Chapter 1723

“Head toward the north side of the city. I’ll direct you when we get close,” Karina said.
Wilfred didn’t respond, but he quietly pulled up the navigation system. The car smoothly headed in the indicated direction.
The north side was an older, run-down part of town, somewhere Wilfred had never been. His time in Birkham was mostly spent at the hospital, with occasional visits to Nash’s place. Even those visits had lessened now that Nash’s life had settled into a comfortable routine. Without Karina’s directions, he wouldn’t have found this area at all.
Eventually, Karina pointed to a small, worn-down house, and Wilfred parked in front of it. As soon as the car stopped, the sound of smashing and shouting spilled out from inside.
“Whatever we ask for, she can’t provide! I really don’t know why you’re still siding with that wretched girl!
“If it weren’t for her, do you think Kieran would be like this today?”
“She’s given us enough money already! And for the last time, what happened to Kieran was an accident. How can you keep blaming her?”
The endless shouting was nothing new to Karina. She had grown used to it. Wilfred, on the other hand, had no habit of getting involved in other people’s family matters. Before she unbuckled her seatbelt to get out, he spoke in his usual calm tone, eyes fixed ahead. “Don’t let personal problems affect your work. If you can’t handle this, take time off,” he said. “And don’t worry about the fare.”
It wasn’t lost on Karina that Wilfred didn’t want to hear any explanations. His disinterest was clear, and there was no room for argument. She sighed inwardly, deciding to thank him in cash tomorrow instead. For now, she needed to deal with what was in front of her. Stepping inside, Karina took in the wreckage. Broken glass and overturned furniture littered the floor. She let out a weary sigh.
“I have hundred thousand,” she said flatly, holding her ground. “But this is the last time. I’m almost thirty years old-”
“Almost thirty?” A middle-aged man’s voice, rough and angry, cut her off. “Do you realize that because of you, Tara didn’t even reach thirty?”
Karina froze, as if the words had struck her in the chest.
“Enough!” gried a woman, her sobs echoing in the small space. “It was an accident. All these years, Karina’s done enough for us! If it weren’t for you, we wouldn’t be stuck living in this dump!”
Karina looked around, searching for any sign of Kieran Stone. She knew the truth-this so-called suicide attempt was just another ruse to bring her here. It was exhausting. It was endless.
“I meant what I said,” Karina replied firmly. “This is the last time I’m giving you money. Over the past six years, I’ve given you six hundred thousand. I’ve done more than
enough.”
But before she could say more, a bitter laugh erupted from inside one of the rooms. A man in a wheelchair rolled himself forward, his expression twisted with anger.
“Karina, you think you can just wash your hands of this?” Kieran sneered, gesturing toward his legs. “Look at me! If it weren’t for you, would Tara be dead? Would I be like this?”
Karina’s breath hitched. She struggled to find her voice.
“It was an accident. Tara didn’t know how to drive, and you were drunk! I’ve blamed myself for years, but you can’t pin everything on me.”
She steadied herself and met his glare. “Kieran, even if we took this to court, what I’ve given you over the years far exceeds what’s fair.” Kieran let out another harsh laugh, his expression full of malice.
“Court? You really think you’d come out clean? Don’t forget, Karina! It was your idea to go to that place in the first place. You set all of this in motion.”
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