Chapter 47 If Only Things Hadn’t Gone So Wrong
Finished
Wade’s memories slowly came back, piece by piece. He let out a bitter littleugh, almost mocking himself.
“Wade, I was so, so scared for you-” K’s voice cracked, and she started sobbing. “I thought something awful would happen to you. Please don’t ever do this again, don’t ever scare me like that, okay?”
Her tears poured like rivers, her lips trembling as she squeezed Wade’s hand tight, biting her lower lip. She looked so pitiful, so fragile–it was the kind of sight that could break anyone’s heart.
“I’m sorry, K. I won’t do it again.”
Seeing his little sister worry about him like that, Wade forced a smile, but his eyes slid away, hiding what he couldn’t say out loud.
Because now, whenever he looked at K, he couldn’t stop thinking of Tilda.
Tilda–beaten by his own hands, broken, bleeding inside and out.
Her tears, her loneliness, her hopeless face.
He realized how badly he had treated her back then.
He had sided with K and crushed Tilda without mercy, treating her like nothing.
Now Wade finally understood: After everything, he couldn’t just ignore Tilda anymore.
He couldn’t justugh and joke with K like before, not with guilt eating away at him.
The cruelty, the torment he’d thrown on Tilda–they were thorns stuck deep in his chest.
Even if he tried to look away, every little thing reminded him, stabbing that wound again and again.
He hated what a disgusting jerk he was.
He who had done unforgivable things to his own sister, who had been missing for 19 years.
K frowned slightly.
<i>Something </i><i>about </i><i>Wade </i><i>feels </i>off, <i>but </i><i>I </i><i>can’t </i><i>figure </i><i>out </i><i>why</i><i>. </i><i>Maybe </i><i>he’s </i><i>just </i><i>still </i><i>weak </i><i>after </i><i>fainting</i>.
“Wade,” Russell suddenly said, his tone sharp. “I know you just woke up and you’re still recovering, but tell me–what exactly did Tilda do to you that made you copse?”
<i>If </i>I can <i>get </i>solid proof <i>against </i><i>her</i>, <b><i>I </i></b><i>swear </i><i>I’ll </i><i>make </i><i>Tilda </i><i>pay</i>.
<i>I </i><i>wanna </i><i>wipe </i><i>that </i><i>smug </i><i>grin </i><i>she </i><i>threw </i>at <i>me </i><i>in </i><i>the </i><i>cafeteria </i><i>right </i><i>off </i><i>her </i><i>face</i>.
Howard gave <b>a </b>cold snort at her name, saying nothing.
He still remembered Tilda’s mocking words in the cafeteria, the way she had rejected his so–called kindness.
The memory stung like acid, filling him with anger.
Yes <i>Only </i><i>K </i>deserves to be <i>my </i><i>real </i><i>sister</i><i>. </i>
<i>Only </i><i>K</i>, who’s <i>obedient</i>, <i>respectful</i>, <i>and </i><i>never </i>defiant. <i>Not </i>Tilda, <i>who </i>always challenges <i>me </i><i>and </i>makes me <i>furious</i>.
I can’t wait for <i>Tilda </i>to fail, <i>to </i>regret not grabbing <i>the </i>hand <i>I </i><i>once </i>offered.
Honey ir cut in, voice sharp <b>as </b>she shot Russell a re.
“Wade just woke up, and you’re already interrogating him? What’s the point?”
Chapter 47 If Only Things Hadn’t Gone So Wrong
Deep down, ir had started leaning toward Tilda’s side.
Finished
Maybe it was guilt. Maybe it was the memory of that fancy restaurant, when she hadshed out at Tilda with cruel words, not even giving her a chance to exin.
She still hadn’t apologized for it.
But if Tilda had really shed with Wade, she knew Russell woulde after her with everything he had.
K bowed her head, her fingers clutching Wade’s hand.
What she wanted most was for Wade to say it–to say Tilda had done this to him. Then Russell would explode in fury and rip Tilda apart.
And that would also solve K’s biggest problem–her rival.
The girl who threatened her shine, who dared to take her ce as the Jensons‘ only daughter.
<i>Wade </i>has always <i>hated Tilda </i><i>and </i><i>wished </i><i>she </i><i>were </i><i>gone</i>.
I’m <i>sure </i><i>he </i>won’t waste <i>this </i><i>golden </i><i>chance </i><i>to </i><i>bury </i><i>her </i><i>once </i><i>and </i><i>for </i><i>all</i>. Especially after <i>she </i><i>had </i><i>stolen </i><i>his </i><i>spotlight </i><i>and </i><i>taken </i>away his <i>glory</i>. He must <i>hate </i><i>her </i><i>for </i><i>that</i><i>. </i>
At least, that was what K thought.
But then Wade spoke, his voice calm and steady.
“Dad, it wasn’t like that. Maybe I’ve just been overworking myself on my research paper. That’s probably why I fainted.”
The room went silent, heavy and tense.
That wasn’t the answer anyone expected.
They all thought Wade would me Tilda, say she had pushed him to copse.
But instead… he med himself? <fn9d03> Original content can be found at Find★Novel</fn9d03>
“Th–that’s it? Wade, are you saying you and Tilda didn’t fight at all?” K blurted out, unable to stop herself.
She couldn’t believe or ept it.
<i>Why </i>would <i>Wade </i><i>waste </i><i>such </i><i>a </i><i>perfect </i><b><i>chance </i></b>to crush <i>Tilda</i><i>? </i>
Doesn’t he <i>hate </i><i>her </i>the most?
“I didn’t fight with Tilda, K. Don’t make up stories.”
The truth was, right now, all Wade felt toward Tilda was guilt and self–loathing. And, deep down, something else too–respect.
Because Wade had always admired anyone better than him. And Tilda was better.
That respect lit a fire in him, a will to keep going, to push harder, to stay strong,
<i>If </i>only things hadn’t gone so wrong–if we <i>hadn’t </i><i>been </i><i>driven </i>into such <i>hatred</i><i>—</i><i>maybe </i><i>Tilda </i><i>and </i>I <i>could’ve </i><i>been </i><i>good </i><i>friends</i>.
<i>We’d </i>be fellow <i>dreamers</i>, <i>learning </i>from <i>each </i><i>other </i><i>and </i><i>growing </i><i>together</i>.
Kight then, a voice rang out, breaking the silence. “While you were unconscious, your dad heard this might have something to do with Tilda, so he went to find her..”