31 Proposals Too Late Chapter 07
It felt like her heart was being ripped apart.
A gust of wind blew past, and she hurriedly dropped to her knees to gather the shattered urn from the ground.
Another whip lashed down through the air toward her, but she did not resist, pressing all the ashes beneath her body to protect them.
In the silent cemetery, the sound of the whip striking Katniss again and again echoed relentlessly.
Blood soaked through her white shirt until her breathing grew weaker and weaker.
“That’s enough. The rules say ten lashes, and you’ve already whipped her forty times! If she dies, it’ll be trouble. Let’s go!”
As soon as the words fell, the group hurried away, leaving the unconscious Katniss behind.
When she opened her eyes again, three days had already passed.
Seeing her awake, the nurse immediately sighed in relief. “You had a high fever and a wound infection—you almost didn’t make it. Where’s your family? You’ve been in the hospital this long, and no one’s come to see you.”
As soon as she finished speaking, voices from Tyron’s subordinates drifted in through the open door.
“This is unbelievable. For that woman, Tyron actually let go of the man who killed Leon!”
“Shut up. If Katniss finds out about this, she’ll completely lose it!”
Their voices gradually faded away.
Lying on the hospital bed, Katniss felt an icy chill.
Back then, there had been four kidnappers. Three were caught, and one escaped—it was Franklin Calder, Anastasia’s cousin.
All these years, she and Tyron had never given up on finding him.
Now that Tyron had found him, why was he letting him off without punishment?
Katniss trembled with rage.
She never came to terms with Leon’s death, and she assumed Tyron would feel the same way.
Gasping for air, she gripped the bedsheets tightly until they twisted.
The nurse was startled by her reaction. “What’s wrong? Relax! I’ll get the doctor!”
Pain flooded her veins as she dialed a number, her eyes bloodshot.
“The person who stole your goods has surfaced. Help me with one thing—once it’s done, I’ll hand over my authority in the Mexican black market to you.”
The person on the other end cackled.
“Deal!”
After properly settling Leon’s ashes, Katniss returned home very late.
A thin layer of dust on the table confirmed that Tyron had not been home for days.
Where he had gone or what he had done no longer mattered to her.
Instead, she packed everything she needed to take with her.
Every item carried memories of her and Leon.
Suddenly, there was noise at the front door.
A drunk Tyron was escorted home by his subordinates.
Hearing Katniss’ footsteps, he almost instinctively pulled her into a tight hug. “I love you so much, my dear wife.
“Let’s stop fighting, shall we?”
A subordinate laughed awkwardly. “Katniss, Tyron insisted on coming home to have your hangover soup. See? You matter to him more than anyone else!”
Katniss stood there, showing no emotion.
The embrace she once cherished now brought only sharp pain as it pressed against her wounds.
The tighter he held her, the deeper the pain cut.
“Tyron, it’s either Anastasia or me.”
Her cold voice pierced through the false intimacy before them.
The drunken haze in the man’s eyes slowly cleared, and the warmth in his embrace gradually faded.
All of a sudden, he laughed mockingly.
“Katy, do you know that men don’t like tough women?
“Doing this will only push me farther away and make me cherish Anastasia even more!”
Before Katniss could respond, he grabbed his coat from the sofa and left with his subordinates.
Beneath the crystal chandelier, Katniss stood as calm as an emotionless puppet.
She thought of how some people never failed to disappoint, time and time again.
A figure suddenly lunged from behind, forcefully pressing a white towel over Katniss’s mouth and nose.
Moments later, the unconscious Katniss was loaded into a silver van.
Inside the noisy factory, someone nearby screamed in terror for help.
“Save me, Tyron! I don’t want to die!”
The familiar voice made all the blood in Katniss’ body freeze.
It was Franklin, the man who had planned Leon’s death.
A dark gun barrel was instantly pressed against both their heads.
“Let her go right now!”
Tyron appeared alone on the opposite side, his bloodshot eyes like a raging lion, wishing he could tear the gunman apart.
“Tyron, this kid stole my goods and got me into some deep shit. I heard you’ve been protecting him lately, which puts me in a tough spot.” He clicked his tongue as if troubled. “How about this—pick one. Your wife, or this kid. I’ll take the other one with me.”
Tyron’s temples throbbed violently.
Did he ask him to choose?
Wasn’t it painfully obvious?
He spoke without hesitation. “I choose my wi—”
“Tyron!”
Anastasia’s anxious, frantic voice suddenly rang out from behind him.
After receiving the news, she rushed to him despite the danger.
Her usually fearless face was streaked with tears. “Please, Tyron—I’m begging you for the second time. You said that as long as I asked, no matter the circumstances, you would agree to it!
“Frankie’s all I have left. Please… You’ve already killed my brother. I have no one to call family anymore!”
Anastasia collapsed to her knees before Tyron, sobbing uncontrollably.
He gulped, cold sweat seeping from his temples as the muscles beneath his shirt tensed.
He felt torn.
Katniss’ calm expression carried a shattered, tragic beauty.
In truth, Anastasia was not the only one without family.
Katniss would never hear Leon calling her “Mom” ever again.
Tyron’s breathing grew rapid, his chest heaving as if he were suppressing his inner panic.
The gunman’s patience was running thin. He was about to urge him when Tyron yelled, “Release Franklin!”
His voice was hoarse, as if it took all his strength, and he did not dare look at Katniss again.
The kidnapper curled his lips into a wild grin. “Tyron, being your wife is truly miserable! Alright, let him go!”
Franklin was shoved forward and narrowly escaped death, scrambling on hands and knees to Tyron’s side.
They were immediately driven out of the factory. Before Tyron could carry out his plan, a deafening explosion suddenly erupted deep inside the factory.
“Boom!”
The powerful blast wave hurled Tyron and the others violently to the ground, their ears ringing sharply as they lost their hearing.
“Katniss!”
Tyron’s gut-wrenching scream was instantly drowned out by the wails of others.
There was no response at all.
