Chapter 432: Chapter 432: The Truth
Jade Rowan was stunned for a moment, then she shook her head repeatedly and replied, "No, no, he really wouldn’t! Cameron has changed, Grace. You have to believe him!"
As if anxious to prove something, or perhaps afraid Grace Sutton would misunderstand, Jade Rowan grabbed her hand and said urgently, "Grace, Cameron has been working hard all these years to save money and pay off his debts, to atone for everything he did before! He made a solemn oath to me, he promised he would absolutely never gamble again!"
"Besides, these are difficult times. It’s already so hard just to survive, so how could he possibly go gambling? He definitely wouldn’t do that!"
Seeing the urgent look on Jade Rowan’s face, Grace Sutton felt a pang of pity. She patted Jade Rowan’s hand and said soothingly, "Alright, alright, I understand. Don’t get so worked up."
Only after hearing Grace Sutton say this did Jade Rowan let out a sigh of relief.
Looking at Jade Rowan like this, Grace Sutton sighed and said, her heart aching for her, "Oh, Jade, it hasn’t been easy for you all these years... Really, if Cameron has started gambling again, you don’t have to keep suffering along with him..."
Grace Sutton didn’t have the heart to say the rest. What she wanted to say was that instead of endlessly paying off Cameron Summers’s gambling debts with him, living in constant fear while hiding from creditors, Jade Rowan would be better off divorcing him! If Jade Rowan divorced him and left with her child, the Summers family would still take care of her and her son.
Cameron Summers had been gambling for so many years. Once you get caught up in vices like gambling and drugs, it’s incredibly hard to change. Sticking with a gambler to pay off their debts was like jumping into a bottomless pit—there was no way out!
Melody Summers had been listening silently off to the side without saying a word, but she felt the same way as Grace Sutton.
Moreover, Melody Summers really couldn’t understand why her aunt, knowing full well her uncle was addicted to gambling and that even his family had cut ties with him, still steadfastly remained by his side, insisting on suffering with him to pay off his gambling debts.
’Is this what they call love?’
Melody Summers couldn’t comprehend it at all.
Jade Rowan understood the meaning behind Grace Sutton’s words. She froze for a moment, then gave an awkward laugh and replied, "Grace, I’m not like you and Winnie. You’re both capable women, but I’m not. I... I really don’t want to get a job..."
In Jade Rowan’s eyes, she much preferred the life of a full-time housewife. As long as she didn’t have to work, nothing else mattered to her. If she divorced, neither her in-laws nor her own family would likely let her be a freeloader.
Under the gazes of Melody Summers and Grace Sutton, Jade Rowan wrung her hands awkwardly and continued, "Even though Cameron has been gambling all these years, he’s always brought money home to cover our expenses. As long as Cameron can support the family, I don’t really care if he gambles or not..."
Hearing Jade Rowan’s words, Melody Summers was momentarily speechless.
Grace Sutton, however, furrowed her brow upon hearing what Jade Rowan said.
Just as she was about to try and persuade Jade Rowan to take the dangers of gambling seriously, the sound of a lock turning suddenly came from the front door.
As the door opened, Cameron Summers and his son, Clark Summers, returned.
Clark Summers’s voice called out from the living room, "Mom! Come look! Dad and I brought back a lot of coal today!"
Hearing the excitement in her son’s voice, Jade Rowan quickly stood up and went out. She walked into the living room, looked at the father and son, and said to Cameron, "You’re finally back! Grace and Melody are here. They’ve been waiting for you for a while!"
Just then, Melody Summers and Grace Sutton also came out. Seeing the box of coal Clark was holding, Grace Sutton’s brow furrowed.
She couldn’t hold back any longer and asked Cameron directly, "Cameron, where did you get this box of coal... Tell me the truth, did you... did you go gambling again?!"
Hearing Grace Sutton’s question, Cameron Summers was stunned for a moment, then immediately protested his innocence.
His eyes widened as he looked at Grace Sutton with an innocent expression, explaining urgently, "Grace, you’re accusing me unfairly! I really didn’t gamble! Clark and I got this coal as payment for helping a neighbor!"
Looking as if he was ready to swear an oath to the heavens, Cameron Summers repeatedly assured Grace Sutton, "Grace, I know gambling leads to ruin and breaks up families. I’ll never touch that poison again in my life. You have to believe me! I really won’t gamble again!"
The anxiety and sense of being wronged on Cameron Summers’s face didn’t seem fake, and for a moment, Grace Sutton wasn’t so sure. ’Have I really accused him unfairly?’
Melody Summers, however, turned to Clark Summers, who was silently holding the coal, and asked in a low voice, "Clark, tell me the truth. Where did you really get this box of coal?"
Clark’s grip on the box tightened slightly. He looked up at Melody and, after a moment’s hesitation, said, "It’s just like my dad said. We went to 1105 to help take care of an old man, and this is the payment they gave us!"
"Melody, it’s all true. My dad hasn’t gambled in a long time. In fact, he’s always telling me that I should never, ever touch gambling, no matter what!"
Clark had a frank expression, his clear eyes meeting Melody’s scrutinizing gaze directly, showing no sign of the guilty conscience that comes with lying.
Seeing that Grace and Melody were still skeptical, a wronged look appeared in Cameron’s eyes.
He knew it was hard for his family to believe him now. It was all his own fault for being so foolish and addicted to gambling in the past; he couldn’t blame anyone else.
He thought for a moment, then took the initiative and said, "How about this, Grace, if you still don’t believe me, let’s go to 1105 right now. The resident of 1105 can vouch for me. The coal really was their payment!"
******
Cameron led Grace and Melody to 4-1105. Standing at the door, Cameron stepped forward and knocked.
The door opened quickly to reveal a tall man. He looked to be in his forties with a square face and an honest, upright air about him. He seemed very kind. Although he was bundled up in a thick down jacket, you could still tell he had a straight, strong posture.
Upon seeing Cameron, the man gave an easygoing smile and greeted him, "Summers, what brings you here? Come on, come on in."
The three of them entered the apartment, and Melody discreetly looked around. Unit 1105 was simply decorated and sparsely furnished. The family seemed to be new tenants who had just moved in.
However, looking at the tall occupant of 1105 in front of her, Melody couldn’t imagine his family being in need of someone else’s help.
After Cameron explained their reason for visiting, the occupant of 1105 scoffed. He looked at Grace and Melody and said with a helpless air, "Gambling? How is that possible? You’re really overthinking this."
With that, he raised his right hand. As everyone watched, he began to slowly pull up his sleeve, gradually revealing his arm.
When the sleeve was fully rolled up, Grace couldn’t help but gasp. The man’s right hand had been cleanly severed at the wrist! Where his wrist and hand should have been, there was nothing but a stump, the stitches on it looking gruesome.
He was missing his right hand!
As Grace stared in shock, the man continued, "I was working in a factory when my hand got caught in a machine and was severed, leaving me disabled. But I have a paralyzed elderly father at home who needs to be cared for. He needs to be turned over and massaged every day, and I just can’t manage it on my own. That’s why I asked Summers to come and help."
"It’s so cold now, and I felt bad having Summers come over for nothing, so I gave them some coal and other things as a thank you. It was just a small token of my appreciation. It has nothing to do with gambling!"
