Chapter 46

"Looking at the scenery?"

Margaret didn't believe her daughter's words. Just moments ago, while she was praying in her room, she suddenly felt a tightness in her chest, as if something was choking her.

She was sincere in her prayers, and the house was silent, so it must have been a problem with Carrie.

Margaret picked up the sacred cross she had just blessed and went to Carrie's room to inspect.

She walked step by step towards the window and peeked outside.

Unfortunately, she didn't see anything.

"Mom?"

Carrie acted surprised.

Margaret retracted and closed the window tightly. "At night, make sure all doors and windows are securely closed!"

She was confident her daughter had no time to react because her footsteps had been very light.

Margaret then looked around the room. The cross was hung up properly, and the Bible was placed on the table.

Perhaps she was being overly suspicious?

Margaret looked at her daughter and asked, "Did you pray today?"

Carrie quickly and guiltily nodded, "Yes!"

In reality, she had been lost in her thoughts since after dinner, even when she opened the Bible, her attention was scattered.

She kept thinking about when Randy would come and what she would do.

Margaret could understand Carrie's nervousness; Carrie had always been like this since she was little. To her, such nervousness was a sign of respect towards an elder.

As for the suspicion of someone being in the room?

Margaret couldn't even think of that; to her, Carrie, who was as gentle as a lamb, wouldn't have such boldness.

So, her expression relaxed, and she placed the cross against the window and closed her eyes to pray.

"Night is the time when demons appear. Do not open doors or windows carelessly, and do not go outside. The townspeople have lost their faith, and this place is no longer protected by God."

Randy, who was hiding in the closet, agreed with her words. The town indeed needed to restore its faith.

Although Carrie showed great respect, in reality, she was just letting it go in one ear and out the other.

"Okay, Mom."

"Okay, my child."

Margaret smiled and gently stroked Carrie's face, then looked at her daughter's attire with疑惑, "It's already evening. Aren't you going to change into your pajamas?"

Carrie felt inexplicably anxious. She was waiting for Randy and wouldn't change clothes early.

But she met Margaret's unwavering gaze.

This wasn't a reminder but a command.

"I... I'll change soon."

Carrie knew what was in the closet, and she couldn't resist at this moment without raising her mother's suspicion.

Carrie carefully went to the wardrobe. Margaret was standing with her back to the window and watching from the side.

Fortunately, she couldn't see inside the wardrobe.

So, Carrie cautiously opened the closet door.

As soon as the door opened, she saw Randy standing there calmly, holding a relatively cool pajama, ready to hand it over.

Carrie felt extremely embarrassed and quickly avoided eye contact. Trembling, she reached past Randy to grab a thicker, plush pajama from the wardrobe.

But as soon as she took it out, it aroused Margaret's suspicion.

"Are you cold at night, Carrie?"

Randy, hidden in the wardrobe, was grateful for Margaret's assist.

"No, not at all."

Carrie was startled and quickly put the pajama back, but since Randy was deliberately blocking her, she couldn't choose another pajama.

So, she had to tremblingly accept the pajama Randy was handing over and quickly close the closet door.

Carrie then turned around, facing away from Margaret, and placed the pajama on the bed, slowly unbuttoning her blouse.

"Aren't you afraid of being seen?"

Carrie was startled by this question, thinking her mother had discovered something.

Turning around, she saw Margaret carefully drawing the curtains closed.

She then breathed a sigh of relief. This also reminded her that Randy, hiding in the wardrobe, could see the outside scene through the gap.

So, she hurried to the end of the bed, undressed quickly, and then put on the pajama.

The pajama wasn't particularly revealing, and compared to the fashionable girls at school, it could even be considered conservative. However, because it was a spaghetti strap, it accentuated her figure more.

Margaret's expression remained stern. Her daughter had reached physical maturity, but her inner spiritual growth had not progressed. Instincts might drive her to betray the teachings and seek relations with men!

Just like Margaret had done in the past, falling into temptation from a man's sweet words, resulting in the unexpected birth of Carrie.

It was a memory she never wished to recall, a disgrace to her faith.

Margaret bowed her head, closing her eyes in inner turmoil. If Carrie were to follow the same path she had taken…

Margaret would regret not being able to eliminate her at birth.

"What's wrong, Mom?"

Carrie noticed her mother's abnormal behavior and asked, confused.

Margaret then raised her head, walked step by step to the bedside, and embraced Carrie.

"Carrie, promise me you will always believe in and serve God, and never betray the teachings of the Bible."

Carrie was puzzled, thinking she hadn't done anything excessive, and her mother shouldn't have discovered Randy in the wardrobe.

"Promise quickly!"

Carrie's response was a bit slow, and Margaret's expression suddenly became stern. The once gentle embrace became a relentless noose, squeezing the air out of Carrie's lungs.

"I promise, I promise."

"That's a good child of God."

Margaret's actions softened again as she gently stroked her daughter's hair and kissed her forehead.

"Good night, may you have sweet dreams."

Carrie also responded, "Good night, Mom."

Due to Margaret's unpredictable behavior, Carrie didn't feel any warmth of family affection.

Such experiences were too frequent for her; the family's oppression and external conflicts made it impossible for Carrie to find a balance.

Her desire to leave this family became stronger.

Her initial resistance to Randy also became barely noticeable.

"Hmm, remember to pray to God before going to bed too."

Margaret stood up, satisfied with her daughter's obedience. After seeing Carrie nod in agreement, she slowly left the room.

Once Margaret closed the door behind her, Carrie let out a sigh of relief and immediately turned her anxious gaze toward the wardrobe.

Randy stepped out of the closet.

"That was really close."

His voice remained very low; with the door closed and a corridor in between, Margaret couldn't hear him.

Carrie, still nervously holding herself, didn't speak. Her eyes were filled with expectation and fear.

She wanted to rebel, but unfortunately, she didn't have the courage. So she could only pray for someone else's intervention, showing a bit of defiance to force her to betray her faith or deceive her into straying from the teachings once.