He Gave Me Hearing, Then Taught Me What Silence Really Means novel Chapter 317

He had been wearing an orderly's uniform, so she had thought he was just an orderly at the asylum.

But now, this man was standing next to Yvonne Saint, chatting with her as if they were intimately acquainted. He wasn't a bodyguard; he was an associate.

Juniper gripped the steering wheel so tightly her knuckles turned white, her eyes locked straight ahead.

Yvonne got into her own car while the man smiled, waved her off, and then walked over to his own vehicle.

Juniper hit the gas and instinctively tailed him.

She kept her distance, following him for twenty minutes until she saw his car turn into a highly exclusive gated community.

Her hands shook on the wheel. Security here was incredibly tight; only residents were allowed inside.

But if she remembered correctly, The Thorne Family estate was in this exact neighborhood.

The young man was Lucas Thorne, Lydia's cousin.

He had been sent abroad a few years ago and only recently returned. As soon as he walked in, he called out, "Lyd, the job you gave me is done."

Lydia Thorne was walking down the stairs with a sheet mask on her face. Seeing him, she lightly patted the edges of the mask. "You just got back. Try not to cause any trouble."

Lucas swallowed hard. Years ago, he had tagged along with Lydia's crew to Oakley and spotted Juniper. He had immediately developed a sick fascination with her. When he saw her locked up in the Blackwood Institute, Lydia egged him on, and he sneaked into the asylum, nearly forcing himself on her.

But Juniper had fought back fiercely, and the commotion had drawn Kieran Saint's attention.

Terrified, Lucas had shattered a window and bolted, running back to the city to tell Lydia. Both of them had been paranoid that Kieran had recognized him.

Without hesitating, Lydia had packed him off on a flight abroad, terrified that if they waited even a second, Kieran would connect the dots.

Lucas hadn't dared to waste a moment, practically fleeing the country in terror, and had only just found the courage to return.

But the moment he got back, he heard rumors that Kieran might be waking up from his coma.

The footage clearly showed Juniper's face. It showed her being slapped repeatedly, the fabric of her shirt torn halfway off her shoulder, all accompanied by a man's vile, graphic threats.

Lucas's tone was heavy with implication. "I survived my time abroad by watching this video on repeat."

Lydia was stunned. She hadn't realized Lucas had filmed it.

She grit her teeth. "If you had this, why didn't you show it to me sooner?"

Lucas smiled, carefully taking his phone back. "We were terrified Kieran was going to catch us! I had to keep it completely buried. I was worried you'd make me delete it. Look at how pretty she looks when she cries. Lyd, I've been craving her for years. Help me figure something out."

Watching the video, a vicious gleam lit up Lydia's eyes, and a slow, cruel smile spread across her lips. "Keep that video safe for now. There's no rush. As for Juniper, you can do whatever you want to her—as long as you can handle the fallout yourself."

Given the green light, Lucas's eyes practically glowed, and he licked his lips greedily. "I learned a lot of fun tricks overseas. I'm definitely going to use all of them on her this time. Just wait for the good news."

Lydia felt elated. Even though Lucas was technically part of her own family, she had to admit he was absolute human garbage.