The Intimate Enemy: A Tale of Betrayal [Chapter 11 to 20 ]

Chapter 11

Terry had a hard time processing what he had just read.

If he was doubting the authenticity of those reports in the morning, after reading this diary, he wavered completely!

So, what he had seen with his own eyes all these years wasn’t real? How had Grace managed to hide it all so well and so deeply?

Terry suddenly felt a chill down his spine.

He took out his phone and wanted to call Adam.

Because there was a paragraph in Amanda’s diary written specifically for him.

But the moment he was about to dial the number, Terry hesitated.

Adam loved Amanda. But now Amanda was gone. If Adam saw this, he would definitely fly into a rage and lose his mind.

After much consideration, Terry decided to go to the hospital first.

There were some things that the Hacker family needed to clarify and tackle first.

But it was already close to 8 in the evening. Terry decided to go early the next day.

Meanwhile, in the Powells’ house.

Adam kept dialing Amanda’s number.

At first, it was “the number is not answering“, but later it became “the number is not in service.

Amanda deactivated this number.

This discovery made Adam panic even more.

He had a vague feeling that Amanda was completely disappearing from his world this time.

Adam stared at the chat with her, where there was no reply from her, and his face turned completely cold.

He called his assistant and said, “Use all the connections to find her, no matter the cost. Even if you have to turn the entire city upside down, you must find out where Amanda is!”

After the call, Adam sat in a desolate darkness, unable to calm down for a long time.

A sleepless night……

At 8 the next morning…..

Terry arrived at the hospital where the Hacker family went.

But he was informed by the nurse, “Mr. and Mrs. Harker took Ms. Hacker home early this morning.”

Terry could only turn back home.

The Hacker’s house had already been restored to its appearance before the wedding, and every servant had a gloomy expression.

As soon as they saw Terry, it was like seeing a savior.

“Sir, please go and have a look. Ms. Grace is crying and making a scene. She wants to burn down Ms. Amanda’s room.

Upon hearing these words, Terry frowned deeply.

“Terry, you’re back. Please go talk to Grace!”

Outside the storage room, there was Kerry with red eyes. Clearly, she had just cried.

Terry remained silent and simply took out the diary.

“Mom, Dad, I want you to read Amanda’s diary first.”

He turned to the last page and said, “Amanda knows French; she understood all those hurtful words we said before.”

Chapter 12

As soon as he said it, Kim and Kerry were stunned.

“How is that possible?” Kerry whispered, “She hasn’t learned anything and hasn’t shown it either.”

And Kim, on the other hand, took the diary and read it slowly.

Terry pursed his lips and walked into the storage room.

I was also in Amanda’s room.

Grace had already destroyed nearly everything inside, though Amanda hadn’t left much either.

Terry frowned at her madness and said, “Grace, the person who donated a kidney to Adam back then wasn’t you, was it?”

As soon as she heard him, Grace, who was smashing things, froze.

Seeing her reaction, Terry felt a sudden collapse in a place deep within his heart.

Dad…… her subconscious reactions never escape from Terry’s eyes.

After realizing that he had wrongly blamed Amanda for so many things in the past, Terry looked at Grace with disappointment.

“Grace, how many things have you lied to us about?”

“Why did you intercept the living expenses that Mom and Dad asked to be transferred to Amanda?

“Why did you ask people to torture Amanda in Ouray?

“Why did you lie and say that you donated a kidney to Adam?

Three consecutive “whys” extinguished Grace’s madness instantly

She looked at Terry and said, “Terry, what are you saying? I don’t understand.”

At this moment, Kim and Kerry, who had finished reading the diary, walked over.

“Yeah, Terry, where do your questions come from? We don’t understand.”

Terry sighed and took out the medical examination reports and medical records from his bag.

He then took out his phone and made a phone call to his assistant.

“Bring those people in.”

Five minutes later……

The assistant brought in the head of Ouray and the finance team of the Hacker Group.

And to everyone’s surprise..

There was also Adam, whose face was as cold as ice.

He looked around at the Hacker family members and finally fixed his gaze on Grace.

“I think, as Amanda’s fiancé, I also have the right to know the truth.”

