Silence Reveals Hidden Answers’ by Michael Anderson novel Chapter 19

Chapter 19

Harvey Prescott.

Baxter has pulled this bloody stunt on me before.

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It was after prom night. He threw one of his typical jock–god parties at the Prescott estate. I was in a black mood, sulking, drinking alone in a corner, watching the glittering idiots spin around me.

He sauntered over and handed me a drink. “Loosen up, brother. It’s a party.”

I wasn’t even supposed to be there. My mother had begged me that night…just once to go see my father for graduation. Grandma had been calling her too, saying the family needed me around more. Saying I needed them.

That night, I was already bitter. Already convinced I’d lost every chance with Jennifer.

The alcoholic cocktail Baxter and his friends gave me was laced with shrooms and god knows what else….but I’m sure it was something designed to fry a person’s nerves, and expand their aggression. I didn’t realize it until my blood starts boiling. until everything feels too loud, too sharp, too wrong.

Then one of his friends said something about my Mom.

Something filthy. Something about “Heard his mom got her promotion by riding old man Prescott’s dick. Guess the apple doesn’t fall far from the trash heap.”

And they laughed, looking at me! I don’t remember crossing the lawn as it started raining. I just remember my fist connecting with his jaw. Then again. And again. It wasn’t a fight. It was an eradication. I lost count after a dozen hits. They had to tackle me, three of them, to pull me off the bloody mess of what I did to the dude.

When I woke up, the cops were there.

They search me. And suddenly, the drugs are in my pockets. Funny how that works. Baxter and his cronies knew they’d be tested, too. So they planted the evidence on the crazy, violent bastard no one would believe. They know the cops will trace the drugs. They knew questions will be asked. So, they made sure I looked like the source.

I get arrested. The dude’s parents were bent on suing and throwing me in prison for the rest of my life.

So Grandma steps in. She makes a deal to clean the mess…pays a ridiculous amount of money to the boy’s family but on one condition that my mom has to convince me to stay with the Prescotts and cut all ties with her.

Mom agreed to stay away from me.

It was the only way she could save me from the mess. From the headlines. From becoming something worse than I already am. That was the last time I see her. To avoid staying with the Prescotts, I don’t go to college.

At that point, I couldn’t stand the thought of looking at Baxter’s face every day even if he apologized on his knees. I wanted anything that didn’t require me living in a house where they already saw me as a monster.

So I choose the military. To be stronger. Now, standing here, I look at their faces and it’s the same look they wore that night. But when I look at Jen, and she steps back…that I can’t handle.

“You have to tell them he’s lying.” Nate says.

I don’t hear him. I don’t hear anyone. All I see is Jennifer’s face, pale and confused, like she’s trying to reconcile the man she knows with the scene in front of her.

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Chapter 19

“Whoa… Baxter, is that crazy?” David mutters.

“Harvey, you have to tell them he’s lying.”

“There’s no proof. It’s his word against theirs, and they already see Harvey differently.”

“But-”

I stand.

“Where are you going?” Nate asks.

“To speak to Jennifer,” I say the obvious.

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“And say what?” David counters sharply. “She just looked at you like a monster. The gun was in your hand. Baxter’s arm was, bleeding. Do you really think anyone believes you didn’t do it?”

“Jennifer will” I say instantly but the doubt that follows nearly pisses me off more than the accusation.

“Your family just stepped aside to discuss whether they’ll even allow you to stay till the end of the wedding…” David adds.

“I don’t care about the damn wedding!” I scoff. “You think I want to be here? You think I give a shit about Baxter and his contract marriage? I came here to bond with Jennifer!”

“So if they send you away… you won’t go back to New York? As long as Jennifer is here?”

“David, give him time to think.” Nate says, and I use the moment to leave the villa for breathing space.

I hear David calling my name behind me, but I don’t respond. It’s been five hours since everything happened. I’ve been calling Jennifer for the past two hours, but her phone is switched off. Why won’t she pick up? Why the hell won’t she pick up

I end up in front of her villa without realizing I’ve walked here.

When Baxter first made that bet with me, I saw it for what it was. Immaturity. Baxter being Baxter. I never imagined he’d be deranged enough to take it this far just to flip the narrative.

Really? Stab himself. He cannot stand the thought of me winning.

He doesn’t care one damn bit about Jennifer…he never even remembered her until the reunion. But now, at the thought of me actually having something real with her, he’ll fight this dirty.

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