Chapter 745 Lines in the Sand
Ste hesitated, then finally pressed Marie’s number.
“Ste,” came the brisk reply.
“Marie…”
A
Finished
“You’re calling about Tessa, right? Don’t worry, you don’t need to panic. I’ve got this handled.”
“I…” Ste faltered.
“Trust me,” Marie cut in, her tone fierce but warm. “As long as I’m here, nothing will happen to Tessa. You just take care of those babies.”
The reassurance squeezed at Ste’s chest. She almost blurted out the truth–that Tessa was safe with Victor–but bit it back.
Instead she asked softly, “You’re with Derrick?”
“Yeah, he’s here. And the Ashen Pact? Damn bastards. We’ve already shaken their foundations and they <i>still </i>won’t hand her over. Are they begging for death?”
Ste pressed her lips together.
“But don’t you worry,” Marie went on, her voice all fire and steel. “We’ll push harder. In a few days at most, I’ll drag Tessa back myself.”
Ste’s guilt only deepened. “Marie, you… don’t need to be so anxious.”
“Huh?” Marie blinked. “Don’t be anxious? Ste, do you even realize how close you and Tessa are? Of course I’m anxious!”
“Tessa’s blessed,” Ste murmured. “She’ll be fine.”
For a moment Marie was quiet, then her voice softened. “You’re just trying tofort me, aren’t you?…Ste, I swear I’ll bring her back.”
Before Ste could answer, the door swung open.
Abraham stepped in just in time to hear, “Marie…”
His brow furrowed. Without a word, he plucked the phone from Ste’s hand.
Her lips pouted in protest, but Abraham only nced at the screen, confirming the caller. “Have you found her?” he asked tly.
<b>14:59 </b><b>Fri</b><b>, </b><b>Sep </b><b>19 </b>
Chapter 745 Lines in the Sand
“No!” Marie snapped.
“Then stop wasting time. Find her.”
“Abraham-”
He cut her off. “We’re done here.” And ended the call.
Ste red at him, cheeks puffed.
He looked down at her with that calm, imcable gaze. “What?”
68
Finished
“Why won’t you tell Marie? You’re all ying some game I don’t understand. Ashen Pact is already chaos. Isn’t that enough?”
Her indignation made him smile faintly. He sat on the edge of the bed, drawing her head against his chest.
“Half of Ashen Pact already belongs to your sister,” he said.
Her eyes widened. “What?”
“She isn’t stealing–it’s hers to reim.”
Reiming… her own? Ste peeked up at him, suspicion dawning. “So you really <i>are </i>carving
the Ashen Pact?<b>” </b>
up
Abraham pinched her cheek, then bent and stole a kiss. Sweetness lingered from the honey she’d eaten earlier.
“Don’t meddle in this. Understand?”
Ste bit her lip. She wasn’t meddling, she just hated seeing Marie frantic. But if half of it was already destined for Marie, then… maybe she really didn’t need to carry that guilt.
The storm had started for Tessa. Yet in a blink, it had be a feeding frenzy. The Pact’s strongholds were copsing one after another.
Dale hadn’t closed his eyes all night. When dawn finally touched the sky, exhaustion dragged at
him.
“Sir,” Lenny the butler said as he entered with Trevor, Dale’s most trusted aide. “Mr. Trevor has arrived.”
Dale waved Lenny out, his head pounding.
14:59 Fri, Sep 19 B..
Chapter 745 Lines in the Sand
At the door, the butler hesitated. “Sir, the madam waited for you all night.”
Finished
Dale’s expression hardened. He lifted a hand, dismissing the words. He had no patience left for Artemis.
When the door shut, Trevor stepped closer, face grim. “We found nothing. She isn’t with Dan, or Manny, or Madam Artemis.”
Dale’s jaw tightened. In the wake of their copsing defenses, trust itself was turning to ash. The people he once believed in–now he wasn’t sure of any of them.
The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and
continue reading tomorrow, everyone!