Chapter One Hundred Twenty-One

Ryder Morning light spilled across the wide windows of the room as I stood with my hands buried deep in my pockets, staring out at the green stretch of land below. Melissa and her brother were already running the dirt path that looped around the property, their figures small but clear in the early brightness, while Nike kept pace a short distance behind them, watchful as always. The air coming through the slightly open window carried the clean smell of cut grass and dew, and for a moment the quiet almost felt peaceful. Behind me the soft sound of shifting sheets told me Bruce was still asleep. A few minutes passed before the sheets rustled harder. I heard him sit up, then the slow careful movements of him getting out of bed. When I turned he was standing there in the loose clothes the housekeeper had given him, hair sticking up on one side, eyes cloudy with that same lost look he had been wearing since the drug took hold. “It’s a beautiful morning,” I began, keeping my voice eve

Chapter One Hundred Twenty-Two

The light had started to soften across the compound by the time I found myself alone upstairs, the quiet of the room pressing in around me while the clock on the wall kept counting down the hours I had left. Twenty-four hours had never moved this fast. I sat on the edge of the bed and let Bruce’s earlier words turn over again in my head. I didn’t know if I should look for the boy, the papers, or even the lawyer, each piece slipping further the harder I tried to hold on to it. The small recorder sat on the sheet beside me. I picked it up and pressed play, listening to the afternoon’s soft rambling, most of it nonsense about food and choice of cloth. The frustration sat heavy in my chest. I sighed, switched it off, and let the device fall back onto the bed. I let myself fall backward until my back met the mattress, eyes fixed on the ceiling as the weight of everything settled deeper. Don’s demand kept turning in my mind. The only real way through any of this was to get the heir or the

Chapter One Hundred Twenty-Three

I waited until the boy’s voice stopped and the call ended. The betrayal settled hard and cold in my chest, heavier with every second that passed. I moved before he could turn fully, closing the distance in three long strides. One hand locked around the back of his neck while the other ripped the phone from his shaking fingers. The device hit the ground and shattered under my heel as I dragged him forward. His shoes scraped against the dirt. His free hand clawed weakly at my wrist. He stumbled twice, nearly going down, but I kept him upright and moving toward the house without slowing. Nike was already moving when we reached the side of the house. He disappeared inside and came back moments later with Melissa, his grip firm on her arm while she twisted against him. “What are you doing? Let go of me.” Her voice rose as he kept moving her forward. “What did I do? What’s happening? Why are you pulling me out like this?” I pushed the boy toward him without slowing. “Hold them both,

Chapter One Hundred Twenty-Four

The controls stayed steady under my hands. Every muscle from my shoulders to my fingers stayed locked. The smell of smoke sat deep in my nose and clung to the fabric of my shirt. I kept my eyes on the dark stretch of land ahead. Melissa had turned in her seat. One hand pressed flat against the glass. Her mouth stayed slightly open as the orange light moved across her face. Kelvin sat beside her with his shoulders drawn up high, eyes wide and unblinking. The housekeeper’s fingers wrapped so tightly around the edge of her seat that the skin across her knuckles had gone white. Nike held his gaze on the same glow for a long moment before he looked away. A muscle jumped once in his cheek. No one spoke. The only sounds inside the cabin were the low drone of the engine and the soft rush of air against the fuselage. Bruce leaned closer to the window. His breath fogged a small circle on the glass. “The whole place is gone.” He lifted both hands and spread his fingers wide, then flicked t

Our Dirty Little Secret のすべてのチャプター: チャプター 121 - チャプター 124

Chapter One Hundred Twenty-One

Chapter One Hundred Twenty-Two

Chapter One Hundred Twenty-Three

Chapter One Hundred Twenty-Four