Looking at the man I had loved for more than thirty years, I tried to give a weak smile.
“Owen, I really didn’t see.”
“I have night blindness… I couldn’t see anything in the dark.”
Owen froze, his face pale with shock. “Impossible!”
“Zara said before she jumped that you knew who it was!”
My mother slapped me with shaking hands, tears streaming down her face.
“Even if you didn’t see, why didn’t you save her?”
“You could have shouted for help, if you had, she wouldn’t have suffered and died!”
“You killed Zara!”
She struck me again and again, her voice breaking. “Who killed my daughter? Tell me!”
I bit down hard, my lips pressed together, saying nothing.
Owen finally lost control. He grabbed the whip lying beside the gallows and struck me hard across the body.
Pain tore through me as my skin split open, and I screamed in agony like someone losing their mind. But Owen didn’t stop.
“Juliette! Are you going to tell the truth or not?!”
The barbed whip ripped chunks of flesh, blood splattering with each blow. I bit back the pain, my eyes fixed on Owen. Seeing his rage, my heart filled with quiet pity.
“Owen, I did it for your own good.”
“My sister deserved to die.”