Chapter 4
Her parents immediately barged in ransacking her belongings without hesitation
Jordan stood to the side, watching as they roughly stripped her bed and shook out her clothes.
Here it is” Her mother pulled a gleaming necklace from beneath Jordan’s pillow, her face livid
SLAPI
A vicious blow struck Jordan’s face
You shameless thief stealing your own sisters necklace her mother shrieked. “How did I give birth to such garbage?”
Vanessa’s eyes welled with tears. “Jordan, if you liked the necklace, you could have just asked. Why would you steal it?”
“I didn’t steal i jordan’s voice trembled
The The evidence is right here, and you still deny it?” The neighbors pointed accusingly. “Stealing at such a young age–she needs discipline:“[]
Her father’s face darkefed ominously.
- y. “We’ll definitely discipline her. We’re sending her to the county correction facility right now: They’ve got that new juvenile work program that’ll straighten her out
“Good: That’s proper parenting The neighbors applanded||
Jordan stood in the center of the angry mob, looking at their self–righteous faces, feeling a bone–deep chill.]
“Maxwell, I really didn’t steal it jordan clutched desperately at Maxwell’s sleeve, her voice shaking. “Please believe me just this once.…….-]
Maxwell looked down at her, bis
filled t
i with undisguised disappointment. “With all the evidence against you, how can I possibly believe you?”
He detached her fingers from his sleeve one by one. Though not rough, the gesture crushed her last hopeЛ]
“Besides, as a future military wife, you should be setting an example:–
Jordan’s hand fell limply to her side.
Military wife?
How ironic. He wouldn’t even give her hasic trust, yet he still expected to claim her with that ode
the stopped struggling, allowing her parents and the neighbors to escort her to the county correction facility
behind her, she heard and tearfully asking, “Max, do you think Jordan will hate me…7′′]]
And Maxwell’s gadle response “Don’t worry. She brought this on herself.“||
The days in the county currection facility were hellish ||
jordan worked twelve–hour shifts of hard labor, subsisting on moldy bread ]
At night, the ruled up on the damp concrete floor, her wounds in painful for sleep ||
On the fourth ponung. the iron gate finally opened
jorgian, dragged her acting body toward the exit, each step like walking on knives
Jordan Hayes?” A Tandliar voice called out ||
She looked up tu sir Mr. Lee, bir high school hommesm tracker, Baring at her in shock.
“What are you doing here?“||
jorilan opened her mouth but csoldat produce a sounÍ
H
Her throat felt blocked, unable to formulate even a plausible excuse
Mr. Lee glanced at the county correction facility entrance, then at her deathly pale face, seeming to understand something.||
But he didn’t press further, only sighing. Registration for the new semester is coming up soon. Have you bought your train ticket yet?
Registration?
Jordan felt disoriented for a moment |
The three days of relentless suffering had almost made her forget she still had college to attend []
she shook her head ||
it to your house Inter.“||| “I happen to have an extra ticket here.” Mr. Lae pulled an envelope from his bag. “I’ll mail it to y
Jordan’s eyes welled up, and she howed deeply. Thank you, sir.“]
When she finally dragged her exhausted body back home, she spotted the mailman at the housing complex entrance, with Maxwell signing for something
As she approached. Maxwell had just opened the envelope]
It was Mr. Lee’s train Héket.]]
seeing her approach. Maxwell held up the ticket with a stern expression.]
What do you need a ticket for?–
