Chapter 958 - 950: No Longer Hating

Chapter 958: Chapter 950: No Longer Hating

Keira looked up at him, her breathing steady, instinctively retreating.

She was terrified of being beaten by him again.

Fortunately, Connor didn’t get too close; he sat down to the side and spoke softly, "Keira, you should trust your brother. Do you remember how we treated you well when we first brought you back home? If it weren’t for the Jules family, you would have starved or frozen to death while begging on the streets."

Keira’s eyes suddenly reddened. She agreed to talk to Connor alone because they had saved her back then.

At that time, she was wandering outside, suffering from a cold and fever, it was severe.

She had no money to buy medicine and could only drag on day by day, waiting for death to come at any time.

Later, Connor picked her up, asked the housemaid to bathe her, and then took her to the hospital to cure her illness.

Back then, she swore to be good to Connor and James Jules for a lifetime. Even her birthday wish back then was hoping for their health.

But she never expected the kind father and gentle brother to become so ruthless in such a short time.

"I don’t want to go back home anymore. Everything you and Dad forced me to do over the years, let it be a repayment of the kindness from back then. In this world, I no longer have any family..."

Saying this, Keira burst into tears, biting her lip firmly to prevent herself from crying out loud, and continued word by word, "I want to live."

Connor furrowed his brow. Did she mean that staying with the Jules family meant death?

Keira continued, "Lawyer brother said, as long as I speak out about the torment and pain you inflicted on me, he would find a way to ensure you and Dad go bankrupt and end up in jail. But you once saved my life; you were once briefly kind to me. Tiana said, let bygones be bygones. You let me go, and I’ll let you go, okay?"

Connor was stunned. Looking at the little seven-year-old girl in front of him, every word she spoke was so mature and piercing.

He could hardly believe these words came from her.

"Who made you say this?"

Keira shook her head, "These are my own words. You always call me a bad girl, keeping everything inside and never talking about it. But I knew if I spoke out back then, I might not have survived."

Connor looked at the pain and gloom in her eyes and suddenly found it very difficult to breathe.

"If you and Dad let go, I’ll tell the lawyer brother that I don’t want to pursue it. I just want to live a simple, ordinary life."

Connor looked at her delicate yet obedient face, attempting to continue coaxing her.

But Keira had already seen through her brother’s thoughts and spoke first, "No matter what you say, I won’t go back."

She lifted her sleeve, revealing scars that hadn’t healed completely yet: "These are the marks left when you and Dad whipped me with a belt; there’s a lot more on my body. With evidence like this, does the Jules family truly want to risk bankruptcy and jail for a Keira whom you don’t even love?"

These words were something she overheard the lawyer brother and Naomi discussing.

She didn’t fully understand the implications but vaguely felt they were useful.

Sure enough, Connor’s expression changed. He took a deep breath, thinking about Mabel Hughes’ fate and the powerful Ford family behind Tiana Thorne, and finally gave in.

"Keira, if we give up custody of you, will you let go of the past?"

Keira nodded, "Yes, I keep my word. But I have one more condition."

It was at this moment that Connor realized this little girl, whom he had been exploiting, was actually a negotiation expert. He asked solemnly, "What is it?"

"Apologize to Naomi, Tiana, and Sue. You slandered them."

Listening to her, Connor felt his pride take a hit.

But he realized that Keira was giving him and his father a chance. If they didn’t seize it, it might be truly irredeemable.

He finally nodded, "Okay."

Then, right in front of Keira, he called his father and had him come over.

The door opened.

A group of people walked in.

Keira wiped her tears, looked at the worried Naomi Kirby, and smiled softly, "Naomi, I’m fine."

Connor was silent for a moment before he looked at the others in the room, "I’m very sorry for not taking good care of Keira in the past. I used the wrong way to educate her, and I’m unfit to continue being her brother."

Tiana was stunned. Within half an hour, Connor had relented. What did Keira say to him?

Theo Ford, unwilling to waste words, asked directly, "Are the Jules family planning to give up custody of Keira?"

"Yes, since Keira likes Miss Kirby, let her live with Miss Kirby. It’s the Jules family’s way to atone."

Theo Ford inquired again, "Then, do you admit to the abuse of Keira?"

"I am deeply sorry."

This was an admission.

It seemed Connor was a wise man, realizing that continuing in this way would only lead to a more thorough defeat.

Just then, James Jules also arrived.

"Keira, are you feeling better?"

Keira nodded. Although she didn’t want to pursue the matter any further, her heart no longer held any gratitude either. She just nodded faintly.

"That’s good, that’s good."

James had taken his son’s call and heard much of the case’s pros and cons and could only give up custody of Keira. To go to court against Theo Ford would undoubtedly be a futile effort.

He bowed and then said, "Miss Tiana, Miss Naomi, Miss Sue, I apologize for my previous words and actions. I’m sorry, and we’ll entrust Keira to you. We hope that she will be happy."

Such a change was expected by Tiana.

At this critical moment, Mabel Hughes was in trouble. In her memory, Mabel Hughes had cooperated with James Jules before, which was a blow to him emotionally.

Apologizing and giving up custody of Keira was the wise thing to do.

Tiana pursed her lips, "Since you’ve given up, we’ll go through the legal process to have custody transferred to Naomi. They shall have no further connection with her."

"We have no objections."

Tiana nodded and looked at Keira, her gaze softening, "Keira, now they’ve admitted to all the wrongdoings. You have the chance to send them to prison. Whether you do so or not, the choice is yours."

James and Connor were shaken, not expecting Tiana to still seek punishment after they had apologized and given up custody of Keira.

They could only look at Keira, waiting for her answer.

Keira remained silent for a while, looking at the two men whose situation was precarious before her. "No matter what I choose, will you help me, sister?"

Tiana nodded, "Yes."

Keira pursed her lips, "Then I’ll choose to end it here."

Upon hearing this, Tiana felt a slight pain in her heart, "Why, Keira, is it just with a single apology, you’ve forgiven everything they’ve done?"

Keira shook her head, "I just, don’t want to hate anymore."