After ra dropped off Justin, she tried calling Z, but he didn''t answer. She was worried he might be sick again, so she sent him a bunch of texts. Normally, he''d reply right away, but this time it took him a whole half hour to get back to her with a simple: "Busy, got stuff going on."


    Feeling uneasy, ra called him again. When he picked up, his voice sounded a bit off. "Z, are you sick again?" she asked.


    "No, it''s just been crazy busy here at Nightshade," he replied.


    ra didn''t know much about Nightshade, assuming it was like any regrpany that gave time off for holidays. She took a deep breath, realizing she was parked outside a big supermarket.


    "So, are we still on for dinner tomorrow? Think you''ll have time?" she asked hopefully.


    There was a pause, then a sigh from the other end. "We''ll see. I''m really swamped."


    A wave of disappointment washed over ra. With Ryan spending the holiday with Sarah, and if Z was tied up too, she''d be ringing in the new year solo.


    "Alright, focus on your stuff. Just call me if things change," she said, trying to sound upbeat.


    She hung up and drove home. If she was celebrating alone, there was no need for festive groceries. As she was about to get out of the car, she noticed a jar in the backseat-an herbal mix from an old alternative medicine expert, perfect for making health-boosting chicken soup.


    She almost forgot about it. Grabbing the jar, she headed upstairs. After setting it down in the kitchen, she headed to her room, thinking a hot shower was just what she needed.


    1. nou


    Meanwhile, Aaron was catching his breath, eyeing the man in front of him with a smirk. "Dn, I''ve told everything. Seriously, all those photos are gone. Grandpa said we have to be there tomorrow night. If I vanish now, you''ll have a hard time exining things to him."


    Dn, unfazed, toyed with a USB drive, his demeanor rxed. Aaron had just gotten out of the hospital and was eager to get back to his ns, but Dn had tracked him down faster than he expected.


    Aaron spat blood, clutching his wounded arm. He thought he knew Dn well, but


    clearly, he still had a lot to learn. He hadn''t even seen Dn''s knife strike.


    Fear gripped him, but it also fueled his determination. No wonder Dn had kept him in check for so long-he was formidable. But Bn had a weakness, and Aaron Wasn''t going to let that slide.


    ?


    Aaron grinned, shrugging. "The backups are all here. I told Grandpa I''m nning


    to learn a lot from you about running thepany, so disappearing isn''t an option."


    Mentioning Walter was his safety card, especially during the holidays, knowing Dn wouldn''t want to cause trouble now.


    Dn barely nced at him, his eyes cold and dismissive, which stung Aaron''s pride. He saw Dn as his rival, yet Dn seemed to think so little of him.


    Aaron refused to ept that someone with a weakness could hold such power. Dn handed the USB to Aiden, his tone indifferent. "Handle it."