Mag-log inCHAPTER 63 — Brandon’s POVHer Smile, My OathThe first thing I noticed wasn’t the sunlight. It was her hand—gently resting against my chest, as if it had always belonged there. Her fingers twitched softly in her sleep, brushing the fabric of my shirt, and a warm, soothing feeling spread through my ribs. I stayed still, not breathing too deeply, not daring to move even an inch because Freya was sleeping peacefully. This was different from the restless nights she’d had for weeks—no furrowed brow, no tense body as if she were bracing for something even in her dreams. No, this was calm. Her face was serene, peaceful. The faint crease between her brows had faded, her lips were slightly parted, and a loose strand of hair draped across her cheek. And God help me—I smiled, softly, gently—because she looked safe. My gaze rested on her mouth, and a memory suddenly flooded in—her quiet, steady voice from last night—"I want you." Heat warmed my ears. I turned my face halfway into the p
CHAPTER 62 — Freya’s POVThe Slow ReturnI woke up before the world did, not because of noise or restless dreams pulling me out of sleep, but because my body gently decided it was time to rise.For a moment, I remained still, quietly gazing at the ceiling while soft morning light stretched across the room as if it had all the time in the world. Today, the air felt different—lighter, somehow. It didn’t press so heavily against my chest the way it had for weeks. It no longer felt like I was breathing through an invisible weight.I inhaled slowly, and the breath came easily. That simple act almost brought tears to my eyes.I swallowed and turned my head toward the window. Sunlight slipped through the curtains in delicate golden lines, dust floating lazily inside it like tiny stars drifting through the sky. Everything looked calm, still, peaceful.For the first time in what felt like forever, I didn’t feel like I was drowning inside my own mind.My fingers tightened slightly against
Chapter 61 — Brandon’s POVUnraveling the Web“You’re going to want to see this.”Kyle didn’t sit.That’s how I knew it was bad.He stood across my desk, tablet in hand, posture rigid in a way I’d only seen twice before — once during a corporate raid investigation, and once when a senator’s son tried to bury evidence tied to us.I didn’t reach for the device.“Start talking,” I said.Kyle inhaled once. Controlled. Professional.“We traced the sedative found in Bryan’s system.”My fingers stilled on the armrest.“And?”“It wasn’t hospital-grade. Not standard prescription. It came from a private distributor.”Something cold slid under my skin.“Illegal?”“Not technically,” he said. “But… questionable.”I held his gaze.He turned the tablet toward me.A document filled the screen. Transaction logs. Dates. Payment routes.Names.One name.Rachelle.My jaw tightened slowly.“She’s been purchasing from them for three months,” Kyle continued. “Small quantities. Spread out. Enough to avoid su
Chapter 60 — Freya’s POVWounds and WhispersI woke up cold.Not freezing.Not shivering.Just… cold in that hollow, internal way that sleep sometimes leaves behind when rest never really comes.For a moment I didn’t move. My cheek was pressed against the couch cushion, my neck stiff, my limbs heavy like they belonged to someone else. The room was dim with early morning light, pale gold slipping through the curtains and stretching across the floor in thin lines.My journal was still tucked loosely against my chest.I blinked slowly, staring at nothing.Then I felt it.That familiar sensation.Being watched.I lifted my gaze.Brandon stood near the doorway.He must’ve been there for a while, because he didn’t react when I looked up. He was just… watching me. Quiet. Still. Careful.Too careful.“Morning,” he said softly.His voice sounded like it was afraid to be loud.I pushed myself upright. “Morning.”He rolled closer, slow and deliberate, like he didn’t want the wheels of his chair
Chapter 59 — Brandon’s POVThe Wrong TargetsThe first thing I heard was running.Not casual footsteps. Not servants moving through halls.Running.Urgent. Uneven. Alarmed.I was halfway down the corridor before I even realized I’d stood up. My leg protested sharply, pain flaring like lightning through bone and nerve, but I barely felt it. Pain had become background noise lately — constant, dull, ignorable.The voices ahead sharpened.“…guest room—”“…wake him—”“…don’t tell—”My chest tightened.Not fear.Instinct.Something was wrong.And whenever something went wrong in this house lately, it always circled back to one person.Freya.I rounded the corner just as one of the junior staff nearly collided with me.“S-sir!”“What happened?” My voice came out calm. Too calm.The kind of calm that made people nervous.He swallowed. “Mr. Bryan, sir. He was found with a lady in the upstairs guest room where we laid him to rest .”Every muscle in my shoulders went rigid.“With who?” I asked.
Chapter 58 — Freya’s POVPoisoned IntentionsI woke up tired.Not the kind of tired sleep fixes.Not the kind coffee touches.Not the kind a quiet morning cures.This was the kind of tired that lived in your bones.The kind silence creates.I lay there for a long time staring at the ceiling, listening to the soft hush of the curtains shifting in the breeze. My body was awake, but my thoughts lagged behind, heavy and tangled like they didn’t want to face the day.Because facing the day meant facing everything.Brandon’s careful kindness.Miya’s watchful presence.Rachelle’s smile that never reached her eyes.Secrets no one would name.Truths no one would say.It all pressed down on me at once.I felt like I was drowning in things no one else could see.When I finally turned my head, Brandon was already awake beside me, propped up against the headboard. He looked like he’d been watching me for a while.“Morning,” he said softly.I nodded. “Morning.”He studied my face.Concern. Always c







