Chapter 4

Hudson's POV

I thought Grace would panic and try to explain herself. But instead, she rubbed her temples, her voice carrying a hint of exhaustion. "Seven years ago, Aria needed her legal status to be official, but my sister held a sensitive position. No one could know that she had a child. So, I registered my marriage to Jason to make the paperwork easier."

Jason panicked and hurried over to grab my hand. "Hudson, if divorcing Grace is what it takes for Aria to be able to go to school, I'll do it right now. I'll give this marriage back to you!"

I looked into his eyes. He looked desperate, and his eyes still held tears. Yet, I gave a wry smile and pulled my hand away. "No need for that. We need to maintain appearances anyway, so whether I have this marriage or not doesn't really matter. Once I finish the case I'm handling tomorrow, I'll take care of the necessary paperwork with you two."

I was so calm that even Grace was caught off guard. Before she could say anything, I turned around and went to the bedroom to pack my things.

When I came out, Grace was sitting at the dining table, feeding Aria.

Jason stood beside them, wiping down the table. The scene was quiet, and they looked like a complete family. Not one of them looked up at me.

"I'll sleep at the station tonight," I said.

Grace merely hummed in assent, never stopping feeding Aria.

With that, I opened the door and left.

Early the next morning, there was a meeting at the bureau. There had been a breakthrough in the case Grace was handling. They had identified the suspect. There was a serial killer who had been moving from state to state, specifically targeting young men who were alone.

Surveillance footage had captured her movements around the city, so there was no time to waste.

Our captain, Gideon Reid, stood before the projection screen, his expression grim. He explained, "We need a male officer to act as bait and lure the suspect out. She's extremely ruthless, and this operation will be very dangerous."

But among the officers on duty that day, I was the only man. The other was Jason, who was hired as Grace's assistant. Everyone fell silent.

Jason's eyes were still red from crying the day before. He stepped forward and said, "I'll do it."

Grace stood nearby, twirling a pen. "Since there are two people, we should draw lots. That's the fairest way."

Once everyone agreed, she took two slips of paper from the table. She turned her back to the others and scribbled something on each one. Then, she crumpled them into balls and placed them on the table.

With everyone watching, Jason picked up one of the papers and unfolded it. It was blank.

I saw Grace's shoulders relax slightly. She was relieved. She was glad that he wasn't the one who had drawn the lot.

I clenched the other piece of paper in my hand, but I no longer dared to unfold it. There was no need to find out who had to be bait.

The operation was scheduled for that evening. The location was an abandoned factory. As darkness fell, only a few streetlights provided a weak glow.

I stood in the open area as planned, pretending to be waiting for someone. A cold wind swept through gaps in the broken walls, making me shiver. I touched the tiny earpiece tucked in my ear and waited for the signal.

Soon, I heard footsteps approaching from behind. In an instant, the hairs on the back of my neck stood on end. According to the plan, I was supposed to wait for my team's signal before making a move.

However, several seconds had already passed, and there was still no response over the radio. I pressed the button behind my earpiece, switching to Grace's channel.

Soon, I heard Grace's voice. But she sounded gentle and soothing, as if she was trying to comfort someone. "It's okay, Jason. Don't blame yourself. Both slips were blank. I chose to do that. It has nothing to do with you. But I'll make sure Hudson stays safe."

Jason's voice trembled. "But what if something happens to him?"

"It won't. I've got people stationed nearby," she said.

…

A chill ran through my entire body, and I froze in place. The footsteps behind me were so close.

It was Grace. She had replaced both slips with blank pieces of paper. Just to keep Jason safe, she had put me in danger instead.

The next instant, a cloth with a sharp, pungent smell was clamped over my mouth and nose. I struggled desperately, but my strength slowly drained away.

…

Third-Person POV

Meanwhile, Grace's radio crackled to life. Gideon's urgent voice came through. "Officer Rivera! All three undercover officers have been injured! The suspect made her move early, and Officer Zeller is now missing!"

In that instant, the color drained from her face.