Chapter 245 Secrets in the Dark
Just then, the long–dead lights in their vacation vi began to flicker and glow to life.
s
Julian!” Nathaniel’s eyes widened as he nced at the ceiling, the sudden light sparking <b>a </b>terrible realization. “He’s still in the basement! We have to go down there!”
“If you want to go, go by yourselves. We’re noting.” Theresa said coldly, cutting off any protest.
Nathaniel didn’t waste time arguing. Without hesitation, he slung one of Landon’s arms over his shoulder and motioned for Isabelle to do the same. Together, they started down the stairs.
Rhett made a move to follow–but Amelia grabbed his arm and pulled him back, <b>hard</b>,
He stayed.
“Rhett, let’s go upstairs, she said.
“Stop pretending. Now that the others were gone, he finally dropped the act and let his irritation show.
He tried to shake off Amelia’s hand, but he was still <b>too </b>weak. Her grip held fast.
“Rhett Her wide, red–rimmed eyes–like a frightened rabbit’s–were locked <b>on </b>him. She stubbornly refused to let go.
“Kid” Theresa said, her voice sharp, “if you can say one honest thing tonight–was it you who took the supplies?”
Amelia tumed her head <b>slowly </b>toward Theresa, The W’s sharp, prating gaze seemed <b>to </b>see straight through her, down to the secrets she kept hidden in the smallest corners of her heart.
She clutched Rhett’s arm tighter, dropped her head, <b>and </b>gave it a small, trembling shake. “It wasn’t me,” she said softly.
<b>“</b>And who would believe you now?” Rhett muttered, pressing the heels of his hands against his temples, trying to stay focused.
Amelia’s red–rimmed eyes brimmed with tears, her head still bowed. She didn’t answer.
Of course, no one would believe her.
It didn’t matter what she did or said–people like her weren’t trusted. That was why she’d made up her
mind to leave alone
“I believe <b>you</b>. Theresa said suddenly.
Amelia’s head snapped up.
Just tell us what <b>you </b>know, Theresa said, voice steady. “Tell the truth, and I’ll believe you.”
Amelia’s lip trembled. A faint light flickered in her eyes, the first since everything had gone to hell. She looked from Theresa to Rhett, then took a deep breath.
75%
= 12-20 FI, 13 Aug
Chapter 245 Secrets in the Dark
s
“I have a space–based ability. I did steal from the team’s supplies once, but I got caught. After that, I didn’t take anything else. Tanner found out about the ability and used it to ckmail me. He said if I didn’t… if I didn’t spend the night with him, he’d tell everyone my secret.”
She swallowed hard, her voice shaking.
I was scared. So, I lured a zombie into the house to kill him. After he died, I panicked. I thought you’d find out eventually, and I didn’t want to wait for that. I drugged you all, just a little. Just enough to buy myself time. I was going to sneak away.
Rhett stared at her like he didn’t <b>know </b>her at all. The story–her whole confession–was more than he could process.
“Why didn’t you tell me any of this?” he asked, <b>voice </b>hollow.
Tears welled again in <b>Amelia’s </b>eyes. “Because. Because…”
“Because she didn’t trust you.” Theresa answered for her. “She’s not brave. She’s not strong. She’s scared and alone at the end of the world. What kind of person would trust a man with their life, in a ce like this<b>?</b><b>” </b>
Amelia said nothing. Her head dropped again, her hands still locked tight around Rhett’s arm.
Amelia was sensitive. Ordinary. The kind of girl most people wouldn’t notice.
She’d been a housekeeper in this very vill was poor. She had a little brother–everything in that household had always been for him, Even the room Graduated high school and went straight to work. Her family she’d once called hers had been passed down to him the moment she left.
People always said that when girls grew up, they didn’t have a home anymore. Amelia never even made it that far–she’d never had one to begin with. The staff bunk at <b>the </b>vi had felt more like home than anywhere she’d ever known.
Then the world ended.
She awakened to a space–based ability. Her first instinct was <b>to </b>hide it. In a world like this, secrets meant protection. So, she kept it to herself.
Later, she met Rhett. He talked about sticking together, surviving the apocalypse <b>as </b><b>a </b>team. She wasn’t strong or clever or brave. But Rhett made <b>her </b>feel like she didn’t have to be. She thought about it for one night–and said yes<b>. </b>
Two people always had better odds than one.
But even <b>then</b>, she hadn’t told him her secret.
“So why now?” Rhett asked. “Why tell me today?”
“Because you risked your life to save her, Theresa <b>said</b><b>, </b>nodding toward Amelia, who was now speechless, head still bowed in guilt and shame.
Amelia wasn’t stupid. She was just easily hurt, She’d drugged him and ran–but <b>when </b>she came back, he’d still opened the door for her. That kind of loyalty shook something deep inside her.
12:26 FM, 15 Aug
Chapter 245 Secrets in the Dark
Even a heart of stone would <b>have </b>cracked.
75%
s
<b>And </b>Amelia… Amelia wasn’t stone. She only looked like a girl with a thousand schemes. Inside, she was simple. <b>And </b>lonely.
“I almost forgot,” she said suddenly, eyes darting to the door. “When I was running out. I think—I think I
saw Wyatt.”
Rhett went <b>pale</b>. “Wyant?”
At that moment, the overhead light above them–only just repaired–began to flicker again.
12:26 Fri, 15 Aug to.
Chapter 246 Blood Behind the Door