Library
Search
Home / Emotional Realism / Punished Twice for My Brother's Sins / Chapter 4

Share

Chapter 4

Author: Steam & Honey
After some time, the excruciating pain suddenly vanished. I felt weightless, and as I slowly opened my eyes, I found myself floating mid-air.

All of a sudden, an inexplicable force pulled me forward, and the scene before me began to rewind and shift at a dizzying speed.

When I stopped again, I found myself in a luxurious private room at a five-star hotel. The room was decorated with blue balloons and fresh flowers. At the center stood a massive three-tier fondant cake with a little figurine of a boy wearing a birthday crown perched on top.

A cheerful birthday song echoed through the private room.

Dad, dressed in a crisp suit, wore a warm, gentle smile I had never before seen on his face. He was holding Thomas' hand, guiding him as they cut into the enormous cake together.

Thomas, wearing a sparkling little suit and a birthday crown, looked exactly like a little prince from a fairy tale.

Relatives filled the seats around them, and everyone was applauding, looking at Thomas with the most adoring gazes.

"Oh my, Tommy is getting more handsome by the day! What an angel you are!" Aunt Martha laughed, handing him a big present.

"Exactly! Tommy has been a bright one since he was little. You just can't help but love him!" Granny added, beaming.

Thomas smiled sweetly and said, "Thank you, Aunt Martha! Thank you, Granny! I love you all so much!"

His smile was so happy and innocent. But looking at that smile, I felt a bone-chilling coldness running through me.

"Ron, why don't I see Ben around?" Uncle Doug's voice suddenly cut through the room.

He looked around and asked in confusion, "It's Tommy's third birthday. Why isn't Benny here?"

The lively atmosphere in the room faltered for a moment, and Dad's smile vanished instantly, replaced by undisguised disgust and anger.

"Ugh, don't mention that brat!" Dad slammed his fork down heavily and let out a cold snort.

"He was supposed to watch Tommy, but he couldn't even manage to keep an eye on his brother! He actually let Tommy break Dad's signet ring!"

"What? Dad's signet ring is broken?" Uncle Doug exclaimed.

"Yeah! And Ben even tried to blame it all on Tommy!" Dad ground his teeth, as if I were some unforgivable criminal.

Uncle Doug sighed. "But... Benny is only seven, and it really was Tommy who broke it after all. Is it really okay to leave Benny alone at home?"

"What's not okay about it?" Dad sneered, taking a sip from his glass.

"He agreed to this reward and disciplinary system himself. He enjoyed the rewards when things went well, so why can't he take the consequences when things go wrong?"

A bitterness rose within me when I heard those words.

But Dad, Thomas did it on purpose...

Just then, a sharp ringtone shattered the peace in the private room. Dad frowned and took out his phone. An unfamiliar number flashed on the screen.

"Hello? Who is this?" Dad answered impatiently.

The room was quiet enough that the voice on the other end of the line came through faintly, carrying with it a suffocating seriousness and gravity.

"Hello, is this Mr. Ronald Werther? This is the Havenshire Fire Department. A severe fire broke out half an hour ago at your residence in Unit 802, Block 4, Havenbrook Apartments. The fire has been extinguished. However, we regret to inform you…"

Continue to read this book for free
Scan code to download App
Previous Chapter Next Chapter

Latest chapter

  • Punished Twice for My Brother's Sins   Chapter 11

    Every word from the psychiatrist tore Dad's heart apart. Suddenly, Dad began roaring wildly from the defendant's box. He finally understood.He had always believed that I, as the older brother, was mean and incapable of teaching Thomas well. He was always under the impression that Thomas was just a three-year-old child who knew nothing and was only being mischievous. But it turned out that everything I said was true! He realized that he had been helping a psychopath kill his own thoughtful, well-behaved son, who had always tried to protect the family.Just then, the door to the waiting room suddenly swung open. Thomas had slipped in while the court bailiffs weren't paying attention.He looked at the chaos in the courtroom, at Dad, whose head was covered in blood, and instead of being frightened, he clapped his hands in delight. "How interesting! How fun! There's blood on Daddy!"Staring at the smiling little demon in front of him, Dad suddenly stopped struggling. A burst of ast

