Chapter 39 His Love for Them
“Yes! Cold–blooded is the perfect word!”
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Wendy locked her piercing gaze on Shirley. “I can’t think of a more brutal term. Whether it was for Frankie’s sake or to please Mom and Dad–it was nothing short of cold–blooded!”
Shirley’s composure crumbled, her expression faltering into one of dismay. As memories of her behavior over the past four years surged forward, she retrieved her phone, opened the Snapchat group, and began scrolling through its messages.
The records were abundant–post after post mocking Joshua. Among them, she found a recent entry from Maddy about Joshua’s punishment.
She recalled vividly how Frankie had been the one to ruin their mom’s dress, yet she and Maddy had conspired to frame Joshua for the damage.
Even as Joshua endured harsh punishment, beaten until he bled, they felt no remorse.
She, a cultured and accomplished university music professor, had degraded into this kind of person.
When did I stop feeling guilty for framing and hurting someone? When did I start finding it amusing?
Shirley was overcome by a heavy, suffocating silence.
“And look at this!” Wendy pointed at files on her laptop. “Do you remember last year, during our family vacation, when Joshua lost his phone?”
“Yes, I remember!” Shirley replied with a nod, her voice trembling.
“At the time, Joshua couldn’t contact us. Frankie was burning with a high fever, so we rushed him to the hospital. Since Joshua couldn’t reach us, we left him stranded at the tourist site. Do you recall?” Wendy’s voice cut like a blade.
“I do…” Shirley’s chest tightened, her breathing shallow.
She remembered it all too well. She and her sisters had even ridiculed Joshua in their group chat afterward.
Joshua, desperate and penniless, had tried to walk home alone along the highway.
He trudged for three to four hours, covering more than twelve miles. It wasn’t until they returned home and realized Joshua was missing that Maggie notified the police to search for him. He was eventually brought back.
When Joshua returned, he smiled apologetically, explaining he got lost and expressing regret for causing them worry.
However, the police revealed the dangerous conditions Joshua faced walking alone in the dead of night for hours. Maddy had laughed it off, calling him a fool, and shared the incident in their group chat.
“It was Maddy who hid his phone!” Wendy said with a firm tone.
7:18 pm 44.
Chapter 39 His Love for Them
Shirley’s eyes widened in shock. “Maddy hid his phone?”
“Yes! I confronted her and took it back. Here it is!” Wendy declared, holding up the device.
Shirley fell into silence, the weight of the revelation pressing on her.
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“I’ve gone through its contents–there are diary entries, Instagram posts, tweets, and conversations with his friends. I’ve organized everything. There’s a section specifically about you. Take a look. Wendy said. handing her a folder.
“This phone had been hidden by Maddy since last year. It was password–protected, but I had someone crack it yesterday,” Wendy explained further.
“These are…” Shirley murmured, her voice tinged with disbelief.
“These are Joshua’s private chats with his friends. There are also diary entries—and many of them are about you.” Wendy said solemnly.
Shirley froze, her fingers trembling as she opened the folder and began to read.
“Gwen, look, this is my second sister, Shirley! Isn’t she beautiful? She’s just as stunning as my eldest sister. Wendy! She graduated from the University and is now a music professor at Kepong University. Shirley even released a music album. Check this out–it’s her album! Isn’t her music incredible?”
With just a few lines, Shirley’s face turned pale. She was stunned.
“Wendy, this…” Shirley’s voice wavered as she looked at her sister.
“There’s a lot more in there. Take your time,” Wendy said, her voice breaking slightly as she sniffed, her eyes reddened once again.
Shirley’s hands trembled as she held the phone, a sudden wave of fear gripping her.
Her mind raced with guesses about the contents, but accepting the truth seemed unbearable.
She realized she didn’t have the courage to confront it.
She couldn’t ignore the memory of how Joshua used to look at her and the others–with eyes full of admiration and excitement.
They had all known deep down about Joshua’s love for them. Otherwise, Joshua wouldn’t have gone to her university in secret, just to sit in on her lectures and listen quietly
Shirley had indeed released a few music albums, ones she had self–funded, earning her modest recognition as a musician.
Joshua, somehow, had learned about her work and downloaded some of her songs onto his phone, listening to them in secret.
She remembered seeing his phone once, years ago.
Now, as Wendy’s words echoed in her ears, Shirley was at a loss for what to say,
7:19 pm f f f .
Promise to Punish My Ridiculous Family