Chapter 13

Upon hearing this, Grace, who had been pretending to be calm, turned completely pale.

Her lips trembled as she said, “Adam, what truth? I couldn’t understand anything you guys are saying today.”

“Grace, are you still not telling us the truth?”

Terry raised his voice.

He looked disappointed. “Over the years, how many times have you framed Amanda? And how many times have you made her the scapegoat? Do you want me to list everything for you?”

As soon as he said that, Grace suddenly took a step back and almost stumbled to the ground.

Her eyes turned red. She looked pitiful.

“Terry, I am your younger sister. How could you say such things about me?

Terry sneered, “Have you forgotten that Amanda is also my younger sister and my biological sister?

As soon as he said that, Grace’s face turned even paler.

Perhaps the word “biological” hurt her.

She started clutching her chest, furrowing her brows, looking like she was having difficulty breathing.

“Enough! Terry, are you trying to kill your sister?”

Looking at how pale and fragile Grace was, Kerry felt heartbroken.

Terry couldn’t believe it. “Mom, why are you still defending her? Do you know how many sins she has done? Do you even know who your real daughter?

He took out those medical examination reports.

“Amanda had only one kidney. Seven years ago, it was she who underwent the transplantation surgery because she was a good match.

“Amanda lived in Ouray for seven years, and she was critically ill several times, all because she had been beaten!”

“Amanda lived in the Hacker family for ten years, and none of us took care of her or showed any concern or affection for her. We even blamed and disliked her because of things Grace said about her. However, Grace’s depression was taken, everything was just an act.”

Speaking of this, Terry finally took out the thing that would deal the most fatal blow to Grace.

It was the medical examination report that proved Grace had two kidneys and the psychological test result that proved she was mentally healthy. At this moment, Adam, who had been indifferently watching, finally spoke.

“Terry, hand me Amanda’s medical report.”

Terry tremblingly handed the medical report to Adam.

And Grace slumped to the ground.

There were critical illness notices, X–ray images, CT scan results, and some other pathological images.

As he went through them one by one, it became increasingly shocking, and Adam’s face darkened.

There was even a full–body photo of Amanda.

Arms, abdomen, back, thighs……

Every part of the exposed skin was filled with either deep or shallow wounds.

They were caused by the beating and torture in Ouray.

Adam’s expression changed drastically when he saw those wounds.

He walked quickly towards Grace.

He looked down at her with a sinister gaze.

“Tell me, what did you actually do? What did you do to Amanda?”

Even the well–mannered Adam lost his composure at this moment,

His eyes were bloodshot, and his heart felt as if it had been torn into countless pieces. “Grace, why did you treat her like this?”

Grace smiled miserably when she saw it could no longer be concealed.

She looked at Kerry, who was stunned, and said, “Mom, I am in so much pain.”

But the next second, Terry stood in front of Kerry, blocking her line of sight.

“Before we sort everything out, don’t pretend to be pitiful in front of Mom anymore. For all these years, you’ve taken advantage of Mom’s soft heart and her love for you, making her hurt her real daughter over and over again.”

Terry closed his eyes and thought about what the Hacker family had done to Amanda over the years.

You are so cruel. Have you ever thought that your deeds would make us live in regret and pain for the rest of our lives?”

Grace, however, did not respond.

She looked at Kim and said, “Dad, haven’t you always been the one who loved me the most?”

Upon hearing these words, Kim tightly grasped the diary and averted his gaze.

In an instant, Grace knew that she had lost all the chips to play innocent.

She said carelessly, “I wanted Amanda dead, that’s all.”

“Grace!!!”

Adam’s voice seemed to be forced out of his throat.

His face was as dark as a demon from hell. “Tell us what you have done!

Grace trembled with fear and was about to speak.

At this moment, Kim spoke.

“Adam.

“I will give you an explanation, but before that, you should first read the words Amanda wrote to you.”

When Adam heard this, the chilling intent he was exuding diminished slightly.

He took the diary stiffly and flipped to the last page.

Amanda’s beautiful handwriting was on the page.

“Sorry, this time, I will not wait for you.

“I wish you and Grace happiness,

I’ll be gone. From now on, let’s not meet again.”

