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Chapter 18: Uncharted territory
publish date:
2026-07-16 05:37:47
Latest chapter
Too late, Ex. NOW WATCH ME RISE Chapter 63: Global Care
The Global Care Alliance office was not an office. It was a converted storage room in the basement of St. Jude pavilion that Lillian had cleaned herself with Maya and Priya, with James's toolbox and Edward's terrible chair-assembly skills and Margaret's soup.It had two desks, three chairs, one expensive green plant, one small succulent, and a hand-painted sign that said Director: Lillian Harper that Maya had made and that Lillian had immediately crossed out and written Nurse: Lillian Harper under.On its first official day, it had four volunteers: Maya, Priya (who was now on probation but trying very hard), James, and — to everyone's shock — Vanessa Clarke.Vanessa arrived at 8 a.m., not in a cream dress, but in old scrubs that were actually stained this time, her blonde hair pulled back without extensions, no makeup, holding a box of donuts."I know you have no reason to let me stay," she said to Lillian in front of everyone, her voice small but clear. "But I have a nursing certific
Too late, Ex. NOW WATCH ME RISE Chapter 62: Eleanor's Diary
The woman on the bench stood up as Lillian and Nathaniel passed."Lillian Harper?" she asked, her voice soft and careful.Lillian stopped. "Yes?"The woman held out the diary. "My name is Eleanor Whitfield. I was James's mother. I think... I think you need this. Margaret told me to give it to you if anything ever happened to William. I have been keeping it since William died."Lillian's blood ran cold. Eleanor Whitfield was supposed to be dead. James had told her his mother died five years ago."I thought—" Lillian started."I know what James told you," Eleanor said quickly, her eyes flicking to Nathaniel. "I asked him to tell people I was gone. I have been living quietly in Oakfield since... since William died. It was safer. For him."Nathaniel frowned. "Safer from who?""From Patricia," Eleanor whispered. "Just like Howard."Lillian took the diary with numb fingers. It was old, leather-bound, the pages swollen with years of ink."Read page 47," Eleanor said. "The night William chang
Too late, Ex. NOW WATCH ME RISE Chapter 61: The Roster
Lillian did not sleep after the estate.She sat in Margaret's kitchen at 1 a.m., the deed for 50% of Brooks Group folded on the table next to the photo of her cohort, Nathaniel asleep on Margaret's couch in the living room because Edward had insisted he shouldn't drive back to the city after what happened, his sweater still dirty from the steps.Margaret made tea with shaking hands."That text," Margaret whispered, looking at the photo on Lillian's phone — Vanessa with her arm around Maya — "is that a threat about your exam tomorrow?""It's a threat about all of us," Lillian said, zooming in on the photo. The exam roster was taped to the wall behind them in the photo. Someone had taken it from inside the skills lab after hours. "Patricia said one of us is going to fail no matter how well we do. She has someone inside the school administration now. Not just Vanessa."Margaret sat down hard. "Lillian, call the police—""No," Lillian said, standing. "Call Adrian, call Gerald, but not the
Too late, Ex. NOW WATCH ME RISE Chapter 60: The third Letter
Catherine Brooks was waiting in William's study, the same study where Lillian's tea and threatened herShe held a small, cream envelope, identical to the first two, but with a single initial on the front: L."I was supposed to give this to you only if you did what you just did," Catherine said, her eyes red from crying, but proud. "William told me, 'If Lillian protects Nathaniel after she learns the truth, she is the daughter I always wanted. Give her this.'"Lillian took it with shaking hands. Nathaniel stood by the fireplace, giving her space, his hands in his pockets.Inside was not a letter. It was a deed.Deed of Transfer: 50% Controlling Shares of Brooks Group of Companies, and Full Ownership of Brooks Foundation, including Global Care Alliance, to Lillian Harper, effective immediately, irrevocable, regardless of divorce status.And underneath, in William's shaky handwriting:You passed, Lillian. You chose compassion over power when you had every reason not to. My son is safe wi
Too late, Ex. NOW WATCH ME RISE Chapter 59: The Truth About Nathaniel
Nathaniel read the letter twice.Then he read it a third time, standing on the cold stone steps of his father's estate, police lights flashing red and blue across his face, his aunt being dragged to a car screaming, his estranged wife sitting at his feet shaking.The letter shook in his hands."My... my mother had an affair?" he whispered. "Victoria arranged it? William knew? He knew I wasn't his son and he... he still made me CEO? He still..."Lillian stood up slowly, her legs weak, and gently took the letter from his hands."Nathaniel, look at me," she said quietly, so only he could hear, while police swarmed and Vanessa cried and Howard held his daughter.He looked at her, his dark eyes wide and lost, like a boy of sixteen again, not a CEO of twenty-six."My father taught you how to build a fortress," she said again, the line that had become their refrain. "But he built one too. He built a fortress around you. He knew you weren't his blood and he chose you anyway. He made you heir
Too late, Ex. NOW WATCH ME RISE Chapter 56: The fortress
For a man who had been trained to build fortresses, Nathaniel Brooks had never felt more useless inside one.Patricia held William's old hunting shotgun with hands that shook only slightly. The ankle monitor beeped every two seconds, a high, insistent whine that said she had violated house arrest.Vanessa sat frozen on the steps, holding Howard's daughter, Lily Greer, who was eight and had a gap between her front teeth and was sobbing into Vanessa's dirty cream dress.Lillian stood at the bottom of the steps, her bag with the second letter still slung across her body, her hands raised slightly, not in surrender, but in the universal nursing gesture: I am not a threat. Let me help."Patricia, put the gun down," Lillian said quietly, the way she talked to agitated patients. "That little girl has nothing to do with this.""Everything has to do with this!" Patricia screamed, the gun wavering between Lillian and Vanessa. "You were supposed to sign! You were supposed to take the money and le
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