Chapter 365
Chapter 365 The Well Water
Third Person POV
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40
Finished.
From above, Aubrey’s voice drifted down, sharp and unyielding. Aurelia’s tear–streaked face twitched at the words.
“You’ve dirtied the carpet.”
“No… I didn’t!”
“Drag it to the yard and wash it properly. Remember to use water from the well on the far left.”
In this weather, scrubbing a carpet outside? And with that well’s water?
Aurelia’s face went ghostly pale. That well–she knew it too well. She had once thrown wolfsbane powder into it regularly, and sometimes punished Aubrey by forcing her to wash clothes with that water. When Aubrey was young and powerless, her hands had blistered and festered countless times from it.
And when her little hands had rotted, Aurelia had made her wear fine gloves, warning her that if she ever tattled to Jax, she’d be tossed headfirst into the well.
And now, Aubrey was demanding she wash the carpet with that same water? No–her hands would never survive it. She couldn’t bear that pain!
“Are you unwilling?”
Aubrey tilted her head, her tone laced with false puzzlement, as though genuinely troubled.
“Jax… Jax…”
Aurelia, panicked, crawled toward him for help. But with her makeup streaked and her face blotched red from tears, she looked wretched–more like a specter than a woman. There was no pity to be stirred, especially since she had been the one scheming only moments before.
“You make such a fuss even over admitting fault. I won’t involve myself anymore!”
Jax’s voice was hard with exasperation. He turned on his heel and left, his back vanishing into his room, leaving Aurelia staring helplessly after him.
Behind her, Aubrey’s quiet laughter floated in the air.
“If it isn’t washed by tonight, you won’t be eating.”
Aubrey thought being the villain was exhilarating—especially when the other had no power to
Chapter 365 The Well Water
Finished
fight back. It made her want to press harder, crush further.
“Of course, if you think I’m being too cruel, the door’s right there. Don’t let me keep you.”
The words struck straight to Aurelia’s lifeline. She glared at Aubrey with pure venom, wishing she could tear her apart limb by limb.
“How can you be so cruel? I was your stepmother! Aren’t you afraid of outsiders pointing fingers at your back for this?”
Aubrey stood, arms folded, eyes sweeping over Aurelia sprawled on the carpet in disgrace.
“Let them. I don’t care. Everything I’m doing–I learned from you. Enjoy it well.”
With that, she smiled and went upstairs.
Aurelia stared after her, hatred boiling in her chest. Her thoughts churned, desperate and wild. How could she take revenge? For a fleeting moment, she even wondered if she could drag Aubrey down with her, even if it meant her own destruction.
But the madness flickered and then died. No–she wasn’t ready to die yet.
She would endure. Aubrey wouldn’t stay here forever. All she had to do was wait her out…
From the staircase, Aubrey watched Aurelia silently begin to drag the carpet outside, the corner of her lips curling into a faint, amused smile. Endure? She wanted to see just how long Aurelia could endure.
Because of Aurelia, Aubrey decided to remain at the house for a few days. After all, the basement hadn’t heard the crack of the wolfsbane whip in far too long.
And before Aurelia could draw a single bucket, Aubrey, right before her eyes, tossed in twice the usual amount of wolfsbane powder. Aurelia could only glare at her, swallowing her fury, knowing that if she dared complain to Jax, Aubrey would surely twist it all back on her.
Endure! Just a little pain. Just a little rotting flesh. She was a beta werewolf–surely her tolerance would surpass Aubrey’s childhood suffering.
She told herself this over and over. But the instant her fingers touched the water, the searing agony made her want to drop everything and run.
But where could she go? She had nowhere.