He Never Claimed Me의 모든 챕터: 챕터 101 - 챕터 110

The drive back to the estate was quiet. Rain beat steadily against the windows of the convoy, blurring the empty roads into streaks of gray. No one attempted to break the silence. Daniel focused on the road ahead, while Ava sat beside Noah, watching him from the corner of her eye. He hadn’t spoken since they left Black Ridge. The photograph remained tucked safely inside his jacket. Every so often, his hand drifted toward it, as though he needed to reassure himself that it was still there. By the time they reached the estate, dusk had settled over the grounds. The reporters were still gathered outside the gates, but the security team escorted the convoy through a private entrance without slowing. As soon as Noah stepped inside, Daniel approached him. “The duffel bag has been taken to your study. Nothing has been moved.” “Good.” “And the notebooks?” “I’ll go through them myself.” Daniel nodded and quietly left. Ava followed Noah upstairs without saying a word. She knew better

Morning arrived beneath a blanket of heavy clouds. Rain continued to fall over the Volkov estate, turning the gardens into a sea of silver and washing away the footprints left by reporters who had camped outside the gates overnight. Inside, however, nothing had been washed away. Every revelation from the previous night lingered in the air like a ghost refusing to leave. Noah hadn’t slept. He sat alone in his study with Adrian Voss’s journal open before him. Beside it lay the untouched photograph from Black Ridge, the damaged report, and a city map covered with handwritten notes. Every clue pointed to the same place, yet the answers remained frustratingly out of reach. His eyes drifted back to the final words he had heard over the phone. When you remember the bridge… you’ll remember me. He whispered them aloud. “The bridge.” The words stirred something deep inside him. A bridge. Fast-moving water. Rain pounding against steel. A military convoy crossing in darkness. His head

Morning arrived quietly at the Volkov estate. The endless ringing of phones had finally stopped, and for the first time in weeks, the mansion felt almost peaceful. Noah stood in his bedroom, staring through the floor-to-ceiling windows at the gardens below. The black key sat locked inside Daniel’s security safe, but it occupied every corner of his mind. He barely noticed Ava stepping out of the dressing room until she stood beside him. “You didn’t sleep.” He smiled without looking at her. “I closed my eyes.” “That’s not the same thing.” “No.” She gently straightened the collar of his shirt before brushing an imaginary crease from his jacket. “You’ve been carrying this alone for too long.” “I don’t have a choice.” “You do.” He finally turned toward her. “Do I?” She nodded. “Today you’re coming with me.” “Where?” “The salon.” Noah raised an eyebrow. “The salon?” “You’ve spent days surrounded by secrets, investigations, and people trying to kill you.” A faint smile ap

The salon was busier than it had been in months. Appointments filled every chair from morning until late afternoon, the sound of hair dryers and cheerful conversations replacing the silence that had once lingered inside the shop. Ava moved confidently between clients, laughing with regular customers and greeting newcomers with the same warmth she had always been known for. She had almost forgotten what it felt like to lose herself in work instead of heartache. “You’ve been smiling all day,” Tessa whispered as they cleaned up one of the styling stations. “Have I?” “You have.” Ava looked at her reflection in the mirror. Maybe she had. Not because everything was okay. But because she was beginning to believe that one painful chapter didn’t have to define the rest of her life. Chloe walked over carrying a stack of appointment cards. “We’re fully booked for next week.” Ava blinked. “Already?” Chloe nodded excitedly. “I told you the renovation would help.” “It wasn’t just th

Noah remained in his office long after Isabella left. The flash drive sat on his desk like an unanswered question. He picked it up more than once, turning it over between his fingers before setting it back down again. Whatever was hidden inside could change everything he believed about Black Ridge, but experience had taught him one painful lesson. Not every truth revealed itself safely. A soft knock came from the door. Daniel stepped inside carrying two cups of coffee. “You’ve been staring at that thing for almost an hour.” Noah accepted the cup. “I keep thinking about what Isabella said.” “That the marriage is part of something bigger?” Noah nodded. “If she’s right, then someone has been planning this for years.” Daniel sat across from him. “I’ve been looking into the Laurent family.” “And?” “They’ve had financial ties with the Volkovs for over twenty years.” Noah wasn’t surprised. “Business partnerships.” “Yes.” Daniel hesitated. “But there are gaps.” “What kind