Reborn in the Enemy's Embrace - Chapter 77

Chapter 77: CHAPTER 77 Chapter 77: CHAPTER 77 “You’re lucky you weren’t beaten to death.

You must have a death wish to dare to provoke a mentally ill person with aggressive tendencies,” the officer reprimanded the man sternly.

The man seemed visibly terrified and stopped shouting.

Ewan looked at Dexter and respectfully said, “Mr.

Black, it’s time to…” Dexter reached for my hand, whispering, “Sophia, let’s go home.” However, I couldn’t understand why I felt inexplicably annoyed.

At the door, the girl’s family arrived to pick her up, and their well€“off appearance put me at ease.

“Goodbye, Miss, Mister.

Until next time.” The girl waved.

The man who came to pick her up looked authoritative and respectable.

“Thank you both for this,” the man said politely.

“You’re welcome,” I replied with a polite smile.

Dexter looked at him warily and shielded me behind him.

The man glanced at Dexter with a smile.

“Well, I won’t disturb you any longer.” But Dexter still seemed protective even when everyone was gone.

Sighing, I ushered him into the car.

On the way back, Dexter fell asleep against the window.

I found myself gazing at Dexter, feeling a bit lost in thought.

His quiet demeanor was truly mesmerizing.

“Mrs.

Black, I apologize for the fright.

Mr.

Black rarely has episodes unless provoked,” Ewan explained.

I stayed quiet until we got home.

After giving Dexter cold medicine and helping him sleep, I finally breathed a sigh of relief.

“Ewan, how long have you known Dexter?” I asked as we left the room.

“I’ve known him since he was 14 years old.

That was the year the Black family found him,” Ewan replied.

“And back then…” I was curious about what Dexter was like as a teenager.

“He was exceptional,” Ewan remarked with a hint of nostalgia.

“But being too exceptional is a curse in high society.” Ewan had a point.

After a moment of contemplation, I gently asked, “When was he diagnosed with his condition?” “At 19 years old, he went through a traumatic experience,” Ewan mentioned, leading me to a small attic room filled with Dexter’s memorabilia€“including photos, certificates, and trophies.

Astonished, I stood frozen in the room filled with his awards and certificates.

“These were collected by Mr.

Andy.

He loved Mr.

Black dearly when he was alive, but his affection was tempered,” Ewan explained.

He pointed out each item.

“This one’s from when Mr.

Black joined the advanced classes.” Looking at the young man in the photos, I suddenly felt a headache coming on.

It all felt so familiar.

The young man in the photos had a radiant smile.

At that time, Dexter was truly pure and flawless.

Holding his trophy, he definitely stood out in the crowd.

“A double degree?” Glancing at Dexter’s certificate, I was momentarily surprised, but then it all fell into place.

He entered university at just 14 years old, so it wasn’t surprising that he had finished both degrees by the age of 20 years old.

Despite his young age, Dexter excelled in multiple subjects with a perfect 4.0 CGPA, inevitably sparking jealousy among his peers.

“What’s this?” In the far corner, I spotted a group photo taken at the orphanage.

“This is a photo taken when Mr.

Black was admitted to the advanced classes.

It was a farewell from the orphanage,” Ewan explained proudly.

The pride on his face suggested that he regarded Dexter as his own child.

As I carefully examined the photo, I could still discern some familiar faces despite the changes that came with age.

In the corner of the last row, I spotted Violette’s classmate, Howard Zachman, whom I had met at the class reunion.

It appeared that Howard hadn’t been adopted before Dexter astonished the entire city of Huma with his brilliance.

“Was it only after Dexter’s brilliance made waves during the Genius Showdown that the Black family found him?” I asked as I suspected there to be a conspiracy behind all this.

“Not quite,” Ewan confessed truthfully.

“The Black family knew about Mr.

Black all along.

But it wasn’t until Mr.

Black Senior gave his approval that anyone dared to bring him back.

Only after Mr.

Black’s brilliance caught the city’s attention did Mr.

Black Senior allow us to officially recognize him as part of the family.” I scoffed, realizing that even within esteemed families, self€“interest was paramount.

Sadly, that was just human nature.

“They’re still keeping these old clothes?” I noticed Dexter’s ill€“fitting and faded outfit from his homeless days still hanging on the rack.

After bringing him home and cleaning him up, I found it odd that the Blacks hadn’t thrown away his dirty clothes.

“These clothes are cherished by Mr.

Black and are off€“limits to anyone,” Ewan intervened, preventing me from touching them.

I was curious why Dexter treasured these worn€“out and oversized clothes.

“Have you seen this boy before?” My thoughts returned to the photo.

I pointed to a timid-looking boy standing behind Dexter.

“That’s Simeon Kent.

He was another genius boy at the Double Stars Welfare Home who shook the city of Huma back then,” Ewan sighed as he looked at the photo.

After a short silence, he continued, “Sadly, he died in the fire at the orphanage that year.

Mr.

Black would’ve died too, but he miraculously survived.” I was shocked.

“Was the fire accidental?” “It was arson,” Ewan stated firmly.

“Did they catch the killer?” I asked urgently.

“The killer was never found.

The investigation technology wasn’t as advanced back then, and there were no surveillance cameras in the area where the fire started.

Everyone denied setting it, so…” Ewan shook his head.

I sensed he was keeping back some details, but I chose not to push for more.

After all, Ewan wasn’t present at the scene.

As I looked at Howard in the photo, I couldn’t shake the feeling that he knew more about the fire.

But what puzzled me was why the serial killer was targeting people from the orphanage.

It appeared that no one in that photo was safe from him now.

“Can I take this photo with me?” I asked.

“These are all preserved by Mr.

Andy Black.

If you need it, I’ll have a new copy printed for you,” Ewan offered.

I nodded.

All the girls in red dresses in the photo had passed away, except for Juliet.

The killer was targeting the remaining ones.

“Is that the orphanage director?” I pointed to the middle€“aged woman seated in the center.

“She and her husband ran the orphanage,” Ewan confirmed.

An inexplicable chill crept in when I saw the couple in the photo.

Despite their charitable smiles, I couldn’t shake off the unsettling feeling.

“Are they still alive?” I asked curiously.

“They are, but their daughter passed away not long ago,” Ewan said.

I looked up at Ewan in shock.

Their daughter was dead.

It seemed that this gruesome series of murders was driven by vengeance.

All these people must have something in common, something they did to provoke the killer.

“Sophia… Sophia!” Suddenly, panicked shouts from Dexter echoed from outside the door.

It sounded like he was having a nightmare as his voice was filled with desperation and anguish.

My heart clenched with pain, and I dashed outside to find Dexter anxiously standing by the window.

Bloodstains marked the floor where his wounds had reopened.

His pale, beautiful face was streaked with blood.

Like a frightened child, he hid his bloodied hands behind his back when he saw me.

Ewan’s expression changed, and he rushed out in a panic.

“Doctor!

Get a doctor!” Clearly, the Blacks had kept too much from me about Dexter’s condition.

It was evident that his current state was far from normal.