Chapter 417
Morwenna's profound sadness and despair couldn't melt Phineas's heart.
With a cutting cruelty, Phineas declared, "Oh, my dear nephew's misdeeds? I have proof, Morwenna. Let me show you."
Morwenna curled up next to Norbert Hetfield, covering her ears to shut out the world. She couldn't bear to listen or see any of it. In that moment, Morwenna's once bright eyes lost their spark, dimming to a lifeless gaze. All the kindness Stuart had supposedly shown her was nothing more than a facade.
When she first arrived in Rosefrost Hollow, aside from Norbert Hetfield, Stuart was the one she trusted the most. Stuart, who had rescued her and stood by her side in times of need, seemed like a beacon of goodness, and she gradually fell for his tender care.
It's the way for those starved of affection, isn't it? A single candy offered by a stranger can send their hearts soaring. But there were signs she should have seen. Stuart's initial disdain, his repeated preference for Adelaide Gallagher over her, never treating her as a true partner. Even when she was ready to move out, Stuart's sudden apology and request for her to return had puzzled her. Now, the cruel reason behind his change of heart was tragically clear.
And then there was the incident with Stuart's prized orchids. He made her sign an agreement that she only had to spend one night with him as compensation for the damaged plant. How could she have missed all these red flags? She had been so naive. Was there ever anyone who truly meant her well?
When she was thirteen, a blind,
disabled man in the mountains had
offered her rice, flour, and a set of
new clothes, claiming pity on her
sorry state. Grateful, and not wanting to accept charity, she helped him with chores, thinking she had found a good soul. But when she prepared to leave, he locked her in and tried to strip her, insisting she'd be better off with him despite their age difference, and that as an orphan, no one would come to save her. Too young to fight off an adult, Morwenna had seen the depth of evil in the world through his blind eyes.
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But she wasn't alone; Melvin came to her rescue, rallied the village against the man's vile actions, and drove him away. Trusting Stuart after such a traumatic past was a leap of faith for Morwenna, one that had now been shattered.
Clutching at Norbert Hetfield's sleeve, she felt utterly alone and betrayed. She should have known better; nothing good comes without strings attached. The sweet promises, once stripped of their
sugary coat, revealed nothing but schemes and malice.
Only Melvin and Norbert Hetfield had ever shown her kindness. But Melvin was gone. And now, Norbert Hetfield was on his deathbed. Morwenna closed her eyes, wishing to shut out the world.
Even Lorna, usually so strong and stoic, felt her eyes well up at the sight. Morwenna, always so resilient, braving school and life's challenges with unwavering optimism, now seemed like a child abandoned by the world.
Lorna was torn between cursing Phineas and Stuart. Both were despicable, leaving Morwenna to fend for herself in a world that had shown her too much cruelty.