Chapter 18
Back in the States, at the Atlante estate.
When Quentin got back, he found Carrie looking like absolute bell–hair all over the place, clothes torn and dirty, her face streaked with grime and tears. She looked like something that had crawled out of the pits of hell.
She was clutching Carter tight, barricaded in a room with the door locked from the inside. No matter who tried to talk to her, she wouldn’t open up.
When Laurel saw Quentin return, she looked like she’d found salvation: “Quentin, Carrie’s completely fucking lost it, but Carter’s
innocent! You have to save him!”
Quentin looked like a walking corpse, his bloodshot eyes showing just how exhausted he was. He nodded grimly and had his guys break down the door before walking in.]
Carrie, you wanted to see me? Well, congratulations–here I am. Now let Carter go![]
Carrie’s head snapped up, and when she locked eyes with Quentin, she burst into this maniacal laugh.
“Hahahaha…”
She was cackling like a complete psycho, the sound echoing through the room and making everyone’s skin crawl.
*Quentin, I heard you went crawling to England like a pathetic little bitch and Jessica told you to fuck off! That’s what you fucking deserve–karma!”
“Jessica will never forgive you for the rest of your miserable life!
Her words were dripping with venom, like she was trying to dump all her pain and despair onto Quentin.[]
Carter was terrified by his mother’s insane behavior, crying his little heart out: “Mommy, it’s me, it’s Carter…“[]
His tiny voice was full of fear and confusion, trying to snap his mother back to reality.[]
But Carrie had completely lost it. She was shaking Carter violently, her eyes blazing with rage.
“Shut up! This is all your fault for being useless! Because of you, I couldn’t even become Mrs. Atlante! You’re fucking worthless!“]
She was getting more worked up by the second, her face twisted with fury. The knife in her hand nicked Carter’s neck, drawing blood and making him scream.
Quentin suddenly flashed back to a month ago, when Carrie had held a knife to Jessica’s throat the same way.
Back then, he’d just stood there watching coldly. But this time, he had to act
“Carrie, snap out of it! Carter’s your own flesh and blood!”
Carrie acted like
ke she’d heard the funniest joke ever, laughing hysterically while her body shook like a leaf: “My son? Yeah, he’s my precious son.“]
“But I don’t want to live anymore, so he can come die with me!”
Quentin panicked and rushed forward, getting closer to them.
Carrie saw him approaching and that deep–seated terror kicked in again, making her go completely ballistic as she swung the knife wildly.
“Stay back! Don’t come any closer
Quentin moved fast, grabbing Carter’s hand and shoving him out of the way, but the next second, the knife plunged straight into his chest, blood gushing out everywhere.]]
Carrie’s eyes went wide with shock as she screamed.[
“Ahhh! You ran right into it! It’s not my fault–it’s you who fucking ran right into it![]
“Mr. Atlante!” his assistant yelled, frantically calling 911 while they rushed Quentin to the hospital.[]
The doctor doing the emergency surgery was Quentin’s old friend Wayne, who took one look at all the blood and cursed under his breath: “Jesus Christ, what the hell has this guy done to himself?”
A day and night passed before the operating room lights finally went out []
Laurel had been waiting outside the whole time, looking like she’d aged ten years: “Wayne, my son…. please tell me he’s okay.“]
Her voice was shaking so hard she could barely get the words out.
Wayne’s face was grim as he shook his head: “He’s alive, but whether he’ll ever wake up is totally up in the air right now.“]
The words hit Laurel. She stumbled backward, nearly falling to the floor.
She buried her face in her hands, completely breaking down: This is all my fault! I’m the one who pushed him! If I’d known it would end like this, I would’ve just let him be happy with Jessica What’s the point of protecting the family fortune if my son might never wake up!”
Her cries echoed through the hospital corridor, full of despair and regret
But no matter how hard she cried, Quentin lay there like a stone, lost somewhere in the darkness
