Chapter 7
The moment I finished speaking, the projector lit up with images that nearly made Marvin and Georgia faint on the spot.
Their faces drained of color, and they shouted in panic, “Turn it off! Turn it off, now! You bitch, stop spouting, nonsense!”
They smashed the computer like lunatics, trying to cut off the feed, but it was too late.
Even Gabriel kept his head down, too ashamed to look.
Gasps spread through the room as the shareholders and reporters took in the content on the screen.
“This is monstrous!”
“Unbelievable! How can they abuse their daughter-in-law like this?”
“My goodness! It’s the 21st century, and they’re still dabbling in black magic? How vile!”
“Gabriel is pathetic. He actually let this happen under his watch?”
“Her biological parents are something! How can they sell their daughter like this?”
The gossip continued.
One comment after another tore them apart, leaving Marvin and Georgia utterly disgraced and humiliated.
What I’d shown was proof of how they forced me to get those abortions-recordings of the parrot that endlessly repeated their command for me to get rid of the babies.
The truth was that Marvin and Georgia had a second son, Nova Buckner.
Nova was their biological child, whereas Gabriel was their adopted son.
Five years ago, Gabriel and Nova were ambushed in a staged car accident. Nova died protecting Gabriel.
Devastated, Marvin and Georgia became obsessed with bringing Nova back. Eventually, their grief drove them to something unthinkable-they turned to black magic.
In Centonia, they found a so-called occultist who sold them a parrot that could speak. That bird became part of the dark ritual meant to “continue Nova’s life.”
But the spell required a surrogate vessel-me. My astrological signs were said to match Nova’s perfectly.
So, they had Gabriel pursue me, marry me, and bring me right into their scheme.
The three babies I was forced to abort were nothing more than a sacrificial medium.
The fourth child I lost wasn’t even mine and Gabriel’s-it was mine and Marvin’s. It was the vessel for the Buckner family’s obsession with bringing Nova back from the dead.
Gabriel was aware of everything from the beginning. And out of guilt for Nova’s death and gratitude to his adoptive parents, he chose to keep silent. He personally delivered me to Marvin’s bed.
My biological parents were no better. Obsessed with finding a good match for Thomas, they took hush money from Marvin and Georgia and sold my womb.
The people I once trusted most-my husband and my parents-had all betrayed me.
My babies and I were the only ones who ever paid the price.
I would never forget the night of my third miscarriage. I’d stumbled into the study and found them performing a ritual around Nova’s portrait. That was when I finally understood that I was just a tool.
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I played along after that, masking my rage. Secretly, I hired a private investigator to gather proof and track down the so-called
occultist.
And finally, the truth came to light.
Even with the evidence laid bare before them, Marvin and Georgia still tried to argue their way out. But when the police arrived- dragging in the occultist who practiced black magic-they finally realized there was no escape. Cornered, they confessed at last. Even then, they cursed me as they were dragged away, accusing me of destroying their son’s rebirth.
I didn’t care. For me, it was justice.
A month later, Marvin and Georgia were sentenced to death. The occultist was sentenced to five years in prison, and Gabriel was sentenced to three.
On the day of his sentencing, I visited Gabriel. He fell to his knees, sobbing. “Evelyn, I’m sorry. I had no choice. I love you. I thought that once Nova came back, I could take you away and start over with you. Please, give me one more chance.”
I didn’t believe a word he said. I slid the divorce papers across to him. “Gabriel, the moment you used me, you forfeited the right to say you love me. If you still have a shred of conscience, sign the papers.”
In the end, Gabriel signed the divorce papers. He’d once treated me well, and I believed he had feelings for me. But none of that could erase the fact that he stood by and let people hurt me.
After leaving the detention center, I went to visit Mom, Dad, and Thomas one last time. I handed them a check for 100 thousand and told them it was the price for severing every tie between us.
Then, I took the 90 million dollars from the divorce settlement and left the city behind.
On the plane, I dreamed of my three children. They smiled as they bid me farewell. They were on their way to heaven, and I was finally on my way to a new life.
