"Sir? Are you alright?" Bud asked gently.
Ss jolted, startled by Bud''s voice. He didn''t know how long he had been standing in the empty lot. When he finally became aware of himself, he realized
he was trembling, and the panic still sat heavy in his chest.
"I''m... good..." he managed, though his voice betrayed him. "Let''s go."
Bud gave him a suspicious look but said nothing. He led the way, followed by two more guards.
Rosie''s words crept into his mind-one doubt after another. Each doubt morphed into a fact, a fact he was struggling to ignore, even though something
about them felt painfully true.
He slid into the car, his thoughts racing.
How did she know he was here? How did she know about Mateo too? It felt like he was the only one sitting in the dark.
He leaned forward. "Bud, take me to the De Royale Hotel," he said, then gave the address.
Panic surged again, and he clenched his fists trying topose himself.
It was either he had a leak, or Rosie had done something much worse like bugging his house and his phone.
Sweat broke out on his skin at the realization.
He didn''t believe Rosie, she was lying. He said the line severally like a chant, hoping that would make it true.
"Are you alright, boss?" Bud asked, ncing at him through the rearview mirror.
"No," Ss said, finally admitting. He sank deeper into the seat, wiping off the sweat with his sleeve. "I think I''m being bugged."
"Bug?" Bud''s voice rose in fear.
"Yes. I want every inch of the house searched. Mypany, the cars, everything. As soon as possible."
"Yes sir," Bud replied, concentrating back on the road.
At the risk of sounding uneasy, he bit his lips, refusing to say anything more.
Rosie was trying to drive him crazy, and he wouldn''t let her.
His thoughts drifted to Ivy, and his chest tightened. He quickly took his phone and called her. Just like earlier in the day, she didn''t pick up.
With anxiety swirling in his chest, he was tempted to keep calling, but he stopped himself. She was at Aunt May''s ce, and he wanted to believe she was
safe.
Cole had promised.
The idea of a leak in the house crept back into his mind, but he shook it off. His phone rang, and he answered it. It was an unknown number.
"Hello?"
"Hello, Mr. Stone," a soft, feminine voice replied, "It''s Jade."
Jade?" He searched his mind.
"Your wife''s PA, sir."
"Oh," he said, then panic struck again. "What happened?"
10:52 Mon, 16 Jun G
"She told me to send you a surveince footage, sir."
"Ah." Relief poured through him. Ivy had texted him about it, and he hadpletely forgotten. "I''ll send you my email. Send it there."
"Alright, sir."
"Is that all?"
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"Yes, sir," Jade replied gently. "Bye, sir."
He saved the number and sent his email. Momentster, he received the clip and opened it immediately.
The stranger in the video hadn''t even bothered to cover his face.
Was this all part of Rosie''s sick game to break Ivy?
He swallowed as he watched it again.
Then he remembered Ivy mentioning a picture of her and Mason. He wondered what that was about, but he was patient.
Ivy was the only one who could exin it, and he wouldn''t let Rosie paint a narrative.
"We''re here, boss," Bud said, stopping the car.
Ss looked up and realized they were at the hotel. "Thanks, Bud," he said, dialing his own P.A.
When Tyler answered, Ss spoke. "I''m going to send you a surveince footage. It''s important you guard it with everything."
"Yes, sir," Tyler said, his voice firm.
"Find out who was in that footage. I want every detail on that man."
"Yes, sir."
"Thank you, Tyler. I''ll be waiting for your response." Ss ended the call and sent
the email before stepping out of the car. "I''ll be back soon," he told Bud.
Ss went straight to the reception area and asked for Thomas''s room. After getting directions, he rode the elevator up, trying not to let Rosie''s words echo in his head.
He wasn''t here to choose Rosie over Thomas. He just wanted answers. He needed to hear it from his brother.
The elevator chimed, and he stepped onto the floor. His heart jumped slightly at
the number of guards stationed in the hallway.
If Thomas was this cautious about Rosie, why had he gone to her alone?
"Mr. Stone," one of the guards approached.
"What room is Thomas in, please?"
"Thest one on the left, sir."
Ss nodded, his heart skipping as he walked down the corridor.
How was he even going to start? He had no idea even as he knocked on the door.
"Come in," Thomas said from the other side,
Ss swallowed hard, before pushing the door open. His brother stood at the window, his back turned to the door, a transparent ss in his hand.
"She told me to send you a surveince footage, sir."
"Ah." Relief poured through him, Ivy had texted him about it, and he had
"Alright, sir."
"is that all?"
号64%會
"Yes, sir," Jade replied gently. "Bye, sir."
He saved the number and sent his email. Momentster, he received the clip and
opened it immediately.
The stranger in the video hadn''t even bothered to cover his face.
Was this all part of Rosie''s sick game to break Ivy?
He swallowed as he watched it again.
Then he remembered Ivy mentioning a picture of her and Mason. He wondered
what that was about, but he was patient.
Ivy was the only one who could exin it, and he wouldn''t let Rosie paint a narrative.
"We''re here, boss," Bud said, stopping the car.
Ss looked up and realized they were at the hotel. "Thanks, Bud," he said,
dialing his own P.A.