The date was December 12, 2024.

So, on the day when he and Grace kissed in public, Amanda was extremely disappointed and determined to leave!

But he didn’t notice anything. He even arrogantly believed that he and Amanda still had a future.

Adam held the diary close to his chest, as pain swept through his body like a blizzard.

Before everyone’s eyes….

The man, the whole Timon looked up too, burst into tears.

Chapter 14

“Adams, listen to me. I didn’t mean to do it.”

Grace cried pitifully, which, however, failed to move Adam in the least.

“You didn’t mean it? So, tell me who asked you to do what you did…… Amanda, or me?”

Adam was overwhelmed by anger at being deceived and remorse for misunderstanding Amanda.

Adam was in great pain, and he did not show his usual tenderness for Grace.

“Grace, I can’t understand why you did those…

“You own everything you want. The Hacker family favors you so much, and they all consider Amanda an outsider, and even if Amanda came back, it wouldn’t affect your position at all.”

“And what about you? Did she affect you?”

After realizing that she could not convince Adam, Grace simply put aside all considerations.

“Adam, when Amanda came back, was your heartstring touched? And did it affect my position in your heart?”

Grace looked at Adam with a desolate expression in her eyes.

That question came to Adam like a bolt from the blue, and for an instant he was dumbfounded.

Seeing Adam’s reaction, Grace laughed at herself.

“Now I see. When I mentioned it, you realized that Mom and Dad hadn’t changed since Amanda’s return, but you had. At first, I thought you just found her intriguing, with a sense of freshness, but later, even the way you looked at her changed.”

Grace’s tone became filled with hatred.

Adam, when Amanda forced her way into our relationship, when your favoritism towards her grew, and yet you remained utterly oblivious, how could I not feel jealous, and how could I not resent her!”

Tears fell in large drops from Grace’s eyes.

“Watching Amanda captivate you so effortlessly filled me with an unprecedented sense of crisis. If you, who spent the most time with her, could unknowingly shift to her side, would Mom, Dad, and Terry eventually do the same?

“So I had to make Amanda leave, to vanish from our sight. But that wasn’t enough. And I had to destroy her image in all of your hearts. I needed to turn her into a villain, into someone utterly despicable!”

Upon hearing those words, Adara gradually went from disbelief to disappointment.

“Grace, when did you become like this?”

“Well, how did I become like this?”

Grace cried and laughed, as if she were just repeating Adam’s words or questioning herself.

Grace suddenly looked up, her voice almost hoarse with desperation. “It’s all because of Amanda, that bastard. Why did she have to come back? The moment she returned, you changed. Her existence constantly reminds me that I’m a fraud and that I’m nothing but a genuine clown!”

“Grace, how could you think like this?” Terry said.

“Mom, Dad, and I have always been on your side, but how could you do those cruelties?

Terry instantly welled up with tears. “Mom, Dad, and I trusted you so much and treated you so well. How could you turn out to be this kind of person?”

Scene words from Terry hurt Grace.

As Grace looked at Terry’s heartbroken expression, instead of feeling any guilt, a strange sense of satisfaction inexplicably rose within her.

It was a kind of perverse delight, the thrill of manipulating everyone as if they were mere pawns in Grace’s hands.

Grace wiped away the tears from her face.

And then, Grace curled her lips into a faint smile. “I have always been like this. I am not like the members of the Hacker family, who are naive and kind. I was born a villain. Does that satisfy you?”

“No one has ever said that you are not part of the Hacker family!”

Terry exclaimed, “Even though Amanda has returned, we still consider you our closest family! And she never once thought about taking anything from you.

“How could you be like this?

Terry looked at Grace in front of him, pale but still beautiful.

Was it all because the Hacker family and the Powell family had taken such good care of Grace over the years?

Terry couldn’t help thinking of the first time he had seen Amanda a month ago, emaciated and barely clinging to life, as if she might die at any moment.

Terry thought, “It turned out that Amanda was my biological sister, whom we had collectively sent back to the hellish Ouray, where she had endured endless suffering.

