Chapter 17
Π
- He had said he didn’t kill him, but he looked like..
When I returned to the college parking lot, the driver was still unconscious. He
I hopped into the back of the car and reached for the driver’s seat, placing my fingers under his nose, feeling the faint breath of air. I sighed in relief
—he was alive. Grabbing a water bottle from the from. I sprinkled some water on his face. After the fifth attempt, he finally started to stir. Setting the bottle aside, I leaned back into the seat and pulled out my phone..
Good thing he’s not in a coma.
He started awake, his eyes blinking into focus. His reaction was almost comical, and I had to clear
throat
to suppress a laugh.
I glanced at the time. He said three hours–and he was really out for three hours. Pressing my lips together, I tried not to smile, but a
it a strange. sensation settled in
my chest..
The driver frantically started to apologize, his words stumbling over each other.
“It’s fine. I’m sure Mrs. Anderson will understand,” I reassured him, though my voice lacked sincerity.
He took a few moments to collect himself before starting the car. I noticed his wary expression. Sorry, buddy, but I can’t do anything about it.
Four days passed in a literal stalemate. Had he really given up, or was my challenge simply beneath his standards? More likely the latter. Maybe i had managed to fool him too, but the uneasy feeling in the pit of my stomach refused to fade.
There was no news from Jork either. It was wise to stay away for now. I had made sure I wasn’t being followed the last time, but waiting for solid
news was the smarter move.
I was heading straight back to the Anderson Mansion from college when I noticed the driver taking a detour, Frowning, I looked out the window, We were going in the opposite direction. A wave of unease settled in my stomach,
“This isn’t the way back. Where are we going?”
“Mrs. Anderson asked me to pick something up on the way,” he replied.
“Huh” I inoked outside again.
Checking the map on my phone, I saw that we were getting farther and farther from the mansion. Just as I clicked on my messages, a notification popped up from K.
A link.
Look at it now.
I put on my wireless carphones and relaxed. We stopped, and I glanced outside. We had pulled up in front of a supermarket
That was odd. There was another supermarket just ten minutes from the mansion, and there were always staff members available for errands like
The driver told me to wait in the car, and I nodded. The moment he left, I clicked the link.
A live feed from the Anderson Mansion.
The view was from a hidden camera inside the living a
g room—strategically placed in the wall lamp at the cast corner. The angle was dear. Two Egures sat across from each other on the cream–colored couches, separated by a glass coffee table.
Martu, the middle–aged head of the seventh staff unit at Anderson Mansion, walked in with a tray and served tea–first is the man, then to the
Two people I would never fail to recognize
Adeline
She was dressed elegantly in an all–shoulder green dress, her strawberry blonde hair down–an unusual sight. She almost smiled sensually at t nign sitting opposite her
as his face cat
My heart clenched as
Sitting there as if he owned the place rather than being a guest.
Adeline stood, walking over to him before sitting brinde him crossing her leg to expose the slit in her dress
the
10:01 AM C
Chapter 17
A biner feeling stirred in my chest,
*1 thank we should get familiar with each other, Mr. Knight, she said, her voice dripping with allure as she reached out to touch his shoulder.
Killian.
What are you doing here?
I observed them closely. As far as I knew, no one else was in the mansion except Adeline and the staff.
Why is he here!
“Where is everyone?” Killian asked as he picked up the cup of tea.
“No one is here. Just us,” Adeline replied.
I ground my teeth.
She leaned in, but Killian set the cup down and stood, putting space between them.
I exhaled slowly, muscles tense.
could see his face clearly now. His eyes were subtly scanning the room.
“And Mila?” he asked.
I shut my eyes. My body went rigid.
Why is he asking about me so directly! This will put Adeline on alert.
“Milar”
“Hmm. I heard she always stays inside. Are you not worried she might hear us?”
Are you worned I’ll hear something I shouldn’t! I thought.
“She’s a child and irrelevant to our conversation,” Adeline said, standing up, Her previously seductive expression hardened at the mention of my
I clenched my fists.
“I beg in differ,” Killian said, turning to face her,
Her smile returned, but it didn’t reach her eyes.
“I know why you invited me 1 just don’t like the odds–your odds”
“Mr. Knight, you don’t even know our odds yet?
“Really?” He raised an eyebrow, intrigued.
“Mila cannot compete with Nicolai.”
“Eighteen percent of the stakes are waiting to be claimed by her in two weeks. My vote won’t matter much unless you have a way to make her surrender them Traditionally, the board will choose her–not just because she’s the better option on paper, but because of her lineage. Not to mention, Mila’s grandfather made it clear from an early stage with a media statement that she is the heiress to Anderson Group of Companies. Meanwhile, Nicolai is just Killian’s voice was laced with mockery, an outsider.”
Adeline’s expression darkened.
inheritance, shr
Lippened when she was ten Eleven years have passed, and she’s never been involved with the Andersons. As for her
I couldn’t help but s
Way to go, Killian Knight
With just a few words, he made her slip. I was wary of him, but even I knew no amount of resources could have uncovered that information so directly. He had to be at the center of it all
Chapter 17
“So you have something over her,” he said.
Adeline immediately became guarded.
“Now, Mr. Knight, do y
you
really think I’d be foolish enough to reveal all my card?”
She uncrossed her legs and gracefully walked toward him, her gaze seductive. The bitter feeling inside me flared again.
“But rest assured, the odds are quite in our favor. Her voice was low and alluring. She reached out, her hand hovering near his chest-
But he stepped back.
“I see,” was all he said before turning and walking out of the camera frame.
I switched to the driveway camera. Sure enough, he climbed into his black car and drove away.
It should have been enough, but I felt like I was suffocating. Something inside me burned.
I stepped out of the car, found an empty spot in the supermarket parking lot, and pulled out my inhaled deeply, letting the smoke burn at the back of my throat,
willver
r cigarette case. Taking one out, I lit it and
I wanted to get rid of this feeling in my chest, but no matter what I did, the image of Adeline standing so close to Killian kept replaying in my mind
She had made sure to keep me out today for this little chat with him.
And he had his own agenda
He made her slip–but not all the way. Now, he would go to any lengths to find out what she really had over me.
1 pulled out my phone from my jeans and dialed j’s number.
“Hello, did you see?
“I did.” I said.
“He’s close to you.”
“Not yet
“You keep saying that. He’s obsessed w
with you.”
“Never mind that. I want you to send this footage to Tommen Anderson.”
A paist
