Filed to story: Shattered Vows (Venessa Windsor) Book PDF Free
Harriet came over and gently took her hand, crying out, “Vena, why do your hands have so many chilblains and blisters? And why are there countless scars all over your body? The doctor mentioned there were signs of being hit with a rod, whipped, and even burns from cigarette butts…”
Gabe came over and patted Harriet’s shoulder, consoling her with a heavy tone, “Mom, don’t be too upset.”
He couldn’t fathom what exactly Venessa had gone through.
A powerful wave of guilt washed over him, making him unable to even glance at her.
He couldn’t even say an apology out loud.
Harriet wiped her tears and said, “I thought you were just in prison for four years, simply undergoing a prison labor program. I never imagined you’d endure so much hardship. Who could be so cruel as to hurt you like this?”
Madison’s eyes were notably red as she stood by the hospital bed.
“Venessa, I’m so upset. Your pain is my pain. What on earth have you been through?”
Venessa looked up at Madison, who was speaking sarcastically.
Your pain is my pain? What a good actress she is.
A surge of anger welled up within her. Calmly, she began, “What have I been through? Let me tell you. Not a single day in prison went by without me being bullied. Of course, why did I have to steal the necklace of the eldest daughter of the Lorimer family, thus offending the big shots? Chilblains, blisters, getting my hair yanked, punched, kicked, burned with cigarette butts, doused with boiling water, slapped-those were child’s play. A toothpick pierced my left ear, rupturing my eardrum and leaving me nearly deaf. They used iron rods with nails, puncturing holes all over my legs, each one oozing blood. I’ve been through it all-the water dungeon, solitary confinement, even electric torture.”
Madison’s eyes widened in shock as she looked at Venessa aggrievedly.
Tears began to fall like pearls off a broken string, and she cried so hard that she could barely catch her breath.
So unstable that she couldn’t even stand properly, Madison collapsed into Gabe’s arms.
“Why are you crying? You’re not the one who spent four years in prison,” Venessa remarked, observing the individuals in the room, each immersed in their own sorrow, some even reduced to tears.
She could only sense the irony.
“I’m sorry, Venessa. It’s all my fault…” Madison sobbed like a child as if she had suffered a great injustice.
Originally, Gabe had a soft spot for Venessa, but when he witnessed Madison’s evident distress, the tender affection he held for Venessa significantly diminished.
At that moment, he was like a lion protecting its cub, his entire being bristling with tension as he defended Madison.
“Why are you blaming her? Your injury wasn’t even caused by Madison. You’re being unreasonable!”
“She’s not being unreasonable!”
Suddenly, a magnetic voice echoed from the entrance of the ward.
Cole was standing at the door.
He had heard everything that had transpired in the ward earlier, including all that Venessa had endured during her four-year imprisonment.
“Cole? How come you’re here?” Gabe asked in surprise.
“Cole was the one who paid for my hotel room,” Venessa stated nonchalantly.
“You guys…” Gabe’s voice trembled with frustration. “Cole, you’re engaged to Madison now. Isn’t it inappropriate to be so close with other women?”
“Did you get your priorities wrong?” Cole’s eyebrows knitted together in frustration. “Ms. Pierce just got out of prison. Did any of you ask if she’s hungry or if she has eaten? And she looks so unwell. Did any of you think to arrange a medical check-up for her right away?”
Gabe fell into deep contemplation, letting out a heavy sigh after a moment. “I was too careless…”
Venessa let out a bitter laugh.
Her gaze at Cole held neither gratitude nor resentment.
Ironically, after she was released from prison, it was not her so-called family who cared about her the most.
It was him, her once greatest love, yet he was also her fiancé who had deeply wounded her.
Harriet dabbed at her tears with a tissue, her heart aching as she said, “Gabe, quickly order some food for your sister.”
Realizing his oversight, Gabe nodded quickly and hastily pulled out his phone to select a nutritious meal.
Perhaps it was out of a sense of guilt that he chose the upscale restaurant with the hefty price tag.
“I’ve ordered the meal,” he said softly. “I paid extra for rush delivery; it should be here within half an hour.”
“Thank you, Mr. Pierce,” Venessa said with an aloof tone.
Gabe was momentarily stunned.
Since her release from prison today, she hadn’t called him by his name even once.
Her demeanor was so distant that even a stranger would have seemed warmer.
A surge of anger welled up in his heart.
He strode over to Venessa abruptly, a cold, harsh light flashing across his eyes as he demanded, “Are you sure the injuries on your body are really from your time in prison? Water dungeon and electric torture? You were just imprisoned, not sent to some harsh frontier! In a society governed by law, I refuse to believe that anyone could subject you to torture or forced confessions!”
“Mr. Pierce, what are you implying?” Venessa grimaced. “Do you think I inflicted these wounds on myself? Did you know I spent the first three years in District Nine Prison? It wasn’t until last year that I was transferred back to Jexburgh Women’s Prison.”
The words “District Nine Prison” hung in the air, causing the hospital room to fall eerily silent in an instant.
The prison was constructed on an island, surrounded by the vast, endless ocean. It was a gloomy, frightening place that housed only the most dangerous and evil criminals.
The management system was incredibly strict.
Prisoners had no freedom, and their food and drink were austere. If they made a mistake, they faced harsh and horrifying punishments.
It was known as one of the most terrifying prisons in the world.
Just hearing the name of this prison conjured images of the deepest depths of hell.
It was no different from going to some harsh frontier.
Surprisingly, Venessa had been confined inside for three years.
“Judging by your reactions, you’re no strangers to District
Nine Prison. Do you need me to elaborate on my time there? I assure you, it’s a tale so captivating you’d remember it for a lifetime,” Venessa said, her face devoid of expression, her eyes vacant as if her soul had departed. She seemed to be discussing matters of no consequence. “On my first day there, they drove a long iron spike into my fingertip. I screamed in madness. When they pulled it out, blood splattered everywhere. The pain was so intense I passed out. They revived me by splashing water on my face. Eventually, both my hands were filled with thick, long iron spikes. The next day, they lashed me with whips soaked in chili water. My entire body was battered and bruised, a bloody mess. On the tenth day, they threw me into a water dungeon. The filthy water was teeming with leeches, rats, and all sorts of revolting creatures. They gnawed at my entire body, the pain so intense I couldn’t even muster the strength to cry out for help.”
“All right, that’s enough!” Gabe couldn’t take it anymore and immediately called for a halt.
