He Never Claimed Me의 모든 챕터: 챕터 111 - 챕터 120

Noah didn’t sleep. The brass key Lydia had given him rested on the bedside table, catching the moonlight each time he glanced toward it. He had spent years searching for answers in classified reports, forgotten photographs, and fractured memories. Now the answers seemed to be waiting behind a single locked door. The question was whether he was ready to face them. By sunrise, he was already dressed. Daniel arrived outside the Volkov estate just after seven. “You sounded urgent.” “I found the archive.” Daniel’s eyes widened. “You already opened it?” “No.” “Why not?” Noah held up the brass key. “Because once I do, there’s no going back.” Daniel understood immediately. Whatever Nicholas Volkov had hidden wasn’t meant to be seen by the next generation. It had been buried for a reason. Julian escorted them through the mansion until they reached the old west wing, a section of the estate that had been closed for years. “I’ve never been beyond this hallway,” Julian admitted.

Noah watched from the second-floor landing as a convoy of black vehicles rolled through the estate gates. The engines fell silent one by one. Nicholas Volkov had returned. Julian stood a respectful distance away, his expression unchanged. “Mr. Nicholas wasn’t expected back for another hour.” “He changed his schedule,” Noah replied. Julian gave a slight nod. “He does that often.” Noah slipped the brass key into the inner pocket of his jacket. The hidden office had been restored exactly as they had found it. Every photograph, every folder and every chair remained untouched. If Nicholas suspected someone had entered, he wouldn’t find any proof. At least, Noah hoped he wouldn’t. The front door opened. Nicholas stepped inside with the quiet confidence of a man who had spent decades commanding respect without ever raising his voice. Despite his age, he carried himself with remarkable strength. His silver hair was neatly combed, and his dark suit was as immaculate as ever. Two

The envelope remained where Nicholas had placed it. No one reached for it. The photograph of Ava rested beneath the warm glow of the library lamp, her smile frozen in a moment that now felt painfully distant from the silence surrounding the table. Noah couldn’t take his eyes off it. She had been standing outside the salon, one hand wrapped around a cup of coffee, laughing at something Chloe must have said. Whoever had taken the picture hadn’t rushed. The angle was perfect. The timing had been deliberate. She hadn’t known she was being watched. Silas broke the silence. “They wanted you to see her.” Daniel glanced at him. “To threaten him?” Silas shook his head. “If they wanted her dead, she would already be.” The words landed heavily. Nicholas folded his hands on the table. “This isn’t a warning.” “It’s bait.” Noah finally looked away from the photograph. “They expect me to run to her.” “They’re counting on it,” Nicholas replied. “They know you’ll forget every questi

Morning sunlight spilled through the front windows of Hayes Beauty Studio, warming the polished floor before the first client arrived. Ava unlocked the door, balancing two takeaway cups in one hand while pushing it open with her shoulder. “I still think you bought the wrong coffee,” Chloe said, following behind with a garment bag hanging over one arm. Ava laughed. “You say that every morning.” “Because every morning you ignore my order.” “I remembered this time.” Chloe narrowed her eyes suspiciously before taking a sip. A slow grin spread across her face. “You actually did.” “I know.” “I’m just as shocked.” The two women laughed together as Ava switched on the lights. The familiar hum of the salon settled around them. Mirrors. Brushes. Rows of foundation bottles. Hair dryers. Everything exactly where it belonged. For a few precious moments, life felt ordinary. Tessa arrived minutes later carrying a box almost as wide as she was. “I swear these suppliers are trying

The silence in James’s study lingered long after Julian left. Noah remained standing by the window, his eyes fixed on the sprawling estate below, but his thoughts were miles away. Someone had been watching Victor Hale. The discovery unsettled him more than Victor himself. A man hired to observe Ava was one thing. A man being observed by someone else suggested layers Noah hadn’t anticipated. Daniel broke the silence. “So now we have a shadow following another shadow.” Noah turned from the window. “Which means Victor isn’t important.” Daniel frowned. “What do you mean?” “If he were important, they wouldn’t need someone watching him.” Daniel considered it before nodding slowly. “He’s disposable.” “Exactly.” Noah picked up James’s leather folder and carefully slid the photographs back inside. “My father always looked beyond the obvious.” Nicholas stepped into the room just as Noah closed the folder. “And that’s exactly why he stayed alive as long as he did.” Noah looke