Chapter 22

"Dylan, do you really not know?" Julia asked. Her voice was empty of emotion. Each word was like ice-tipped needles piercing his body, freezing him on the spot. Kaitlyn's screams broke through the locked basement door and echoed clearly into their ears. "Dylan, if you want revenge for her, then you're the one who deserves the most punishment!" Kaitlyn snapped. Dylan felt his blood turn cold. He wanted to pretend he hadn't heard any of that, his instincts telling him to run. However, Julia's gentle hand on his cheek stopped him in his tracks. Light spilled in through the narrow window, but it couldn't reach the darkness at the basement entrance. Julia withdrew her hand, stood up, and walked past him toward the exit. Yet her voice still came, clear and deliberate. Even though he didn't want to listen, every word sank deep into his heart. "Dylan, she's right. If you want to avenge me, then you're the one who deserves the worst punishment. I was just a poor orphan with no parents.