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I felt my chest tighten, as if the air had suddenly disappeared. I
remembered that hunting trip. But all I could think of was the
happy laughter, the great time I spent with my brothers and
Asher, the wonderful feeling of running wildly in the
woods.That was one of the happiness memories of my
childhood.
Why did Kylie have to take something so beautiful and tear it
apart?!
Kylie looked at me the smirk never leaving her face. “And it
only got worse as time went on. You always saw the good in
him, Violet, but I saw the darkness. The anger simmering under
the surface. And Asher was everything our father ever wanted
for his son. Remember father’s letter to us? He called Michael a
hothead in it. I saw Machel’s face when he read that part.Anger
and jealousy made his face so ugly. None of you guys noticed it.
But I caught that quick, fleeting moment.”
I took a step back, my hand gripping the bars of the cell. “No.
This isn’t real. This isn’t Michael. This can’t be Michael.”
Suddenly I heard Isaac’s voice. He burst out laughing the next
door, his voice dripping with mockery. “Still refusing to face
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reality, Violet? Your precious brother was never the saint you
thought he was! He’s more like us–selfish, calculating, and
willing to do whatever it takes to get what he wants! And what
he wanted was to see Asher gone”
The walls felt like they were closing in on me. My whole world-
everything I had built up in my mind–was crumbling before me.
My brother, my family… What else do I not know?
How many more secrets are out there?
Kylie’s voice rang out again, softer now, but no less venomous.
“Michael did it, Violet. He’s the one who betrayed Asher. He is
NEVER on your side. He is one of us.”
My favorite brother. My anchor and my support.
He turns out to be a backstabbing scumbag like Kylie.
“I.I need some air.” I breathed and staggered out of the cell.
Kylie’s mocking laughter followed me, “Enjoy it my little sister! Time for you to wake up from fantasy and face the real world!!”
Later that night, I posted the notice. It was the hardest thing I
had ever done in my life. The words burned as I wrote them, my
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hand shaking with every stroke of the pen.
“Reward for the capture of Michael, alive or dead.”
I felt as though my very soul was breaking as I sealed the notice.
My brother. My blood. And yet, if it meant bringing Asher
back…
Then I would do whatever it took.
Violet’s POV
I knew the bounty I put out would cause turbulence. And it
didn’t take long for the storm to hit.
The next morning, Jayden, Philip and the others barged into my
study without knocking, their expressions clouded with anger
and confusion. I could practically feel the air crackling with
their fury.
They glared at me as if I were the one who had done something
unforgivable.
“What the hell was that Violet?” Jayden’s voice sharp, his fists
clenched at his sides. “What are you doing? Issuing a bounty for
Michael’s life? Are you fucking crazy right now?!”
I didn’t flinch. My resolve had hardened since the moment I
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made that decision. I didn’t even asked for their opinions before
I put out that notice. Because I knew I had no time for hesitation
and guilt.
“I’m doing what’s necessary,” I said firmly. “Michael’s the one
who betrayed us. He’s the one who hurt Asher.”
Jayden’s face twisted in disbelief, “IMPOSSIBLE! Who said that?”
“Isaac and Kylie both confirmed it. You can go ask them-”
“How could you believe Isaac and Kylie over your own brother?
Your family?! You said it yourself that those people couldn’t be
trusted! And now you are taking their words and standing
against your flesh and blood?”
I felt the anger building inside me, rising like a tide, threatening
to swallow me whole. The accusations, the disappointment, the
betrayal–I had heard enough.
“Oh, I’m sorry,” I retorted. “are you accusing me of being cruel
right now? I haven’t even had the chance to call you a coward!
What have YOU done to help Asher? Why didn’t any of you do
anything? Instead, you all let him rot, let him suffer, while you
all kept your hands clean!”
The words tumbled out before I could stop them, and when
they did, they stung like poison. But I didn’t regret it. I was
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angry, furious at the injustice of it all.
They had stood by, silent and passive, while I fought to bring
Asher back. Now they dared to question my decisions?
“Violet!” Philip cried, sounding panicked. “Let’s not pointing
fingers-”
