เข้าสู่ระบบThe low hum of murmuring voices pulled Remington from a deep slumber. Her last coherent memory involved watching Tom chug from a keg while upside down, acting as his designated spotter during a chaotic end to a night of celebration. She hadn't touched a single drop of alcohol herself, but the sheer, exhausting adrenaline of the night had left her feeling just as wrecked as the rest of them. Prom had exceeded all expectations; Michael had been crowned King, and Margaux had taken the Queen's title. They had performed the traditional dance together, though Remington had playfully narrowed her eyes at Michael until they finally split up to rejoin their respective partners. They had taken the phrase 'the night is young' as a personal challenge, and Remington had spent the hours fueling herself on pure energy and soda. "What are you all doing in my room?" Remington croaked, squinting as she saw her friends shuffling about. "We're getting ready for graduation, dummy, and you're st
Three weeks had passed since Remington's release from the hospital, and despite her father's protests, she had insisted on returning to school. She was determined to put high school behind her and move on to the next chapter of her life. With finals only a week away, the campus was a whirlwind of frantic studying and preparations for graduation and prom. She and Margaux had officially revealed their relationship to the world, a declaration that resulted in relentless teasing from their inner circle. Heather, true to form, had successfully charmed her way into obtaining Doctor Devi's phone number. It was mostly a strategic move by the doctor to stop Heather's constant pestering, and while the older woman found the attention flattering, she knew better than to get involved with someone so young—and notoriously disloyal. Remington had made the conscious decision to put therapy on hold. She wasn't ready to excavate the gruesome details of what happened just yet; she told hers
Margaux stepped out of the hospital room alongside Ferdinand and the doctor, who was briefing them on Remington's condition. The physical toll was staggering: a mild concussion, a broken nose, a busted lip, three fractured ribs, and a dislocated arm. The bullets had been successfully extracted days ago, and by some miracle of physics, it had missed every vital organ. She was safe from the threat of death, but the silence following the surgery had everyone on edge. Remington had been comatose for three days. The doctor confessed she couldn't predict the exact moment of wakefulness, but she assured them that Remington's body simply needed deep, restorative rest after the trauma she'd endured. Speaking of Felix, his entire empire had finally been exposed as a hollow shell built on a foundation of lies and blood. Ferdinand, moving with the efficiency of a predator, had bought up all the remaining shares of the Dubois holdings and placed them in William Yvonne's name. Felix had b
Remington and her father’s team had left the house over an hour ago, carving a path through the outskirts toward the abandoned industrial area. While they were in transit, Ferdinand’s plan was already in motion. Several miles from the facility, Blake’s security team intercepted a transport vehicle belonging to Felix’s organization. The occupants were subdued before they could raise an alarm, and Ferdinand’s men quickly took control of the vehicle. They changed into the guards’ jackets, concealed their weapons beneath the stolen uniforms, and climbed inside. Ferdinand took the passenger seat while one of Blake’s men settled behind the wheel. Remington remained in the vehicle they had arrived in, following several car lengths behind with Jack at the wheel. “How long before they realize something’s wrong?” Remington asked, speaking into her earpiece. Ferdinand’s voice came through a moment later. “Hopefully not until we’re through the gate.” Remington glanced toward the facility
M: The metal door shrieked, jolting me out of my thoughts. A hand shoved me hard enough to pull me out of the shallow depths of sleep I'd been clinging to. My head snapped back in alert, the dull thud against the wall sending a spark of pain through my skull. I didn't want to wake up. In sleep, I was back in Remington's car, the smell of her leather seats and the sound of her laughter acting as a shield. In reality, I was in a concrete box. "Eat up. You'll be expecting a guest soon," the invader mumbled. He was one of Felix's muscle, a man whose face I'd never seen clearly, but whose heavy breathing I'd memorized. He dropped a tray of food onto my lap. The plastic rattled against my thighs, which were already bruised from a week of discipline. I stared at the tray with disoriented irritation. Who could be coming to see me? If it were Felix, he wouldn't send a herald. He'd just barge in, his presence sucking the life out of the room like a vacuum. I eyed the mystery meat and
At first, I had tried to play it cool. I told myself she was just busy, or that the Dubois household was strict, but I couldn't act like everything was okay anymore. Margaux hadn't been in school for a week, and the silence from her end was deafening. Heather had paid her a visit a few days ago, but she returned with more questions than answers. The house had been locked tight, every door, every window. This came as a genuine shock to Heather. She told me that in all the years she'd been Margaux's friend, the doors to that house were never locked during the day. Margaux was also a creature of habit, if she was going to be MIA, she always texted Heather first. Always. I was on edge, my mind in an endless loop of horror. Every time I closed my eyes, I saw different scenes of her being harmed by the monster who lived under her roof, the man I now suspected was responsible for my mother's death. Heather had bombarded me with questions the moment she saw the look on my face







