Aiden gripped the bedsheets, surprisingly calm about his legs. When they''d

    carried out his punishment, he''d already calcted-a thirty percent chance he''d make it through to rehab. He could live with those odds.

    He''d expected someone would eventuallye save him, but he never thought it would be ra.

    Now, he understood why the CEO liked her so much.

    When ra decided to care about someone, it was like a sudden beam of light breaking through the dark-impossible to ignore, impossible not to be drawn in.

    "Sir, about the Ferguson family overseas..."

    "We''ll talk about thatter."

    Dn''s voice was so t, Aiden couldn''t help but feel like he was just drifting through life, waiting for something, anything, to matter. For a man as powerful as Dn, how did things end up like this?

    Maybe it was all about those secrets still buried away. As long as ra didn''t know the truth—as long as she didn''t love him knowing everything-he''d stay stuck like this.

    He wasn''t afraid ra might die because of someone''s scheme. If it came to that, he''d go with her. Death didn''t scare him. What scared him was the thought of never seeing her again. If that day ever came, he''d rather they left this world together. At least then, maybe they could find each other in the next life.

    Dn was twisted, a little dark, and he''d never dared show anyone that side of himself.

    How could ra ever love someone like him? She never would. The one she loved was always that bright, shining senior of hers.

    The hospital room was quiet until Aiden''s phone buzzed. ra''s name lit up the screen.

    Her voice was gentle. "How are you feeling?"

    Without thinking, Aiden nced at Dn, still sitting at his bedside. "Much better, ma''am. Thank you."

    ra didn''t get why he was thanking her-Aiden had helped her so many times before.

    She pressed her lips together, wanting to ask about the West Hill cemetery, but he''d just woken up. Maybe Dn was still there, too. Maybe the mess she''d made searching the study was something Dn still couldn''t let go of.

    Why had she been so quick to believe, back then?

    She walked upstairs and pushed open the study door. It was still a disaster. Seeing the scattered files, she could almost feel her own panic from that night- how desperate she''d been.

    She bent down, picking up the mess as she updated Aiden.

    "Take care of yourself. Get better, okay?"

    "I will, ma''am. You and Mr. Sullivan should take care, too."

    A strange ache tightened in ra''s chest, and for a second she didn''t know what

    to say.

    She hung up, finished cleaning the study, then went downstairs and yed with MiloBuddy for a bit. Still, she couldn''t shake the unease in her heart.

    Richard had warned her not to go out-her grandfather might make a big move soon-but the night she''d gone to find Simon, nothing bad happened. No one had tried to stop her.  s?novel

    She ran through everything in her mind, then, as evening fell, she slipped out again.

    At first, she was extra careful, scanning every corner. Even when she reached Ryan''s ce, no one showed up to block her way.

    Ryan opened the door, looking stunned.

    "ra?"

    She stepped inside, noticing how much thinner he looked, though his eyes seemed steadier than before.

    "Did you take care of the old herbalist''s funeral?"

    She remembered Ryan saying the old man had passed, maybe even connected to her own past.

    "All done. He didn''t have any family, so I got a few locals to help, and we buried him near the house, with..."

    He hesitated, but ra knew-with the real ra''s grave, right out back.

    She sat down, catching the faint scent of herbal soup in the air. Ryan exined, "That''s Emily. She''s been drying herbs in the yard. We didn''t get to be the old man''s apprentices, but she brought back a bunch of herbs from the mountain to nt here. She''s pretty nice, actually."

    ra looked down at her cup, then asked quietly, "Did you notice anyone following you on your way back?"

    Ryan frowned, searching his memory, sounding a little defeated. "ra, I''m not as

    sharp as you guys. If someone was following me, I wouldn''t have a clue."

    Since ra, saved him that night,

    he''d understood. He and ra lived

    in totally different worlds. Maybe

    Dn belonged in hers, and that was why he didn''t resent him anymore.

    ra thought for a moment, then stood up, reminding him, "Be careful when you

    go out, okay? If you don''t have to leave, just stay in."

    Ryan''s face grew worried. "ra, do you think the people who know about your past areing for you?"