Betrayal and Regret: The Donna Lost Her Child Chapter 08
When Ryan got home, he saw the tiny body that had been brought back.
His skin was still translucent. Only ten days old and-he had killed him.
The child had been pecked so badly he was barely recognizable. His tiny body was covered in blood.
Ryan stared at the mangled corpse. It felt like an invisible giant hand was crushing his heart.
He thought he might faint from the pain.
He couldn’t bear to imagine how devastated and helpless Grace must have been when she saw their child
being pecked.
How had she endured those seagulls tearing at her own flesh?
He couldn’t even let himself imagine it.
His hands trembled as he tried to pick the baby up, but the blood-soaked little body gave him nowhere to
hold.
Ryan collapsed to his knees, tears streaming down his face and onto the floor.
Ryan’s father, Antonio, heard the devastating news of his grandson’s death and flew back immediately.
He stormed into the family estate and without hesitation slapped Ryan hard across the face.
“You animal! How did the Vulture family raise a monster like you? How am I supposed to face our ancestors
when I die?”
When he saw the pulped remains in the coffin, he collapsed to the ground.
Wailing uncontrollably.
“My grandson. My poor grandson. Grandpa never even got to see you!”
In that moment, he wanted nothing more than to strip Ryan from the Vulture family. But Ryan was his only child. Cut him out, and the Vulture bloodline died.
So instead, he took a leather whip and lashed Ryan mercilessly.
Ryan didn’t resist. He took every blow.
He knelt before the child’s grave for seven days.
On the eighth day, the hospital called. Grace had woken up.
He rushed there as fast as he could.
But when he reached the door, he couldn’t bring himself to go in.
He didn’t know how to face her.
He lingered outside for a long time, until the doctor came to change the dressings and greeted him at the
door.
“Don Ryan, why aren’t you going in?”
He gave an awkward nod and waited until the doctor came out before entering.
When I saw Ryan walk in, I turned my head away. I couldn’t stand the sight of him.
But Ryan dropped to his knees in front of me.
“Grace, this is all my fault. I know I was wrong. I really know. This will never happen again. Please-can you
ever forgive me?”
He broke into sobs before he could finish.
But his tears came too late.
His tears only made me sick. Nothing but a hypocrite.
I clenched my fists and gathered all my strength.
“Get out. I don’t want to see you.”
He shook his head wildly and crawled on his knees to my bedside.
“No. Grace, hit me. Scream at me. Anything. Just don’t push me away. I can’t live without you!”
Even the sound of his voice made my stomach turn.
I held it in, closed my eyes, and started to throw off the covers.
“Fine. If you won’t leave, I will.”
Ryan rushed forward and gently pressed me back down.
“Grace, you just got out of life-threatening danger. You can’t be moving around. Your health comes first.”
My eyes bloodshot, I hissed.
“Don’t touch me.”
He raised both hands and backed away.
“Okay. Okay. I won’t touch you.”
“Grace, I’ll leave now. Take some time to rest. I’ll come see you tonight.”
I didn’t answer. As far as I was concerned, he was already dead. Nothing he did mattered anymore.
