As Phoebe Rogers grew more agitated, the baby's crying intensified.
Everyone watched Phoebe Rogers cautiously, terrified she would actually throw the child from the building.
Phoebe Rogers's back was already against the railing, and she held the baby high, dangling it over the railing. If she so much as loosened her grip, the baby would fall.
Even though rescue preparations had been made below, if such a small child were truly thrown from that height, the fall would either kill or severely traumatize him.
"I want you all to suffer! This is the price for wronging and my son!" Phoebe Rogers shrieked, her voice hoarse.
"No, please... don't hurt my son..." Julia burst into tears.
She clutched Glades's hand tightly, shaking him and crying, "Glades, save our son, save our son..."
"Phoebe Rogers!" Glades Horne tried to appear calm, but everyone could hear the undisguised worry in his voice, no less than Julia's. "No one has wronged you. This is all your own doing!"
"Phoebe, please, calm down. This is between us adults. Don't drag an innocent child into this. Children are blaless," Gian Horne said, deliberately softening his voice, hoping his tenderness might pacify Phoebe Rogers and bring her to her senses, preventing her from doing sothing that would harm everyone, including herself.
It was all his fault! The debt incurred by his philandering! And now, retribution had befallen his grandson! He would rather Phoebe Rogers co at him with a knife or a gun than harm his little grandson. Listening to his grandson's terrified cries was breaking his heart.
"Phoebe Rogers, all you want is the title of Mrs. Horne. I've already filed for divorce. I'll give you what you want, just please don't hurt the child. We're both mothers; how can you bear to lay a hand on such a small child? Look at Jas, he's watching you. Are you going to kill soone in front of your own son? How will he ever look at you again? How will he face others?" Mila Anderson also spoke softly, afraid a louder voice might provoke Phoebe Rogers further.
Adele Horne wanted to say sothing, but the elder Mrs. Horne stopped her.
Adele Horne was impulsive; if she spoke, she was bound to say sothing harsh.
The elder Mrs. Horne also pleaded, "Na your conditions. We'll do our best to et them. Just don't harm the child."
Begging her! Now they knew to beg her! Too late.
Phoebe Rogers had lost all reason, completely unhinged. She paid no heed to their pleas. In her eyes, she only saw the people she resented, all of them now begging her.
"Too late! It's far too late! I don't want the position of Mrs. Horne anymore! Gian Horne, you faithless, irresponsible man! I was blind to have ever followed you! Glades Horne, you ruined my relationship with Jas! You took everything that should have been Jas's: the inheritance, even Julia Bluen! This is all your doing! You drove to this! Jas..." Suddenly, Phoebe Rogers turned to Jas Horne, tears streaming down her face as she said, her voice trembling with emotion, "Jas, do you see? Your most respected elder brother—he's the one driving your mother to a dead end! It's him!"
"Mom, no one is forcing you. You're doing this to yourself. This is all your fault; it has nothing to do with anyone else. Mom, wake up! Ask yourself, search your heart: who was the first one to take the wrong step?" Jas Horne said painfully, his own eyes reddening, his heart leaping into his throat as he stared fixedly at his nephew, who was crying helplessly in his mother's hands.
His mother was still trying to drive a wedge between him and his elder brother. To achieve her ends, she had gone as far as to kidnap a newborn, willing to use a life as a threat. Jas Horne's feelings towards Phoebe Rogers, his mother, were no longer just pain; he could no longer forgive her actions. Wasn't everything she had experienced a result of her own choices? Back then, she had willingly beco his father's mistress, willingly signed an agreent with Mila Anderson, and willingly sent him back to the Horne family. These were all her own consents, her own decisions. The cold treatnt he received in the Horne family could be attributed to her pushing him into it. He understood his elder brother's resentnt towards their mother; he truly did. He didn't bla his brother. If it were him, he would have sought revenge too. His elder brother had been giving their mother chances for his sake. But... now, as his mother resented others, had she ever considered that she was the one she should resent the most?
Phoebe Rogers was stunned. Tears continued to stream down her face as she looked at Jas Horne; his words were cruel but true.
Yes, it was all her fault. If she hadn't coveted Gian Horne's wealth, his youthful handsoness, and a comfortable life, would she have ended up on this path? For decades, she had lived without na or status. Seemingly glamorous, but in reality, she couldn't hold her head high. All she knew was to resent Mila Anderson for occupying the status of Mrs. Horne, to resent Glades Horne for stealing her son's heart, and to resent Glades Horne for inheriting Valence Group. She had overlooked that she herself was the true source of the wrongdoing. It was she who had intruded on another's family, she who had pushed her son away, she who had signed the agreent, thereby forfeiting Jas's right to the inheritance on his behalf—it was all her.
Police cars arrived, sirens wailing. So officers were downstairs with Hansen Ruiz, preparing the rescue and setting up a cordon, while others rushed upstairs.
"Mom, let go! Stop hating everyone!" Jas Horne suddenly stepped forward and fell to his knees. Tears stread down his face, his hoarse voice laden with a pain as heavy as a mountain. "Mom, I am your son! I'll always be your son! I'm begging you, Mom, let go! Don't hurt an innocent child!"
If his mother really threw his nephew down, how could he ever face his brother and sister-in-law? His family? His mother was actually pushing him to a dead end, forcing him to turn against his brother and sister-in-law, against the Horne family. But had she considered that if she threw the child, he wouldn't resent the Horne family; instead, he would be consud by guilt towards them.
"Jas, it's too late..." Phoebe Rogers wept and shook her head. She had reached the point of no return.
"Jas, take care. Mom... is so sorry." Suddenly, Phoebe Rogers's expression hardened. A cruel look flashed across her face as she loosened her grip on the baby...
Reviews
All reviews (0)