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Chapter 101
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2025-01-13 10:30:51Yumi answered on the second ring, her voice calm and professional even at such a late hour.
“Yumi, it’s Matthew. Masahiro—he’s been shot. Abdomen. I don’t think I should take him to a regular hospital. It’s… complicated.”
Yumi’s voice tightened, concern seeping through her composed tone. “Bring him to St. Haven’s Medical. It’s a private facility… we cater to cases where discretion is key. Nobody will ask questions. I’ll meet you at the emergency entrance. Drive safely and keep pressure on the wound.”
Matthew didn’t waste a second. He carefully lifted Masahiro into his car, securing him in the backseat with the towel still pressed to his abdomen. Masahiro’s breathing was shallow, but he was alive, and that was all that mattered.
St. Haven’s Medical, located on the outskirts of Middlesbrough, was an unassuming building—a nondescript facade tha
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Gold & Sand Chapter 102
Two days later, the news channels were buzzing with an unexpected shift in the narrative. Masahiro Payne, once accused of murdering his partner Lewis Howard, was now being hailed as a hero. The media spun a new story, painting him as a man who had been working undercover to expose a massive network of corruption and organized crime, with Lewis Howard as his loyal partner who had died in the line of duty. They claimed that Masahiro had been framed by the very people he had been trying to take down… Mr. K and his criminal empire.Reports claimed Masahiro had barely escaped an assassination attempt orchestrated by his enemies, and that he had been on the verge of uncovering explosive information before being betrayed. The narrative was being cleaned up, and the man who was once accused of being a murderer was now a martyr.Yumi stood at Masahiro’s bedside, her hands checking the monitors as she carefully adjusted the IV drip. The lights in the hospital room w
Last Updated : 2025-01-13Gold & Sand Chapter 103
The room was quiet, save for the faint hum of machines and the occasional soft rustle of fabric. Masahiro's eyes fluttered open, the dim light filtering through the half-closed blinds pricking at his senses. His body felt heavy, a dull ache radiating from his side. It took him a moment to register the familiar figure by the window… Yumi, her slender frame silhouetted against the soft morning light, holding a steaming cup of tea.Her movements were unhurried, calm, as if she had all the time in the world. She didn’t notice him at first, her focus elsewhere. Then, as if sensing a shift in the air, she turned. Their eyes met, and a faint smile flickered across her face as she approached, setting the mug gently on the bedside table.“You’re awake,” she said softly, her voice tinged with relief. She reached for his wrist, checking his pulse as her eyes scanned the monitors beside him.Masahiro’s throat felt dry as sand
Last Updated : 2025-01-14Gold & Sand Chapter 104
Masahiro moved toward them, his heart thudding against his ribs. As he reached the table, his voice came out strained, fighting against the panic rising in his throat. “Matthew,” he said, his tone sharp, demanding answers. “What the hell are you doing here? With him?”Matthew didn’t flinch. His eyes didn’t even widen in surprise. He just stared up at Masahiro with a coldness that felt like a slap in the face. No guilt. No warmth. Only an empty detachment that cut through him.Cassidy smirked, leaning back in the booth like he’d been waiting for this moment. “Well, well, look who’s come to join the party,” he drawled, his voice laced with mock amusement. “I didn’t think you’d be this predictable, detective.”Masahiro’s gaze stayed fixed on Matthew, searching for any sign of recognition, any trace of the man he once thought he knew. “Matthew,” his voice was tight,
