Whispers of betrayal (Selena and Ryan) novel Chapter 38

Chapter 38

“My stepmother did her best to stop me from attending SAT and even hid my ID card to stop me from taking the art test.” Anastasia leaned against the seat with a headache. “I called my dad. He stammered and said he didn’t know where my ID card was. I ran to the police station, crying and begging the police to handle this urgent matter before jumping into the car and heading toward the examination venue.

“Later, they tried to change the details in my university application forms to stop me from attending a school not in their immediate vicinity. I worked day and night to earn my tuition fee when I got the letter of acceptance. To escape from the home that suffocated me, I rented a small house outside. Every day, I worked hard to draw for others to earn money and get a scholarship to support myself.”

Fortunately, Anastasia was talented in painting. Her teacher liked her very much and helped her a lot, allowing Anastasia the chance to study abroad.

Painting was Anastasia’s hope and motivation to live.

“When I was in sophomore year, Meredith suddenly lied to me and said that my father was ill. But when I got home, everyone looked happy and healthy. They had a drink together with Meredith’s brother. That night, Meredith’s brother broke into my room while my father was drunk…”

Anastasia had never told anyone about this except the teenager she brought back to her rental house during her sophomore year.

“If weren’t… Anastasia wanted to mention the teenager, but she went silent.

Jason suddenly stepped on the brake and stopped at the intersection of traffic lights. He looked at Anastasia intensely, wanting to anxiously hear what happens next from her.

But Anastasia was silent for a long time and never went on with her story.

To Anastasia, that memory was one she wanted to forget desperately.

Everyone had a past that they wanted to forget. Maybe it was because of their youth or unrequited love.

For Anastasia, her past was only filled with pain and sorrow.

At that time, Anastasia wasn’t adept with words. She only knew the teenager’s name was Jace.

She also knew that Jace worked three jobs daily to cover the medical expenses of his grandma. He worked as a nude model in the Department of Art for 40 dollars an hour.

Jace was homeless, sleeping on the streets. He lived hand-to-mouth, unable to eat a warm meal whenever he wanted to.

Anastasia found Jace in the alley at the back entrance of the school.

When she looked at Jace, Anastasia seemed to have seen her ten-year-old self.

He squatted in the corner, eating a simple fast food meal, looking helpless and pitiful.

“Don’t you have a home too?” The first thing Anastasia said to Jace was a question of whether he had a home to return to

Jace looked up at Anastasia with a deep, penetrating gaze.

Anastasia still remembered what he replied to her.

Jace stated, “My dad married a new woman and I ran away from home.”