Terry walked towards Grace and said, “How can a person be so greedy? While you were living in comfort and luxury in the Hacker family, Amanda endured starvation and freezing conditions at Ouray. You’ve already received so much, and now that she’s back, you still want to harm her…”

Terry smiled bitterly

We were all fools. For your good… so, Mom and Dad abandoned their own daughter, and I turned my back on my own sister, too. We were… so stupid?”

Chapter 15

Listening to Terry’s words, Adam felt a sharp pang of pain spread through his heart.

Adam thought, “If only time could be rewound. And if only I could go back seven years and stop all of this from happening!

“But in this world, nothing can ever be redone.

“What’s done is done, and the pain caused can never be undone.‘

At the same time, Kim remained silent.

Suddenly, Kim slapped Grace with a resounding crack.

Grace covered her bruised cheek and looked at Kim.

She looked at Kim in disbelief.

Kim, however, had a calm face and a disappointed look in his eyes.

At that moment, a flood of emotions overwhelmed Kim, and the slap Grace received was the least of it.

“Dad!!!”

Kim looked calmly at Grace and said in a cold tone, “You don’t deserve to call me Dad anymore.”

Kim turned red–eyed and said, “Didn’t you just say you were not part of the Hacker family? Since that’s the case, we will pay back what we owe Amanda. And of course, you must pay back what you owe Amanda, too!”

The last few words were spoken with intense emotion, a reflection of Kim’s chaotic and aching heart.

Everyone was stunned for a moment.

Terry, who was the first to come out of his trance, closed his eyes, and the tears silently ran down from his face.

Terry looked at Grace.

“You are a thief, a criminal, and I will never forgive you for the rest of my life!”

After those words, Terry left his suffocating home without hesitation.

Terry stumbled for a moment and almost fell when he walked out the door.

In fact, anyone would struggle to accept that the person they had been defending all along was actually the worst of them all.

And what about the person who had been misunderstood all that time?

She must have been so desperate and heartbroken.

Terry dared not think that; he had no courage.

At that moment, Grace stood still like a piece of wood, her face alternating between red and pale.

Grace actually felt that the word “thief” from Terry carried more weight than that slap, leaving her even more ashamed and utterly humiliated.

“Adam, I……”

The moment Grace opened her mouth, Adam’s cold and merciless gaze silenced her in an instant.

Adam was not only cold in appearance, but also said in an unprecedentedly cold tone, “You don’t deserve to call my name anymore.”

“But, is there really no room for reconciliation between us because of this incident?”

Grace did not understand.

Grace thought, “I’ve grown up with Adam since childhood.

“Is Adam going to dismiss all these years of shared history, just because of Amanda, who appeared out of nowhere, and because of a few mistakes I made?

“Weren’t you the one who cherished me the most? Why couldn’t you forgive me for making mistakes?”

Grace looked sincere, as if she genuinely wanted an answer.

Adam sneered, “I see that until now, you still think what you did wrong was just a minor thing.”

“Isn’t it the truth? Amanda just returned to the place where she grew up since childhood, and stayed there for seven years. She didn’t die, she didn’t die… didn’t she?

Indeed!”

Grace had an expression of taking things for granted.

“Do you know how much Amanda suffered in Ouray? She was covered in bruises all over her body!”

“So what? She deserved it! Who told her to come back?” Grace vented her frustration.

“What if I were pretending? What if I had people torment Amanda? I just wish she were dead!

“But I couldn’t make it too obvious, because then the one you’d all hate and despise would become me.”

At the same time, Grace reached out her arm, wanting to embrace Adam’s neck.

“Adam…”

Suddenly, there was a loud crack, and that was the sound of a bone breaking.

Adam, with a gloomy expression, tightly gripped Grace’s wrist, exerting such a strong force that he actually snapped the bone.

“No!!!,” Grace screamed, clutching her hand.

Meanwhile, Amanda just woke up from a long dream and opened the blackout curtain on the plane.

Amanda stared blankly at the pitch–black horizon.

For many years, Amanda had dreamt of her Father, Mother, and older Brother, as well as Adam, whom she had loved for so many years.

“If only you hadn’t come back that year, she told herself. Why did you have to do such a wrong thing?

