Heartstrings on Fire (Agnes and Jared) novel Chapter 885

Tim gazed at his beloved little girl, her transformation a stark contrast to the vibrant child she once was.

His face etched with disappointment and indignation at her lack of spirit.

Finally, Michael was released from the basement.

He could barely walk, but through clenched teeth, he declared, “Either you kill me today, or if you let me go, I owe you nothing from this moment on. I’m severing all ties with the Whitfield family.”

Alyssa watched Michael’s staggering figure disappear into the distance, her face buried in her hands as she wept bitterly. After that, she never set foot in school again.

She had heard, though, that Julia and Michael had broken up. Still holding on to a thread of hope, she had people track Michael’s every move.

The reports came back that Julia had retreated to her family home, locking herself away for three days and nights without stepping outside. Meanwhile, Michael knelt in the yard of Julia’s house for the same stretch of time, not budging even as a downpour soaked him to the bone when was battered and bruised.

In the end, Julia Julia came out and broke up with him. The two of them wept together, heads in hands. Their breakup was as agonizing as severing a limb with a blunt knife.

Michael vanished after that, as if he had been erased from the world. No one knew where he went.

Two months later, Alyssa discovered she was pregnant. Terrified, she didn't dare to reveal the news to Tim. She kept her pregnancy a perfectly guarded secret until the truth came unravelled at five months, when Tim found out.

Tim sent her abroad to give birth.

When the child was brought back, no explanations were given to the outside world.

Instead, the media was fed the story that this was Tim's illegitimate child.