Filed to story: Shattered Vows (Venessa Windsor) Book PDF Free
“Vena, if you don’t want to apologize to the Lorimer family, I won’t force you,” Alaric said.
Venessa was taken aback, but just as she assumed that Alaric had had a change of heart, he suddenly said with a serious expression, “Let your grandma go then. She used to be good friends with the elder generation of Lorimers. Besides, considering her age, the Lorimer family is unlikely to cause her any trouble.”
Venessa was so furious that she clenched her fists. “Tossing Grandma under the bus for your mistakes, are you even human?”
“Venessa, is that any way to talk to me?” Alaric was irate, his pride wounded. “At the end of the day, I was your father for eighteen years! How could you say that I’m not human?”
“Dad, I don’t agree with Grandma going. As I said earlier, I’ll take responsibility for my own actions!” Gabe also objected.
“Shut up! The decision has been made. Nothing and no one can change it!”
Alaric was an imposing figure, not tolerating any provocation. He summoned several bodyguards to forcibly escort Gabe back to his room, forbidding him from taking a single step out of the Pierce residence until this matter was resolved.
Only Harriet and the sobbing Madison were left in the living room.
“Are you really going to make Grandma apologize to the Lorimer family? She just had surgery and is hospitalized. Don’t you care about her health at all?” Venessa asked indignantly.
Harriet shook her head, letting out a sigh. “Vena, your father must have thought this decision thoroughly. If you don’t want to get involved in this matter, then you should just let it be.”
Harriet, arm in arm with Madison, turned around and left.
With despair in her heart, Venessa closed her eyes, finally making up her mind. “I agree to go apologize to the Lorimer family!”
“Vena, have you changed your mind?” Harriet’s voice was filled with surprise, tinged with a hint of joy.
“But I have a condition! This matter must be kept from Grandma. Even if something were to happen to me, she must not be informed.”
Harriet nodded repeatedly. “No problem. Moreover, you don’t need to worry too much. With Ms. Layla around, the Lorimer family won’t harm you in any way.”
A storm of intense emotions churned in Venessa’s eyes – sorrow, resentment, and defiance.
Her eyes instantly welled up with tears, yet she forcefully held them back, refusing to let them fall.
She glared at Harriet, her voice almost accusatory as she began to speak. “Four years ago, you used me as a scapegoat for the sake of your biological daughter. Four years later, you two want me to take the blame again, all for the sake of your own son! Does being non-biological give you the right to treat me however you want?”
Harriet’s gaze faltered before her tears uncontrollably fell from her eyes. She sobbed softly, saying, “It’s not like that, Vena. I love you very much, truly, deeply. But this is your father’s decision. There’s nothing I can do to change it…”
The light in Venessa’s eyes was completely gone.
“You all may not care about Grandma’s life or death, but I do! After this incident, I’m completely done with the Pierce family!”
After she finished speaking, she left the Pierce residence without a backward glance.
Her weakness had always been Vera.
By using Vera as leverage, the Pierce family had total control over her, leaving her utterly unable to resist.
Venessa took a taxi to the Lorimer Estate.
Guided by a housekeeper, she arrived at a Corvainan-style mansion within the estate.
Every minute and second that Venessa spent waiting on the living room couch was filled with endless dread.
Her heart pounded relentlessly as fear tightly coiled around her like a snake, causing her body to tremble uncontrollably.
The Lorimer family was akin to an immense cage, suffocating her with its oppressive presence, leaving her breathless.
The Lorimer family had subjected her to four years of imprisonment.
She endured endless agony in the hellish confines of the prison.
She had decided she wanted nothing more to do with this family in this lifetime.
Unexpectedly, on the second day after her release from prison, she was forced to step into a place that filled her with endless fear.
Given her current fragile state of health, coupled with the brutal nature of the Lorimer family, whether she could make it back alive today was a mystery…
At the height of Venessa’s fear, a gentle voice wafted over.
“Why do you look so pale? And you’re shaking too! Are you cold? Hannah, could you turn up the heat a bit and bring over a cup of lemonade?”
Venessa lifted her head, and the moment she saw the second daughter of the Lorimer family, Layla, a good portion of the fear in her heart vanished.
Layla and Gabe were of the same age, having been classmates and childhood friends. Naturally, her fondness for Venessa was not lacking.
However, Layla’s situation was rather awkward. She was an illegitimate daughter and was set up for an arranged marriage by her family while she was still in university.
Thinking about it now, it had been many years since Venessa last saw her.
“Ms. Layla, how do you do?” Venessa stood up, greeting her politely.
“Don’t call me that. Just like before, simply call me Layla.”
Layla patted Venessa’s shoulder, handing her the lemonade that the housekeeper had prepared before comforting her, “Only my mom and I live in this mansion. There won’t be anyone else coming, so there’s no need for you to be nervous. Today, I asked you to come over under the guise of having you come to apologize. It was merely to prevent others from having anything to hold against me. In reality, I just wanted to see you. Five years ago, I moved abroad due to my marriage and haven’t returned since. I was completely unaware of your situation. I’m sorry for not being able to lend you a hand.”
Layla was gentle-natured, unlike the other arrogant and domineering members of the Lorimer family. She comforted Venessa like a considerate older sister would.
After Venessa was released from prison, aside from Vera, Layla was the only other person Venessa felt actually cared for her.
She shook her head, her gratitude sincere as she said, “It’s all right, Layla. Your apology is already worth its weight in gold.”
Layla nodded, continuing to offer comfort. “Don’t worry, I’ve taken care of everything. The incident at the bar hasn’t reached Mrs. Lorimer and Tiffany. However, even if they found out, I would find a way to protect you. Once upon a time, I was just an illegitimate daughter, scorned by everyone. But things are different now. After marrying into a family of oil tycoons, my mother and I finally have some power in the Lorimer family. Moreover, this whole mess was never your problem to begin with. It was your brother’s impulsive actions that led to this disaster, but somehow, you’re the one left to pick up the pieces. It’s simply not fair.”
The numbness that once consumed Venessa’s heart was fiercely stirred.
Her eyes grew increasingly red, and in the next moment, she couldn’t help but let her tears fall.
After her release from prison, this was the second time she had cried, the first being in front of Vera, where she had broken down in distress.
This time, she was moved to tears.
Even an outsider was willing to go to such lengths to protect her, yet the family she had lived with for eighteen years had desperately pushed her toward danger…
“Silly girl, what’s there to cry about?”
Layla handed Venessa a tissue to wipe her tears. It was only when she looked at the latter closely that she noticed a series of jagged scars beneath her neck.
“Those scars, did you get them in prison?” Layla covered her mouth, unable to believe it.
