Chapter 2

Fiona shoved Ryker in, and I trailed after them.

Six years had passed. So much had changed.

The sea of roses at the villa entrance had long been torn out. Most of the furnishings inside had been replaced, and everything now belonged to Ryker. There wasn’t a single trace of me left in the entire house.

"Fiona, if he never shows up, maybe don’t make things harder on yourself."

"No!" Fiona cut him off immediately. "This is what Xavier owes you! Why should he get to hide in there for six years while you ended up crippled?! Xavier will spend the rest of his life making this up to you!"

I watched the flicker of satisfaction and something more complicated flash across Ryker’s face, and I couldn’t help taking a deep breath.

"Fiona, you’re unbelievable."

I’ve been dead for five years. Ryker’s injury had nothing to do with me. I was innocent.

However, Fiona couldn’t hear me.

Just like back then, when we finally found Ryker, he had thrown himself into Fiona’s arms, crying as he accused me of being the one behind everything.

I hadn’t slept for two days and nights, running around with Fiona searching for him. When we finally found him, Ryker dealt me a fatal blow.

Those two kidnappers also insisted I was the one who hired them.

I screamed that I was innocent, but I couldn’t explain why $2 million had been transferred from my bank account into theirs.

Or why there were chat records—clear as day—showing me instructing them to kidnap Ryker, when there was nothing like that on my phone.

Faced with evidence like that, I couldn’t defend myself at all.

I remember it clearly. The moment Fiona saw everything, she slapped me hard across the face. She had grabbed me by the throat, her eyes red. "Xavier, why? I told you, he’s just my brother. Why can’t you accept him?!"

The pain twisted my features. I could only force out one sentence. "He’s the one who can’t accept me!"

Thinking back on everything Ryker had done to me, no man would have tolerated him.

Back when Fiona and I were together, Ryker followed us around like a shadow. Every date, he had to be there. A relationship meant for two people, forced to fit a third.

I’d complained about it, but Fiona would always snap coldly, "Ryker is my brother. Don’t project your filthy thoughts onto him!"

If I hadn’t seen Ryker sneak a kiss on her while she was drunk, I might have believed her.

During the worst fight we ever had, I brought up breaking up and went abroad alone.

The very next day, Fiona showed up at my hotel room door, holding a bouquet. I forgave her that time.

When we got back, Ryker watched us holding hands, his eyes filled with venom. I felt uneasy, but Fiona said he was just being childish. What kind of child calls you afterward just to curse you out?

I told her about it over and over, but she never believed me, until the day I finally decided to end things for good.

Fiona drowned her sorrows in alcohol, and I got a call asking me to pick her up from a bar. When I got there, she clung to me and wouldn’t let go.

One of her friends handed me a glass of milk. My throat was dry from trying to calm her down, so I drank it.

After that, I blacked out, and when I woke up, I was at home. Ryker had been attacked.

Right after that, I was arrested and sentenced to six years.

I looked at Fiona as she escorted Ryker back to his room, then headed alone into the study. She looked restless.

"Fiona, you’re getting anxious because you can’t find me, aren’t you? Why don’t you think about it? With your power, how could you possibly not find me? Unless someone doesn’t want you to find me."

I leaned back on the couch, watching her expression darken as she pulled out her phone and began giving orders.

"Search everywhere. I don’t care what it takes. Find him.

"As for Ryker’s leg, when is Dr. Simon Hayes returning? The moment he’s back, bring him here. We can’t delay this any longer.

"Keep a close eye on Alannah. Let her company know who she’s dealing with."