Their Wife

Chapter-40

TWENTY YEARS AGO (FRANKFURT—2003)
SCHMIDT MANSION

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"This useless brat! Bring me my cane, Rachel!" Killian placed his hands behind his back as he looked tearfully at his father, trying sniffing as he tried to catch his breath.

Rachel looked pitifully at the little seven year old as her heart tightened. She couldn't bring herself to bring the cane as her master ordered knowing how it's end. Her teary eyes moved to Killian's short legs adorned with several cane marks from yesterday which still looked afresh and raw.

"I-I am sorry, Vater," Killian sniffed trying to control his tears. If he cry, Vater would punish him more.

"No, you're not sorry, Killian. But you will be when I'll be done with you." Jakob snarled as he stormed up to his son. "Rachel!" Rachel flinched startled as she glanced at Jakob, pleading him with her eyes but her master seemed determined and adamant. She eyed Killian and with a heavy heart, she grabbed the wooden cane from the table and timidly walked over to Jakob.

"Master—"

"Get lost." Jakob growled his eyes fixated on Killian whose sniffles turned into wails.

"It was my fault!" Rachel said, quickly rushing in front of Killian. "I-... I lost my footing, and then he-" But before she could finish defending Killian, someone grabbed her by the back of her blouse yanking her away.

"What did I say about interrupting?" Jakob snarled at her as he motioned the guard to hold her down. "You need to stop that shit, Rachel before I let you join this useless child for punishment."

"But it was my fault, Master! I should be the one to blame not him! He is just a child!" Rachel blurted. Killian could see Rachel trying to struggle through the guard arms from the corner of his eye. A small grin teased the corners of his mouth as he wiped the blood from his nose. Rachel was always trying to throw herself in the line of fire for him. It was both irritating and admirable. Jakob snatched Killian out of his thoughts as he grabbed his son by his hair harshly.

"He is not a child, he is an abomination to this family!" Jakob snapped. Killian swallowed hard as he looked at his father. "I have done so much for him and yet he can't even be grateful. Just like his unfaithful mother. I should've burned him with him." Jakob threatened, yanking Killian's head back.

Killian stumbled forward and felt tears down his cheeks. Rachel flinched as she looked wide eyed at Jakob.

Jakob scoffed wrapping his other hand around Killian's neck as he squeezed his neck hard. There was undefined hatred and disgust in Jakob's eyes, unfathomable rage that Killian wondered what bad he had done to deserve this much loath from his own father.

"Let me show him what disobedience would get him," Jakob whispered sadistiaclly. "I'll show you what real hell is," he smirked as several chills ran down Killian's spine. He let out a painful sob as Jakob dragged him by the hair to the kitchen. Rachel screamed and thrashed in the guard's hold as he held her down.

"NO!" She whimpered as Killian and Jakob's framed disapperead behind the kitchen wall. Her heart pounded against her chest as she bit her lips hard as her eyes watered. Throughout the years, she had seen Killian going through the evils of his father, the torture a young boy of seven year couldn't bear. Every day there was a new bruise on his pristine body, and whenever she tended to him, her heart ached for him. For a barren woman like her, he was like her own child.

Killian looked wide eyed at his father as his father yanked him by the hair and slammed his head against the counter. The young boy cried in pain and let out a heart-wrenching wail as Jakob seethed at him.