Chapter 623

Meanwhile, Johanna was dragged to her feet. The earlier kick felt as though it had dislodged her lungs; the pain was excruciating, rendering her nearly delirious. Coupled with the blood she had coughed up, her face was pale and weak. She made no attempt to resist as two Russell family subordinates hauled her upright.

It wasn't until someone moved Archie's body from the ground that she reacted.

"Don't touch him! Get away!"

Something seemed to trigger Johanna. She suddenly broke free, throwing herself toward Archie. Despite their efforts to restrain her, she refused to let go.

The subordinates exchanged helpless glances before looking at Stanley.

Stanley checked his communicator. The message showed the Carrell family had already dispatched a substantial force, less than half a mile from the Russell residence. Each person was armed. They clearly intended to exploit the chaos at the residence to eliminate the threat—a miscalculation on their part.

Stanley swiftly replied, "Let them in."

Unbeknownst to Pete, while he'd sent many men to the Russell residence, his own position was jeopardized. He'd walked right into a trap.

Stanley pocketed his communicator. Seeing Johanna's distraught state, he instructed, "Lock the door. Deal with those outside first. We can handle her later."

"Yes, sir!"

The subordinates nodded, withdrawing and securing the door with two locks to prevent Johanna's escape.

The surroundings fell quiet again, save for Johanna's increasingly mournful cries. She clung to Archie's body, feeling his growing coldness. She wept, desperately trying to warm him with her touch, to no avail.

"Archie, Archie… why did you leave me? Now that you're gone, what reason do I have to live?" Johanna sobbed, memories flooding her mind—their years of mutual dependence in the orphanage, the scarcity of resources, the daily struggle for food.

She had met Archie in the orphanage, overcrowded and under-resourced. To eat, they had to fight; losing meant going hungry. Johanna, small and frail, was often bullied. One day, while starving and being tormented, she saw Archie for the first time.

He was a new arrival, aloof and solitary. But that day, he defended her, beating up her bully and returning the stolen bun. Afterward, he sat alone, bruised and withdrawn, a prickly porcupine.

Young Johanna watched him from afar. Finally mustering her courage, she approached him, splitting the bun and offering him half.

Archie stared at her silently for a long time before accepting it. From that day on, no one dared bully Johanna again. Everyone knew that making her cry meant facing Archie's wrath.

Life in the orphanage remained harsh. A new director increased their workload drastically. Girls did handicrafts; boys did heavy labor. This continued for two years.

Then, one day, a couple came to adopt, drawn to Johanna's beauty. The man even bought her a dress, but his gaze frightened her.

The director pocketed the money and smiled, preparing to send Johanna away.

That night, Johanna lay crying in bed, her eyes swollen, terrified but unsure of what exactly she feared. Then, the blanket lifted, revealing Archie. "I'm planning to escape," he said. "Do you want to come with me?"