Texas.
Newt Town.
Outside the Sawyer Estate.
A white sedan slowly approached. Under Heather's watchful gaze, an elderly man with a white beard and a suit stepped out.
"Mr. Flanworth?"
"That's . And you must be Heather?"
The old man looked at Heather kindly.
"Yes, that's ."
Heather nodded. "Thank you for coming all the way from Dallas."
"It was my duty."
Flanworth extended his hand for a handshake. "Everything is for Rayla. She was a good person, the finest woman I've known."
He glanced at the graffiti scrawled on the estate's front wall and sighed. "But she wasn't exactly welcod around here."
"Can you tell what's going on?"
Heather looked at him curiously. "A few days ago, I didn't even know I had a grandmother."
"Of course."
Flanworth handed her a manila envelope. "The inheritance docunts are all in here. The process is divided into three steps. But I should tell you, Rayla didn't want you to sell this estate, so she put so restrictions in her will."
"That can wait."
Heather took the envelope but kept her eyes on him. "I want to know the story behind all of this."
"Well..."
Flanworth hesitated. Then, as if rembering sothing, he patted his head and pulled a letter from his pocket, handing it to Heather. "I almost forgot the most important thing. Rayla left this for you. It should explain everything you want to know."
Before Heather could respond, he handed her a long keychain and explained, "These are all the keys to the estate. Rayla was very particular about privacy and security. The electronic passcode is 0819."
After Heather took the keys, still staring at him, Flanworth averted his eyes awkwardly and pulled out a business card. "This is my card. Call if you need anything. An accountant will help you sort through the assets later. But rember, read Rayla's letter."
"I actually need sothing right now."
Seeing his evasiveness, Heather beca more convinced there was sothing wrong. She invited him, "Why don't you co inside with ? We can talk more comfortably."
"No!"
Flanworth glanced at the estate, a flash of fear crossing his eyes before he instinctively refused.
Realizing his reaction was too harsh, he awkwardly added, "I have other matters to attend to... I already made an appointnt."
"Mr. Flanworth, you were close friends with my grandmother, right?"
Heather's expression softened, her voice tinged with sadness.
"Uh, yes."
Flanworth reluctantly nodded.
"My grandmother has passed away."
Heather's emotions were genuine, not just for the grandmother she never t but for the brutal reality of her own mother's tragic death at the hands of her adoptive parents. Tears welled up as she looked at Flanworth.
"I have no one here. You're the only one who can help ."
Heather's beauty was striking, and with tears in her eyes, few n could resist. Flanworth, who knew the truth and had been Rayla's lawyer and friend for years, was no exception.
"Sigh..."
Flanworth sighed heavily. "You're not alone..."
"What?"
Heather was stunned.
She had been fishing for information but didn't expect to get such a shocking revelation. Did she have other living relatives?
"But maybe you'd rather be alone."
Flanworth looked at the estate. "Sotis ignorance is bliss."
"The truth is the truth. It can't be ignored."
Heather was firm. "I want to know everything. Please, tell . I can handle it."
"Alright."
Flanworth looked at Heather for a mont, seeing her determination. He finally relented. "If you insist, then I'll tell you everything. It all started over twenty years ago..."
The Sawyer family had lived here for generations. Over twenty years ago, Heather's cousin, who was ntally challenged but incredibly strong, had a twisted obsession with using a chainsaw to kill. People went missing in town regularly.
The townspeople suspected the Sawyers but couldn't find any evidence. They were powerless.
One day, a young woman, covered in blood, escaped from the Sawyer house. She revealed that her friends had all been brutally murdered.
Outraged, the townspeople quickly gathered a mob and surrounded the Sawyer house. Despite the sheriff's efforts to negotiate a peaceful surrender, they ignored him, throwing flaming bottles into the house and setting it ablaze.
They then rcilessly gunned down every mber of the Sawyer family.
Heather's mother managed to escape, carrying baby Heather in her arms. She collapsed by the roadside, barely alive, pleading for help from Heather's adoptive mother.
Unable to have children of her own, Heather's adoptive mother was overjoyed to find the baby. She called her husband, who was searching for survivors nearby.
He understood imdiately, pretending to agree as he picked up baby Heather. But then, he rcilessly kicked Heather's mother to death.
They hid baby Heather in their car before joining the others in celebrating their so-called victory.
They paraded around like conquering heroes, so waving chainsaws, others posing with severed limbs from the Sawyer family, taking triumphant photos.
The Sawyer house burned to the ground, but the true cause of it all—Heather's chainsaw-wielding cousin—survived in the basent.
Rayla, who had been out of town, was spared. When she returned, she rebuilt the Sawyer Estate on the ruins.
Over twenty years passed, and just a few weeks ago, she passed away from illness.
"When she returned, Rayla uncovered the whole truth. She found you imdiately but kept her distance to keep you safe. She watched over you from afar, never disturbing your life."
Flanworth sighed. "If she could, she wouldn't have wanted you to return. But she had no choice. She died, and your cousin in the basent needs soone to care for him."
Seeing Heather's silence, Flanworth assud she was scared. He tried to comfort her, "Your cousin knows who you are, so don't be afraid. When Rayla took to see him, he was even scared of . His mind is like an eight-year-old's. He needs soone to look after him."
"This was a massacre!"
After a long silence, Heather growled, anger barely contained. "Why did no one seek justice?! If my grandmother had the resources to rebuild this place and hire a lawyer like you, why didn't she sue them?!"
"Sigh..."
Flanworth gave a bitter smile. "Child, this is Texas..."
(End of Chapter)
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