<b>Chapter </b>115
Author’s POV:
:
62
Jade stood in the spacious living room of the luxury mansion<b>, </b>holding out a bank card between her index and middle fingers toward Ethan.
“This is Mr. Hayes‘pensation. Two million three hundred thousand dors,” she said. “I’d like to buy this <b>ce </b>outright.”
Ethan nced at the card but made no move to ept it. “Keep it. Consider itpensation for your damaged
property.”
“I don’t need your charity.” She continued holding the card out.
“It’s not charity. It’s what you’re owed.” His voice was firm, brooking no argument.
Jade sighed, tucking the card back into her pocket. “Fine. By the way, you should visit less often. If you need anything, just call. My phone is secure–no one can trace or monitor it.”
A sh of something–hurt, perhaps?-crossed Ethan’s face before his expression hardened. “Are you trying to distance yourself from me, Miss Morgan?”
“No,” she replied bluntly. “I’m trying to keep you safe. The more you’re seen with me, the more attention you’ll
attract.”
His lips curved into a half–smile. “I’ve told you before–you can cause all the trouble you want. If you need anything, just call.”
“I’m serious, Ethan. Some of the people who mighte looking for me won’t hesitate to use you as leverage.”
‘I can protect myself,” he said, his voice dropping lower. “And I can protect you, too, if necessary.”
Jade rolled her eyes. “Your confidence is touching, but misced.”
‘We’ll see.” He checked his watch. “I should go. Connor’s waiting.”
She nodded, walking him to the door,
“Thank you for the watch,” he replied, his fingers briefly touching the timepiece on his wrist. The gesture was small
but somehow intimate.
“She’s worried about me<b>,</b><b>” </b>Ethan said to Connor as they drove away from Jade’s new mansion. The thought was both
amusing and… oddly warming.
Connor nced at him in the rearview mirror. “Do you think she has reason to be concerned? Her enemies must be formidable if they concern someone like her.”
Ethan considered this. Jade Morgan was an enigma–brilliant, capable, and possessing skills that defied exnation for someone her age. Yet there was something in her eyes, a wariness that spoke of past dangers.
“Maybe,” he admitted. “What do you think? Should we assign security for her?”
“If you’re asking my opinion<b>, </b>sir, I think we should be watching her brother Max more closely. She clearly cares. about him, and anyone wanting to get to her would target him first.”
Ethan nodded. “Double the security detail on Max, but keep it discreet. Miss Morgan values her independence and wouldn’t appreciate obvious surveince.”
“And if she notices?”
“She’ll notice,” Ethan said with certainty. “Just make sure our people know not to engage unless absolutely
necessary.”
Connor nodded, and they drove the rest of the way in silence.
That evening, Jade got to work in her new home. She spent several hours rearranging furniture, installing high- definition pinhole cameras at strategic points, and upgrading the security system she’d already put in ce. By midnight, her mansion was a fortress–not obviously so, but effective nheless.
She hid weapons throughout the space–a ceramic knife taped under the kitchen counter, a garrote wire inside a hollow curtain rod, a handgun behind the bathroom vanity. She marked escape routes, tested sight lines, and set up a series of silent rms that would alert her to any intrusion.
Better safe than sorry.
Two dayster, Jade found herself climbing the steps to Philip Thornton’s impressive home near campus. The Princeton president had extended multiple invitations to her over the past weeks, all of which she’d politely declined. This time<b>, </b>after his persistent requests, she had finally relented.
A housekeeper opened the door, ushering her into a wood–paneled dining room where Philip was already seated at the head of the table. To her surprise, Edward and Julian Sheldon were also present.
“Jade! Come <b>in</b><b>, </be in,” Philip called out warmly. “I hope you don’t mind, but I’ve invited my grandsons to join <b>us</b>.”
She nodded politely to the brothers. Edward gave her a reserved smile while Julian’s face lit up with obvious pleasure.
“I had the chef prepare something special, Philip said as Jade took her seat. “You mentioned during ourst conversation that you enjoy seafood.”
As the first course arrived, she noticed Philip discreetly taking a pill from a small container. <b>He </b>caught her watching and smiled ruefully.
“Experimental treatment,” he exined. “For my condition.”
Jade studied the pill. “That’s Morrison’s form XR–42, isn’t it? You should be careful with the dosage. It can cause arrhythmia if taken too frequently.”
Philip looked startled. “How did you know?”
“The color and coating are distinctive. And you’re taking it with food, which suggests gastrointestinal side effects.” She paused. “There’s a better formtion that reduces those side effects while improving efficacy. I could write it down for you if you’d like.”
Julian stared at her, fork suspended midway to his mouth. “You… know pharmacology as well<b>?</b><b>” </b>
She shrugged. “Just the basics.”
Philip smiled, setting down his utensils. “Jade once save my life. Last time I copsed near the shopping center entrance—I was having a heart attack. Jade happened to be passing by and administered first aid. The doctors said her quick action prevented serious damage.”
Julian’s eyes widened as he turned to Jade. “Is there anything you can’t do?”
“Plenty,‘ she replied, cutting into her salmon.
“A few things,” Philip repeated with a chuckle, holding up his pill bottle. “This works better than the medication I special–ordered from Morrison. Ten times better, in fact.”
Edward leaned forward, his academic curiosity piqued. “Speaking of things you’re good at–how long did it take you to solve that physics problem? The one from the online forum?”
“Fifteen<b>, </b>maybe twenty minutes,” she answered honestly.
The silence that followed was deafening. Edward’s jaw actually dropped.
“Twenty minutes?” he finally managed. “That problem has stumped professors for weeks!”
Jade shrugged again. “The approach was straightforward once you reconsider the quantum entanglement
parameters<b>.</b><b>” </b>
<b>12:26 </b>Mon<b>, </b>Sep <b>22 </b>
Edward’s eyes lit up with genuine excitement. “That’s exactly it! The traditional approach treats the wave function copse as instantaneous, but if you ount for rtivistic time dtion…”
Julian watched their exchange with a mixture of confusion and admiration, while Philip observed them with an expression she couldn’t quite read.
After dinner, as they prepared to leave, Edward offered to walk Jade out.
Julian stepped forward. “I’lle too-<b>” </b>
“Julian,” Philip called from the dining room. “A moment, please.”
62
With a disappointed nce in Jade’s direction, Julian returned to his grandfather. As Edward and she walked toward the door, she could hear Philip’s lowered voice.
“Do you like her? Jade Morgan?<b>” </b>
Julian’s response was too quiet to make out, but his red face told the story.
“Think more practically,” Philip advised, not realizing Jade could hear him. “Your brother might have a chance, at
least.”
He sipped from a cup of <b>the </b>coffee<b>, </b>satisfaction evident in his voice as he added, “Edward and she at least have
physics to talk about.”
Chapter Comments
2