Chapter 316
Mr. Fermon’s voice quavered as he recounted the events.
Marina and Simon fixed their gaze on his face, captivated by his words.
Taking a deep breath, Mr. Fermon steadied himself and continued.
“Early that morning. I accompanied my parents to the hotel. But as we entered, a waiter accidentally bumped into me, staining my clothes.
Thus, I decided to head upstairs to clean up. Little did I know that it was all part of his plan.
“As soon as I entered the room upstairs, someone attacked me, rendering me unconscious.
“When I woke up, I found myself bound to a chair by my own brother.
“But the look on his face was pure madness.
“He told me he detested my face more than anything in the world.
“And he blamed me for confining him to a hidden existence like a rat for all these years.
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“He resented the fact that as twins with identical appearances, we led completely different lives.
“While I could shine in public, he was trapped in that mansion.
“So, he couldn’t bear it any longer and sought to reclaim what he believed was rightfully his.”
“That’s why he disfigured your face?” Marina’s voice grew serious.
“Yes… he ruined my face and then set fire to the very mansion he once lived in,” Mr. Fermon confessed.
“His intention was to burn me alive and assume my identity.
“But by some stroke of luck, or perhaps divine intervention, I woke up before the fire consumed everything.
“I managed to escape from the mansion, fighting against my injuries, until a passerby found me and rushed me to the hospital.
“I spent an entire month lying in the hospital bed, enduring the pain and uncertainty.
“When I awoke, I realized the world had changed around 1.
“My dear brother, posing as me, successfully infiltrated into our family.
“People like him are too highly intelligent, capable of learning anything they set their minds to.
“And being twins, we had an innate connection that our parents never suspected.” Mr. Fermon’s voice grew hoarse.
“Didn’t you try to get back to your parents after you woke up?” Marina couldn’t fathom how parents could fail to recognize their own child, regardless of their appearance.
“After I regained consciousness, I intended to search for them, but he was one step ahead of me.
“On the very day I woke up, tragedy struck, and my parents met with a fatal accident.
“The Pembroke family became his possession, and I had to go into hiding. I knew that revealing myself at that moment would only lead to my demise.
“He killed your parents?” Marina’s voice echoed with disbelief.
The news claimed it was a mere accident, but my parents were always cautious. They hired experienced drivers.
“Normally, they wouldn’t be involved in such a grave traffic accident.
“Yet, on that fateful day, the car crashed, claiming the lives of all three occupants. I refuse to believe it was mere coincidence. Mr. Fermon’s hands clenched tightly.
Marina listened to the entire account, grappling with her emotions, and struggled to find the right words.
She was lost in thought, reflecting: “It seems that all these tragedies are the result of their parents‘ decisions.
“If only they had followed the doctor’s advice and made a different choice, none of this would have unfolded.
“But is was only easy to say.
They are, after all, the parents this child..
“And it is their own flesh and blood,”
“And he’d already become a living creature then.
“You can even see their appearances through the Ultra.
“In such circumstances, asking them to give up a precious life is something most people couldn’t fathom.
“But sometimes, fate plays its cruel hand.
“Some things are meant to be, no matter how hard you try to change them.
“If only they knew that their initial act of kindness would lead to these consequences.
“Who knows if they would regret their decisions.” Marina wondered.
“For years, I’ve carried the weight of that burden. The physical toll on my body has been severe,” Mr. Fermon confessed.
“I lie awake at night, tormented by pain every moment, he continued.
“But I persevere, fueled by one belief: I must bring that evil to justice.
“Over the years, he’s resorted to both overt and covert methods, leaving a trail of bloodshed in his wake.
“It’s my parents‘ mistake, and it falls upon me to put an end to it!” Mr. Fermon’s eyes burned with resolve.
“Now that I understand your situation clearly, there’s something I’d like to ask before we discuss our collaboration,” Marina fixed her gaze on Mr. Fermon.
“You want to know about Chrislyn, don’t you?” Mr. Fermon instantly grasped her intention.
“Yes, why did Chrislyn reappear? Is there more to this story that I’m unaware of?” Marina inquired firmly.
Mr. Fermon tightened his grip on his cane.
It took him a quite a while to continue speaking.
“You guessed right. The Chrislyn by your side isn’t the real Chrislyn,” he revealed.
Marina had already suspected as much, so his words didn’t elicit a strong reaction.
But soon, Mr. Fermon adjusted his statement.
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