When Tyler answered, Ss spoke. "I''m going to send you a surveince footage.
It''s important you guard it with everything."
"Yes, sir," Tyler said, his voice firm.
"Find out who was in that footage. I want every detail on that man."
"Yes, sir."
"Thank you, Tyler. I''ll be waiting for your response." Ss ended the call and sent the email before stepping out of the car. "I''ll be back soon," he told Bud. Ss went straight to the reception area and asked for Thomas''s room. After getting directions, he rode the elevator up, trying not to let Rosie''s words
echo in his head.
He wasn''t here to choose Rosie over Thomas. He just wanted answers. He needed to hear it from his brother.
The elevator chimed, and he stepped onto the floor. His heart jumped slightly at
the number of guards stationed in the hallway.
if Thomas was this cautious about Rosie, why had he gone to her alone?
"Mr. Stone," one of the guards approached.
"What room is Thomas in, please?"
"Thest one on the left, sir."
Ss nodded, his heart skipping as he walked down the corridor.
How was he even going to start? He had no idea even as he knocked on the door.
"Come in," Thomas said from the other side,
Ss swallowed hard, before pushing the door open. His brother stood at the window, his back turned to the door, a transparent ss in his hand,
"Hey, bro," Ss said.
Thomas turned slowly, his eyes widened. "Ss."
"When were you nning to return my calls?" Ss asked.
"Soon," Thomas said. "T... have been busy."
"That''s all it ever is with you, Thomas. Busy all the time," he said carefully, trying
not to let his frustration show. "You missed dinner, that was supposed to be our time to bond."
Thomas downed his drink and set the ss on the bedside table. "I''m sorry, Si. I should have called."
That was it? No exnation. Just an apology?
Ss stepped closer. "What''s going on, Thomas? You''ve been so distant."
"Nothing you need to worry about," Thomas chuckled lightly. "Don''t worry, I''lle over for dinner tonight. Is 8 p.m. fine?"
Ss closed his eyes for a moment, controlling the anger that threatened to spill. Thomas was lying. He could tell with the way his eyes darted- everywhere but Ss''s face.
"Where were youst night?"
"Out. I had things to do," Thomas said without missing a beat. Then he moved closer, directing Ss to the door. "I''ll callter. We''ll talk. I''ll even stay overnight."
The eagerness to dismiss him, the guilt in his eyes, the slight tremor in his voice all fueled Ss''s anger.
He nudged his brother''s hand away, not bothering to hide the anger in his voice.
"Where were youst night?"
"I said I was busy."
"Don''t fucking lie to me, Thomas!" Ss snapped. "Were you handcuffed to a
damn bed?"
Thomas''s hazel eyes widened. His mouth opened, but no words came out.
"Fuck!" Ss shouted, his anger breaking into pain. "You went to Rosie, didn''t you? You lied to me."
Thomas said nothing. He just staggered back to the bed and sank on it.
Pain pierced Ss''s chest. "I can''t believe you''d lie to me. I am your brother! I''m
trying to help you. All you had to do was let me in!"
Thomas stayed silent.
Ss stepped forward, shaking with rage. "Who the fuck is Mateo Castro?"
That did it.
Thomas shot up from the bed, his eyes wide. "What?"
"You never talked about the men i saw in your office. But you were
quick to call Rosie a thief. The same Rosie you... screwed."
Ss had expected remorse, or even another t apology. Anything. But instead,
Thomas red, his eyes burning.
"How dare you speak to Rosie behind my back?"
Ss blinked, confusion gripping him—but not for long. "You''d rather spin this
around than tell me the truth? So Rosie was right
10:53 Mon, 16 Jun
Thomas lunged at him, shoving Ss violently against the door. "Get out!"
The action should have stunned Ss, but for some weird reason he had
expected that, and it added to his rage
He snapped too, pushing his brother back.
It was Thomas who was stunned as he lost his footing and to the floor.
"Fuck you, Thomas!" Ss exploded.
"Get out! I never want to see you again!"
"And you won''t!" Ss snapped. "Go to hell!"
He stormed out of the room, pain and fury mixing like poison in his veins.
He couldn''t believe it.
Rosie had been telling the truth.
Fuck.
As Ss made his way out, he took his phone and dialed David Spence. The line
connected immediately.
"One more thing to add to your investigation," Ss said. "Ind Nova."
10:53 Mon, 16 Jun G
Thomas lunged at him, shoving Ss violently against the door. "Get out!"
The action should have stunned Ss, but for some weird reason he had
expected that, and it added to his rage.
He snapped too, pushing his brother back.
It was Thomas who was stunned as he lost his footing and to the floor.
"Fuck you, Thomas!" Ss exploded.
"Get out! I never want to see you again!"
"And you won''t!" Ss snapped. "Go to hell!"
He stormed out of the room, pain and fury mixing like poison in his veins.
He couldn''t believe it.
Rosie had been telling the truth.
Fuck.
As Ss made his way out, he took his phone and dialed David Spence. The line
connected immediately.
"One more thing to add to your investigation," Ss said. "Ind Nova."