  • Punished Twice for My Brother's Sins   Chapter 10

    Dad was formally arrested and detained on charges of negligent homicide.He aged rapidly in the detention center. His once meticulously groomed hair turned half white in just a few short days, and he wasted away to a shadow of his former self.He had nightmares of me being tragically consumed by flames and of me begging him not to tie me up every night. In his dreams, he would apologize profusely to me, and after waking up startled, he would sit facing the wall and mumble to himself. His mental state was teetering on the edge of collapse.Meanwhile, Thomas' case attracted widespread public attention. His shockingly cold-blooded behavior at the scene that night, coupled with Dad's statements before his arrest, prompted both the police and Child Protective Services to launch an investigation.They reviewed the home surveillance footage and interviewed neighbors and the apartment security guards. Everyone reported the same thing: that Thomas appeared sweet and well-behaved, but someti

  • Punished Twice for My Brother's Sins   Chapter 9

    The sharp crack of slaps echoed through the night air.Dad struck Thomas with brutal force, kicking and punching him mercilessly. "I'll kill you! I'll kill you, you monster! Give me back my Benny! Give me back my Benny!"Thomas wailed in terror. His once pristine suit was covered in dirt and blood, and his birthday crown fell to the ground and shattered."Daddy! It hurts! Daddy, stop hitting me!" Thomas shrieked in panic.The surrounding police officers and firefighters were stunned by the sudden turn of events. After a moment's shock, they rushed forward and pulled Dad off Thomas."Let go of me! Let me kill him! He's the murderer! He was the one who started the fire!"Two police officers pinned Dad down to the ground by his arms, but still he thrashed wildly, kicking his legs in the air. His bloodshot eyes gave him a crazed look.He roared hysterically at the officers, "Officers! Arrest him! Arrest him! He deliberately spilled water on the power strip! He wanted to burn his bro

  • Punished Twice for My Brother's Sins   Chapter 8

    A fire investigator walked over with a preliminary report, breaking the suffocating silence."We've identified the preliminary cause of the fire. The ignition point was the plastic power strip next to the coffee table in the living room. A severe short circuit inside the strip ignited the wool rug beneath it."The investigator looked at Dad, frowning. "We found a glass near the fire source, right next to the power strip. It is suspected to be the cause of the fire. Do you have any recollection of this?"Dad sat dazed on the ground, his eyes widening sharply. He remembered something.That morning, Thomas had been fussing over a glass full of water that was on the coffee table. I had tried desperately to stop him, guarding the glass and warning him, "Tommy, you can't play with the glass because there's water in it, and it's too close to the socket. It could cause a fire! It's dangerous!"But Thomas simply wouldn't listen. He kept trying to grab and push the glass. When I held it ste

  • Punished Twice for My Brother's Sins   Chapter 7

    The fire chief stared coldly at Dad, who was kneeling on the ground wailing, and spoke with heavy sorrow. "Mr. Werther, we discovered at the scene that the victim had been bound to a solid wood dining chair with a fixed knot, tied in an extremely brutal manner. The rope was so tight that when the fire broke out, the victim had absolutely no means of escape."He paused, fixing a piercing gaze on Dad. "He was conscious the entire time, watching helplessly as the flames crept closer, until he was burned alive. Scene investigation shows that he struggled, dragged the chair with him, and moved nearly two yards across the floor until the fire killed him."His words were like poison-tipped knives, slicing into Dad's heart.An officer stepped forward and said in a grave tone, "Mr. Werther, because the victim was bound and unable to escape, this is no longer just an accidental fire. We have reason to suspect this was a premeditated murder. The police have opened a criminal investigation."

  • Punished Twice for My Brother's Sins   Chapter 6

    Dad's phone slipped from his hand and hit the carpet with a dull thud.The private room fell into deathly silence.Dad remained frozen in the same relieved posture. His eyes were wide open, bloodshot in an instant. His mouth hung slightly agape, but no sound came out."Ron? Ron, what's wrong? What did the firefighter say?" Uncle Doug asked, shaking Dad's arm anxiously."A b-body… A seven year old… male child…" Dad stammered, his voice sounding as if it were squeezed out from the depths of hell, laced with endless terror and confusion.Aunt Martha gasped sharply, clamping a hand over her mouth. "Benny! It's Benny! Benny is still at home!""Benny... Benny is at home..." Dad's gaze began to glaze over. Cold sweat instantly soaked through the back of his shirt."N-no… That's impossible… It can't be…" Dad started shaking his head frantically, clutching his hair with both hands as beast-like whimpers escaped him."I just wanted to scare him… I just wanted him to reflect on his mistak

More Chapters

You may also like

Explore and read good novels for free
Free access to a vast number of good novels on GoodNovel app. Download the books you like and read anywhere & anytime.
Read books for free on the app
SCAN CODE TO READ ON APP
DMCA.com Protection Status