“Amanda, you are the one I love the most. Marrying Grace was a sham…. it was Adam words that replay in her thoughts.”

No one loved Amanda, and no one trusted her, either…. she reminded herself.

The grey, damp, and cloudy day was intertwined with the tears Amanda managed to hold back.

Fortunately, the announcement of the plane reaching its destination sounded at that moment.

“Ladies and gentlemen, this flight is scheduled to arrive in Grenadan in five minutes. The ground temperature is 20 degrees Celsius, and the plane is now descending.”

Amanda cast aside those sentimental dreams…

Looking at the increasingly bright and clear city outside the window, Amanda wore a smile.

Amanda was ready to have a new life when she arrived in Grenadan.

Chapter 16

“Hello, may I ask if you are Ms. Hacker?”

The boy walked over, holding a cell phone.

He was much taller than Amanda. When he smiled with his mouth open, Amanda could see his white teeth.

“I am. Are you Charlie?” Asanda nodded in response.

“Yes!” Charlie smiled. “The landlord and National Security Section asked me to pick you up.

“Grenalan is an island country with a population of only around a few thousand. Since it’s your first time here, the landlord was afraid that you wouldn’t be able to find the place. I am also a tenant, living downstairs from you.”

Charlie explained while walking out of the small airport with Amanda.

Amanda smiled and said, “I want to thank you. Tonight, I will cook a Bridilian cuisine for you. How about that?”

“Really? That’s great! Charlie was excited. “To be honest, both the landlord and I haven’t had a good Bridilian cuisine for a long time. I can’t handle spicy food very well.”

Charlie said apologetically.

“It’s okay. I can also make non–spicy dishes.”

Faced with this innocent boy, Amanda showed great understanding.

“That would be great! If you are willing to cook Brilian cuisine two or three times a week, the landlord would definitely be happy to waive a quarter, or even half, of the rent!”

Charlie was very happy. Even the freckles on his face seemed to show his joy.

Amanda was also very happy.

Just as it had barely begun, she felt that the new life was filled with rays of hope.

It was at Timon……

Adam couldn’t sleep well.

As soon as he closed his eyes, he would think of Amanda.

In his dream, Amanda looked at Adam coldly.

There was no longer any admiration or affection in her eyes.

Adam was upset.

He thought, “How could Amanda look at me with such a gaze?”

Adam said to Amanda in his dream, “I knew the truth, I knew everything from the past. I knew I was wrong…

Adam took the initiative to speak. However, when he was apologizing, his words were incoherent.

Amanda coldly interrupted him.

She said, “So what? Do you want to use just one sentence to wipe away all that I have suffered over the past seven years?

“Do I still need to thank you for your generosity?”

Adam was stunned. He was regretful and upset.

He explained, “No, I didn’t mean that. I know you were deeply hurt, but can you give me a chance to make amends? Where did you go? Can you tell me?” “Redemption?” Amanda sneered, “Can someone like you seek redemption?”

Her response was so cold and full of disappointment.

Amanda said, “Adam, I hate you. I will never forgive you.

It was like a curse. Adam suddenly woke up from his dream.

It was early morning.

His phone suddenly rang……

It was Thomas, Adam’s assistant.

Adan frowned and answered the call.

Thomas said, “Mr. Powell, Ms. Grace jumped off the building again.”

Chapter 17

Adam asked, “Is she dead?”

Adam was only concerned about the outcome.

Thomas said, “Ms. Grace is alive. The fire department arrived in time. When she jumped down, the fire safety cushion was already prepared. Moreover, Ms. Grace didn’t intend to die.”

As an assistant, Thomas couldn’t say it.

Realizing that he had misspoken, Thomas immediately apologized, “I’m sorry, Mr. Powell. I was just unable to accept what Ms. Grace did to Ms. Amanda, so I got emotional. I will be more careful, and I won’t make the same mistake again.”

If it were in the past, Adam would have been furious or even fired Thomas.

But after knowing the truth, Adam’s attitude towards Grace changed completely.

So he didn’t care what Thomas said..

Adam suddenly remembered the scene of Amanda’s first hospitalization after she came back.

At that time, Amanda was fast asleep.

