My First Love Died, Now My Step Uncle Wants Me-Chapter 41: The Death of Evan Chapman

Before long, Caleb Rhodes came in and saw Nina Wynn sitting by a corner window, gazing absently outside.

The room was magnificent and filled with the clamor of voices, yet she remained huddled in the corner, perfectly still. It was as if the vibrant world around her had nothing to do with her, as if all its wonders couldn’t stir in her the slightest desire to stay.

He saw none of the vibrant energy a young woman her age should possess—only endless suppression and restraint.

Caleb Rhodes’s expression darkened. He stepped forward and took her hand, finding it ice-cold, yet her palm was slick with sweat.

"Is your stomach bothering you again?"

Nina Wynn snapped out of her trance, a frantic look in her eyes. Her gaze swept over his friends as if she were terrified of them looking at her.

Caleb Rhodes followed her gaze but saw only his few friends talking amongst themselves, paying no attention to their corner.

He frowned. "They’re my friends. You don’t have to be afraid of them."

Nina Wynn kept her head down, her voice barely a whisper. "Caleb, it’s a little stuffy in here. May I go outside for a bit?"

Caleb Rhodes’s gaze turned a little cold. He just looked at her, saying nothing.

’She knew she’d lost his trust by leaving without a word that morning.’

She pointed through the floor-to-ceiling window. "I’ll just sit right out there. There’s a little pavilion and a pond... I think there are fish in it."

As if afraid he’d say no, she added quickly, "You’ll be able to see me from here."

It was rare for her to say so much at once. Caleb squeezed her hand, his tone softening. "Don’t go too far. I’m having your medicine sent over."

As if granted a reprieve, Nina Wynn’s eyes brightened. Grabbing her small purse, she hurried out through a side door.

A cool breeze blew through the Elysian City night, making it far more comfortable outside than in the stuffy room.

Nina Wynn chose a relatively secluded spot to sit. Although she could still be seen from inside, at least she no longer had to directly face Caleb Rhodes and his friends.

She took out a small cake she had brought with her, breaking off tiny pieces to feed the fish. The gentle breeze was a relief, and she felt much more comfortable than she had inside.

But she had barely enjoyed two minutes of peace when a grating voice shattered the quiet.

"Well, well, if it isn’t you, Nina Wynn. What are you doing at the Forrester Family’s hotel?"

Nina Wynn frowned and looked toward the source of the voice. 𝙛𝓻𝒆𝒆𝒘𝙚𝓫𝙣𝙤𝒗𝙚𝓵.𝙘𝙤𝙢

It was Chloe Joyce, one of Crystal Rhodes’s friends. Over the years, she had helped Crystal torment her on countless occasions.

Chloe Joyce had short hair, red lips, and a striking, flamboyant look. A slinky slip dress showed off her explosive figure. She stared at Nina Wynn with a look of arrogant disgust.

When she saw that Nina Wynn was wearing a new piece from a V-brand collection that wasn’t even out until next season, the disgust in her eyes intensified.

She strode forward, tugging on Nina’s dress with a sneer. "Another knockoff. Did you come to the Forresters’ hotel to sell yourself for a dress, Nina Wynn? Smart move, I guess. You know this is where the big shots hang out."

Her eyes then flicked to the watch on Nina’s wrist, and her contempt deepened. "A Richard Mille? Tsk, tsk. What blind moron bought you a watch like this? These things cost seven or eight million. How many beds did you have to climb into for that? Ten? A hundred? But let me tell you, it’s a fake."

Nina was utterly disgusted by her, but she didn’t want to engage. She stood up to leave.

But Chloe Joyce wasn’t about to let her go. Humiliating Nina here meant she could score points with Crystal Rhodes later. She grabbed a handful of Nina’s hair, a vicious smile on her face. "Your aunt was a homewrecker, and now you’re making a living on your back. Tell me, Nina Wynn, does being a mistress run in your family? You were just born trash. Fucking disgusting!"

Wincing in pain, Nina wrenched her hair free. "My aunt wasn’t a mistress! Crystal Rhodes’s mother had already passed away when she married into the family."

Seeing her talk back, Chloe Joyce flew into a rage. She grabbed Nina’s hair again with her other hand, her voice a low hiss. "You bitch. I heard that three years ago, a maid saw Mr. Ainsworth leaving your room. You actually dared to seduce him? Is he someone you can even fantasize about? For that alone, I could torture you to death!"

With that, she began dragging Nina by the hair, trying to pull her into the nearby shadows. Nina grabbed her arm and bit down. Hard.

Chloe shrieked in pain and flung Nina away. She was furious, completely failing to notice Nina’s reddened eyes, which now looked like those of a small, vengeful beast.

"You bitch! You dare to bite me?"

Chloe Joyce lunged, grabbing her hair and screaming through clenched teeth, "Do you know how that Evan Chapman died? Crystal Rhodes hired some guys to ruin you, and that fucking idiot went and begged them to let you go. So they took him instead. He was gang-raped by three grown men. Fucked in the ass, you get it? It was horrible. They even filmed it. Tsk, his pants were covered in blood. They were going to post the video online, and when he refused, they forced him to jump off a building!"

"You probably don’t know this, you worthless bitch, but you’re the one who killed Evan Chapman! If it weren’t for you, would he have been gang-raped by men? Would he have jumped off that building?"

"I still have the video of him getting fucked by those men on my phone. You want to see it?"

...

Nina’s entire body trembled violently, her chest heaving.

A terrifying chill shot up from the soles of her feet, and a vicious, undeniable urge to kill these monsters took root in her heart.

’Evan Chapman. Evan. The kindest person in the entire world, tormented to death by these monsters. Before he died, he had endured the most depraved, the most horrific pain in the world.’

’Why did Evan have to die? Why were these evil people still alive?!’

’Why?!!!!’

Her mind was a chaotic mess; she couldn’t think, couldn’t remember anything. Her eyes were fixed on Chloe Joyce’s mouth, watching it open and close.

Chloe didn’t care whether Nina was dead or alive; she continued to provoke her. "After Evan Chapman died, they actually paid compensation. Those guys paid his family three million, but they never got a single cent of it. Do you know why?"

"Because of you! Because you’re so goddamn cheap! Because when your aunt married into the family, the Rhodes Family bought her a three-million-yuan diamond ring! That was a debt that had to be paid, and it all fell on your head. Repaid with Evan Chapman’s life!"

Nina was shaking more and more violently, and her eyes gradually turned bloodshot. The world narrowed until all she could see was Chloe Joyce’s mouth, opening and closing.

Suddenly, she let out a low cry—a heart-wrenching, agonized roar like that of a small wild animal—and lunged, her hands closing around Chloe Joyce’s throat.

Caught off guard, Chloe Joyce was knocked to the ground by Nina, a woman a full head shorter than her.

Nina straddled her, biting down on her neck like a ravenous wolf. The force was terrifying—she ripped a large chunk of skin clean off.

Chloe, nearly fainting from the pain, shrieked, "Help me!"

A red mist filled Nina’s vision. She ripped the diamond clip from her hair and started slashing it across Chloe’s face. Chloe screamed in agony and slapped the clip away. Nina’s hands fumbled on the ground, suddenly closing around a cobblestone used for the pond’s border. It was the size of her fist. Perfect.

She raised her arm and brought it crashing down on Chloe’s forehead.

Once. Twice. Three times. She was going to bash Chloe’s head in.