Chapter 271

271 Fanny’s Backers
Fanny recounted somewhat apprehensively, “Dickson and I wanted to sell you off as quickly as we
could, but that thing around your neck
was an eyesore.
“We couldn’t find a buyer. That sugilite pot glowed and had an
engraving on its back.”
The engraving was a single word, but it meant neither wealth nor good fortune. It was “soul”. No one
would dare to acquire something
like that, much less keep it.
Shuddering, Fanny continued, “I had an elder in our village take a look at the thing around your neck.
He told me it was made from something deep under the earth.
“He claimed that it was cursed and told us to get rid of it quickly. That
included getting rid of you too.
“Dickson and I abandoned you out of fear. We later sold the pendant
to Mr. Rathbone, a jewelry collector in Southdale.”
Mr. Rathbone, Southdale. Wynter stroked her chin as she considered
this information. “What about that landslide that year?”
“Dickson and I ran off after we swapped you with the Yates’ daughter,
Fanny said. Fear flashed in her eyes when she met Wynter’s gaze.”
We thought you were the cause of the landslide.
“After we got to the town, we found out that no one died in the
landslide. There were only a few injured, but that was about it.
“As for you, you were mistaken for the Yates’ daughter and taken
away” away.”
Wynter lowered her gaze. “So where did you kidnap me from?”
“Kingbourne, of course,” Fanny replied. She paused in hesitation and asked, “I mean, isn’t your
brother…”
“My brother?” Wynter’s eyes narrowed.
“The man you rescued from the cellar, he’s…” Fanny broke off as
realization dawned upon her.
Her eyes widened. “You tricked me! You don’t remember anything.
from when you were young!”
Wynter didn’t deny this as she rose to her feet. True to her intelligence
and with the help of Fanny’s story, she had already figured out her
identity. In that case, Ryan’s behavior earlier made sense.
It was medically discouraged for siblings to donate blood to each. other because their blood was too
similar. That was why Wynter’s blood couldn’t be used for Elliot’s transfusion.
Blood from closely related or immediate family could lead to the recipient’s white blood cells attacking
the recipient’s lymphatic cells. This might result in serious complications and put the recipient’s life in
danger.
Wynter clutched her pendant. Her beautiful face was impassive. After so long, she turned out to be a
daughter of the Quinnell family in Kingbourne.
It wasn’t as if she hadn’t guessed it. She had a feeling that might be
true after coming to Paradise Village. Now that she had her answer, she didn’t feel any differently about
things.
When the Yates first kicked her out of their home, Wynter thought her real parents were living in a
village somewhere.
She had planned on making big bucks so that she and her family could thrive together, but that dream
was long gone. The sugilite
charm was the only lead she had left.
Wynter didn’t know why the memories were coming back all of a
sudden. When she first saw Fanny in Southdale, certain images
surfaced in her mind. Now, she finally found the missing links that
had kept her from seeing the full picture.
However, there was still something Wynter couldn’t figure out. She
leaned forward and whispered into Fanny’s ear, “You strike me as the
money-grubbing type. You could have made a small fortune if you’d
just told the Quinnells my whereabouts.
“So why didn’t you tell them the truth instead of giving them false
clues?”
“I- I was worried about getting caught,” Fanny stammered.
She avoided Wynter’s gaze as she continued, “Our livelihood would have been cut off if someone could
just walk up to us and ask about
their kid’s whereabouts.
“It would be fine if they were from the county. But if word got out, then we could get caught if someone
simply did some digging. I doubt anyone would let us off the hook. So I kept quiet about this.”
Analytical as ever, Wynter mused, “When was the last time you didn’t
risk something for money, Fanny? Fear would never stop you from taking the Quinnell’s money.
“I can only think of one good reason why you kept my whereabouts a secret from them. Someone
offered you more money.”
Fanny shuddered.
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