Chapter 132
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He nodded, busying himself with the stove. Meanwhile, I started searching. Every cupboard, every drawer, every nook and cranny–I left nothing unchecked. The adrenaline pumping through me kept me moving, even as frustration began to mount.
You’re really going to search right now?” he whispered, glancing over his shoulder at me. “What if she walks in?”
“She won’t,” I shot back, my voice barely above a whisper. “She thinks I’m toc distracted by food.”
“It has to be here,” I muttered under my breath, slamming a cupboard shut.
“What are you looking for?” Alex added, his movements paused.
“I’ll know it when I see it,” I replied, my hands continuing their frantic search.
My frustration was building as I rummaged through the kitchen. Every cupboard I opened, every drawer I searched, came up empty. The counters were spotless, and I was beginning to feel defeated. Where was it? I knew I’d seen Adelaide using something before–a herb she always boiled with the family’s tea. Back then, none of us suspected anything. It had seemed harmless, a simple routine gesture.
I straightened and leaned against the counter, my mind racing. Could Adelaide have hidden it elsewhere? Or was I overthinking this entirely? My thoughts shifted to Nathan’s video. His words echoed in my mind, clear as day: “I’ll marry her and take the fortune.” And the woman–her voice. Why did it suddenly sound familiar? Could it have been Adelaide all along?
The realization made my stomach churn. Was she working with Nathan, poisoning my family under his orders? The very thought sent a chill down my spine.
Lost in thought, I absently slid my hand behind the counter, my fingers brushing against something soft and smooth. Leather. My breath caught as I pulled out a small, tightly bound bag.
“What’s that?” Alex’s voice startled me. I spun around, clutching the bag tightly. He stood behind me, holding out the bowl of steaming ramen. His playful smile dropped the moment he saw the bag in my hands.
I didn’t reply. My fingers fumbled with the ties as I hastily opened the bag. Inside were crushed leaves – dark green, some almost black. My heart pounded as I stared at it.
“Raina,” Alex hissed, his voice low and urgent. “Put it back.”
I didn’t listen. I reached inside, pinching a small amount of the leaves between my fingers. “This is it,” I whispered, more to myself than to him. “This is what she’s been using.”
“Are you crazy?” Alex whisper–yelled, his hand darting out to grab my wrist. “Put that down! You don’t even know what that stuff is. It could poison you just by touching it!”
His grip was firm but not painful, and his voice carried an edge of panic I hadn’t heard before.
“I’m being careful,” I whispered back, though my voice wavered. My heart raced as I stared at the herb. “This has to be it, Alex. This is what Adelaide’s been using.”
Reluctantly, I placed the crumbled leaves back into the bag and pulled the drawstring closed. With shaky hands, I returned the bag to its hiding spot behind the counter, making sure it looked undisturbed.
Alex’s piercing gaze never left me, his frustration evident as he whispered, “Do you even realize how reckless that was?”
“I had to see it for myself,” I shot back, though the shakiness in my voice betrayed my nerves.
His jaw tightened, but he said nothing further, stepping back slightly as though to give me space. My heart was still pounding as I turned away, pretending to focus on the food he had prepared, but the weight of what I had just uncovered sat heavily on my chest.
The meal sat steaming in front of me, the rich aroma of Alex’s cooking filling the kitchen. I couldn’t focus on it. My mind was still spinning with the weight of the discovery. The leather bag, the crushed herb–it all pointed to something far more sinister than I’d imagined. But I had to keep it together, at least for now.
Alex sat across from me, his eyes flickering to the door every few seconds. He didn’t say a word, but his tension was palpable. Just as I picked up the chopsticks, the kitchen door burst open.
I flinched, my hand freezing mid–air. Adelaide stood there, clutching the doorframe with both hands. Her wide eyes darted between Alex and me, her face pale. She looked panicked, almost like a deer caught in headlights.
My heart thudded in my chest. She knows, I thought, the realization hitting me hard. She must have noticed something was off, and now she was checking to see if we’d found anything.
I forced a smile, though it felt like my face might crack under the strain. “Adelaide,” I said, keeping my tone light. “Everything okay?”
