The bdoorbell /brang bjust /bafter eight. I bwas /bbhelping /bbSs /bwith his calculus when Captain bolted toward the doorb, /bbbarking /bexcitedly.

b‘/bI’ll bget /bbit/b,b” /bbSs /bbsaid/bb, /bbpushing /bhis chair back.

A momentterb, /bSs returned bto /bthe sofa with Ethan trailing behind him.

I watched bMaxi /bglide back and forth bacross /bthe living room. “Can I take it apartb?/bb” /b

“This is my gift to Max,” Ethan saidb, /bhis eyes twinkling with amusement. “But I can have a few more sent over tomorrow if you bwant /bbto /b

dismantle those instead.”

I looked up at him. “I don’t want to destroy it. Just modify it.”

“Exterior bdesign /bnot to your liking, or the operating system?” Ethan asked, studying me with interest.

“It’s fineb,/bb” /bbI /bshrugged, straightening up. Just won a few awards in robotics. “What about you? Any interest in roboticsb?/bb” /b

“I dabbled in AI development while at boarding school in Russia,” he said casually. “Started apany to experiment. It was bjust /bfor practice, but I enjoyed it.”

As Ethan prepared to leaveb, /bhe paused at the door, leaning close.

“Goodnight, Jade,” he whispered, brushing his lips against my cheek.

I narrowed my eyes at him, but he was already walking away, a satisfied smile on his face.

The doorbell jolted me awake at 2:17 AM.

I checked the security camera on my phone. Ss stood outside, shoulders hunched, looking more haunted than usual.

Sighing, I made my way downstairs and opened the door.

b“/bDo you know what time it is?” I asked, not bothering to hide my irritation.

b‘/bbI /bcan’t sleep,” Ss said, his voice barely audible. Dark circles shadowed his eyes, and his face had a gaunt, hollow look.

bI /bstepped aside to let him in, watching as he moved like a ghost into my apartment.

He sank onto the couch and stared at nothing.

“I bhave /ba friend who’s a psychiatrist,” I said after a moment. “When he’s avable, I could arrange for you to meet.”

Ss nced bup /bsharply. “I don’t need a shrink.”

b“/bbYour /bbmother’s /bbdeath/b, bwitnessing /bbthat /bman die under bthe /bwheels bof /bba /bbcar/bb, /bbyears /bof bwhatever’s /bhappening at bhome/bb…/bb” /bbI /bbgestured /bto bhis arm/bb, /bbwhere /bbfresh /bbbruises /bpeeked out from under his sleeveb. /bb“/bbAll /bthat builds bup/bb, /bbSs/bb./bb” /b

bHe /bbtugged /bhis sleeve downb, /bavoiding my beyes/bb. /b“The sleeping bpills /bbyou /bmade help sometimesb./bb” /b

“Those aren’t meant for long–term use. The side beffects-/bb” /b

“I knowb,/bb” /bhe cut me off. b“/bI just… I don’t know what else to do.”

I nodded toward the guest room where Ryan had stayed. “You can crash here tonight. Try to get some brest/bb./bb” /b

b“/bThank you,” he whispered.

I bturned /bto head back upstairs, but his voice stopped me.

“Jade?”

I nced back over my shoulder. “Something else?”

Ss hesitated, then asked, “Would you have dinner with me tomorrow night? There’s a new restaurant near campus that’s supposed to be good.”

bI /bstudied him for a moment, weighing my options. “Sure,” I finally said.

The restaurant Ss chose was trying hard to be upscale–white tablecloths, waiters in ties, artfully ted food. The prices on the menu suggested seventy to eighty dors per person, which I knew was a stretch for Ss’s budget.

b“/bThis ce has good reviews,” I said, scanning the options.

“I thought you might like it,” he replied, fidgeting with his napkin. When he reached for the water ss, his sleeve rode up, revealing new bruises alongside the healing ones.

I didn’tment on them.

We both ordered the mid–range steak. The conversation stayed light–sses, his improving grades, Max’s adjustment to Princeton.

