Crossroads

Courtney and Gary faced off, the atmosphere tense and heavy.

After a long while, Courtney finally relented, "Fine, let Stephanie release Claire, and 11

Il let her go.

Courney and Gary, Although the long knife was still pressed against Stephanie's neck, she wasn't too scared. Listening to the conversation between C she felt there was more to their words, something they were hiding from her.

"Chire deserved to be caught. Stephanie turned her face with difficulty, examining Courtney, who was standing behind her. Her tone was "I won't plead for Claire. Dream on if you think I'll let her go"

stubborn.

Courtney glared into Stephanie's clear eyes, clenching her teeth in anger. "You've got guts!" The blade pressed harder against Stephanie's vein, and Courtney pushed with force, causing Stephanie to wince in pain. A bright red line of blood trickled down her neck, glaringly obvious Diana was so scared her heart nearly jumped out. She frantically pleaded, "Courtney, we'll give you whatever you want. What happened to Claire? Make it clear. Let Steth go, don't hurt Stephanie!"

However, Stephanie, as if unafraid of death, continued to provoke Courney. "Courtney, this knife is so dull that it'll take you ages to cut my vein. In half an hour, the doctor will be here. If you're going to kill me, do it quickly. Otherwise, you'll be in jail before my blood even runs out"

"Shut up!" Stephanie was trying to anger Courtney further, but unexpectedly, Gary, her cold-hearted father, shouted anxiously and started coughing violently.

Seeing Gary's face turning red, Diana immediately went over and patted his back in concern.

Courtney glanced at Gary first.

Her face was gloomy, extremely annoyed. She knew Gary had been sick recently, and the doctor came to check on him at a fixed time every day. Holding the knife, she really wished she could end Stephanie's life with one swift cut

"Let her go. I agree with all your demands: Gary managed to catch his breath, and his voice hoarse as he had promised.

Stephanie wanted to say something, but Courtney already pushed her away.

Courtney's move with the knife was just a momentary impulse. She was usually calm and rational. Gary's promise gave her a way out. She knew if she really hurt Stephanie, it would be a stupid move Gary sat down on a dining chair, trying to regulate his breathing.

Courtney's y's face was dark, still tightly gripping the long knife.

1. e. She angrily slammed the knife on the table, pulled out a chair, and sat opposite Gary.

Diana immediately ran to Stephanie's side, observing the bloodstains on her neck, worriedly asking "How does it feel? Does it hurt? Let me put some medicine on it."

Stephanie's neck was just lightly injured. She still glared at Courtney, but Cary angrily scolded, "She deserves it. Ignore her?"

Stephanie grabbed a few tissues from the table and pressed them against the wound on her neck, saying. "I'm fine."

She didn't take her minor injury to hear, but seeing Gary still favoring Courtney made her unhappy. It was clear she was the one hurt, yet Gary showed no concern for her.

She and Diana also sat down, and the four of them looked at each other, each with their own thoughts.

"What happened to Claire? Cary asked first. Probably due to his illness, his voice was deeper than usual, Courtney sneered, looking at Stephanie with more hatred. "Didn't your precious daughter tell you! Stephanie locked Clare up in a mental hospital."

Gary and Diana were hearing this for the first time, frowning and turning to look at Stephanie.

Gary roared angrily. "What else have you done!"

Gary's scolding tone was nothing new to Stephanie. Every time something happened. Gary always thought it was her fault. She scowled and remained silent.

matter properly."

Diana immediately undged her with her elbow, whispering, "Your dad is still sick, don't upset him. Clarify this ma Stephanie was the type who responded better to kindness than force, which was why she had always preferred living with Diana Gary's harsh educational approach only lackfired on her.

"Claire but my friend with her car and got arrested by the police, Stephanie said succinctly, omitting anything related to herself.

"Why would Claire do that?" Diana was confused.

"Molly wasn't hurt. She was discharged the next day. On the contrary, Claire had a concussion and spent a week in the ICU before being transferred to a regular ward." Courtney said coldly, turning to stare directly at Stephanie, clenching her teeth. "It was because of Jessica's instigation that she hit Molly with her car. She's actually the victim."

Stephanie showed no concern. "Whether Claire is a victim or not, the police will investigate" She had no interest in Claire's affairs.

Hearing this, Courtney became even more furious, her voice rising. "The police will investigate? You sound so righteous. Huh? Stephanie, what have you done behind the scenes? You got Vincent to frame Claire. You want her to spend her life in a mental hospital for a lifetime! Stephanie, you're really ruthless!" Stephanie's expression changed slightly, immediately refuting, "I didn't! Claire was arrested for the traffic accident, Being held in a mental hospital is her own problem."

Stephanie felt that Courtney was slandering her again, and she gradually calmed down from her initial shock, looking at Courtney with an even more disgusted look. She guessed and retorted, "Claire was diagnosed with a mental illness. What conspiracy are you two sisters plotting now, trying to use mental illness as an excuse to escape responsibility for the traffic accident, right?"

Gary and Diana listened to their conflicting statements, unable to determine the truth for a moment.Property © of NôvelDrama.Org.

Gary seemed a bit tired. He closed his eyes and said in a deep voice, "Let's talk after it's all cleared up.

"Gary, all these things were orchestrated by Stephanie. She wants to destroy Claire, and the next one will definitely be me."

Courtney cursed excitedly, her eyes deep and gloomy, filled with resentment.

"For so many years, I've been enduring her, but today I can't take it anymore. Either make her release Claire immediately, or III reveal everything. Stop favoring Stephanie, she's just as selfish and vicious as her mother."

"Courtney, what right do you have to mention my mother? Back then, you said you and my dad were true love, hoping my mom would divorce willingly to make way for you. But recently, when my dad was sick, where were you? Out looking for other men!"

Stephanie hated it most when others mentioned her mother, especially Courtney, as the culprit.

"Let me tell you, whether Vincent intervened in Claire's case or not, I won't plead for her. You sisters have done all the evil deeds. This is your retribution, and you deserve it!"

Courtney, furious, slammed the table hard, cursing loudly. "Our retribution?

Stephanie, how dare you say that? Someone like you fictional world all day, do you even know what retribution i Stephanie, your birth was the biggest retribution for the Reed family!"

Stephanie's face changed drastically. "What did you say? What do you m mean!"

who lives in

1

Gary, supporting himself on the table, stood up from the chair, shouting at them both. "Enough, enough. Both of you shut up!" He seemed to be so angry that he started coughing again, his face looking sickly pale.

Courtney's face was gloomy and twisted. She ran to the living room cabinet and picked up a photo of the deceased. She faised the photo high. venting her anger by smashing the frame, then aimed at a beautiful woman in the photo, stomping on it fiercely.

"Madison, you bitch Seeing her smash her mother's photo, Stephanie was momentarily stunned.

Diana turned to look, also annoyed. "Courtney, you're crazy!"

Diana ran over to push her away to get the photo, but Courtney stubbornly kept the photo under her foot. She looked up, maliciously laughing. laughing wildly.

"Am I crazy?"

"You're all crazy." She turned to look at the weak and panting Cary. "And you.

Gary, you're crazy, too. All of you a are crazy!"

Hearing this, Diana showed a mix of shock and complexity.

Courtney looked at Stephanie, who was sitting in the chair, deep in thought and laughed even more O

wildly, shouting with all her might "You're all hirling at from her. Stephanie, your mother was pregnant with you by another man. Your grandfather asked Gary to marry your mom to avoid bring Laughed at by outsiders. And you the pampered lady in Reed's family, everyone has been hiding the truth from you, deceiving you. You've Jæren a joke since the day you were born"