Chapter 238: Feel This Pain Well

When I made my request, I noticed Bill’s frown.

“What’s wrong, Dad? Feeling bad?”

“It’s not that. It’s just… the weather’s freezing outside.”

I cut him off, my patience wearing thin. “Cold? So now you understand what it means to be cold? Don’t forget what you did when I was ten.”

That year, Zoey had been brought home to celebrate the New Year. Sadie framed her for breaking Bill’s treasured vase, and Monica blew the whole thing out of proportion.

Usually, Bill wouldn’t lose his temper over something as trivial as a broken vase. But Zoey’s refusal to defend herself, coupled with the scheming of others, sealed her fate. She was forced to kneel in the snow. If Philippa hadn’t arrived in time, she might have stayed there for hours.

“Dad, you’re always so quick to remind me that my mom is Mrs. Gardner, but you let Sadie do as she pleases. If she’s not kept in check, she’ll keep breaking things and causing trouble. Who’s going to be responsible if Mom gets hurt because of her?”

At that time, I hadn’t told him Mom was pregnant. I wanted to avoid complications, especially with Monica lurking around. I kept the truth to myself and changed the subject.

“You couldn’t bring yourself to discipline Sadie, yet you made me, a ten-year-old, kneel. I’m not irreplaceable as your daughter. I can—”

I knew guilt-tripping him would corner Bill into submission.

“Sadie, your sister is right. You’ve been out of control for years. It’s time you learned your place. This isn’t a playground for you to act recklessly,” Bill said sternly.

Sadie’s eyes welled up with tears as the bodyguards swiftly cleaned up the mess and escorted her out.

“Dad, you can’t do this to me! I’m your daughter! Zoey, you witch! I won’t forgive you!” she yelled.

The bodyguards threw her onto the floor, and I coldly pinned her down. Her hands were instantly slashed, blood seeping from the cuts.

“Ah!”

“Go ahead and scream. The louder you cry, the more satisfaction I feel,” I taunted.

“You monster!”

“Do you finally feel pain, Sadie? Don’t forget what you and your mother did. After two decades, this is just a taste of retribution.”

Sadie glared at me through her agony. “Laugh while you can. Dad loves me, and the more you torment me, the more he’ll despise you.”

“Let him. I’ve made it clear—I don’t need him as a father. But you and your scheming mother will pay back everything you’ve done a hundredfold. Just losing your financial support is enough to break you? Remember, if your reckless mother hadn’t drugged my father, you wouldn’t even exist. You were destined to live in squalor, yet you’ve enjoyed luxury for years. I’m merely returning you to where you belong. Can’t handle that?”

“Zoey, you—”

I grabbed her hair and hissed. “Feel every ounce of this pain. It’s only the beginning.”

Sadie’s suffering left her gasping for air, her hands and knees trembling in agony.

I glared down at her, my voice ice-cold. “Don’t blame me. You know exactly who sent you to the police. You know well how Ethan died.”

Her eyes widened in realization. “It was Anna! Ethan was just her scapegoat!”

“Exactly. You targeted her, but Ethan paid the price. The police traced it back to you. Who do you think tipped them off?”

I guided her through my words, step by step. I despise everything you and your mother have done, but in the end, I was the one who saved you. The person truly after your life is Anna. Sadie, you’re an ungrateful idiot.

“Your life was nearly taken, yet here you are, making a scene. Do you even realize how close you came to dying? You might not even see it coming next time.”

With that, I turned away and gave the bodyguards firm instructions, “Keep an eye on her. Don’t let her stand. Make sure she stays kneeling.”

Bill came out after comforting my mom and saw Sadie’s bloodied state. “Her hands…”

I glanced at her without much concern. “It’s just a minor cut. She’s not going to die. If you’re so worried, send her somewhere else.”

My sharp tone must have startled him because he quickly said, “I was only asking. Zoey, there’s no need to go this far.”

I sneered and dragged him inside, slamming the door behind us. “Dad, are you clueless, or are you pretending to be? Mom is pregnant, and at her age, it’s risky.”

“Don’t forget what Monica did the last time Mom was expecting—it almost caused her to lose me. Do you think Monica doesn’t know about Mom’s condition? She probably sent Sadie here to create trouble. What if this stress leads to a miscarriage? Is Sadie the only child you care about? Is the baby in Mom’s womb not yours?”

A twinge of guilt hit me as I said that, knowing even Mom wasn’t completely certain the baby belonged to Bill. But for now, she was Mrs. Gardner, and as long as the baby wasn’t born yet, it was assumed to be his.

I dropped another bombshell, “Sadie is just one daughter, but two lives are growing in Mom’s belly.”

Bill froze, stunned. The initial checkup had only confirmed the pregnancy but didn’t detect twins. “What are you saying, Zoey?”

“Didn’t Mom tell you she’s having twins?”

My mom hadn’t been speaking much to him lately. She barely tolerated his presence. It was normal that he knew nothing.

Bill’s expression shifted from shock to joy. He genuinely loved kids, and the idea of twins seemed to thrill him. He rushed to my mom’s side, kissing her cheek. “Thank you, darling.”

She rolled her eyes at him. “Get lost. Stay away from me. You disgust me.”

Bill didn’t seem to care and smiled at her anyway.

I turned to him coldly. “What about Sadie?”

“Let her stay on her knees until she understands what she did wrong,” he declared.

“Fine.”

It was almost laughable how easy it was to manipulate someone so simple-minded. No wonder Monica had managed to control him for two decades. But now, the power was in my hands.

If I wasn’t mistaken, Anna wouldn’t make a move, at least not for the time being. If she hesitated too long, I’d find a way to push her into action. Sadie was my most effective tool, and I planned to use her well.

Still, I couldn’t shake the feeling that Monica was up to something. After all, she’d managed to manipulate Bill for two decades. Could Monica have already figured out my mom’s pregnancy? Was Sadie’s interference today intentional or just a coincidence? The chaos she stirred felt like a cover. Her real goal was probably to stress my mom out.

Noticing my frown, Carter handed me a neatly peeled orange. He knew I hated the stringy bits and had carefully removed them all.

“Here, try this. It’s sweet,” he said softly.

Although I was still tense, his thoughtful gesture made me relax a little. “Alright,” I said, taking a bite.

Not long after, Monica appeared at the door. The sly old fox was finally here, and I was eager to see what performance she had in store for me this time.

To my surprise, as soon as she saw me, she suddenly dropped to her knees. The abrupt motion startled me, and a surge of fear from past experiences of being killed rushed through me.

Before she could come any closer, I instinctively leaped into Carter’s arms, clinging tightly to his neck.

“Help me, Carter!” I cried out.