Chapter 104

NADIA'S POV.

I wouldn’t have to answer to him, to follow his orders, to deal with his constant need for control. His death could be my freedom.

But then, another thought crept in, one that made me hesitate. Max was still useful to me. He had connections, resources, and information and fucking smart that I couldn’t afford to lose. Without him, my plans would crumble.

I closed my eyes, taking a deep breath as I tried to steady my racing thoughts. I couldn’t let him die. Not yet.

“Hold on, Max,” I whispered, though I wasn’t sure if he could even hear me.

I hung up the phone and slipped it back into my purse. My hands were shaking as I glanced down the hallway, trying to remember where the restroom was.

The Johnsons’ mansion was sprawling, with hallways that seemed to stretch endlessly in every direction. I started walking, my heels clicking against the polished floor as I searched for the door that would lead me to Max.

Panic bubbled in my chest as I passed door after door, each one leading to a guest room, a study, or a storage closet. Where was he?

“Come on, Nadia,” I muttered under my breath, my frustration mounting.

I stopped in front of a door at the end of the hallway, hesitating for a moment before pushing it open. Empty. It wasn’t the restroom.

I clenched my fists, forcing myself to stay calm. Max’s time was running out, and I couldn’t afford to waste any more of it.

Turning on my heel, I hurried back down the hallway, my eyes scanning every door for some kind of clue. And then, finally, I saw it…a door slightly ajar, the faint sound of coughing coming from within.

Relief washed over me as I rushed toward it, my hand reaching for the doorknob.

MR JACOB POV.

The sound of my brother Kenneth’s voice droned on, filling the living room with endless praises for Richard. It was unbearable.

“Richard this, Richard that,” Kenneth said, smiling proudly as if the young man was some sort of saint sent to rescue our family.

“He’s young, ambitious, and he has a bright future ahead of him. Tammie is lucky to have such a man by her side.”

I sat back in the armchair, forcing a tight smile to mask my irritation. How much longer would I have to endure this?

Kenneth’s endless bragging was grating on my nerves, and it took everything in me not to snap at him.

Richard sat there, blushing like a lovesick puppy while Tammie, my niece, looked at him with stars in her eyes. It was nauseating.

If only Kenneth knew what kind of manipulative game this young man, Max might be playing.

Or maybe it was Tammie who had fallen for him so deeply that she’d blinded herself to any faults he might have.

But it wasn’t just Kenneth’s bragging that had me on edge. My thoughts kept drifting back to Max. He had excused himself to use the restroom quite some time ago, and he still hadn’t returned.

What could he possibly be doing in there?

I shifted in my seat, glancing toward the hallway where Max had disappeared. Something didn’t sit right with me. Max wasn’t the type to take his time in situations like this.

He was always composed, always in control. For him to be gone this long...it made me uneasy.

I tapped my fingers against the armrest, my mind racing with possibilities. Could something have happened to him? Had the poison finally taken effect?

I frowned, recalling the moment he had taken a bite of that apple. The arrogance on his face, the way he had chewed it so nonchalantly, as if daring me to say something.

At the time, I had thought he was bluffing. But when he didn’t keel over or show any signs of distress, I began to doubt myself.

Had I been wrong?

No, I couldn’t have been. I had seen it with my own eyes…Max and Nadia injecting the fruit at the supermarket.

There was no mistaking what they were doing. So how had he managed to eat the apple without any consequences?

My mind replayed the scene over and over, searching for answers. Maybe he had an antidote. Yes, that had to be it. Max was too clever to walk into a trap without a backup plan.

He must have taken something beforehand to neutralize the poison.

But if that were the case, why hadn’t he returned yet?

I glanced around the room, my gaze landing on Nadia. She was sitting on the couch, her phone in hand, the screen glowing faintly as she stared at it.

She looked... tense.

My eyes narrowed as I studied her. She hadn’t said much since Max left, and now she seemed preoccupied with whoever was on the other end of that phone call.

Could she be talking to Max?

The thought sent a fresh wave of suspicion coursing through me. Nadia and Max were partners in crime; that much was clear.

If she was on the phone with him, it could mean one of two things, either Max was fine and giving her instructions, or he was in trouble and needed her help.

I clenched my jaw, frustration bubbling inside me. What were they up to now?

Nadia suddenly stood, excusing herself from the room as she headed toward the hallway. I watched her go, my curiosity was so high. She clutched her phone tightly, her steps quick and purposeful, as if she were on a mission.

Something was definitely going on.

I leaned back in my chair, my mind a whirlwind of thoughts. If Max was in trouble, it could work to my advantage.

Without him, Nadia would be left vulnerable, and whatever schemes they had planned would fall apart.

But if Max was still pulling the strings, then I needed to tread carefully. He was dangerous, cunning, and far too good at manipulating those around him. Even Kenneth, my gullible brother, had fallen for his act.