Chapter 13: Agnes Ward's Wrist Suddenly Throbbed with Pain

Agnes Ward's wrist suddenly throbbed with pain. She turned to see Elena Ward's chillingly cold eyes staring back at her. The girl's grip was like an iron vise, her nails digging deep into Agnes's flesh.

"You little brat! Have you lost your mind?" Agnes gasped through the pain.

A cold smirk curled at the corner of Elena's lips. "Didn't you say you wanted to die to make me look bad? Didn't you want to brand me as unfilial?" She yanked Agnes forward, dragging her toward the village outskirts. "Come on, I'll make your wish come true!"

Agnes stumbled as Elena pulled her along. Calvin Ward tried to intervene, but Elena dodged him effortlessly. She moved with terrifying speed, hauling Agnes like a vengeful spirit.

"Help! She's trying to kill me!" Agnes shrieked.

Mayor Martin Reed paled when he saw the direction they were heading—the village reservoir, deep enough to drown an ox.

"Elena! Let's talk this through!" Martin shouted, rushing after them with a group of villagers. "I'll make sure justice is served!"

But Elena had already dragged Agnes onto the dam. The wind howled, and the dark water below looked menacing.

"You wanted to die, didn’t you?" Elena's voice was eerily soft. "I'll jump with you. Let the whole village see how you drove your own granddaughter to her death."

Agnes's legs trembled. She never actually wanted to die—she’d just been trying to scare the girl.

"You're insane! A complete lunatic!" She scrambled backward, desperate to escape.

Martin and the villagers were closing in. Seizing her chance, Agnes twisted free—and with a sudden, vicious shove—

SPLASH.

A deafening silence followed.

Agnes blinked, only now realizing what she’d done. She spun toward Martin, cowering behind him. "Mayor, save me! She was trying to kill me!"

Martin's face turned ashen. "Quick! Someone get in the water!"

Calvin shoved Agnes away, his voice shaking with fury. "Mom! You pushed Elena in!"

Agnes stood frozen. She stared at her hands, then at the empty dam. A violent shiver wracked her body.

Beneath the dark water, Elena smiled as the icy lake swallowed her.

That push?

Exactly what she’d wanted.