CHAPTER 026When I entered the living room, I was filled with intense anger, confusion, and betrayal. The feeling that everything I had believed in was a lie lingered in my mind. All of Rowan’s words, promises, and reassuringness, as well as everything he said about protecting me, were unwinding. But it wasn’t just him. I had missed something deeper. Lilith had to be the key to answers; I needed them.I walked in, and she sat annoyingly calm in her usual spot on the couch. I approached her, but she didn’t even look up. I took a deep breath, attempting to settle the nerves. This was it. I was done being manipulated. I was done with the lies.“I know you know something about Rowan." I started, my voice steady but sharp. About everything that has been happening. ‘You need to tell me the truth,’ it said.”Finally, after looking up at me, her lips turned into a smirk, her eyes hiding some laugh behind it. She didn’t answer, and the silence stretched between us.'Well, well, Sarah,'she said
CHAPTER 027I had only just left Jervis's place when I felt it, the weight of everything bearing down on me. The air hit my skin, but it wasn’t freedom anymore. It felt like a trap. Rowan hadn’t given me answers—not real answers. And then there was me being haunted by Lilith’s words, then her revelation about my biological family, and then Rowan’s lies had twisted something deep inside of me. But it wasn’t just that. The threats were becoming worse.I walked home, my footsteps echoing in the empty street, louder and louder. I had the feeling that someone was watching me, and I couldn’t shake it. Every turn put my heart thudding in my chest, unease made stronger by every turn. I tried to put together in my mind who could be behind it all, but nothing made sense. Rowan, Jervis... Lilith? Who could I trust?The man approached me, and I barely noticed until it was too late. He was fast—too fast. Stepping out of nowhere, a dark figure in the shadows grabbed me. A hand grabbed my arm, and I
CHAPTER 028I had to stand it no longer. The fear, the confusion, the sense that everyone around me was in on some sick joke. If it meant me being more in danger than I already was, I had to confront Rowan. I had to hear it from him if there was any chance of finding out what was going on.I dragged my heavy steps over to his office. The silence pressed against my ears; the hallway was eerily quiet. I hesitated for a second when I got to the door, but then I opened it. I saw Rowan at the window, and he was looking out at the city. When I entered, he didn’t turn, but his posture stiffened.He said, his voice cold, but I could hear the tension in it, “You’re here.”I walked in, my heart pounding. As much as I wanted to curse, I could get no words out as I uttered, “I need to know, Rowan.” “Why am I being targeted? What is happening? Who is behind all this?”His eyes still trained on the distant skyline; he didn’t turn to face me. 'Aren't you asking the wrong questions, Sarah?' he replie
CHAPTER 029I had to get out of the dark. It was like everything was closing in on me. I needed to understand Rowan's deceit, the dangers he posed, and the peculiar aspects of my history that eluded me. For once, I couldn’t do it alone. I had to turn to Jervis.That night I called him, my voice shaking all at once in equal parts fear and urgency. "Jervis, I need your help. "I can't keep doing this by myself," I said.He didn’t hesitate. He said, 'I’m on my way,' and I hung up, my heart racing.He showed up at my doorstep an hour later, his face serious but his eyes shining with concern. I led him inside, and there was no time for pleasantries. I took out the file I had collected, the one with all the documents that were beginning to make my head spin.Across from me, Jervis sat down, looking at the papers, his expression hardening with each new thing he read. He muttered under his breath, "This is a lot, Sarah." "This is one thing, Rowan’s involvement with your father..." He gestured
I was sitting in the living room, the weight of everything pressing down on me, when I heard the sound of footsteps outside the door. I had just gotten back from Jervis’s place, and the air felt heavier than ever. I couldn’t stop thinking about the threatening messages, the secrets I was starting to uncover, and Rowan’s cold behavior. I was certain that something was about to blow up, and I wasn't prepared for it.When the door opened, Lilith stepped in, her usual smirk on her face. But there was something different about her this time. Something darker. She was more determined than ever, her eyes gleaming with a dangerous kind of energy that made me feel uneasy."Sarah," she said, her voice smooth as ever. "We need to talk."I didn’t want to talk to her. I didn’t want to give her the satisfaction of knowing that her games were starting to get to me. But I didn’t have a choice. “What do you want?” I asked, trying to keep my voice steady.“Oh, nothing much,” she said, walking further i
CHAPTER 031City lights rolled past the cab window and I clenched my phone, Jervis’s address illuminating on the screen. My hands shook; I couldn’t tell if it was from the cold or the fear clawing at my insides. Every headlight behind us sent my heart racing, and every shadow outside the car felt alive. Was someone following me? Was my mind unraveling completely, or?I hesitated when the cab pulled up to his building, scanning the street for anything suspicious. I leaned nearer to the window, and my breath fogged the glass. Nothing. Silence, and the occasional hum of a passing car. I quickly paid the driver and dashed into the lobby clutched tight, his coat about me as if it could guard me from the paranoia climbing up my back.The anticipation of the elevator ride to Jervis's penthouse was palpable, with each floor's ding causing me to tremble. The doors finally slid open, letting the warmth of the hallway glow. I knocked softly, half hoping he wouldn’t hear, half praying he’d open im
