Andrew sat on the edge of Dora's bed, watching her tie her shoelaces with a determined look on her face. The morning sunlight streamed through the window, and for a moment, the house felt like it was back to normal, as if nothing unusual had happened last night. But the tension between them remained. Dora had been quiet all morning, her eyes occasionally flickering toward him with a hint of suspicion."Why did you sleep in my room last night, Daddy?" Dora asked, her voice laced with annoyance as she focused on her laces.Andrew cleared his throat, trying to find the right words. He knew that she was still upset about his broken promise the previous day, and he didn’t want to give her another reason to be disappointed in him. He leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees."Well," he began, "I came in to apologize to you, but when I got here, you were already asleep." He watched her expression carefully, trying to gauge her reaction. "I was so tired... I guess I just dozed off in y
Andrew glanced at his watch as he finished the last of his coffee. He had been at the diner longer than planned, and there was still so much to do. The unsettling news he shared with Patrick had only made everything feel more urgent. He looked at Patrick, who was staring into his empty cup, lost in thought."Patrick, I have to go," Andrew said, breaking the silence. "We’ll regroup later and come up with a plan."Patrick looked up at him, nodding. "Understood, boss. You just be careful, alright? Alec is dangerous, and we can’t underestimate what he might be capable of now."Andrew smiled faintly, appreciating the concern in Patrick’s voice. “I will, Patrick. Thanks. And keep an eye out for anything suspicious—anything at all.”“Got it. I’ll stay in touch,” Patrick said, his expression sincere.Andrew stood, putting a hand on Patrick’s shoulder for a brief moment before making his way toward the diner’s exit. He could feel Patrick’s eyes on him as he walked away, and he knew that his fr
Chapter 97Andrew pulled the car to a stop in front of the ice cream shop, the neon lights of the storefront glowing warmly in the early evening. He took a deep breath, trying to shake off the lingering unease that had followed him all day. His hands gripped the steering wheel for a moment longer, his knuckles white with tension.He climbed out of the car, glancing around the street. There were people everywhere—families, teenagers, couples—but something still felt off. He tried to ignore the sensation, hoping it was just his overworked imagination playing tricks on him. The paranoid feeling of being followed hadn’t left him since the voicemail, but he hadn’t seen anything to back up that fear.As he walked toward the shop, Andrew made sure to turn discreetly, scanning the crowd. He couldn’t pinpoint why he felt that way, but it was as though a heavy presence lurked behind him. He walked past a group of teenagers, pretending to browse the displays of an adjacent store while he looked
The feeling was unmistakable, and his heart sank as he let out a sigh. Valkyron was here. But surprisingly, he couldn't see the screen that Valkyron regularly came with. —Master, you made a terrible mistake.— Valkyron's voice echoed around him. Andrew froze, his heart sinking further as he closed his eyes, gripping the steering wheel even tighter. His breath came in slow, ragged bursts as he tried to calm the storm of emotions raging within him.“A mistake?” he whispered, his voice trembling with both anger and fear. “Did I hit the wrong person? Was he innocent?” He opened his eyes, turning his head slightly, as if searching for Valkyron even though he knew he wouldn’t see the system guide.Valkyron’s response came without hesitation, almost as though it was expecting Andrew’s reaction. “—No, master, the man you hit was indeed the one who broke into your house.—”Andrew’s chest tightened at the revelation, his emotions spinning from confusion to fury in a heartbeat. He felt his ange
Chapter 99"Daddy is back!!" Andrew heard Dora scream when he was getting down from the car. As he parked and turned off the engine, Andrew glanced over at the passenger seat. The tub of strawberry ice cream sat there, completely out of place in the middle of the chaos his day had been. He had promised Dora, and despite everything, he had made sure to keep that promise. He grabbed the ice cream and stepped out of the car, but the moment his feet hit the pavement, his exhaustion became evident. His clothes were in tatters—ripped at the sleeves and smeared with dirt, one of his shoes was missing a lace, and he was nursing a fresh cut above his right eyebrow.There was a maid tending to the garden. The moment she saw Andrew alight from the car, she immediately stopped what she was doing and focused her attention on him. Rosa looked up from the garden and gasped, her eyes widening as she took in the sight of Andrew's disheveled appearance. For a moment, she hesitated, stepping toward hi
Andrew tossed and turned in his bed, his mind heavy with the events of the day. His head felt clouded, as if something was tugging at the edge of his consciousness, pulling him deeper into his dream. He found himself standing in an all-too-familiar hospital room. The dim, sterile lights overhead flickered, casting eerie shadows on the pale walls. The faint smell of disinfectant lingered in the air, mingled with the sterile, cold scent of metal and medicine.In the bed before him lay his parents—pale, frail, and tethered to machines. His mother, her once lively eyes dim, turned to him slowly. His father, ever the stoic, looked at Andrew with an expression Andrew couldn’t quite place—a mix of disappointment and pleading. "Andrew, why haven’t you come for us?" his mother’s voice echoed through the quiet room, though her lips barely moved. It was haunting, like a sound carried on the wind.Andrew’s heart seized. "I—I didn’t know…" he stammered, taking a hesitant step toward them, his thr
Andrew could barely feel his limbs. His wrists were tightly bound behind him, and the coarse rope dug into his skin, leaving angry red welts. He could hear the sound of dripping water echoing throughout the cold, damp dungeon. He didn't know how long he'd been there—minutes, hours, days. His mind felt foggy, and his body ached from the struggle he'd put up against his captors. His face was bruised, and his muscles were stiff from being forced into the same uncomfortable position. The darkness was oppressive, wrapping around him like a thick, smothering blanket. He tugged at the ropes again, his arms straining as he tried to break free. The rough surface of the rope only seemed to tighten around his wrists, the pain intensifying with every futile attempt. His breath came out in ragged gasps as his frustration grew. "No, no, no," he whispered, shaking his head, his voice hoarse and barely audible. "I have to get out of here."He could feel his eyes welling up, his vision blurring as t
The young woman crept closer, her eyes darting nervously around the dark, damp dungeon. As she reached Andrew, she crouched down, quickly pulling a knife from her pocket. She began cutting the ropes that bound his wrists, her hands trembling as she worked. "My name is Emilia," she whispered, her voice just above a breath. "I'm here to help you." Andrew blinked, his eyes focusing on her face as she worked. "Why?" he croaked, his voice raw from the pain and the bruises. "Who are you?" Emilia paused, her eyes meeting his. "I'm... Diego's girlfriend," she said, her voice tinged with sadness. "But I can't watch him do this anymore. I'm tired of it—tired of seeing him bring people here just to torture and kill them." The words sent a shiver down Andrew's spine, a cold dread washing over him. Torture and kill? The reality of his situation struck him like a blow to the chest. He had known that Diego was dangerous, but this... this was worse than anything he had imagined. Emilia finis