“About the psychiatrist,” I said as our food arrived. “I don’t know much about therapy, but I do know it depends a lot on your attitude. You have to want to get better.”

bSs /blooked at me, his gaze suddenly intense. He nodded slowly, eyes never leaving mine. “I understand.”

bWe /bate infortable silence after that.

Walking back from the restaurant, we took a shortcut through a quiet neighborhood. The streetlights cast long shadows, and the night air was cool against my skin.

bMon/bb, /bSep b29 /b

Chapter 284 fna340 For original chapters go to find?novel/fna340

:..

“We’re bbeing /bfollowedb,/bb” /bbSs /bmurmured suddenlyb, /bbhis /bposture stiffening.

bI’d /bnoticed bthem /btwo blocks back–a bgroup /bof about twenty men in hoodies and bandanas, moving with bpurpose/b. Their eyes were fixed bon /bbSs /bwith unmistakable hostilityb. /b

b“/bbHey/bb, /bbMurphy/bb!/bb” /bone of them called out. “We bgot /bunfinished businessb!/bb” /b

Ss’s hand shot out, grabbing mine. b“/bRunb,/b” he whispered urgently.

bWe /bsprinted down the street, bthe /bsound of heavy footsteps and angry bshouts /bfollowing close behind. bSs /bpulled me toward ba /bbsmall /bbpublic /bpark, ducking between trees and hedges in an attempt to lose our pursuers.

bWe /bbpressed /bourselves against ba /brge oak tree, my back against the rough bark, Ss’s body bjust /binches from mine. His breathing was ragged, eyes wide with fear bas /bhe peered around the trunk.

The gang members bspread /bout through the park, shlights sweeping across the ground. “Murphy! We know you’re in hereb, /byou bpiece /bbof /bshit!” bone /bshouted.

Minutes passed like hours until finally they regrouped and left, cursing and kicking trash cans on their way out.

Ss exhaled slowly, his body sagging with relief. Then he seemed to realize how close we were standing. His eyes dropped to my lips, and he swayed forward slightly.

I ced a hand on his chest, gently pushing him back. “We should go,” I said quietly.

The disappointment in his eyes was clear, but he nodded and stepped away.

I watched him walk away, shoulders hunched once more, before turning in the opposite direction. For the next few daysb, /bSs was noticeably distant during our tutoring sessions, avoiding eye contact and speaking only when necessary.

“Still not done with the tutoring?” Ethan asked, leaning against my kitchen counter. He’d arrived just as Ss and I were finishing our lesson on market economics.

“We’re done with the tutoring,” I exined. “I’m teaching him someputer skills now.”

Ethan looked between us, his expression cooling. After a moment of silence, he shrugged. “Then I’ll let you continue. I’m heading out.”

Without waiting for a response, he turned and left, the door closing firmly behind him.

Ss looked down at his notebook. “I’m sorry about that.”

I nced at him, my expression neutral. “What are you apologizing for?”

b“/bYou and him…” Ss hesitated. “It’s because of meb, /bisn’t it?”

bI /bstood bup/bb, /bgathering my materials. “Remember to turn off the lights when you leaveb./bb” /b

I headed toward the stairsb, /bbut Ss’s voice stopped me.

Monb, /bSep

b“/bbJade/bb./bb” /b

bI /bturned baround/b. b“/bbYes/bb?/bb” /b

?

bSs /bstared at me, clearly wrestling with somethingb. /bAfter a long momentb, /bhe finally spoke. b“/bI… I have something bI /bneed to tell byou/bb./bb” /b

b“/bYou’re not about to tell me you like me, are you?” I asked bluntly.

bSs /bfroze, his bexpression /bconfirming my bsuspicion/b.

b“/bCan’t you see that Ethan and I have something going on?” bI /basked. “The whole Princeton campus is talking about bus/bb./bb” /b

“Are you two officially together?” Ss pressed, a new intensity in his voice.

I considered the question. b“/bbHis /bheart’s racing whenever I’m around.”

“That’s not an answer,” Ss pointed out. “So you’re not officially together yet.”

I sighed. “That’s enough for tonight, Ss. The psychiatrist will be avable soon. Be ready.”

“I will,” he said, his expression brightening slightly. “Goodnight, Jade.”

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