Chapter 8%
“How much ridicule and bullying did William endure in college because of his poverty and the scars on his face? He suffered in silence, hiding his pain behind tears no one ever saw.“>>
“You don’t deserve to be parents! You’re nothing but demons!“}
Emily collapsed to the ground, her sobs uncontrollable and filled with despair.
The police officers in the room were visibly shaken and angry after hearing her story. The lead detective struggled to control his fury and glared sharply at William’s parents before turning his attention back to question Charles.
“Officer, I already told you–it seemed like an abandoned construction site…” Charles answered nervously.
Without hesitation, the police dispatched teams to investigate the location Charles described. Soon, they pinpointed the place and sent officers to search for William.
When the rescue team returned, their faces were grim.
“There was no one there. Only a pool of blood.”}
Margaret fainted immediately, collapsing to the floor. Robert’s eyes widened in shock and disbelief.”
Because all three–the parents and Charles–were suspects in the kidnapping case, the police decided to detain the family temporarily for questioning.”
Charles crouched in a corner, his bruised and swollen face reflecting his exhaustion. Margaret sat in despair, whispering William’s name repeatedly. Williami’s father clenched his fists until they turned red and swollen, sitting on a stool with a weary, exhausted look, glaring daggers at Charles.”
Charles, feeling small and vulnerable, finally spoke with a trembling voice:
“Dad, you and Mom have loved me for years and never hurt me before. But tonight… after what happened with my brother, you said I’m your favorite.“@
“Was all your kindness just a lie?“}
Robert sneered bitterly, but beneath the harshness lay a complicated mix of guilt and sorrow. After a long pause, he finally answered coldly:”
“It’s true, we had selfish reasons when we adopted you.”
“You’re good–looking, well–mannered–the perfect heir for the Pierce family.”
“Your brother William was burned in a fire as a child because of our negligence. Though he’s not ugly, his appearance was damaged.” “But that doesn’t mean we don’t love him!”
P X P R S P P P P FE? SPEE
“In the beginning, we planned for you to be the public face of our family, while William controlled things behind the scenes. You two were meant to cover the outside and the inside of the business.“@
“We spared no effort training and spoiling you because we owed you, but how did you repay us?”
Suddenly, Robert rose to his feet and glared fiercely at Charles:”
“I warn you–if anything happens to William, I will be the first to kill you! To me, you’re just a substitute.”
Those words struck Charles like a hammer to the chest.
The identity he had proudly clung to was nothing more than a replacement.”
He had mocked William as a clown, but now, he realized he was the real fool.
The blow overwhelmed him. He collapsed to the ground, broken and fearful.
But beneath the pain was a deeper terror–fear for William’s life.
If anything happened to William, he knew his brother wouldn’t survive.
The Pierce family endured a long, painful night, wrapped in despair and tension, until finally, the door opened just before dawn.
A police officer entered, his expression serious but hopeful.
“After DNA analysis, the blood we found wasn’t human–just animal blood. Your son William may still be alive.”
“Our team has tracked William’s phone signal on its way to Canada. We’re doing everything we can to intercept him and bring him back safely.”
Margaret’s lifeless eyes suddenly brightened with hope.
She dropped to her knees, hands pressed together in desperate prayer,
“Thank God! Son, you will be okay. Bodhisattva, please bless him!”
Robert, whose face had been grim and dark all night, now allowed a faint smile to break through. He clasped the officer’s hands repeatedly, thanking them with quiet gratitude.
“How much humiliation did William suffer because of his scars and poverty? How many times did he wipe away tears in silence, afraid to show weakness?”
“You’re unworthy to call yourselves parents. You’re monsters.”
Emily’s voice trembled as she fell to her knees, overwhelmed by sorrow and anger.
The police, listening to the story, felt a rising fury. The lead officer struggled to remain calm as he glanced sharply at William’s parents X The Sun They Threw Away for a Stranger
11:38 AM
“You’re unworthy to call yourselves parents. You’re monsters.“\
Emily’s voice trembled as she fell to her knees, overwhelmed by sorrow and anger.
The police, listening to the story, felt a rising fury. The lead officer struggled to remain calm as he glanced sharply at William’s parents.
“Charles, tell us exactly what happened.”
Charles hesitated but eventually described the location–a rundown, abandoned construction site. The police wasted no time sending officers to investigate.
When the search party returned, their faces were grim.
“There was no one there, only a large pool of blood.“>
Hearing this, Margaret fainted immediately. Robert’s face turned pale, disbelief etched deeply on his features.
The family was detained as suspects, their every move questioned and scrutinized.
Charles huddled silently, battered and bruised. Margaret wept quietly, whispering William’s name repeatedly. Robert sat rigidly, fists clenched, eyes cold as he stared at Charles.
Charles broke the silence:
“Dad, you’ve loved me for years and never hit me before. But tonight, you said I’m your favorite because of what happened with my brother. Was your love real?“>
Robert’s sneer barely masked his pain. After a pause, he replied coldly:”
“We adopted you for selfish reasons. You’re the perfect heir.“}
“Your brother was burned and his looks were damaged. But that doesn’t mean we don’t love him.““]
“We planned for you to be our public face and your brother to control the business behind the scenes.” “We spoiled you because we owed you, but how did you repay us?“\
Suddenly standing, Robert warned:”
“If anything happens to William, I’ll kill you first. You’re just a substitute.“%
Those words crushed Charles’s heart.
The identity he cherished was just a replacement.
He had mocked William, but now, he was the real fool.
He collapsed, overwhelmed by pain and fear for his brother.”
That night was filled with pain until dawn broke and a police officer entered, hopeful:$
“The blood was animal blood. William may still be alive. We tracked his phone toward Canada.“\
Margaret’s eyes lit up with hope.
She knelt, praying desperately,
“Thank God! Son, you’ll be fine.”
Robert, weary and grim, finally smiled and thanked the police.
