All Chapters of A game of dangerous loyalties: Chapter 21 - Chapter 27

Eleven years ago…. The memories came rushing back, like shadows slipping from the dark corners of my mind—hidden, but never truly forgotten. It was the winter of my tenth year, and the orphanage was as bleak as ever. The walls were cold and lifeless, their chipped paints matching the despair that clung to the air. The other kids weren’t exactly cruel, but their indifference stung in its own way. I was used to being invisible—better that than the target of their whispered jokes. That day, I sat in the farthest corner of the communal room, my gaze fixed on the frosted window pane. Outside, the world was muted under a dull gray sky, the kind of overcast that promised snow but rarely delivered. A light dusting of snow clung to the ground, but the air was too dry for much more. When a sleek black Mercedes pulled into the driveway, it immediately caught my attention, and moments later, a woman stepped out, her every move radiating grace. She wore a navy coat, cinched neatly at the waist,

The sharp groan that escaped from Reid's lip almost made me stop dead in my tracks to tend to him, but he yanked the car open and shoved me inside, never breaking his pace.“Reid, you're hurt—”“It's nothing,” he snapped, his focus locked straight ahead.From the trees in the graveyard, the shooter emerged into the open, gun aimed directly at our car as Reid started the engine.“Eugene, get down.” “What—”“Dammit, Eugene! Just do as I say and stop worrying about me.” His sudden outburst stunned me into obedience. I ducked under the passenger seat, hands clamped over my head. Reid’s left arm was bleeding heavily now, but he didn’t seem to care. Instead, he pressed down on the accelerator, the tires screeching against the pavement as we lunged forward. A gunshot cracked through the air, shattering the graveyard’s eerie silence.The windshield in front of Reid burst apart, a bullet embedding itself exactly where his head should have been—if he hadn’t moved at the last second.I gasped

“...that's crazy. I always got irritated by my siblings, but sadly, they passed away. Now I’ll do anything to hear their nagging.” I traced a finger along the rim of my untouched glass.“Oh... I'm sorry for your loss,” Adam said, downing his drink in one go.His sixth glass, and he still looked perfectly sober. I was getting tired of the small talk, but Adam didn’t seem to notice. At least he was more of a talker.“So.. is it still a touchy subject? Do you wanna talk about it?”I rubbed the nape of my neck, shaking my head slightly. “Yeah, I'd appreciate it if we skipped that. Speaking of which, I couldn’t help but notice your necklace—it looks… unique.”“it is.” He ran his fingers over the ring. “A family heirloom? Passed from your grandma to your mom, then to your future wife?”He tipped his head back and laughed. “You're the first person to think that. It's rare for someone not to recognize what this ring stands for.” He gestured for the bartender to refill his glass, his gaze sha