Chapter 26
Chapter 26
I returned to the Anderson Mansion, my mind too drained to put on a facade. The moment I entered my room, however, my exhaustion was replaced by
tension.
A figure sat on my bed, legs crossed, her long manicured fingers resting lightly on my sheets. My jaw clenched. Adeline. She sat there as if the room belonged to her. And if there’s one thing I despise, it’s people who act like they own what is mine.
“Mother,” I greeted, forcing my voice to remain neutral.
“You’re late today. I was worried,” she said, her insincere smile sharp, her cunning eyes glinting in the dimly lit room.
A flicker of memory flashed through my mind, freezing me in place for a moment. A night from years ago. The helplessness. But I reminded myself–am not defenseless anymore. If she tried anything now, I would make sure she regretted the day she ever thought she could trap me. I licked my dry lips and turned toward the switchboard, flooding the room with light.
Adeline looked ordinary now, just another person. I sighed internally.
“Can I do something for you?” I asked politely.
“How do you like the new driver?” she asked with feigned concern.
“He’s fine.”
“Does he drive too slow?”
“No, he’s an adequate driver.”
“Why don’t you put that bag down and relax? Sit here.” She patted the spot beside her. “Was something urgent enough to keep you out so late?”
She wasn’t asking out of curiosity–she was testing me. Checking if my story matched the driver’s. I remained standing.
“I had a thesis submission. Some students decided to celebrate. Someone who once helped me in a test dragged me in. I couldn’t say no.”
“Hm.” She nodded, looking thoughtful. I didn’t know if she had already questioned the driver, but either way, I had covered my tracks.
“You’re different today. You must be upset.”
I frowned, then deliberately let my expression shift into confusion, my sea–green eyes wide and blinking with innocent oblivion. I saw her cold smile sharpen.
She still believed I was the same scared little girl, curling into my shell. That I was naive. Trapped. Submissive.
“You’re upset, aren’t you?” She picked up her phone from the nightstand and walked toward me, tilting the screen for me to see.
The article. The one I had seen earlier. About the orphanage guardian’s death.
A strange, clawing sensation twisted in my chest.
“You remember her, don’t you?” Adeline asked. “She was your orphanage guardian.”
Ah. So this was her game. A reminder of where I came from.
“I actually liked her when I met her. She was so upset that she couldn’t be with you anymore,” Adeline murmured, looking at the screen with mock pity
“Really?” I said, forcing an air of indifference. “I’m so sorry for your loss.”
You’d better stay out of my way, or you might just end up like her, I almost added. But I held it in.
1/4
Chapter 26
“You don’t remember her?”
“No. It was a long time ago. I don’t even remember what she looked like.”
I watched with satisfaction as her expression darkened. She was irritated that her jab had missed its mark.
“No worries. They’re holding a service for her. We’ll go and pay our respects.”
Acid burned the back of my throat. The things I wanted to say… but I swallowed them down. “If Mother wishes.”
“My darling.” Don’t call me that. Not you.
“Now, on to more serious business.” Her tone hardened. “Are you ready for your birthday?”
I remained still as she lifted a finger under my chin, tilting my face up to meet her glare.
“You’ll be receiving a very big present that your grandfather left you,” she said, her voice coldly sweet. “But you do know who it’s truly for, don’t you?”
She spoke as if I were a child. I nodded, my hands and feet turning cold with the audacity of this woman. The sheer depravity of her character was baffling.
“Good. And don’t worry–it’ll all go exactly as I promised.” She turned away. “Don’t be so late next time. It truly makes me worry?
With that, she walked out of my room. The moment the door clicked shut, I nearly ran to bolt it.
Half the lights were switched off. I dropped my bag onto the study table, my nerves tight with tension, my body suffocating under it. My hands shook. I wanted to break something.
Instead, I pulled out a silver case from my bag. A lighter.
For the first time, someone’s voice rang in my head at this moment.
“Don’t ever joke about your life. And you should quit.”
I froze, heart pounding. My gaze snapped toward the balcony–but the door was closed.
He’s not here.
A strange tremor ran through me at the realization. I swallowed, licking my dry lips as I pulled out a cigarette.
Later, after I had calmed down, I took a shower. The warm water hit my skin, but I shivered. Why did it feel so cold suddenly? Adeline’s threats lingered in my mind. The article. Miss Milton’s face.
“You know I’m on your side, right?”
His voice echoed again. A reminder. A lifeline.
Am I leaning on him like a crutch? Since when did I become so soft?
I quickly got out of the shower, dressed for dinner, and joined the rest of the household. But unlike before, I found it hard to swallow food. Why could! relax with Killian Knight, yet here, I felt like I was suffocating?
Later, back in my room, I changed into my pajamas and set up my laptop.
No notifications.
I refreshed the page. Checked the network, Everything was fine. But a foreboding feeling settled deep in my gut.
Jina hadn’t called.
2/4
13:58 Sun, 6 Jul
Chapter 26
No messages from the bunker.
Even after I had sent them the CCTV footage of Patronus, there was rio response.
This wasn’t right. I received hundreds of reports every day. Today–nothing.
I called J. No answer.
I called K. Silence.
I waited. Paced the room. Stopped my thoughts from spiraling. Maybe they were busy.
I called again.
Nothing.
Not even J’s minions were picking up.
A chill ran down my spine.
No one dared to ignore my calls.
Something was wrong.
I logged into the CCTV server of the bunker. The place was empty. The long rows of desks–six computer setups–were abandoned.
Kevin’s usual seat in the corner? Vacant.
I switched to the office feed. Nothing.
The training room, where Jina always had people working until after midnight?
Deserted.
I forced myself to breathe. There were ways to figure this out.
I hacked into Kevin’s system.
Everything looked normal–until I checked the deleted files. Someone had wiped them, but the logs remained.
Two file names caught my attention: OOP_BG and OOP_CS.
BG and CS–Background and Current Status. That made sense.
But what the hell was OOP?
And why had these files been erased?
My gut twisted.
I slammed my laptop shut, stuffed everything into my bag, and changed into black jeans, a T–shirt, and a hoodie. Something easy to blend into the night. A mask slipped over my face.
I disabled the mansion’s cameras through my phone, debating whether to take the back door or the window.
The staff might delay me.
The window was risky–but faster.
+15
13:58 Sun, 6 Jule
Chapter 26
Window it is!