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The morning light filtered through the blinds of Masahiro's apartment. The faint sounds of the city waking up were drowned out by the overwhelming weight of his thoughts. The gunshot, the betrayal, the loss… everything still felt surreal. Ten days had passed since the ambush, and he wasn’t sure how to deal with the aftermath. His body had healed, but his mind… his heart? That was another story.He sat on the edge of his bed, staring at the floor, his hands loosely clasped together. The scars on his body were physical reminders of what had happened, but the ache inside ran deeper. He let out a slow breath, forcing himself to push the memories aside. Rising from the bed, he moved to the dresser, pulling out a crisp shirt.He slipped it on, smoothing the fabric as he turned to the mirror. The man staring back at him felt like a stranger… someone who had been through too much, someone with too many unanswered questions. Straightening his tie with
Last Updated : 2025-01-15Gold & Sand Chapter 106
Ten months laterThe rain tapped softly against the windowpane as Masahiro sat at his desk, fingers absently tapping on the keyboard of his PC. His office was meticulously organized, a testament to his efficient yet unyielding nature. Papers were stacked neatly, and his badge rested atop the desktop… a silent reminder of the responsibilities that came with his position as the head of the Narcotics Trafficking Department.It had been ten months since Matthew had walked out of his life, and nine months since Masahiro had taken up this new role in a different station. The distance between the past and present was palpable, yet the void left behind lingered, refusing to be ignored. His eyes stared blankly at the screen, the words before him blurred by a mind that wandered too often.The buzz of his mobile phone broke his trance. Masahiro glanced at the screen and saw the familiar name, Yumi. He picked up with a soft sigh, his tone warming.“Yumi,
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The soft hum of the office faded as the clock ticked toward the end of the day. Masahiro stood up from behind his desk, gathering his things in quiet precision, as always. The light outside had already begun to wane, casting a golden glow over the room. As he passed by the corner desk, his eyes flickered briefly toward Arthur, who was still focused on the stack of files in front of him. The young intern hadn’t left the office yet."Cooper, I’m leaving," Masahiro said, his voice smooth, though there was an undercurrent of weariness to it.Arthur looked up from his desk, the glow of his computer screen reflecting in his tired eyes. "Goodbye, sir," he replied, offering a polite nod.Masahiro gave a short nod of his own and walked out, the door clicking softly behind him.Arthur sighed, dropping his shoulders. The room felt oddly empty now, the hum of the fluorescent lights and the ticking of the clock the only sounds. He g
Last Updated : 2025-01-16Gold & Sand Chapter 108
Matthew was standing by the window in Cassidy’s apartment, staring out at the city lights with a heavy heart, lost in thought. His fingers gripped the cold glass, the coolness matching the emptiness inside of him.“Hey,” a voice broke through his reverie, cutting into the quiet. Cassidy. His steps were smooth and confident, the air around him buzzing with his presence. “You’ve been zoned out for ages, you know that?”Matthew didn't turn to face him, his jaw tight. He forced a neutral expression onto his face, masking the turmoil that churned inside. "Just thinking," he muttered, his gaze fixed on the distant lights.Cassidy’s tone shifted, becoming more pressing. "About what? It's been weeks. What's going on with you? You’ve been avoiding me."Matthew didn’t respond. The truth was, he was avoiding everything… his emotions, his thoughts, his memories. Especially Cassidy.Cassidy stepped cl
Last Updated : 2025-01-16Gold & Sand Chapter 109
The pulsing bass of the nightclub reverberated through Masahiro’s chest as he pushed through the crowded entrance of El Paradiso. The lights flashed in chaotic bursts of color, illuminating faces twisted in joy and desperation. For a moment, the energy of the crowd enveloped him, but as he stepped further inside, it became clear that this was not where he belonged.He wasn’t here for the drinks or the music; he was here to escape. But escaping from what? The ache of Matthew’s absence? The unrelenting pursuit of justice that had consumed him? Or perhaps the shadows of betrayal that lingered in his mind like a haunting melody?Masahiro leaned against the bar, nursing a drink that had long since gone warm. He scanned the room, searching for something… or someone… to pull him from the depths of his thoughts. But as he watched people laugh and dance, he felt more alone than ever. Matthew was everywhere and nowhere… the memories wrapped
