Chapter 981
"Enough!" Heather slammed her fists on the table. Hannah, shocked, began to tremble.
"Look at you! We don't resemble each other at all! Stop shaking!" Heather demanded, a surge of anger evident. She wanted to kick her sister. "Are you afraid of me? Genuinely afraid of me?"
"Y-yes," Hannah whispered, her voice barely audible.
"You're afraid, huh?!" Heather smirked coldly. "If you were terrified of me, you wouldn't have gotten your ears pierced without my permission!"
Heather, too, had been forced to get her ears pierced because of Hannah's selfish desires. She had never wanted to alter her body, especially with tattoos or piercings. Training in kickboxing was already arduous and painful; why inflict further harm? Pierced ears would only give her enemies an advantage, a vulnerable point to exploit during a fight. The potential for injury was severe.
Heather loathed the idea, but her sister's actions had left her no choice. This only intensified her contempt for Hannah. Since they shared the same face, Heather had to endure the consequences. The Riggs family already had a successful daughter in Heather; Hannah, in her view, was useless.
"I-I'm sorry," Hannah stammered, her voice trembling.
"It's too late for apologies. I had to do what you did because of your rashness!" Heather's fury escalated. She picked up the cane from the table and began to strike Hannah.
Hannah bit her lip, enduring the pain without flinching. Years of experience had taught her that resisting only prolonged the ordeal. Remaining still allowed Heather to vent her anger, bringing the beating to a quicker end. Heather's wrath was far more terrifying than the physical pain.
Heather avoided Hannah's face and other visible areas, focusing her blows on her back and inner thighs. The strikes were agonizing, delivered with the strength of a fighter and the sharpness of the thin cane. Hannah sometimes wondered if the only thing distinguishing them was the network of scars marring her back. Naturally, Heather kept these sessions secret, confining them to her bedroom. Hannah, too, preferred this arrangement, finding a strange relief in the beatings; they signified a lessening of Heather's pent-up rage. If Heather didn't beat her, it meant she was suppressing her anger, a dangerous situation that could erupt and damage the family further.
Hannah silently endured the lashing. When Heather finally ceased, she looked down at Hannah.
"Make sure you remember this lesson!"
"I will," Hannah replied, her voice a tremor. She clenched her fists, suppressing the pain, no longer daring to bite her lip. "You better not forget. I hope this is the last time you pull something like this!"
Heather tossed the cane aside and approached Hannah. She sighed, a hint of weariness in her gaze. "It's not like I love to beat you, but you must remember we're on to something important here. For the Riggs family's sake and our safety, the public finding out about you would put us all in grave danger. How would the family survive without me?"