Chapter 1296
As Nina spoke, a chill ran through her body. She had considered every possibility, even the idea that someone
might have broken into their hto harm Gemma while they were out. But never, not even once, had she
suspected a six-year-old child. Yet here she was, holding the evidence that this very child had nearly killed her
daughter.
"What?" Nash was equally stunned. But with the bottle in his hand, there was no denying the reality right in front
of him.
Compared to the adults, Orion reacted even more strongly. He stormed down the stairs with Gemma's toy in
hand and shoved Hope hard enough to knock her over. She scraped her hand on the floor and began to cry in
pain and frustration.
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"How dare you cry?" Orion's voice was thick with anger. "My sister's suffering is way worse than a scraped hand.
She's so little, with tubes all over her, and it's all because of you. Why did you do it?"
He couldn't understand. Hadn't they treated Hope well enough? Even if they weren't perfect, did that really
justify her turning against them and attacking a child?
Seeing her like this, Nina felt a surge of anger, yet she had no way to release it. If it had been an adult who had
harmed Gemma, both she and Nash would have made sure they paid the price. But this was a child, a recently
orphaned one with no one to care for her. Nina's eyes narrowed as a thought struck her. "Wait, where did you get
this medicine? If your father's gone, and your mother doesn't want you, you don't even have a stable place to
live. How could you get your hands on something like this?"
Hope said nothing, hugging her knees and burying her face as she cried.
There was only one explanation. From the start, Hope had been deceiving them. The fire, the trampling accident
and all of it had been orchestrated by someone with a plan, someone who intended to place Hope right in their
home.
They had walked right into the trap, bringing Hope into their family. And now, Gemma had nearly paid the
ultimate price.
Hope kept her head down, silent and still. Nash's fists clenched, his eyes blazing with fury.
He grabbed her by the collar and lifted her up. If you don't talk, I'll send you straight to prison. You'll never see
the sun again. You'll be mistreated every day, and you'l never have another decent meal. That'll be your life."
Nash's words-took Hope back to those dark days. When she was first taken by those bad people, it had been a
nightmare. So much suffering, so many tears, until she was almost too exhausted to go on. No one had cto
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A life like that forever? No, she couldn't go back to that.
At her age, Hope didn't know about juvenile protection laws or that prison might not be as terrifying as she
imagined.
Overwhelmed by fear, she broke down and confessed everything. "They orderedto do it. They toldto put
the medicine in her drink, and if didn't, I'd never see my mom and Siblings again. | didn't have a choice."
"So you chose to hurt my sister?" Orion's eyes were red with anger and disbelief.
Yes, Hope had suffered terribly, and yes, her situation was tragic. But that didn't excuse her actions. How was
she any different from those people now?
In Orion's eyes, she was just as bad as the ones who had made her do it.