CHAPTER 032I locked the door twice for good measure, and the door clicked shut behind me. I held my hands on the knob, trembling slightly. At least it was mine, but the silence inside was suffocating. For now. I leaned against the door, breathing out a shaky breath and moving to the couch. Jervis’s house—everything since—the man at the door, the flickering lights, Jervis’s warning—it all flooded my mind.I huddled into the cushions on their sad plastic fabric, clutching at a throw pillow like some simulacrum would keep me from drifting. I was roaming my brain through the potential threats, the ransacked house, and the one folder Jervis had shown me. There was nothing that made sense, but it all felt connected. I couldn’t shake the fear; it clawed at my chest.It knocked softly at first, almost politely. My heart was slamming against my ribs, and I frozen. No one knew I was here, except...Again, the knock came, firmer this time. Before my brain could catch up, my legs moved, carrying
CHAPTER 033The dim light from the kitchen cast long shadows across the room, and I sat on the edge of my couch. The past few weeks had left me tangled up in a mess of thoughts. But Rowan’s behavior was not changed in a comforting way. It wasn’t love or even regret; it was calculated. Every gesture, every gift, came when I started to pull away. He was luring me back, giving me moments of warmth just to keep me tethered.How could I have missed the pattern of the flowers after our fight, the necklace on the day I met Jervis? It wasn’t kindness. It was control.A sharp knock startled me from the door. I opened my heart to my throat, but no one was there. A small package sat on the welcome mat instead. I carefully picked it up, unwrapping it slowly with trembling fingers. Inside was a sleek new phone. Its screen lit up as I touched it, displaying a single message: For emergencies.Every nerve in my body on edge, I set it down on the counter as if it might explode. I instinctively knew wh
CHAPTER 055Sarah’s Moral Dilemma: Revenge vs. JusticeSarah Moon’s POINT OF VIEW!The weight of what I had exposed overwhelmed my chest. The documents in my hand—proof, hard, and undeniable—have been like poison seeping into my blood. Rowan’s empire of lies, manipulation, and crime became all specified in black and white. And, but, regardless of having everything I needed to damage him, there has been this gnawing feeling in me. What turned into I definitely after? Was this approximately revenge? Or turned into, I just... doing what turned into proper?I had already come this far. The path that had led me here had been lengthy and dark. From the primary day I’d gotten down to break him to now retaining the proof that might convey him down, each part of me screamed to smash him. But it changed into too smooth. Too enjoyable. A bitter kind of victory I wasn’t positive I desired anymore.I paced within the dimly lit condo, the town lighting fixtures flashing outside the window like a ne
CHAPTER 054Uncovering the Hidden Truth Behind Rowan’s SuccessSarah Moon's point of view!I could not sit down nevertheless. Not after everything that had come about. My mind was a whirlwind, spinning with questions, doubt, and rage. But one idea kept piercing through it all: I needed to understand. I had to understand how Rowan did it—how he constructed his empire, how he got all this electricity, all that money. What turned into the real secret?Megan had been insistent. She kept telling me to stay centered and not let the feelings blind me. But I have changed beyond emotions now. I needed answers, and I needed them rapidly.Flint Pharmaceuticals. That became what all of it led to. Where everything is related. Rowan wasn’t just a few business wealthy people; he was a crook mastermind hiding in the back of the cover of a respectable CEO.Megan had the plan. I wasn’t certain how, but she had the connections to get us into Flint. I didn’t care how risky it became. I’d come this far, a
CHAPTER 053Sarah's Hidden Ally Emerges from the ShadowsSarah's Point of View!The night felt heavier than regular as I walked again to my apartment, my head spinning. Rowan had driven me to the threshold, and just once I thought I couldn't stand it anymore, a call popped into my thoughts—Megan. She had been a former employee of Rowan’s, and although we didn’t speak a great deal, I remembered her eyes and the way she would look at me like she knew something I didn’t.Now, it seemed like the universe turned into pulling me closer to her. My phone buzzed in my pocket, interrupting my thoughts. I hesitated before pulling it out, already understanding it wasn’t going to be accurate information. It was an encrypted message from a random variety.“Meet me at the vintage warehouse the following day. I actually have something you need to recognize. Don’t believe anybody. Not even Rowan.I stood nonetheless, the hairs at the back of my neck standing up. Megan. This had to be her. My thoughts