Adam stood by the bed and watched her quietly until she woke up.

At that time, there was so much tenderness and affection in his eyes.

Adam remembered that there was a thin layer of condensation on the glass window at that time.

Amanda, who woke up from a nightmare, suddenly smiled gently.

She said, “Adam, do you remember? The first time we met, t’was a snowy day like this.”

Thinking of this, Adam smiled bitterly.

He wished so much to go back to that day and hold Amanda tightly.

Adam wanted to tell her, “I remembered. Of course, I remembered. I will not forget anything about you.”

Adam looked out of the window. It was still snowing tonight.

“Mr. Powell, the car has already arrived at the parking lot. The Hacker family hopes that you can go and take a look.”

Thomas’s voice resounded again.

Finally, Adam went to the sanatorium.

As soon as he entered the ward, Grace walked to Adam quickly.

She was crying.

“Adam, how could you treat me like this?”

Adam felt very familiar with Grace’s tearful and emotional question.

In the dream, Amanda also questioned him like this, “How could you treat me like this, Adam?”

Adam thought, “Did Amanda cry at that time? Did she shed tears?

“No.”

Adam carefully recalled for a few seconds in a daze.

From the first encounter at the entrance of Ouray to the final farewell at the Hacker family, seven years passed.

Amanda never shed a tear in front of Adam.

“Grace”

Adam looked at Grace, who had become pale and haggard overnight.

He said, “I hadn’t even started doing anything to you.”

Adam’s words scared Grace. She immediately stopped crying.

Grace trembled and wanted to say something. “Adam……”

Adam interrupted her, “Grace, I had my assistant investigate Amanda’s medical records in Ouray for the past seven years. I also learned that someone asked many people to hurt Amanda in my name. For example, someone was asked to destroy Amanda’s face and was even asked to kill Amanda.

Adam then quietly looked at Grace and asked, “Did you do all those things?”

Grace slowly squeezed out a word, “Yes!

Upon hearing this word, Adam felt helpless.

He finally understood why Amanda was so sensitive to external stimuli. Sometimes, when walking on the roadside, even a slight breeze or rustling of grass could frighten her.

Adam thought, “Was it fear of experiencing violence again?

“All the villagers who had beaten her and humiliated her for the past seven years would say, “There are people outside who want you dead.“”

Grace said with tears, “Adam, where is Amanda? I will kneel and apologize to Amanda. I won’t do those things again.”

Grace looked at Adam, begging for mercy.

Adam thought, “Kneel and apologize?

“What’s the use of kneeling and apologizing? No one knows where Amanda is.

“No one could make up for the harm done to her.”

Adam suddenly smiled, but he was filled with bitterness.

He was so regretful that he wished he could go back seven years ago and kill himself.

Seeing that Adam remained silent, Grace became even more afraid.

Adam said, “Grace, you have to slowly redeem your sins.”

Chapter 18

At this time, Kim, Kerry, and Terry all arrived.

Looking at her once beloved daughter, who looked miserable and disheveled, Kerry didn’t know how to describe her feelings at that moment.

Yesterday, Terry had already told them everything.

Kerry fainted several times, and Kim, who had quit smoking for more than ten years, sat beside her and started smoking with a defeated expression.

“Grace, why did you do all those horrible things?”

Everyone asked Grace those questions after learning the truth.

They all wondered, “Why?

“Didn’t she already get many things that Amanda didn’t have?”

Grace fell silent for a moment.

Kerry, Kim, and Terry.

Then, Grace… suddenly she looked at Kerry.

She laughed bitterly, “What does it matter that I have been raised and cared for so many years? She is your real daughter.”

For so many years, that had troubled her a lot.

Family ties were the most unbearable.

“You are a silly girl,” Kerry pounded her chest. “It’s not just you who was silly.

We were wrong. We were all wrong.”

At this point, Kerry had already become numb.

She looked at Adam and asked, “And what about Amanda? Did you send someone to look for her?”

Regret and pain were also tormenting Kerry.

Kim and Terry didn’t look very good either.

Obviously, they were all unable to sleep at night.