Last Updated : 2025-01-17
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The couch wasn’t new to this.It creaked like it recognized the weight—Clark’s spine pressed to the cushions, Adam’s knee between his legs, files forgotten beneath them like collateral damage.Clark didn’t gasp.He groaned.“Tch—Adam.” Half-warned, half-melted. “I just organized those.”Adam didn’t give a damn.“Then you should’ve organized your schedule better, counselor.”He said it at Clark’s throat, teeth barely grazing the skin just beneath his jaw. The kind of contact that wasn’t meant to hurt—but to remind.Clark exhaled through his nose. Calm. Infuriating.“You are dangerously obsessed with making me moan over prosecutorial misconduct.”“That’s ‘cause you sound better screamin’ than lecturin’.”Clark chuckled darkly—head thudding back into the cushion. He pushed his glasses up with two fingers, then slid them off entirely and dropped them onto the table.“You’re so fucking predictable.”Adam smirked. “And you’re so fuckin’
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The crowd around the grave began to thin.Some officers lingered. Others drifted toward their cars in small clusters, the quiet murmur of uniforms brushing against one another, badges catching the sun one last time before vanishing into the afternoon.Masahiro and Matthew stepped forward.The woman stood at the edge of the burial, veil now lifted, her eyes rimmed red but dry. She looked like someone who had cried enough before the funeral ever started.Masahiro approached her first.“Mrs. Doyle,” he said gently, dipping his head. “I’m… I’m sorry for your loss.”Her expression didn’t shift much. But her voice was calm. “Thank you.”There was a steadiness in her grief—one born from surviving years beside a man who chased death for a living.Masahiro gave a small nod, then turned toward the young man standing just beside her.Doyle’s son.Closer now, Masahiro could see the resemblance. The jawline. The way his eyes watched everything. Guarded, te
Gold & Sand Chapter 292
It had been five days since Allan Doyle’s body was found behind Barrow Lane.Five days since the call. Since the silence that followed it. Since Masahiro had driven into the night with blood in his chest and Matthew’s voice at his back.Now, the sun was too bright for a funeral, but they buried him anyway.The car rolled to a stop at the edge of the cemetery.Beyond the windshield, the canary was crowded—rows of law enforcement officers in black, lined up in silent formation. Uniforms everywhere: pressed blues, starched grays, polished medals that caught the morning light. Detectives in tailored coats stood among beat cops and field agents. The air was stiff with order and unsaid things.Canopies had been set up above the grave site, a futile attempt to shield the mourners from the pale spring sun. The wind tugged at coat hems and tugged hair loose from buns and slicked styles. But no one moved. No one left.Masahiro turned off the engine.They sat for a
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It was midnight.Matthew’s face was buried against Masahiro’s chest, his breath warm and steady, rising and falling like waves breaking against stone. The bedroom was cloaked in dim gold—just the faintest light slipping through the cracked door, catching on the curve of Masahiro’s bare shoulder.Masahiro lay still, one hand in Matthew’s curls, the other resting against his side. He hadn’t slept.Not really.The weight of six weeks hadn’t left his chest since he’d closed his eyes.Then the phone rang.A sharp vibration on the nightstand. No ringtone—Masahiro never let it ring. Just the buzzing thrum of urgency in the dark.He reached without waking Matthew, answering in one fluid motion.“Payne.”The voice on the other end was clipped. Low. Shaken.“Sir… it’s Doyle. Allan Doyle. He’s dead.”Masahiro didn’t breathe.His hand froze mid-motion. The ceiling above him went quiet.The voice continued. “They found his body in the alley behind Barrow Lane. Gunshot. Close range. No witnesses.”
