The Real Daughter Came Back to Chill and Kill novel Chapter 74

That night, Scarlett tossed and turned, unable to sleep. Edmund's words echoed relentlessly in her mind.

Early the next morning, she was haunted by a nightmare. In her dream, pirates swarmed the island like wild beasts, gunfire crackling amid the clash of swords. Blood splattered across the sand, turning the sea a deep crimson.

The entire dreamscape was drenched in red, and the thick scent of blood was hanging heavily in the air.

In the midst of the chaos, a small boy cowered inside a gift box, peeking through a narrow crack as he watched his loved ones brutally slaughtered one by one.

He pressed his hands tightly over his mouth, terrified of making a sound. His eyes were filled with helplessness, fear, and tears.

Scarlett jolted awake, her heart pounding violently. It was just a dream, yet it had left her shaken to the core. She couldn't begin to imagine how Xavier, only five years old at the time, had survived those dark years after witnessing such a horrifying bloodbath.

Suddenly, her phone vibrated on the bedside table. Scarlett reached for it. It was a call from Caleb.

"Scarlett, get to the hospital, quick!"

Caleb's voice was tight with tension and urgency.

Scarlett shot upright in bed, and the frantic shouts of medical staff still echoed through the phone.

"Quick! Stop, Mr. Stroud!"

"Mr. Gaztrict, Mr. Stroud has gone mad! He's gone mad!"

"Help!"

There was no time to even change out of her pajamas. Scarlett grabbed her purse and bolted out the door.

At the same time, Edmund had also gotten the news and was speeding out of the garage in a car.

"Ms. Quinn, get in the car, quick!"

As Scarlett jumped into the car, her heart raced in her chest. Now, she deeply regretted leaving the hospital the night before.

She had thought Xavier's mental state was fragile, that he had regressed into a childlike dependence, desperately craving security. She believed that he would eventually heal as long as someone stayed by his side and comforted him.

But she hadn't realized the extent of the trauma he had suffered as a child. This wasn't something that could be soothed with a few kind words.