“That is my daughter, my biological daughter. And I drove her away. How disappointed and how much she hated me? When I gave birth to her, I cherished her so much. When I found out she had been stolen, I wished I could die.

“Why did I treat her like that? I am so unforgivable. I don’t deserve to be a mother.”

Kerry cried uncontrollably.

Kim supported her but remained silent.

It took him a long time before he spoke.

“Adam, Terry, and I have already used all of the Hacker family’s connections to find Amanda. I know you are also anxiously searching for her. We are begging you. Please, if you have any news, can you let us know?”

With that, Kim was about to bow.

Adam stopped him and said, “Mr. Hacker, it is my responsibility to find Amanda.”

“Alright, please, if there is any news, make sure to inform the Hacker family. We must repay what we owe her, regardless of whether she accepts it or forgives us. We must repay it.”

Kerry murmured.

From beginning to end, neither Kim nor Kerry looked at Grace ever again.

“Adam, in our family, it is believed that people who do wrong things should always be punished.”

Terry supported his almost paralyzed mother, his eyes still red.

“Grace brought this upon herself, and those horrible actions she did were unforgivable. Let the law take its course.

At this moment, Grace could no longer hold back.

“No! Mom, Dad, Terry, how could you treat me like this? I am your daughter whom you raised with love and care.

I am your family, aren’t I? For the past twenty–something years, haven’t you loved and cherished me?

You’d treated me with unconditional love.

“How could you bear to treat me like this?

Dad, Mom, Adam, I beg you, I am willing to apologize to Amanda. I can do everything to make her forgive me.”

Grace looked terrible.

She knelt to reach Adam’s leg.

Adam took a step back mercilessly.

Grace wanted to pull Kim and Kerry, but they also retreated.

Even the soft–hearted Kerry did not waver this time.

She looked at the “adopted daughter” whom she had loved for over twenty years, utterly disappointed.

“Grace, it is of no use for you to seek anyone now, as what goes around comes around.

“You have enjoyed so many years of Amanda’s life. Now it’s time to repay her.

“None of us will let you get away with it anymore. You must pay for what you did.

“From now on, you are not worthy of being called Grace anymore. You were supposed to be called Amanda.”

Chapter 19

Grace thought, “What does it mean?

When she heard it, Grace’s mind went blank, and she felt an unprecedented panic.

“Terry, Mom.”

Grace rushed toward the Hacker family, attempting to grasp their hands.

Unfortunately, she failed.

Terry discreetly helped Kerry to avoid Grace.

“How could you treat me like this? I couldn’t go to jail. Why should I go to jail?”

Grace couldn’t help shaking her head, her pleading gaze turned to Kim. “Dad, say something.”

In the past, Kim doted on her the most. As long as she pouted and shed a few tears, there was nothing that Kim wouldn’t agree to.

“That’s enough,” Kim scolded angrily. “In the past, our family could tolerate your mistakes, but now you have harmed your sister. You have taken advantage of our love for you and played with us in the palm of your hand. There’s no need to pretend anymore.”

Kim had an angry expression on his face, and disappointment filled his eyes.

“After Amanda came back, we never treated you poorly just because she is our biological daughter. We even neglected her for fear of making you unhappy. Yet, you still weren’t satisfied and committed such an ugly act.”

Kim had been dominating the business market for decades, but little did he expect to be deceived by his daughter, whom he had nurtured for over twenty years.

At that moment, anger almost overwhelmed Kim. “Since you have become heartless and unjust, we will consider you as if we never had a daughter like you. Those past twenty years, all the time and effort… We could pretend nothing had happened between us.”

After finishing speaking, Kim turned to the butler. “Go throw all her belongings out. We no longer have her

Grace was startled.

She couldn’t believe that Kim would turn so heartless.

“Haha. Now everything I did wrong is my fault? You don’t care about your daughter. And you don’t trust me. It’s all my fault, right? Clearly, you blinded yourselves and deceived yourselves. It’s your stupidity.

“You guys deserved it. Amanda deserved it too,” Grace shouted.

There came a loud sound.

A heavy slap fiercely landed on Grace’s face.

This time, it was unexpectedly from Kerry, who had always cherished Grace the most.