Gold & Sand Chapter 290
The car rolled to a stop in front of Arthur’s building. The street was dim, washed in the orange flicker of old lamps. Arthur hesitated for a second before unbuckling. “Thanks for the ride,” he said quietly, eyes a little too wide, hands still trembling from the night. Masahiro nodded once. “Goodnight, Cooper.” Matthew gave him a small wave from the passenger seat. “Text Masa if anything weird happens, yeah?” Arthur nodded and got out, closing the door softly. He walked up to the building, pulled his keys from his pocket, and glanced back just once. They waited. Arthur opened the gate, disappeared inside, and only when the door shut behind him with a faint click, did Masahiro start the engine again. Silence. It stretched for blocks. Then Matthew let out a sigh, dragging a hand through his hair. “This whole thing’s a mess.” Masahiro didn’t respond immediately. He kept his eyes on the road, jaw tight. Matthew kept going. “Six people. And somehow we’re all tangled up
Gold & Sand Chapter 289
The lock hissed. The panic room door creaked open.What greeted them wasn’t relief. It was aftermath.A wash of chemical air hit first—smoke and industrial sanitizer, sharp and sterile. Lights flickered overhead, the hallway still recovering from whatever scramble had unfolded outside.Armed officers lined the corridor, weapons lowered but eyes tracking every movement. No one moved until Masahiro stepped out first, calm as a blade.Cassidy followed, still cuffed, but upright. Arthur stayed tucked at his side, blinking against the hallway light like he’d forgotten what outside air tasted like.Behind them, Clark adjusted his tie. Adam stepped beside him, hand loose on Clark’s back without thinking. Matthew emerged next, yawning. He still looked smug.At the far end, a prosecutor and a city official waited. Legal cleanup."We’ll need statements," the official said.Masahiro didn’t even pause. "Not now."The man sputtered, but Masahiro was already wa
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The panic room had gone quiet.The gas had settled. The lock was still sealed. But for the first time in an hour, no one was yelling, bleeding, or threatening to kill someone over sarcasm.Clark sat near the far wall, his head resting on Adam’s shoulder, tie loosened, wrist still trembling.Adam didn’t say anything.Just held a water bottle in one hand, and Clark in the other.He glanced down. “Drink.”Clark sighed, voice hoarse. “You’ve said that three times.”Adam pressed the bottle into his hand. “And I’ll say it a fourth.”Clark took it. “You’re very annoying.”Adam’s smirk was faint. “You like annoying.”Clark: “I like expensive wine and emotional distance.”Adam: “And still end up in my bed. Funny how that works.”Across the room, Cassidy had planted himself against the wall, legs stretched out, one arm wrapped around Arthur, who was tucked against his chest. Arthur hadn’t spoken in ten minutes.Cassidy ran a hand through Art
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The courtroom was colder than usual.Not from temperature. From tension.Cassidy sat at the defense table, cuffed but unmoved. Clean suit. Straight spine. His eyes drifted, slow and knowing, over the faces present—not the jury, not the prosecution. The others.Arthur was in the gallery, near the back, shoulders squared but not at ease. He hadn’t looked at Cassidy since entering. But he hadn’t looked away, either.Clark stood at the defense bench, immaculate in gray. Composed. Watching. Reading the room like a surgeon reads skin.Adam leaned against the wall at the rear of the courtroom, arms crossed, one boot tapped into the tile like a metronome of violence barely restrained. He clocked everything. Every whisper. Every eye shift.Matthew sat beside him, chewing gum he wasn't supposed to have, scrolling his phone without looking. But his free hand rested near Adam’s, just enough to ground him.Masahiro sat two rows ahead of Arthur. Silent. Controlled. The
Gold & Sand Chapter 286
Arthur returned to the precinct in silence.His boots clicked over tile, shoulders tighter than when he’d left. He hesitated at the office door.Masahiro was stiil inside. Alone. Leaning against the edge of the desk, arms crossed, unreadable.Arthur opened the door anyway.He didn’t speak. Just shut it behind him.Masahiro watched him for a moment.“You left without a word.”“I know.”Masahiro’s tone didn’t rise. “During work hours.”Arthur nodded.Masahiro tilted his head. “Wanna tell me where you went?”Arthur didn’t flinch. “To see Cassidy.”A pause. Not surprise—just confirmation.Masahiro’s voice was calm. “What did you go there to do?”Arthur swallowed once. “I asked him not to retaliate.”Masahiro blinked slowly. “That’s what you think your job is now?”“I asked him to wait,” Arthur said. “To give us a chance to fix this through the system. I told him I’d do everything I could… by the law.”Masahiro looked at him for a long beat. Then pushed off the desk and walked toward the
