Echoes of a Misjudged Life

Her words ripped open the wounds I had barely managed to close: fresh, raw, and bleeding again.

I cut her off with a cold laugh.

"Just because you had no choice, so you chose to let my brother die?"

Just because Howard Clan was her savior, she had chosen to sacrifice Zack.

Zack was stabbed 99 times by Howard's younger brother, Henry.

When I took Henry to court, my wife, who was an attorney who had never lost a case, chose to stand opposite me.

I did not know where she found the so-called evidence. She claimed that Zack had tried to sexually assault a young girl and that it was Henry who tried to rescue her, so he had accidentally stabbed Zack.

Our son, Dash, testified in court. He said that he saw Zack trying to harm the girl.

Just like that, Zack became the scorn of society. However, he was just a good kid. He would even spend some of his hard-earned money to feed the strays.

After the hearing, I cornered Gemma at the parking lot.

She loosened her tie, her voice tired, like she was dealing with an unreasonable child.

"The evidence is complete, Miles. Zack had indeed done something wrong."

I slapped her.

Later, I found out that it was not Zack who assaulted the girl; Zack was the hero standing up for her.

Yet, Gemma got all the witnesses to change their statements.

Thinking back about it at that moment, I did not hit her hard enough.

My eyes reddened as I took a step backward.

"Get lost. I don't want to see you."

Before she could speak again, a fist slammed into my face.

Howard stood right in front of me and said, "The incident was all my fault. Henry is my only family. I was the one who begged Gemma. This has nothing to do with her. If you want someone to blame, you can blame me.

"But she loves you so much. She has been waiting for you for the past three years. You can't talk to her like that."

I glared at him icily before kicking him right in the abdomen.

"You have no right to speak to me."

I lifted my leg, about to kick him again.

When he cowered and curled up, Gemma finally reacted. She went up to protect him and yelled, "Enough with this madness! At least Zack is still alive! Howard has been tormented by guilt for so many years that he now has serious depression. You can't blame him."

Their entire act disgusted me.

I chuckled mockingly, saying, "What a shameless couple. If you don't want me to hit him, then don't appear in front of me ever again."

Zack was still alive?

That was the biggest joke I heard that year.

Gemma had never paid attention to my family's situation. She did not know anything about it.

After Zack was falsely accused, unable to accept his situation, he killed himself in his prison cell.

However, since Gemma and I were strangers, there was no need for me to tell her all those things anymore.

Gemma grabbed my hand tightly, not letting me go. She said in a low voice, enunciating, "Our conflict stays between us. It has nothing to do with Howard. Apologize to him at once."

Dash was hiding behind her leg, showing half of his face. In the same tone, he said, "Daddy, apologize. You're in the wrong."

I looked at him.

Gemma was often busy at work, so I had to quit my job to raise him.

Yet, three years ago, in that courtroom, with that same innocent expression, he had spoken those fatal words.

My already shattered heart was strangely calm at that moment.

I slowly relaxed my shoulders, even managing a faint smile.

"Alright, let me go. I'll apologize."

The moment Gemma let me go, I grabbed Howard by his perfectly coiffed hair and smashed his head to the ground with all my might.

When I was forcefully torn away from him, I saw him lying on the ground, limp.

His forehead had a huge gash. Blood was streaming down half of his face.

How thrilling. Finally, some justice.

Gemma quickly rushed over to protect Howard.

"Miles, are you mad?!"

I sniggered. "I'll advise you not to appear in front of me ever again. If not, every time I see him, I'll hit him. Trust me, I have nothing left to lose."

Gemma's chest rose and fell sharply. For the first time, there was a crack in her expression.

Finally, she helped the moaning Howard up and headed to the car without looking back.

"You'll regret this," she said.

At that time, I did not expect Gemma to be so ruthless, but even if I did, I would never yield to her.