Hiya, everyone! I'm here to deliver you Chapter 28 from my book "The Secrets Hidden In The Scars". The first part is here, the second part is here, and the third part is here.

So what, we've finally come to the final battle of kidness and evil that I talked about before. This chapter was originally meant to be much longer, but I thought publishing such super long pieces would be a more serious crime than publishing what I'm publishing now. So, this chapter is going to consist of two parts. And... Here's the first one. As usual, I offer you tons of senseless talks, Brazilian shows-styled passions, and a so-called test of a character... Oops, I mean, a test for loyalty and love! Will the characters pass it? How will everything end? The answer is in this chapter!

Anyway, I would be madly happy if you liked this book, added it to your library and told me what you think of the storyline and the characters' actions. I hope you would't lose your interest in my book and would read it until the very end. My English is not perfect, but I'm doing my best to make my texts more or less readable.

To get a mood for reading, play the song All Time Low — Thanks To You, the lyrics of which were used for the title of the character. I mean, it was a little longer, but I shortened it in the latest edition.

And yeah... I am publishing it on the last day of 2022. So... I would like to wish you a very, very Happy New Year. May the new 2023 year bring us something good, much love, much happiness, much peace, great success, and all the best. I really hope the new year would be a little better. This year, I finally published my books and four short stories. Sadly, my success isn't as good as I'd like, but I want to believe my works would get much more popular someday. I don't deny that I sometimes feel sad that they don't get enough attention, but I just tell myself that I'm writing for myself. For fun. I continue to write, despite nothing. Even if I never get regular readers and loyal followers, I will not stop doing what I love. I am currently working on the third book from the Stay Strong, Brave & Happy series. The fourth book is on the way, and the fifth book is planned and will be written someday. Sometimes, I will be publishing some short stories to tell readers something important. So, you won't get off me at the nearest time, no matter if you want to see me or not.

Anyway... I hope you will have a great 2023, and the upcoming year will be MUCH better and easier than 2022. I wish you to have everything you want, never get sad and gloomy, always be happy and positive, believe in a miracle, and do you best to fight for your wishes and not to let your dreams be only dreams.

I will follow my litle tradition to listen to Aly & AJ's Christmas album "Acoustic Hearts Of Winter" and dance along with some old songs from the 70s, the 80s, and the 90s.

And yeah, here's a little snippet from one of the parts of the new chapter:

"Do you get better every time you humiliate me? Do you think you make others think the same by insulting me? No, Uncle Uncle, you are wrong! Those, who don't consider me weak and brainless, will never believe your bullshit and stay by my side."

"Oh, Edward!" Michael smirks, clapping his hands quietly. "And it's said by the one, who did a disgusting thing to his family but keeps telling people about his great love for his close people."

"You know that I was understood wrongly."

"Yeah? I don't believe in your loyalty, my dear. I don't believe that there would be at least one to wish to defend you. Maybe, only your ex would think about it. But nobody else would stand by you."

"I still have a chance to prove to my close people that I love them with all my heart and would never dare to betray them. But you lost all your chances. When you ruined the life of my parents and forced Father to become a homeless pauper."

"Just like you are now. You have nothing. And I'm not guilty of it. You don't aim to change something. You don't study, don't work... You do nothing! You only hang around the city, play your freaking guitar and sing stupid songs that you sometimes write."

"And what? Should I go to cry?"

"If you really want it. But I'm sure you do it, while nobody sees you. You fall in despair because everything is bad for you. Nobody needs your actions. Nobody appreciates you, loves you, and wants to say something nice to you. You've tried to save your family from your uncle Mikey for so many years, but you got nothing."

"That's what you want to think." Edward comes much closer to Michael, looking at him with greater contempt. "Yes, I got involved in your freaking adventure that's the reason my family suffered. But it doesn't mean I didn't try to protect my relatives."

"And you recently realized that everything was worthless. Though, you know as you started this game, you can't stop it after you've gone so far."

"You're right about it. But as I started this game, I will be playing it until the end. Until I get a victory. Sink my teeth into it. Spend my strength and fall on the floor."

"Oh, here's the freaking hero!" Michael crosses his arms over his chest, rolling his eyes. "Alright, Edward, if you want to go much further, go. Go until you hit the dead end. Until I bring you to the corner and make you give up or do what will help you get off me."

"Don't hope, Uncle Michael. I will not give up and will bring this freaking game until the end. If you want me to prove that I'm not a coward, you will see it."

"Alright. In this case, I'm suggesting you prove that you are not a coward right now." Michael smiles slyly, looking at Edward proudly. "And do what you and I talked about some time ago. What I will pay you much money for if you do it."

Happy 2023 New Year, everyone! The Rabbit Year is coming!
Love, Estrella Rose.