CHAPTER 052Rowan’s Point of ViewI waited for her to come back from wherever she’d run off to. The tension in the air was almost suffocating. No one I’d ever dealt with was like Sarah. Charm or force could not sway her. The longer I waited, the more restless I became.I looked up from where I sat when the door creaked open. Her eyes were sharp and suspicious, as if she already knew I had something planned.With a cold voice, she asked, "What now, Rowan?"I pulled the small velvet box from my pocket and stood. Giving her something so small and trivial was a ridiculous gesture, especially considering the weight of everything I'd done to her. But I had to try.I stepped closer. “This is for you.”She looked at the box, then back at me. “Do you think you can buy me off with a gift?”I held it out and admitted, “No.” “I think you deserve something that proves I’m not your enemy.”She didn’t take it. Her jaw was tight, and she just stared at me. “What is it?”“Open it and see.”As she tore
CHAPTER 051Outside the storm had calmed a little, but inside my heart was a raging mess. My fingers sifted through the yellowed papers, searching for anything that could possibly explain the whisper I'd heard earlier."You don’t need to know who you really are."Those words had burrowed themselves into my mind, scratching at me like an itch I couldn’t reach.I wasn’t alone in the room. Detective Carter stood in the corner, arms crossed, his shadow reaching across the walls. He didn’t talk much, only watched me as I looked at him with that penetrating gaze that made me feel like I was trying to unravel some mystery he couldn’t even solve himself."What are we looking for?" His voice finally broke the silence, asking, "What are we looking for?"I didn’t look up. "The truth.""What's the truth about, Sarah?"I hesitated. Did I even know? The pull, though, was stronger than my doubt, and I kept going, the fragile papers crinkling under my fingertips.Then I saw it. A name. My name."Sara
CHAPTER 050 SARAH'S POINT OF VIEW With Jervis driving us out of the chaos of the house, I listened to the soft hum of the car engine. My thoughts collided; my mind filled with ideas. I looked at him, his jaw clenched as he stared at the road. Finally, I uttered, "I don't know where to start."His grip on the steering wheel tightened, but he didn’t look at me. Sarah, you don’t have to say anything. I get it. I also think you deserve better than what Rowan’s giving you.” His words were heavy and sharp, hanging in the air. I looked out the window, the city lights all blending together. I whispered, “It’s not that simple.” Jervis' frustration was palpable, and he sighed in response. You’re making it complicated; it’s not simple. The guy’s toxic, Sarah. “You know he’s controlling you.” His bluntness made me flinch, but I didn’t argue. My mind betrayed me, flashing back to Rowan earlier that night. He had seized my arm in a commanding and desperate manner, his eyes piercing.Jervis pu
CHAPTER 049 SARAH’S POINT OF VIEW I heard Lilith’s laugh in my head long after she left the room. The venom in her voice and the sharpness in every word cut me deeply, leaving her wounds like tiny knives that continued to pierce me. Every time she lost her grip, her danger increased. She was unraveling. I put my head against the window and stared out into the city, tears ruining my vision until the lights became streaks. I looked into the mirror and saw a woman ripped apart, barely hanging on. I wanted to scream, to hurl something that would allow the turmoil inside me to escape. I clenched my fists so tightly that my nails dug into my palms, but instead I felt nothing.Steady footsteps dragged toward me from the hallway. My heart leapt. Rowan. The door creaked open, and he was standing there, frustration stamped across his face. As if summoned against his will, he crossed his arms and leaned against the frame.“What did Lilith say to you this time?” His voice was sharp, yet it ca
CHAPTER 048 SARAH’S POINT OF VIEW My apartment was silent, and I felt like I was being slowly hanged. I clenched my hands into fists on the counter, taking shallow, quick breaths, trying to stop my thoughts racing. Rowan’s last words wouldn’t stop playing in my head. Sarah, you have no idea what’s coming. But you will.” It wasn’t a threat; it was worse. It was a promise. I looked at my phone on the table; its screen was dark and ominous. I wanted to call Jervis, wanting to hear his steady, reassuring voice tell me everything would be fine. The other part, the stronger part, knew I couldn’t rely on him for this. Whatever Rowan was planning, it was for me. I hesitated, my hand hovering over the phone. The sound of a loud knock at the door knocked me out of my thoughts, and I felt my heart swell up into my throat. Not again.“Sarah, open up!” I heard the familiar voice, and relief flooded me. Jervis.I unlocked the door quickly, practically stumbling to it. His hair was slightly
CHAPTER 047 Sarah’s Point of View Even cozy in its disarray, Jervis’s apartment felt safe. The corner lamp cast soft yellow light over the wooden floors, casting long shadows. It should have been comforting, but this evening it only made me more restless. I looked out the rain-splattered window, cars blurring past below. Jervis spoke behind me, his voice low and careful. “You can’t keep doing this to yourself, Sarah." I turned, and his steady green eyes met mine. His arms crossed, he was leaning against the kitchen counter. The laxity of his demeanour could not conceal the potency in his expression, his shirt unbuttoned at the collar. “I don’t know what you mean,” I said, but we both knew I was lying. His footsteps soft but firm, Jervis took a step closer. You’re torturing yourself trying to untangle everything, Rowan, your family, all of it. At some point, you’ve got to decide what matters more: answers or peace." I ran a hand through my hair and laughed bitterly. “Peace? Af