Chapter 369: You Deserve to Die a Horrible Death

Chapter 369: Chapter 369: You Deserve to Die a Horrible Death

Back then, little Sawyer had no idea the woman before her was a devil.

She was a Young Pioneer at school, dedicated to helping others.

"Okay, then." Sawyer squeezed her sister’s hand and said to Lana Yardley, "But ma’am, we can only stay for a little while. Our mom and dad don’t let us play outside for too long."

"Alright," Lana Yardley nodded. "Just a little while is fine."

Her gaze fell on Sawyer’s little sister. "Your sister is so cute. How old is she?"

Sawyer’s little sister held up two fingers and said in a sweet, childish voice, "I’m three!"

"Three years old is three fingers!" Sawyer reminded her sister. "Do it again."

Sawyer’s little sister slowly unfurled another finger. "Three!"

Sawyer grinned, revealing a row of gappy, uneven teeth. "That’s right! Sweetie is so smart!"

"Yes, she’s amazing," Lana Yardley said, reaching out to pat the little sister’s head. She pulled a few orange candies from her pocket. "You two are so cute. How about I treat you to some candy?"

Snacks were a rare treat at The Sawyer’ Place, but when Sawyer saw the candy offered by the strange woman, she waved her hand. "Thank you, ma’am, but we don’t eat candy."

"Candy!" Sweetie cried out in her little-kid voice. "Sweetie wants candy!"

Lana Yardley chuckled. "It’s alright. You’re keeping me company while I wait for someone. It’s only right that I treat you to some candy."

"But..." Sawyer hesitated.

Sweetie was still little, her world divided simply into what she wanted and what she didn’t. She reached out her small hand and grabbed two candies.

"You eat, big sis!" Sweetie said, offering the Candy to her sister.

Lana Yardley praised her, "What a good girl Sweetie is, knowing to give some to her big sister first."

Sawyer was happy too, because this was her sister’s way of showing she loved her.

"Big sis doesn’t want any, Sweetie can have it." Sawyer unwrapped the orange candy and held it to her sister’s mouth.

Sweetie popped the orange candy into her mouth, then held the other, still-wrapped one up to her sister’s lips. "Big sis, have a candy!"

Lana Yardley handed the remaining two candies to Sawyer. "Go on, it’s okay."

In the end, eight-year-old Sawyer couldn’t resist the temptation of the Candy.

’This orange candy is so sweet and sour. It’s delicious.’

As she savored the orange candy, holding her sister’s hand, she felt that the weather was perfect that day. The clouds were white, the sun was bright, and the breeze was cool.

Lana Yardley even told them children’s stories, and the two sisters listened with rapt attention.

The man on the motorcycle appeared again, repeatedly signaling Lana Yardley with his eyes to make her move.

Sawyer felt that this strange man was odd. He didn’t look like a good person. She quickly pulled her sister into her arms.

Seeing this, Lana Yardley asked softly, "What’s wrong, little one?"

"Ma’am," Sawyer said in a low voice, "that man... he kind of looks like a bad guy..."

"It’s okay, don’t be scared. I’ll protect you." With this lie, Lana Yardley successfully won the two sisters’ trust.

She pursed her lips, her heart beginning to race. She turned her head and shot a look at the motorcycle man.

Lana Yardley took a deep breath, trying to stay calm. "How about I hold Sweetie for a bit?"

In Sawyer and Sweetie’s eyes, this woman who gave them Candy and told them stories was definitely a good person.

So the two sisters glanced at each other and agreed.

Lana Yardley took Sweetie into her arms, her smile gradually stiffening. "Sweetie is so light."

"Sweetie is heavy," Sweetie said in her childish voice.

"No, you’re not." Lana Yardley paced back and forth, holding her.

Sawyer thought she was just comforting her sister. She never expected that in the blink of an eye, Lana Yardley would start running, still holding her sister.

"Ma’am!" Sawyer chased after her in a panic. "Ma’am, don’t run! Put my sister down!"

