Chapter 3

After packing my bags, I walked into the living room.

Leah had left her tablet on the sofa. At the top was a video she'd just posted on social media. Below it, someone had asked why her sister fell for it every time.

She replied, "Someone helps me pick the timing."

Then I backed out of the post and tapped into her message list. There was a group chat. The first message was a copy of my partnership negotiation schedule that Nolan had sent.

Beneath it was Leah's excited suggestion. "Then let's try it with Mom tonight."

Mom had asked if they could do it a little later.

Leah replied, "What's the point of trying it on her after everything's over?"

Dad's reply came next. He'd told her not to take the prank too far, then asked if she wanted him to help.

Last year, just before my promotion assessment, Nolan had sent my schedule to my family. Leah had circled the time of my assessment.

She had messaged, "It's this one. She's been talking about her promotion nonstop lately. It's giving me a headache."

I scrolled through the screenshots one by one.

Two years earlier, during a rescue skills competition, they'd chosen a private clinic as far from the venue as possible. At that time, they'd claimed Dad was fighting for his life there.

Nolan had sent them the address. He'd even reminded Leah not to tell me Dad was out of danger. Otherwise, I might wait until the competition ended before rushing over.

Footsteps sounded outside the door. Then, Nolan walked in carrying flowers. He barely set them down before noticing I was taking screenshots of the chats.

"Erin, please let me explain," he said.

I questioned incredulously, "You helped them pick the timing, and then you comforted me afterward?"

Nolan didn't deny it. He justified it by saying that he'd thought it was just an ordinary family game.

He explained, "Mr. Holmes always thought I was too busy to take good care of you. After I got to know your family better through those tests, things between us went much more smoothly."

"So you used my assessment to prove you were willing to play along with them?" I pressed.

Nolan's outstretched hand stopped in midair. "That's not what I intended."

"But that's what you did."

He fell silent for a moment before finally apologizing.

I looked at him.

When I'd had a fever before, he'd stayed up all night watching over me. He'd memorized every departure date just so he could be there to pick me up.

I'd never imagined he'd send my schedule to Leah, one copy after another.

Wearily, I said, "I don't want to continue this anymore."

Nolan frowned. "Erin, don't let your anger put our relationship on the line."

I snapped, "I'm not waiting for you to agree."

Leah's voice came from the doorway, urging him to return the protective gear to the clinic. When she saw the tablet in my hands, her expression stiffened.

She quickly reached for Nolan's arm and said, "Mom said we weren't supposed to bring that up again. Why are you helping Erin dig up the past?"

He closed his eyes briefly and placed the flowers by the window. "Wait for me tonight. We'll talk this through."

Leah linked her arm through his and led him away, casually closing the door behind her.

I called the priest. The ceremony had been canceled. Both parties would receive a notification on the originally scheduled final confirmation date. That date happened to be tomorrow morning, the day when I was leaving.

I also asked about the blood telepathy. The priest reminded me that distance would only weaken the connection. Once I returned to the vicinity, it would go back to normal.

Permanently severing the connection required an examination to confirm that I was acting of my own free will.

"Your blood ties won't change, but you'll never be able to sense whether the others are safe or in danger again. Are you sure you want to go through with this?"

I replied firmly, "Please schedule the appointment for me."