back then, Katniss used to sleep in a tiny storage room. Every winter, she struggled to get any rest. Her body stayed cold all night, never warming up.

The next day, her hands and feet would still be freezing.

She always took care of everyone else, never thinking about herself.

But now, even though it was just the start of winter and the sunset was still warm, Katniss felt a chill that cut deeper than those bone-chilling nights in the unheated storage room.

Her pale face grew even colder as she glanced around at the people in the room.

Turns out, even family ties could shatter beyond repair.

Fighting the pain in her bones, Katniss sat up a bit, her voice raspy from not talking for so long, "Sometimes, I wonder if I'm really part of this family."

"Since you walked in, it's been half an hour. You've even talked about the offender, but has anyone even asked about my injuries?" Katniss's eyes trembled slightly. Ignoring their shocked faces, she smirked, "If you're done talking, get out. I don't want to see you. If I had a choice, I wouldn't have been born into the Manners family!"

Simon suddenly blew up, "Katniss, are you out of your mind? We all came here, isn't that enough? Do you want us to kneel and treat you like a princess?"

Lucas looked at Katniss's calm face, pressing his lips together in frustration.

Oliver was even more pissed, "I thought after all this, you'd learn something. But no, you're just as stubborn and even more outrageous. Katniss, you're getting ridiculous. How dare you!"

Clara looked deeply at Katniss, wondering if she was just biding her time.

and Dad any angrier. Let's

pulling away coldly, "Clara, did you forget what I said last

what did Katniss say to

"No, Katniss just said she didn't want to

was bullying Clara at school. Clara was soft-hearted and probably suffered a lot

this, any warmth Elodie felt for

what do you want? Since you came, we've all had trouble. Clara has put up with so much. Is your heart made of iron? What do you want to

Take it all out on me, but leave Clara alone!" Elodie's eyes reddened as she hugged Clara, looking at Katniss with resentment and

at everything and was Elodie's pride

dropped a bombshell: Clara wasn't her

uneducated and rough around the edges.

felt sorry for Katniss, her real daughter who had

time, Elodie couldn't take it

scheming, and playing the victim. She pretended to be good, took credit for

didn't want a daughter like that-morally

got her own brother thrown in jail. What won't she do next? Before she commits murder or

wrong? Do you know what I went through that week in jail?

exhausted, her heart strangely

finally come

felt a long-lost sense of

her old self had forged separate paths, and that

faintly smiled, "Let's do it then. From now on, you live your lives, and I have nothing to do with the Manners family. You are no longer

every word