The Secret of "Them"!
Secrets...
Evelyn clenched her fingers.
The mystery surrounding Grace Nan remained unsolved.
Her mother Sophia Ashcroft's past was also shrouded in fog.
She heard William Ashcroft's hoarse voice speak. "Grace Nan, my reason for wanting to kill both of you is simple."
William's eyes were sinister. "I couldn't let your mother know she gave birth to twins!"
Evelyn frowned. "Why? Wasn't I dead at birth? What would it matter if she knew?"
William paused, then chuckled lowly. "So that's what they told you..."
They? Who did he mean?
William continued without stopping. "You weren't abandoned. You were taken by them right after you were born. I couldn't protect you then. But if I told the truth, Sophia would have moved heaven and earth to find you... How could I let her risk her life for someone else's child?"
He shot a cold glance at Third Uncle.
Evelyn's head throbbed.
The truth was far more complicated than she had imagined...
William's voice grew even lower. "Grace Nan, why did you have to come back? Without you, Sophia and I lived in peace. But you found Evelyn... If this got out, Sophia would leave me! So from the moment you contacted Evelyn, I had to make you both disappear!"
Madness flickered in his eyes. "Anyone who disturbs my life with Sophia deserves to die!"
Evelyn slapped him hard across the face!
For this ridiculous reason, William had kidnapped her and Grace.
He threw them into that sunken ship...
If she hadn't woken up in time, if Grace hadn't fought to save her, the Vance family would be burying two bodies today.
Though Grace had appeared suddenly, she had given Evelyn a rare warmth.
Their time together was short, but Evelyn had already accepted her as a sister...
William suddenly laughed again, leaning close to whisper in her ear. "Also, I allowed Linda Lowell to switch the babies... Hahaha... Because I didn't want Sophia raising that man's child! Both her daughters—one taken, one swapped... That way, Sophia could only look at me..."
Evelyn's fists clenched so tight her nails dug into her palms.
She grabbed a tissue from the floor and pressed it over William's face again. She trembled with rage, her eyes red, smothering his mouth and nose...
William struggled desperately.
Evelyn only wanted him to pay with his life!
Pay for her sister's life!
Pay for abusing her mother!!
Pay for her twenty-two years of misery!!
Her red eyes fixed on William.
She pressed down harder, as if releasing all her pent-up grievances.
She remembered her childhood, watching their family of three with envy...
She hadn't just longed for a normal mother, hadn't just wished countless times that Mrs. Ashcroft was her birth mother...
She had also foolishly hoped that her father, William Ashcroft, would glance her way.
That he would descend like a hero when she was wronged, saving her from Linda's abuse...
Before she was sold to traffickers at age four, Linda had beaten her so badly she once hid by the door. Seeing William return from work, she deliberately stepped out.
She timidly called him Daddy...
William only gave her a cold look, then told Linda not to let her run around.
Linda dragged her back to the basement, where an even crueler beating awaited! After that, Linda sold her to the traffickers...
So Linda was just the instrument of evil.
William was the mastermind?!
The bad memories of childhood...
Her sister Grace's corpse...
The scars on her mother Sophia's body...
It all made Evelyn lose reason. She pressed down on William, wanting only his death!
William's struggles grew weaker...
Evelyn kept pressing.
Tears gathered in her eyes...
Suddenly, someone grabbed her wrist. Third Uncle pushed her away and quickly removed the tissue from William's face.
William lay motionless.
Third Uncle signaled his men to perform first aid.
Evelyn glared fiercely at Third Uncle.
As if she would fight anyone who tried to stop her!
But Third Uncle remained calm, only frowning as he asked, "Why are you more upset than I am? Why do you hate him so much?"
Third Uncle was furious too; he hadn't held back earlier.
But Evelyn's frenzy made him pause.
Evelyn didn't answer, only saying hoarsely, "He killed someone! He deserves to die!"
Third Uncle thought Grace and Evelyn were close friends from school. He didn't overthink it, just said gravely, "I have ways to make him die. No need to dirty your hands."
Then he looked toward the bedroom door. "Besides, Ms. Nan is the one most qualified to deal with him."
William regained his breath, coughing as he looked at Evelyn. "Why not kill me? Do it!"
Evelyn finally understood.
William had provoked her, wanting to die.
Third Uncle's methods would make him wish for death. He preferred to die by her hand.
Evelyn took a deep breath and stayed silent.
William collapsed on the floor, limbs splayed, suddenly sneering. "I wanted to teach you a final lesson, but you don't even have the guts to kill... Grace Nan, you're weak!"
Then he shut his mouth and bit down hard.
"He's taking poison!" Third Uncle shouted sharply.
His men rushed forward, but William had already swallowed poison hidden between his teeth!
The poison acted fast. Dark blood spilled from his mouth as soon as it went down.
William turned with difficulty toward the bedroom. He reached out, eyes full of struggle, as if trying to grasp something.