Without another word, Sadie turned and left the dining room, her steps quick and deliberate. She didn’t look back as she walked straight to her bedroom and locked the door behind her.
Sadie walked to the window, staring out at the sprawling grounds of Myrtlewood Estate-Noah’s world. Kyla’s words replayed in her mind, taunting her.
A bitter laugh escaped Sadie’s lips. “I can’t escape,” she murmured, her chest heavy. This was Noah’s domain, surrounded by his people. She might never get another chance if anyone found her trying to leave.
Sadie pulled out her phone, the light from the screen casting an eerie glow on her pale face. Her fingers trembled as the seconds ticked by, each moment pressing harder on her chest. Time was running out.
Taking a steadying breath, Sadie dialed Alex’s number.
“Hello?” Alex’s voice sounded puzzled. He was confused by the sudden call.
“It’s me,” Sadie replied, her voice low and hoarse, as though every word required immense effort.
“Sadie? What’s wrong?” Alex’s tone shifted instantly as he picked up on the unease in her voice. He sounded anxious, almost alarmed.
“The plan’s canceled,” Sadie said, closing her eyes and taking a deep breath to steady her trembling voice. “Kyla found out. She won’t let me leave.”
“What?!” Alex’s voice rose sharply. “How did she find out?”
“I don’t know,” Sadie admitted, her voice heavy with frustration. “This plan was too risky. I never agreed to it,” Alex said, his words sharp with regret.
“I didn’t have a choice!” Sadie replied, bitterness crawling up her throat. “There was nothing else I could do.”
“You need to get out of Myrtlewood Estate, somewhere public, somewhere crowded,” Alex advised, his voice calm but urgent. “A mall, a big event, anywhere you can disappear into a crowd.”
“I’ll figure it out,” Sadie murmured, her tone resigned.
Sadie ended the call without another word, tossing the phone onto the bed in frustration. Helplessness clawed at her chest.
Downstairs, Noah sat on the sofa, his expression dark and unreadable. Kyla approached with a sweet smile, settling beside Noah and curling close to him. Her voice dripped with sweetness as she said, “Noah, the Maple Group CEO’s wedding anniversary party is the day after tomorrow. Why don’t we go together?”
Noah frowned, a flicker of impatience crossing his face. He gently pushed her hand away. “No. I have other plans.”
Kyla’s lips formed a small pout, her tone turning playfully whiny. “But it’s so boring here. A party would be so much more fun.”
Kyla paused momentarily, then, as if a thought had just crossed her mind, added, “By the way, I heard Sadie has worked with Maple Group before. She should probably go too. Otherwise, she’ll just stay locked in her room and get sick.”
Noah’s gaze shifted to Kyla, his expression sharpening with suspicion. He studied her briefly before asking, his voice low, “Since when did you start caring about her?”
Though Kyla was shaken, she maintained her composure and offered a strained smile.
“It would be best if we went together. I’d prefer you not to bring anyone else. After all, your divorce is imminent.”
Noah averted his eyes and responded flatly, “We can discuss that.” He got up and headed directly to the study, leaving Kyla by the sofa.
When the door to the study clicked shut, the forced smile disappeared from Kyla’s face, giving way to a chilling, calculating look.
She checked the clock; it was almost nine.
Rising, she made her way to the courtyard and gazed up at the lit window of Sadie’s room on the second floor, her expression a mix of emotions.
The light in the room was on, the window ajar, yet Sadie was out of sight.
Kyla’s sneer emerged. Clearly, Sadie had abandoned her naive scheme. As the guards changed shifts, Kyla covertly took out her phone and dialed a secured number.
“Hello, it’s me,” she whispered, her voice laced with subtle tension. “At the Maple Group CEO’s wedding celebration in two days, it’s time to act.”
She paused, her voice hardening. “You must not fail this time. I’ll text you the details later. If plans change, I’ll update you.”
Laughter tinged with sarcasm answered her from the other end. “Ah, Miss Wade, surely you won’t make me wait again?”
Kyla’s irritation flared.
“Just execute it flawlessly. Don’t botch it like last time,” she said, anger evident in her tone. “Make sure she dies this time.”
“Make sure she dies?” the hacker repeated with a playful tone, amused by Kyla’s intensity. “Wow, when a woman gets fierce, it’s truly terrifying.”
“Stop the nonsense!” Kyla exclaimed with a hint of impatience. “Finish the job, and your reward will follow.”
“Okay, fine. You always keep it simple, Miss Wade. It’s refreshing to work with you!” the hacker responded playfully, chuckling before disconnecting.
Kyla inhaled deeply, attempting to settle her nerves.
Raising her eyes once more, Kyla locked eyes with Sadie by the window of her room.
With a chill in her smile and a casual wave, Kyla greeted her. In two days, Sadie would meet her end; she should savor these final days.
Meanwhile, in his study, Noah was engrossed in paperwork, his brow furrowed in concentration.
The piercing sound of his ringtone shattered the silence.
He picked up, his expression growing stern as he listened. “What’s that? Any leads?”
The informant on the line updated him about the ongoing probe into Sadie’s car accident.
The prime suspect was a hacker known as Ryder Clifford, infamous for his elusive nature.
Although the police had pinpointed his last known location, they found it deserted, suggesting he might be using multiple hideouts.
Luckily, they managed to secure surveillance footage and extracted several images, which they forwarded to Noah.
As Noah scanned the blurry images on his screen, his gaze became more discerning.
He stared at the familiar eyes in the photos, sparking doubt.
Despite a mask and hat obscuring most of his features, something about the eyes struck him as familiar.
Zooming in on the images, he scrutinized them until he noticed one in which Ryder was in an embrace with a woman.
The photo’s angle obscured her face, but her fashion sense, particularly her choice of designer wear, was unmistakably similar to Kyla’s usual style.
Could Kyla have orchestrated that car accident?
A chill of dread crept through Noah, his heart heavy with suspicion.
He wasted no time contacting Samuel. “Continue the investigation. I want a detailed report on Ryder, especially his recent contacts.” His tone was icy, leaving no room for argument.
The Myrtlewood Estate was brightly lit.
All three occupants were lost in their thoughts.
By the next morning, Jim made an unexpected appearance.
He marched into the living room, his gaze quickly settling on Kyla, who sat with poised grace on the sofa. His eyes narrowed. “Where’s Sadie?” he asked, his tone casual yet tinged with concern.
“She’s taking a rest upstairs,” Noah responded from behind, his voice carrying a cool undertone.
Jim stopped, turned to Noah, and held his gaze for a moment. Then, pretending not to care, he said, “I’ll go check on her.”
Noah stepped into his path. “What’s this sudden interest in Sadie? Are you keeping secrets from me?”
Jim avoided a direct response. His eyes flicked to Kyla, still seated, and with a knowing glance, he challenged, “How long will you keep up this charade? Is it really amusing to have all three of you under one roof here at Myrtlewood Estate?”
Noah’s expression tightened. “Stay out of my affairs.”
New Book: Back Home to Marry Off Myself
Loredana’s father left the family for his mistress, leaving them to fend for themselves abroad. When life was at its toughest, her father showed up with “good news” after 8 years of absence: To marry off Loredana to a paralyzed son of the wealthy Mendelsohn family.
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