- 7.
I stood outside the confinement room, listening to her pound on the door, making a dreadful *clang, clang* sound.
“Help me! Let me out! It’s too dark in here! Waaah… I don’t want to be locked in here! Brothers! Brothers! I know I was wrong, please let me go!”
Her cries and pleas were filled with panic and terror. In my previous life, she must have savored this moment, too. A single door, separating two worlds, as if the life and death of the person inside were entirely in your hands, to be disposed of as you pleased.
I couldn’t help but smile.
Chloe heard my laughter and instantly roared, gnashing her teeth. “Blair Sterling, was it you who snitched? How can you be so vicious? When I get out, I’ll make you regret it!”
Someone once said that a caged tiger sounds just like a housecat. It seemed to be true.
But I was busy tonight. I didn’t have time to listen to her mindless ranting.
The next morning, while I was still doing my morning exercises, Mr. Henderson called me to the living room. All my brothers sat grim–faced around the sofa. Last night, a trending topic exploded online, titled: “Angel by Day, Monster by Night.”
A female college student livestreamed, exposing herself as a victim of sexual assault by a university professor. The man had also uploaded indecent photos and videos to the dark web. She threatened to commit suicide, and the story instantly went viral. The university professor she spoke of was none other than Dominic, my third brother.
After Mr. Henderson finished recounting the events, Dominic’s face was ashen. “Someone is definitely behind her, otherwise she wouldn’t dare make such a public spectacle. Ryder, help me investigate thoroughly. I’ll lay low for a while.”
stood to the side, my eyes wide with disbelief. “Impossible! It must be fake! Third Brother couldn’t be like that…” Before I could finish, I fainted, overcome with emotion.
When I opened my eyes again, I was already in the hospital. Only Mr. Henderson stood by my bedside.
“Miss Blair, the young masters are busy, so I’ll take care of you here.”
“Mr. Henderson, I’d love some of Mrs. Davis’s Silken Rice Porridge. Could you ask her to come? Besides, it would be… more convenient for her to take care of me.”
8:37 PM
<
*
“Mr. Henderson, I’d love some of Mrs. Davis’s Silken Rice Porridge. Could you ask her to come? Besides, it would be… more convenient for her
to take care of me.”
Mrs. Davis had worked for the Sterling family for over ten years before she retired last year. Mr. Henderson hesitated, knowing how much I loved Mrs. Davis’s porridge, then agreed.
I lay in the hospital bed, scrolling through the news online. In just two days, someone had dug up Dominic’s entire life story. The university released a statement suspending his position. On the third day, two more victims came forward to report similar incidents involving Dominic.
Higher authorities issued a direct order for a swift and severe investigation. The police, under pressure from public opinion and the situation, immediately took Dominic, who had been hiding in a secluded villa, in for questioning. My other brothers frantically scrambled, using every connection they had to suppress the issue, even forgetting about the sister they had locked away.
- 8.
