04

Lovett’s head pounded as she listened to every word that came out of the woman’s mouth.

“Mom…” She spluttered as fresh tears rolled down her cheeks.

“Oh, don’t call me that. It makes me sick.” Dianne snapped almost immediately.

Lovett really hoped all of these were a nightmare, however, every time she pinched herself, she was faced with the bitter truth that it was reality. Her reality.

“You’re wicked and evil.” She winced as she murmured.

Dianne burst into another round of laughter.

After, she inched closer to Lovett and whispered in her ear, “do you want to hear another very interesting gist?” She paused and then added, “I. Killed. Your. Grand. Fa. Ther.”

Lovett’s heart skipped multiple beats upon hearing her words.

Dianne retracted her face, and after seeing the sheer horror written all over her stepdaughter’s face, she burst into another round of triumphant laughter, nodding her head in confirmation of what she just said.

“You wanna know how I did it? Hmn, that’s a secret for now.” She giggled.

For quite some time, Lovett remained completely unmoving, trying very hard to digest everything that her stepmother had just said.

When she finally came to her senses, she couldn’t hold back any longer.

“You…” She charged at Dianne at once.

However, she had yet to come close to touching a strand of the woman’s hair when big, rough hands blocked her.

Chris gripped Lovett’s arms roughly and dragged her up, ignoring her ear piercing screams and cusses.

With her laughter filling the air, Dianne slowly rose to her feet and faced Lovett squarely. “Oh, poor little thing.” She pouted, stroking Lovett’s face with the back of her fingers.

Lovett grunted and winced at her touch, throwing her face to the side.

Without further ado, Dianne turned to look at Chris. “Throw her out.” She commanded before making her way up the stairs.

“You evil witch! Evil! I’ll make you pay! I swear on my mother’s grave!” Lovett cried out, squirming under Chris’ fierce grip as she was being dragged out of the Larson Family’s residence.

Dianne’s sardonic laughter filled the air once more as she yelled out, “you can’t do nothing, darling. No one will believe you without any evidence.”

And just like that, Lovett Larson was thrown out of her grandfather’s house, into the cold streets. For several minutes, she remained on the tarred ground, her knees, palms and elbows bruised, as she shed hot tears like never before.

By the time she stood up and began sauntering aimlessly down the road, it was already past four in the morning.

Lovett’s heart was now completely devoid of any emotions. Her entire life had been a lie and she’d had no idea until now. Could life be any crueler?

She continued walking farther and farther until her legs could no longer carry her. By the time she came around, she saw that she’d climbed up a bridge and was in the middle.

Heaving a silent sigh, she dragged her heavy feet to the bridge’s railing and dropped her hands on it, staring into space as the morning cold breeze feathered her face.

The sky… it was slowly clearing up. Everything seemed so peaceful like her whole life hadn’t tumbled upside down over the past couple of hours. How cruel.

Lovett let her eyes wander, down, to the sea beneath her.

The calmly moving water seemed to be calling out to her. To ease her pain. To give her life an endless calmness.

And Lovett heeded. Without giving it a second thought, she jumped over the railing.

It was better to die than to endure the pain she was feeling. At least, she’d go join her grandfather and her mother up there. She’d be happy with them.

It didn’t take long before her body hit the water with a splash, and she soon began to sink deep in it. Lovett didn’t fight the water. She gave in completely. And soon, all her breath was dragged out of her. A tear escaped her eye as her body gradually went limp.

***

Two weeks later.

When Lovett Larson finally opened her eyes, she was met with a blinding whiteness.

She had to squint and blink before her eyes could settle in their surroundings.

Happiness swirled in her due to this. There was no doubt she had made it to heaven. Where the rest of her loved ones were.

Now, she could reconcile with her grandparents… her grandpa, her paren…

Tears had started to brim in Lovett’s eyes when, suddenly…

“You’re awake.” A voice sounded from somewhere around her.

Slowly, she turned her head in its direction and found a young man approaching her, a stethoscope in hand.

He gently placed a hand on her forehead and let it rest there for a couple of seconds.

‘Is this God?’ Lovett pondered as her eyes followed the man’s every move.

“Can you hear me?” The man inquired calmly.

She nodded once.

“Can you see me clearly?”

She nodded twice.

He heaved a sigh of relief at her inaudible responses.

However, Lovett’s forehead creased in confusion.

She made to speak, however, she felt as though her throat had glued altogether.

She forcefully swallowed the little spittle that had formed in her mouth in the short time she awoke.

“Who-are-yyou?” It took a while before she could speak.

Her question even came out as a whisper, contrary to her intention.

The man heaved a sigh of relief, “it’s been two weeks since—“

Lovett didn’t let the man finish as she quickly cut him short. “Wait.” Her breathing etched a bit.

She ground her teeth before she opened her mouth to ask a question, as if afraid the man was going to give an answer she wouldn’t like to hear.

“Did you… did you, perhaps, rescue me?”

The man’s lips pursed for a while, he then nodded. “Yes,”

Upon hearing this, a tear escaped Lovett’s eye. The next moment, she had flung off the bed and pounced on the man, scratching him with her fingernails as she cried hard and loud.

***Download NovelToon to enjoy a better reading experience!***