Larissa Judson and Haskell Palmer novel Chapter 360

Honora breathed a silent sigh of relief as Finley came to her defense.

Vivica stared at her son in disbelief, shocked that he would side with their adopted daughter over his own father. “Finley, are you saying you’d rather watch your dad suffer?”

Finley was at a loss for words. The truth was, he did think it was a terrible trade.

Fearing she would be forced to go through with it, Honora decided to take a gamble. “Mom, I can do it,” she said, her voice wavering. “I can give up a finger for Dad, but… I doubt the Turners will accept it.”

She looked toward Ziggy and Gloria Turner and their five sons, praying they were only interested in punishing the person truly responsible for Sapphira’s kidnapping, not wasting their energy on her.

Gloria glanced at her daughter, Sapphira, who in turn looked to Larissa for her opinion.

Larissa gave a slight shake of her head. She had no intention of letting Honora take Paxton’s punishment. Dealing with Honora could wait until Leopold woke up. Once he exposed her true nature, Paxton’s family would be consumed with regret. They would blame Honora for everything that had happened, and their rage would lead them to punish her themselves. When that day came, losing a finger would seem like a mercy.

Understanding the signal, Gloria turned back and said flatly, “She’s right. We won’t accept it. We want a finger from one of you two. Don’t even think about substituting your adopted daughter. Her pain won’t satisfy us.”

“Stop wasting our time,” Stanley, the eldest Turner brother, urged impatiently. “Cut the finger, or we’ll do it for you.”

“Get on with it!” the second brother, Tavish, added. “We don’t have all day to watch you tear each other apart. Save the family drama for after we’re gone.”

It was hopeless. Vivica shot her husband a pained look and fell silent.

Paxton, his courage gone, held the knife out toward his son. “Finley, you do it. Help me.”

Finley froze for a moment before stepping forward and hesitantly taking the blood-stained knife. He positioned the blade over the gash his father had already made, but his hand trembled. He couldn’t do it. As the Turners grew more insistent, he finally steeled himself and pushed down.

Larissa’s smile widened into a vicious sneer. “Of course. After all, he is my uncle.”

This wasn’t thoughtfulness; it was pure schadenfreude. Vivica felt her chest constricting, but she was powerless against them. All she could do was swallow her rage.

Finley just wanted his father’s suffering to end. He followed Larissa’s advice, turning to a drawer in the TV stand and pulling out a small hammer. Taking a deep breath, he placed the blade back on his father’s finger and brought the hammer down with all his strength.

“Aaaah—!”

A scream filled with limitless terror and agony ripped through the living room.

With a sickening crack, Paxton’s pinky finger was severed from his hand. Blood instantly gushed from the wound, staining the tabletop a deep crimson.