She said with red eyes, “Those years, it’s our fault as parents for not teaching you well. Now we have to atone, and you must atone too.

“Mr. Powell, we will temporarily assign these two things to you. We will also send people to search for her. We will do what needs to be done.”

Kerry wiped away her tears.

Although she was heartbroken, she still gathered her spirits.

“Okay,” Adam said concisely.

After the Hacker family left, only Adam and Grace remained in the ward.

“I know you didn’t want to die, and you shouldn’t think about forcing death or using suicide to get someone’s attention anymore. As you can see, no one will fall for your tricks anymore. Now, explain everything you have done to Amanda over the years.”

Adam looked at Grace and said, “I would consider making your time in prison a bit easier.”

Half an hour later, Adam walked out of the ward.

In the recording, Grace admitted to all the crimes she had committed against Amanda over the years.

Adam’s heart ached as if being twisted.

He couldn’t imagine how Amanda had managed to survive all these years of torment.

Timon had been snowy recently…

Adam extended his hand, allowing the snowflakes to flow into his palm.

“Where were you, Amanda?

Adam mattered to himself.

Meanwhile in Grenada……

Amanda sat on the open balcony, gazing absentmindedly at the sparkling sea under the brilliant sunlight.

The sea breeze brushed by against the sea.

Amanda stood up and walked into the room, taking out paints and a canvas.

When she was in Ouray, she learned to paint for nearly ten years with her older sister.

That older sister was beaten to death until she failed to escape.

She was also abducted, but unlike Amand, who walked out of the mountains, she remained forever in that ugly land.

Chapter 20

Amanda, I had no idea you were so talented at painting.

The landlady, Mary, went up to the roof to make some dried fruits and immediately spotted Amanda sitting in front of the easel.

“Just doodling around. My drawing isn’t that great,” she said. This wasn’t false modesty; it was the truth.

After her sister passed away, she rarely picked up a paintbrush.

“Oh, come on! I think it’s wonderful. The sky and the sea look so beautiful on it. If you have the time, could you paint a picture for me? I’d love to hang it in the dining room,” Mary said cheerfully.

Faced with such straightforward praise, Amanda felt a bit flustered

“Amanda, regardless of what you were like in the past, now that you’re here, you’re a whole new person starting a brand–new life. Don’t keep being haunted by the past. Pretending to let go when you haven’t truly done so will only make you miserable.”

Mary said sincerely, gently stroking the top of Amanda’s head with her time–worn palms.

There was a very faint yet warm chamomile fragrance.

Amanda looked at this middle–aged woman of a bit of descent and suddenly felt a stinging sensation in her eyes.

She had an urge to cry.

Over the years, no matter how much hardship or physical or mental pain she endured and suffered, she never shed a tear.

“Amanda, when you’re done painting, come downstairs. I’ll make you some fruit tea.

Mary said, not noticing Amanda’s emotional state and still smiling brightly..

“Okay. Let’s have a barbecue tonight and invite Charlie,” Amanda said, curving her lips into a smile.

She managed not to cry.

Meeting kind people like Mary and Charlie right from the start in the unfamiliar place of Grenadan might finally be a stroke of good luck from heaven.

Moreover, Mary’s words struck a chord with her.

Since she had chosen to start anew, she shouldn’t have let the past hold her back, either mentally or physically.

After finishing this painting of The Horizon, Amanda decided to look for a tattoo shop.

Nine years ago, the scar left because of Adam on her waist should no longer be erased from her skin and body.

Amanda carefully drew a fluttering butterfly on a white sheet of drawing paper.

Then, humming a tune, she made her way toward the tattoo shop indicated on the navigation.

The tattoo artist was a seventeen or eighteen year–old girl, but surprisingly, she was very skilled.

When Amanda saw the butterfly on her waist in the round mirror, it was as if a long–suppressed storm was stirred up in her heart.

Blue Morpho Helena Butterfly was the most beautiful butterfly in the world.

From then on, it would replace the long, winding scar that had been on Amanda’s waist.

It was vivid and dream–like.

“If you ever need anything else, you can come to me next time. You… surely this kind of beauty,” the tattoo artist said.

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