Villain’s Favorite 71

Chapter 71 Ghosts and Garbage 

Each of them pulled away cleaner than the last. 

Love was all tricks and mind games. Whoever cared less won. The whole point was seeing who could be more heartless. 

Maya had actually thought love was supposed to mean something. 

“I didn’t play with anyone’s feelings. She dumped me. I’m the victim here.” Toby said it like he couldn’t care less, then immediately switched into lecture mode. “My dating history is not something you need to learn from. Just remember one thing. Every guy who comes near you is only trying to use you. You are never allowed to date. Ever.” 

Maya hadn’t even thought that far ahead. 

She gave him a flat “oh” and said, “You done?” 

He’d dragged her out of the activity room like the place was under quarantine. 

“Yep.” His mood had improved dramatically now that she was out of there. “You can head back to class.” 

“This is your fault! I don’t even have time for a nap now.” Maya jabbed a finger at him. “I was about to eat and pass out.” 

A perfectly good afternoon, wrecked. 

“I haven’t slept either.” Toby yawned, looking completely wilted. 

He hadn’t slept well in days. 

All George’s fault. 

“Oh wait, do you actually need friends?” The thought struck him out of nowhere, something Annie had said. He raised an eyebrow. “I’ve got tons. Want some?” 

Friends, to Toby, were disposable. If Maya wanted them, he’d package up a whole batch and ship them over. Maya didn’t even know where to start with that. “No. I don’t want your friends. Go to sleep.” 

She punched him in the stomach and bolted. “Don’t drag me out like that again. You’re so annoying.” 

Toby rubbed the spot where she’d hit him. “You’re so aggressive.” 

And for what? He’d been seriously trying to help. He was even willing to hand over his friends. 

At the Jackson residence, the study was silent. Two figures faced each other across the desk, one tall, one small. Thomas’s eyes settled on the tiny shape standing before him. 

The boy stood with his back perfectly straight, his chestnut hair catching a soft glow in the dim light. That hair was the most visible thing Lawrence had inherited from his mother, Elaine Jackson. 

Thomas gripped a photograph in his hand. 

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12:53 Sat, May 2 

Chapter Ghosts and Garbage 

A family of four. A newborn photo from when the twins had just turned a month old. 

In the picture, the man and woman cach cradled a baby, their smiles warm and easy and real. 

“Do you miss it? The way things were?” 

Lawrence stared at the photo, then spoke. His voice was barely there. 

He was already more of a ghost than a child. Tangled up in memories too heavy for someone his size. 

Thomas blinked back to the present. He looked at Lawrence’s face and pressed his fingers to his temples. “You’re not the only one trapped in the past, Lawrence. Everyone has regrets.” 

Lawrence laughed. It was a little boy’s laugh, high and soft, but the mockery in it could’ve drawn blood. “If you were really trapped in the past, you wouldn’t have grabbed some random kid off the street to fool me and Mom.” 

The words were disturbingly adult. Not long ago, Lawrence had still been a goofy, sunny little optimist. Thomas couldn’t understand what had changed to make Lawrence grow up this much overnight. 

Or why Lawrence had turned so cold toward him. 

Thomas had nearly died at the banquet. Two shots fired by a child, both aimed at him. Lawrence hadn’t shown a shred of concern. Just mockery. 

“Is that why you’ve been going after Kaia?” Thomas exhaled slowly and folded his hands, trying to reach something real. “It’s happened more than once now. If we hadn’t caught it in time, she’d be dead because of you.” 

Kaia, thankfully, was clueless. She’d never figured out Lawrence was behind any of it. She just thought she’d always been sickly and unlucky. 

“Yeah, I hate her.” Lawrence’s voice went sharp. “Why are you always so useless, Dad? You couldn’t keep Mom. You can’t find my sister. And now the best you can do is drag home some knockoff to make yourself feel better. You’re pathetic. You’re completely pathetic. 

“And even if you did find her, you still wouldn’t care about us. You’d just feel like you finally settled your debt to Mom, and then you’d throw us away like we were nothing. Right?” 

Every word landed like a knife. 

“No. I wouldn’t.” Thomas went still for two seconds. His voice was quiet, but it didn’t waver. “I’ll make it up to her. 

“I’m her father, Lawrence. Why do you always assume the worst of me?” 

Lawrence’s composure shattered. “Then get rid of Kaia! Because if you don’t, I will. 

“You keep thinking you can shove some fake into this family and patch the hole.” He glared at Thomas through clenched teeth. “But to me, she’s nothing. And so are you. Neither of you will ever come close to my sister.” 

They shared the same blood. That bond was absolute. Irreplaceable. 

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Chapter 71 Ghosts and Garbage 

Thomas didn’t argue. For once, he actually agreed with Lawrence. 

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This Time I Be the Villains Favorite Daughter

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