CHAPTER082 OLIVIASPOV Aswewalkedupthepathtowardthemainbuilding,IstoleaglanceatJulian.Helookedcompletelyzonedoutlostinanotherworldentirely.Hisbrowswerefurrowedjustslightly,hisjawtightlikehewasbitingbackthoughtshecouldntvoiceoutloud.
Whatsgoingoninthatbigbrainofyours?Iwhispered,nudging himlightlywithmyelbow.Stillwaiting,strategist.
Julianexhaledslowly, eyesstillahead.Weshouldprobablyjusttellherthetruth,hemuttered.
Ifrozeforasecondbeforecatchinguptohim.Seriously?Iwhisperedharshly.Ithoughtyouwerethegeniusplannerhere.Iveconsideredtellingthetruthtoo,believeme,butwhatifshedoesntbuyit?Whatifshekicksusoutandbansusforgood?Ifthathappens, weloseeverything.Noaccess.Nochanceofdiggingupanything.
Juliandidntargue.Hejustrubbedthebackofhisneckandsighed again.Werecorneredhere…Igotnothing.
Thatadmissionhitharderthanitshouldhave.IfJuliandidnthaveaplan,thenwewereofficiallyimprovisingindangerousterritory.
We steppedintothebuilding.Thewomanwhohadmetusatthegatewalkedbrisklyahead,guidingusdownalong,dimhallway.Herheelsechoedsoftlyagainsttheoldfloor.Itsmelledfaintlyoflemoncleanerandsomethingelse.
Shestoppedinfrontofasmalldoorandopenedit,givingapolite,tightlippedsmile.Please,haveaseatwhileIgogettheforms.Shesaidgesturingforustoenter Then,withoutanotherword,sheleftandshutthedoorbehindher.
Theofficewas…outdated,toputitkindly.Thefurniturelookedlikeithadsurvivedatleasttwodecadesofwear,andtheblindsonthelonewindowwereslightlybent.Aricketyfanrotatedlazilyontheceiling,moredecorativethanuseful.

Isighedandpulledoutachair.Ifyoudidnthavea followupplan,Idontthinkitwasagoodideatosaywewereheretoadoptatthegate,Isaid,tryingtokeepmyirritationincheck.Weshouldhavecome upwithanotherwayin.
Julianshruggedashesatbesideme.Honestly?Ididnteventhinkitwouldwork.Ijust…saidit.Wasntreallyexpectingtogetthisfar.
Igavehimasidewayslook.Well,sincewerealreadythisdeep,wemightaswellride.itthroughandprayshedoesntkissout Successfullyunlocked! Hopefully,herepeated,buthead…ed.
Therewasapause,andItookanotherlookathim.Hisshoulderswere tense.His fingersdrummedlightlyonthearmofthechair.Thatfarawaylookhadnt completely APTER082 lefthisface.
Beforewecamein,Ibegansoftly,youlookedlostinthought.Isfindingtherestofthemgettingtoyouthatmuch?Or…isitsomethingelse? Hehesitated,thengaveahalfsmile.Nah,notreally.Imean,wevealreadyfoundtwoofthem.Its justthelastpieceleftnowthereporter youallegedlykilled.Hemadeairquoteswithhisfingersashe saidtheword,castingasmirkinmydirection.
Irolledmyeyes.Allegedly,huh?YoumakeitsoundlikeImsomekindofblackwidow.Julianchuckledbutthengrewseriousagain.Thatswheretheproblemliesthough.Thetwowevegot?Theyretooloyal.Daysinalocked room,barelyanylightorfood,andtheystillwonttalk.
Neanedforward,claspingmyhandstogether.Maybeitsnotjusttimetheyneed.Maybetheyneed…fear.Arealthreat.Somethingthatllcrackthatshell.
Juliannoddedslowly,Iwasthinkingthesamething.Ineedtoscarethemmakethembelievethisistheirlastchance.Imjusttryingtothinkofsomething…believableandterrifyingenoughtogetthroughtothem.
Thatshouldntbedifficult,Isaid,smirkingslightly,tryingtolightenthemoodwithabitofhumor.Julian,however,didntlaughlikeIexpected.Hewasstilldistracted,hiseyeslingeringonthecloseddoorinfrontofus.

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Ifthatwasntwhatwastroublingyououtside,thenwhatwas?Iaskedagain,softeningmytoneabit.
Heletoutalongbreath,almostasifhedbeenholdingitinforhours.Familyissues.Mymomcalledme,hefinallyadmitted Iblinked.Well,yourenotonbadtermswithher,right?So…whathappened? Itsnotaboutbeingonbadterms.Ilovemymomtoomuchtoeverbedistantlikethat.Itsjusttheusual,hesaidwithatiredshrug.Shesstillpushingmetotakeoverthecompany.Wontletitgo.
Thatswhyyouwerelookinglikeyouwerecarryingtheweightoftheentireworldonyourshoulders?Iasked,tiltingmyheadslightly.
Heraisedaneyebrow.Whatdoyou mean? amy Well,whenIsawyourfaceandyoumentionedyourmom,Ithoughtmaybeshedisownedyouorsomethingsuperdramatic.Ileanedbackinmychair,crossingmyarms.Youlookedthatstressed.
looked Asmallsmilecreptuponhisface.AsmuchasIstressherout,shednevergothatfar.Imallshesgot.Itwasntanythingtooserious, really.Dontworry.
Ipausedforamoment,thensaid,Youknow,itskindoffunny.Ivenevermetyour mom.Oranyonefromyourfamily,actually.
Julianraisedaneyebrowatme,clearlysurprisedbythesuddenshift.Really? CHAPTER082 Yeah,thinkaboutit.Weveknowneachotherforthislong,Youvemetmy people.But Ihavent spokentoormetasinglesoulfromyourside.Ishruggedcasually,butthethoughtlingeredinthebackofmymindmorethanIadmitted.
Julianscratchedthebackofhisneckawkwardly.Tobefair,myfamilys…boring.Mymomespecially.Youshouldbegladyouhaventmether.
Ilaughed.Whydoyousaythat? Shesanemotionalrollercoaster.Oneminuteshescryingliketheworldsending,thenextshesbarkingorderslikeafivestargeneral.Shesmasteredtheartofemotionalmanipulation.Usesittoguilttripmeconstantly.Ifyouknewher,trustme,shedpullthesamemovesonyou.

Sheactuallysoundslikealotoffun.Idlovetomeethersomeday,Iteased.
DidyounothearwhatIjustsaid,woman?Juliansaidwithmockexasperation,andwebothlaughedquietly.
Then,histoneshiftedslightly.Heleanedinandgentlypokedmystomachwithhisindexfinger.Hopeyourenotlettingthestressgettoyoutoomuch.Youvegotthislittleguytothinkabout.
Iplacedáhandovermybellyinstinctively.
Itrymybest.Butifthingskeepgoingatthisrate…Itrailedoff,exhalingslowly,Imightjustloseit.
Hegavemealookthatsaidheunderstoodmorethanwordscould.
Justasheopenedhismouthtosaysomethingelse,thedoorcreakedopen,snappingusoutofthemoment.Thewomanfromearliersteppedin,holdingasmallstackofpapersinherhand.
Sorryforkeepingyouwaiting,shesaidwithapolitesmileassheapproachedthedesk.Shallwebegin? Julianstraightenedup,exchangingaglancewithme.
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