Briony''s world was pitch ck. She stumbled forward, her arm clinging to Mary''s for support.


    Blindness had turned every step into a hazard. From the second floor down to the first, she kept bumping into things, nearly falling more than once-each time Mary caught her just in time.


    They reached the side door of the back garden. Mary opened it, then gently nudged her forward-


    Briony froze, caught off guard. Before she could react, a pair of strong arms steadied her from behind.


    A familiar, deep voice sounded above her head. "Ms. Kensington, it''s me."


    ir.


    Briony''s breath caught. "ir? What are you doing here?"


    Mary''s voice was urgent. "ir, Briony can''t see. It must be the meds-they did something to her eyes. Please, just get her out. You can sort everything out once you''re home."


    "Got it."


    ir bent down and swept Briony into his arms.


    In the darkness, he looked at Mary. "Thank you. Take care of yourself."


    “Go, quickly,” Mary said, her eyes shimmering with unshed tears. “Briony, if we ever meet again, I hope you''ll still let me call you ''sister.""


    Briony couldn''t see, but she turned her head toward Mary''s voice. "Mary,e with us-"


    "Who''s out there?"


    Belinda''s voice rang out from the garden, sharp and sudden.


    All three froze. Mary made a quick gesture to ir-go, now!


    ir didn''t hesitate. He turned and hurried away with Briony in his arms.


    Mary shut the door, cutting off Belinda''s shouts.


    In the deep blue of the night, ir set Briony down inside a waiting ck SUV. Briony''s world remained shrouded in darkness, her hearing sharp and anxious.


    She heard ir fastening her seatbelt, the metallic click of the buckle. Her hands trembled as she gripped the strap.


    Everything felt surreal, like she was drifting through a half-remembered dream— alive, but barely believing it.


    She heard the car door close beside her.


    A few secondster, the driver''s side door opened. Someone climbed in.


    Another door thudded shut.


    The SUV reared to life and sped away, pressing Briony back into her seat. She curled into herself, fingers


    knuckled on the seatbelt, every


    taut.


    The car was silent. No one spoke.


    Briony could feel the vehicle racing through the night. Though she couldn''t see,


    the adrenaline and fear still clung to her, sharp and raw.


    She didn''t even know who was sitting beside her anymore. Everything had happened so fast, so smoothly, it almost felt unreal-too easy. Her mind spun with suspicion.


    "ir?" she called out uncertainly.


    "I''m here."


    His familiar voice calmed her, just a little. "Where are we going?"


    "The airport," ir said, his tone clipped and tense. "Ferdinand''s got his hands in everything here. We need to get out now."


    Briony''s worry didn''t ease. "How did you even find me?"


    "Lorna sent me," ir replied quietly. "We''ve known each other a while."


    That made sense to Briony. After all, bodyguards and private security always


    seemed to run in the same circles.


    "How''s your vision?" ir asked.


    "Still nothing," Briony said, gripping the seatbelt tighter. "ir, do you think we''ll really make it back home?"


    "I promise. I''ll get you there."


    "Ferdinand will realize I''m gone


    minute now," Briony whispered, afraid to believe in rescue. "You


    any


    shouldn''t havee. You might not make it out either."


    "As long as I''m alive," ir said firmly, "I''ll get you home. No matter what."


    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and


    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!