They Hated Me in My First Life, But Now I Have the Love System

Chapter 600: Never The Same Way

"...I gave it to Cynthia when she was little. At first, I didn’t recognize it. But later, I did. And that hidden compartment... I swear I had no idea. But the fact that the phone was found in the same place as the arsenide derivative... it could only mean she was involved."

Nanny broke down completely, covering her face with her hands. "I am so sorry."

Nnenna frowned, her chest tightening. She crouched closer to the bars, her voice softer. "This is not really your fault. Yes, you should have spent more time with your children, but I won’t blame you for caring for Carl. Maybe you could have done both, but as for how Cynthia turned out... that’s not all on you or your husband. People make their own choices. And you still have other children who need you."

The cell was filled with the sound of quiet sobbing, the truth finally laid bare.

"Lora doesn’t look like a psychopath from what I’ve seen," Nnenna said gently, her tone almost trying to soothe the sobbing woman. "Which means you did not totally fail. The housekeeper didn’t totally fail either. Cynthia... she needs help."

Nnenna’s words trailed off as her eyes widened. A thought struck her like lightning.

"Wait, did you say she has access to Carl’s room?"

"Yes, that’s how she could have gotten to the medicine box—" Nanny started, but Nnenna was already on her feet, bolting down the corridor.

"Where are you going?" Nanny cried, standing up from the stone floor.

But Nnenna didn’t answer. Her pulse thundered in her ears as her feet pounded against the ground. She reached Carl’s door, slammed her palm against the scanner, and the panel slid open.

Her stomach dropped.

a gleaming

closer!" Cynthia shrieked, her whole body taut with

are you doing? Put the knife

Cynthia snapped, her voice cracking. Her eyes were wild, her hands shaking but refusing to release the blade. "You don’t get to tell me what to do. Looks like my mother filled you in,

said firmly, taking a careful step forward. "She did the

want, achieve their dreams, always be there for them. But she—" her voice broke, then

hung in the air, thick with years of resentment, as the knife wavered

knife tightening, "but then she started telling me what she had in mind... and I realized she did it all

cracked as fury returned. "And yet when she saw he wouldn’t love me—" she jabbed the knife toward Carl—"she told me to give up. To move on with my life! Can you

face twisted, trembling with rage.

tone softened, pity washing into her gaze. "Love cannot be

ache

she couldn’t name when other girls drew near him. And later, the quiet devastation when she realized those strange feelings

had never confessed. She had lived

Until he died.

were ghosts of what could have been: Somto suddenly telling her he loved her; her confessing first and