I was stunned. How could this be? My father-in-law had schemed for his own benefit, leading to the destruction of the Thompson family. My father was killed by arrows in the palace. My mother was hanged with a white silk ribbon in the Thompson Mansion. My elder brother was stabbed to death by my father-in-law. I witnessed all of this firsthand, and my father-in-law had told me so himself.
A wave of metallic-tasting blood surged in my throat. No wonder my mother, who had always favored Maria over me, had acted so strangely before her death.
On the day she was hanged, she cursed Maria, saying, "The moment Christopher chose to be the Garcia family's son-in-law for you, he ceased to be my son.
"Get out of this mansion!"
I watched my mother hang from the beams, her feet struggling in the air. After Maria and I were thrown out of the Thompson Mansion, the streets were filled with the stench of blood and cries for violence.
What did I do then? I let go of Maria's hand and rushed to the battlefield to save my brother. Maria, her eyes swollen from crying, struggled to follow me, holding on to the last of her strength.