Broken Family After Betrayal Chapter 06

Broken Family After Betrayal Chapter 06

Grandpa Harold supported Grandma Eleanor, who was 

already sobbing. 

The moment they saw me, they knew. 

I looked just like Mom–except my eyes were swollen from 

crying. 

Their hearts broke as they pulled me into their arms. 

“Sweetheart… we came too late.” 

“Back then, Delaney gave up her spot at the plant for 

Jonathan.” 

“We were furious–throwing away her future like that.” 

“We begged her to change her mind, but she wouldn’t.” 

“She even threatened to cut ties with us over him.” 

Grandma’s voice trembled harder with every word. 

“Six years gone, just like that. And now… to see her like 

this…” 

It hit him like a blow. Dad went still, eyes full of disbelief. 

“My spot at the plant… Delaney gave it to me? She never 

said a word…” 

Grandpa’s expression turned icy with disgust. 

“Why do you think you rose so fast? If it weren’t for my 

daughter, I would never have backed you.” 

Nearby, Carl awkwardly rubbed his ear but said nothing. His 

silence said everything. 

Dad’s spine buckled. He stumbled backward. 

“No. That’s not true. You’re lying.” 

“I want to see Delaney. I need to see Delaney!” 

Panic flashed through Cassie’s eyes, though she quickly forced herself to stay calm. 

“I believe in Jonathan. His character, his abilities.” 

“Why don’t we just ask Delaney to come out? Let her explain everything face–to–face.” 

Grandma’s eyes were bloodshot with rage. 

“You tormented Delaney when she was alive, and now that 

she’s dead, you still won’t let her rest?” 

“You want answers? So do I.” 

On the way to find Mom, Dad was silent. 

This was the road Mom had been on. Rocks kept falling from 

above, thudding against the roof. 

With every thud, Dad’s face went paler. 

And when he saw her, he broke. 

She lay on the stretcher so still. From a distance, she might 

have been sleeping. 

But the mud caked on her clothes, the dust in her nose and 

mouth, the wounds on her legs–every part of her spoke of 

what she’d endured. 

She was dead. She had died terribly. 

I walked over and pressed my small hand to Mom’s face. 

For a second, I thought I felt her move–just a tiny bit, so 

faint it seemed like a trick of the mind. 

When I looked up, I saw the anguish in Grandpa and 

Grandma’s eyes. 

Dad tried to step closer too, but the hatred in my stare 

stopped him cold. 

His voice shook violently, still clinging to hope. 

“Olivia… Mommy’s just asleep, right?” 

“She’s only angry with me. She’s joking with me… right?” 

Tears welled in my eyes. I grabbed a cup of water and flung 

it at him. 

“Stay away! Don’t dirty my mommy’s path to her next life!” 

The scalding water splashed across Dad’s arm, burning his 

skin red. 

But it also seemed to finally wake him up. 

He lunged toward Mom, but Grandpa’s men tackled him to 

the ground. His face hit the dirt. 

Mud and tears mixed together as he screamed hoarsely. 

“No! How could this happen?! This wasn’t supposed to 

happen!” 

“Delaney! You’re just mad at me, right?! Delaney!” 

“Please… just stop this. Please wake up…” 

But the only thing that answered him was dead silence. 

Grandpa finally snapped. He drew back and punched Dad 

hard across the face. 

“Isn’t this exactly what you wanted?” 

“Now you can be with your precious Cassie, out in the open. 

So why the act? Why the tears?” 

Dad’s head snapped to the side. His eyes looked empty and 

dazed. 

“I just wanted her to take the fall for Cassie–just this once.” 

“I never thought… I never thought this would happen.” 

Grandma let out a cold laugh, refusing to even look at him. 

“You wanted her to carry someone else’s crime. To go 

through life unable to hold her head up. You might as well 

have killed her yourself!” 

“A person answers for their own crimes. If Cassie did it, she 

should be the one to pay!”