"Sweetie!"

"Let go of my sister!"

Eight-year-old Sawyer ran with all her might, but she couldn’t close the distance. What made her despair was seeing the motorcycle man pull up beside Lana Yardley.

She watched, helpless, as Lana Yardley climbed onto the motorcycle with her sister. They kicked up a cloud of dust and sped away. Her sister grew smaller and smaller, farther and farther, until she couldn’t see her anymore.

Sawyer fell to the ground, screaming until her throat was raw, but her sister was never coming back.

’She had lost her sister...’

Sawyer was too scared to go home. Eventually, a passerby recognized her and took her back.

"Lana Yardley, give me back my sister!" Sawyer’s cry was heart-wrenching.

Lana Yardley stared at her, stunned.

"Where did you take Sweetie?" Sawyer’s eyes filled with suppressed anguish as she choked out the words, "I’m begging you, give me back my Sweetie, please..."

Renee Jennings placed a hand on her trembling shoulders, her voice filled with heartache. "Sawyer."

Sawyer collapsed into her arms, sobbing uncontrollably.

Lana Yardley’s eyes reddened, as if the memory had reawakened a conscience that had been lost for years.

Her lips moved, and she whispered, "I’m sorry."

She had failed the two little girls who had trusted her.

"Is ’sorry’ going to do any good?" Renee Jennings asked, looking at her coldly.

Lana Yardley was silent for a moment before saying, "Back then, I had no choice. I thought about bringing Sweetie back, but it was no longer something I could decide."

"What about now?" Sawyer wiped the tears from her face and looked at her with disgust. "Is someone forcing you to do these things now?"

Lana Yardley lowered her eyes. "I no longer have a choice."

"Where is my sister now?" Sawyer asked, her hands nervously clutching Renee Jennings’.

Lana Yardley glanced at her and shook her head. "I don’t know."

"You really don’t know?"

Lana Yardley shook her head in silence.

At the time, her only job was to bring the child back. She knew nothing about anything else.

The hope on Sawyer’s face faded. She stared at her blankly. "Lana Yardley, you’re a devil. You deserve to die. You deserve a horrible death."

She looked at Renee Jennings and said in a low voice, "Renee, let’s go."

Renee Jennings led Sawyer into the conference room. Kyle Morgan and the other two looked at each other and sighed sadly.

Sawyer’s eyes were swollen from crying. She took the rest of the day off and went home.

Renee Jennings drove her home, but after leaving, she still felt worried about Sawyer, so she turned the car around and drove back.

She bought some beer at a convenience store, went to Sawyer’s front door, and rang the doorbell.

"Renee?" Sawyer opened the door and saw her, asking in surprise, "Why are you back?"

Renee Jennings held up the beer in her hand and smiled. "If you’ve taken the day off, you’re allowed to drink, right? I’ll stay and keep you company tonight."

Sawyer stared at her, dumbfounded.

"Is that okay?" Renee Jennings asked.

"Of course it is!" Sawyer nodded emphatically and got a pair of slippers for Renee Jennings.

Sawyer lived alone in a rented one-bedroom apartment, which was tidy and comfortable.

Renee Jennings sat down on the sofa. Seeing Sawyer rummaging through the fridge as if to cook, she quickly said, "Sawyer, don’t trouble yourself. I’ve already ordered takeout. Come and sit down."

"Okay." Sawyer sat down, suddenly feeling a bit self-conscious. "My place is a little basic."

"Not at all." Renee Jennings looked around with a smile. "It’s very cozy."

"It’s a good thing I bought an extra pair of slippers the other day," Sawyer explained. "I don’t usually have people over."

She didn’t have many female friends. Most of her colleagues on the team were men, and she usually kept to herself after work.

"Then I picked a good time to visit," Renee Jennings said. Then, she noticed several newspapers on the coffee table, with sections in the missing persons classifieds circled in colored pen.