Though she might have read it a hundred times already, Rosalind’s eyes still clung to the same line:‘Still haven’t realized why you were brought here? Or are you pretending not to?’Her stomach twisted. What did they mean? Was this just a taunt, or were the people behind all this waiting for something from her, something only she knew?She clutched the paper tighter, her thoughts spiralling. ‘Why us? Why me?’If they wanted money, they could have asked. If they wanted revenge—for what? She had never wronged anyone. Not to the extent of locking them up, leaving them like hostages, trying to break them before doing anything worse.She had done nothing that could warrant this. Unless… unless this wasn’t about her at all.Her mind raced through names like a reel—Sean, Nate, her relatives, even strangers she had crossed paths with. Could it be one of them? Was she really the target, or just caught in someone else’s web?The flickering light buzzed above, grating on her nerves. She presse

As if sensing her gaze, Silas’s eyes shifted. His attention was sharp and deliberately locked on Rosalind. The grin that curved across his face was slow, calculated, unnervingly intimate, as though he had caught her committing something forbidden. Rosalind’s breath hitched; her body instinctively tensed. For a fleeting second, she flinched under the weight of his stare. The predatory amusement in his eyes cut deeper than any blade. She forced herself to stand tall. Her jaw tightened, her hands curled into fists at her sides, and though her chest burned with unease, she did not look away. Silas let the moment linger, savouring it, then turned from her as if she were nothing more than a curiosity. His attention slid to the men seated across the room. With slow, deliberate steps, he strode past Rosalind and Victoria, his presence a shadow that chilled the air. When he stopped before the group, his grin widened. He looked down at them, pale, trembling, clutching at their mothers

Rosalind’s scream tore through the room. Even as the sound left her lips, her eyes locked on the casket. She couldn’t believe it. Couldn’t accept it.There was a body inside. Pale. Still. Too still. Preserved—unnaturally so.Her breath caught as recognition slammed into her chest. The sharp jaw, the familiar features—the face she knew too well.“Vincent…” The name slipped out in a broken whisper.Her legs shook, but she forced herself upright, eyes snapping to Silas.“You think I killed him?” Her voice cracked, rising. “You think I killed Vincent?”The room went silent. Every gaze flicked between them, tension pulling the air tight.Silas didn’t blink, didn’t flinch. He gave her a confused look, then his stare pinned her in place, hard as steel. Slowly, his lips curved into a smile that carried nothing but danger.“Are we pretending now?” Silas asked, his scowl cutting deep across his face. “Even after seeing the body and recognizing him, you still act like you weren’t the one who kil

Being followed wasn’t part of Sean’s plan for the day, but he knew better than to expect control over everything. That was exactly why he preferred staying inside the lab. There, no one could find him, no one could disturb him, and he didn’t have to deal with the outside world at all.Still, here he was.Sean moved quickly through the aisles, his eyes scanning labels until he found the section he needed. He walked straight to the shelf, picked up the small box of sodium bicarbonate, and tucked it under his arm.The chime above the door rang again.The man who had been following him stepped inside. Sean caught the reflection of the brimmed hat in the glass jars but didn’t so much as twitch. Instead, he moved down the aisle as if nothing had happened.The man paused, his eyes sweeping the store. He didn’t spot Sean at once.“Hey,” the man said to the clerk behind the counter, his voice light, almost casual. “Have you seen a tall guy come in here? Dark jacket? He’s my friend. We came tog

Hearing that, the others were stunned, each of them staring at Nate in confusion.Even Rosalind turned sharply toward him. Her eyes widened as she studied his trembling shoulders, his bloodless face, and the hollow exhaustion etched into every line of his expression. He looked worse than before, like he was carrying a heavy weight no one else could see.Her lips parted, but no words came. She had never seen Nate look so frail, so desperate.Nate’s hands shook against the bindings at his wrists, his breath uneven and shallow. Sweat gathered on his temple, sliding down his cheek as he struggled to steady himself.“I’m telling the truth,” he blurted, his voice cracking. “I was never close to Calloway! Why would I be? I’ve never even stepped into his circle! She’s lying!”Lillian’s brows knit together, her voice sharp and unwavering.“You can deny it all you want, Nate, but everyone knows you were always talking about meeting him, always calling him. Don’t think we didn’t noticed. You ma