Grace waited for an hour outside, yet Lucian never appeared again. Instead, a steady stream of people entered and exited his house, busy with something she couldn''t see.

She turned to Lyle and asked, "Do you know what''s going on in there?"

Lyle stretchedzily, suppressing a yawn. "Not really. But none of them are a match for me."

There was no doubt that a killer forged in life-or-death battles would always outss those of professional brawlers.

Grace narrowed her eyes, and a smile tugged at the corner of her mouth. "That makes things easier. You''ll take him."

Lyle''s energy sparked to life. After the incident with Lucian, he was convinced that she would never trust him again. After all, his negligence had indeed caused her trouble. She had every right to cast him aside.

Nevertheless, blood surged through his veins with a fresh sense of purpose.

He reached for the door, ready to act, but she caught his arm.

"Wait until nightfall," she said. "Once you have him, take him here. Lyle, don''t let this be another Daphne situation. Leave no opening for anyone else to interfere."

A flush crept up his cheeks. He suddenly recalled what Zack had said—that hisck ofposure was the cause of his repeated disadvantages.

He retreated, his fingers absently twisting the end of his braid as he lowered hisshes. The fire inside him dimmed from regret. "I understand."

Grace lifted her chin toward the door. Once the target was secured, Lyle had to bring him straight to the rendezvous point.

Lyle stepped out reluctantly, watching the car pull away before he let out a long breath. Then, he slipped into the shadows without a sound.

Lucian''s men assumed Grace had already retreated, not knowing that Lyle had stayed behind.

Grace returned to her home, only to find Liam utterly drained by the doorway. It was like there was no difference between him and a lifeless person.

However, at that moment, she had no desire to exchange a single word with him.fn4ceb ??? ????? ???????s ??? ?????s??? ?? FindN()vel/fn4ceb

She opened the door, intent on entering, when his sudden voice stopped her. "Andrea''s dead, both her and the baby. She said you were the one who ''killed'' her. Grace... please don''t make me believe it."

He was sitting on the floor off the side, his shoulders slumped and his entire being steeped in despair.

"I dream

about D

Dad every night now.

He''s always scolding me, and it''s

clear he''s disappointed in me.

mind''s a mess. Andrea said

in

wanted chicken soup, and the Rext moment she jumped right in front, of me. Before she died, she said it was all because of you. I don''t think I can trust you anymore, Grace."

s

He continued, "She wanted that baby more than anything. She would never hurt me. She would never use the baby to frame you."

Grace stopped in her tracks. It was only now she knew that Andrea was dead. To say she wasn''t surprised would have been a lie. How could someone like Andrea be dead?

Her brows furrowed as a creeping realization edged into her mind. Then, all at once, she remembered the strange way Liam had behaved on his birthday.

He pushed himself up from the floor, forcing a smile that barely moved

his lips. "You said we''d celebrate my 20th birthday together. I never

thought you''d give me such

rand

gift that cost two lives. Tell me, how

am supposed to respond?  s

faled!

His voice grey quieter with each word until he was hunched over, clutching his head. "I failed Andrea failed the baby. I failed pad... Oh and Momas well even lied to her Deep down, I wanted to hand the authority to the Lambert family to you. I wanted to leave this ce..."  s

Grace''s thoughts wandered to Andrea''s parasitic parents. In the end, she asked only one thing. "Where is she buried?"

He looked as though he hadn''t slept the entire night. Had he been upied with the burial preparations?

Emotion flickered across his face, fleeting but unmistakable. "Next to Dad."

"Take me there," Grace said quietly. "You were right about one thing-Andrea had her faults, but she did love you, in her own way."

Therefore, he had no choice but to live with what happened.

Liam''s tears welled up and spilled over immediately. Sincest night, his world had fallen apart repeatedly. It hadpletely fractured beyond recognition.

He staggered to his feet, bracing himself against the wall. "Okay."

Once they were in the car, Grace said nothing. The silence between them was absolute.

However, Liam could feel the distance radiating from her, like a cold wind creeping in through a cracked window.

Sebastian had been right. Perhaps from now on, he would no longer be the little brother she once indulged. He had crossed a line he could never return.