Chapter 4 Kidney

• After Franklin finished speaking, he took Winona's hand and said with utmost sincerity, “Let's go get our marriage certificate now, and from then on, we'll be a real married couple...”
• Over the years, all the grievances suffered by Winona, Franklin had sworn to make up for each and every one of them.
• Seeing Franklin's solemn demeanor, Winona bit her lips tightly, continuously shaking her head.
• In the wake of her emotional stirrings, she predominantly felt a profound sense of despair.
• After living with a disfigured face for five years, she had lost all hope for the future.
• Her life was already in ruins, so how could she possibly marry Franklin and bring disaster upon him?
• Susan didn't see it that way. She stated without any hesitation. “Winona, you should go with that scoundrel right now and get your marriage license. He wants to repay you, doesn't he? Then give him a chance, let him take care of you for the rest of his life!”
• Winona shook her head firmly. “Mom, no. I don't need anyone to take care of me. My life is already ruined. I can't ruin someone else's!”
• Susan was instantly enraged. “It's all because of this jerk that you suffered full-body burns, enduring the agony day and night. It's him who disfigured you, making you despised by others. He's the one who reduced us, mother and daughter, to this state, making us as destitute as homeless dogs. He must pay for all these debts!”
• Listening to Susan's furious words, and seeing her distorted face filled with rage, Franklin lowered his head, his fists clenched tightly. His face was full of guilt. Indeed, that was a debt he owed.
• Winona, however, bit her lip firmly, refusing adamantly, “Mom, I saved him without expecting anything in return. The burns on my body are my own fault. I don't want to burden anyone else. If it comes to that, I'd rather stay unmarried for the rest of my life!”
• As she spoke, her eyes had already turned red. She was about to turn around and leave.
• “Hold it right there!” Susan was so frustrated that she stomped her foot.
• She looked around, suddenly flung open the window, and yelled, “Winona, are you now ignoring even your mother's words? You disobedient girl! Just great! “Believe it or not, if you don't marry this jerk today, I swear I'll jump from here right now. I might as well be dead!”
• After Susan finished speaking, one of her feet was already poised on the window ledge.
• “Don't!” Startled, Winona blanched, crying out, “Mom, you need to come down, hurry!”
• “Are you going to agree to marry him?” Susan bellowed, her eyes wide with anticipation.
• “I... I...”
• “If you don't agree to this, I might as well be dead!” Susan screamed, her other foot also on the window ledge.
• She had already lost her sanity.
• “I... I'll marry him... Mom, please come down.” After Winona finished speaking, her tears had already soaked her face mask. She walked over to the window and helped Susan down.
• Bang!
• Susan had just come down from the window when the door to her home was abruptly kicked open.
• Subsequently, a few thugs barged right in.
• “Who is Winona?” The gang leader scanned the crowd, his gaze finally landing on Winona, who was tightly wrapped up. “Dressed in such an unseemly manner, it must be you, right?”
• “I am Winona. What do you want?” Winona stepped back, her voice trembling with fear.
• The group of hooligans before her eyes were clearly not to be messed with.
• Susan also expressed her apprehension, asking, “Excuse me, sir, what do you want with my daughter?”
• “Why do you care? That's none of your business!” The man sneered, brushing off Susan with a wave of his hand. He pointed at Winona and barked, “Take her away for me!”
• The other thugs immediately lunged at Winona.
• “Murder! Help!” Susan was pushed to the ground, screaming in terror.
• Winona was also scared to the point of losing all color in her face, feeling utterly hopeless. She froze in fear on the spot as she watched a few ruffians rush toward her!
• “Tell me who sent you, and I might just let you leave.” Suddenly, a figure appeared in front of Winona, effectively blocking the approaching thugs with a chilling demeanor.
• It was Franklin!
• “Why the hell are you meddling? Who the hell do you think you are...” a brash, young punk jeered.
• Bang!
• Franklin swiftly lifted his hand, and the blond troublemaker seemed to be hit by an enormous force. His body instantly flew backward, crashing harshly onto the ground.
• The gang leader was taken aback, his gaze falling onto Franklin. “You dare to fight? We're under Mr. Newt's command. Everyone, get him!”
• Without uttering a word, several thugs immediately swung their fists toward Franklin.
• “You have a death wish!” Franklin responded coolly, raising his hand to meet the challenge.
• Thump, thump, thump...
• A muffled sound echoed through.
• In less than a minute, a few thugs were wailing, sprawled out on the ground.
• Franklin didn't really go all out, he merely broke the arms of those thugs.
• Wide-eyed, Winona stared, her face filled with disbelief.
• Susan was also taken aback, a tinge of fear intermingling with her shock.
• They had never imagined that Franklin's skills would be this impressive!
• Franklin, with his hands behind his back, strolled up to the leader of the thugs. He looked down at him nonchalantly and said, “This mother and daughter haven't provoked anyone. Why have you taken them? Explain!”
• Just one glance was all it took. The leader of the troublemakers turned deathly pale, his body trembling uncontrollably. The look in his eyes was akin to witnessing a bloody massacre, instilling an unparalleled sense of dread.
• “It was... It was Zavier,” the man said fearfully. “He owed Mr. Newt a gambling debt and... he used Winona's kidney as collateral to us.”
• Zavier, indeed, was the father of Winona! He was also the ex-husband of Susan!
• “What?” Upon hearing that, Winona immediately stiffened, as if she had been struck by lightning.
• She had initially thought that despite her father's abandonment of her and her mother, his disdain for her disfigured face, his laziness, and his gambling addiction, he still had a shred of humanity left in him!
• She never would have imagined that Zavier would resort to using her kidney to pay off his gambling debts.
• Her own father had sold her kidney!
• “Zavier, you actually sold your daughter's kidney! You're not human! You're a beast! A b*stard! Deserving of a thousand deaths! You're unworthy of being called a human. You're just a beast with a human face! I'll kill you! I'm going to kill you!” Susan had already dialed Zavier's number, launching into a furious tirade.
• The shameless voice of Zavier came through the phone. “Susan, would you quit yapping like a mad dog, please? What can I do now that I'm out of cash? Winona is my child, my daughter. What's the big deal if she sells a kidney to help me cover my gambling debts? Living with one kidney isn't impossible, right? Besides, who's to blame for her disfigurement? If she hadn't been, she could have married a rich man and I wouldn't be short of money. Even if she couldn't marry a wealthy man, as long as she wasn't disfigured, she could have sold herself! Back in the old days, wasn't it common for daughters to sacrifice themselves to save their fathers?”
• After he finished speaking, he abruptly hung up the phone.
• “Argh! This d*mn scoundrel! I'm going to kill him! Starting with you b*stards!” Susan's eyes were bloodshot as she stormed into the kitchen to grab a cleaver. She was ready to strike down the thug lying on the floor!
• “Mom, no! Don't act impulsively! If you kill someone, you'll get arrested too! If you end up in jail, how are you going to see your daughter get married? Mom, I'm begging you, don't act rashly!” With a sobbing tone, Winona held onto Susan tightly, repeating continuously. “Mom, please calm down. I'm going to get the marriage certificate with Franklin right now. We're going to get married, so please, put the knife down. Can you please put the knife down? Mom, I'm begging you...”
• Clang!
• Susan's grip loosened, and the kitchen knife fell to the ground.
• “Winona, what on earth did you do to deserve this in your life...” Susan collapsed onto the ground, clutching Winona and sobbing uncontrollably.