CHAPTER0112 CHAPTER 0112 JULIANSPOV Iturnedtheknoboftheheavysteeldoorand steppedintothedimbasement.Thethickairclungto thewalls,staleandsilentexceptforthesoft humoftheoverheadbulbs.ThetwobastardsIdbeenkeepingdownheresatrestrainedattheirownseparatemetaltables,handscuffedtoanchorsdrilledintothesteel.Asingle,harshbulbdangledovereachofthem,castingacold,flickeringglowacrosstheiranxiousfaces.
Oliviafollowedcloselybehindme,thesoundofherfootstepsechoingfaintlyonthecementfloor.Assoonasthetwosawher,Inoticedthesubtlebutimmediateshiftintheirexpressions.Panicovertooksurprise.Theireyes widenedliketheydseena ghostrisefromthegrave.
Surprisedtoseeme?Oliviaasked,hervoice sharpandlow,lacedwithsomethingdarkvengeance.
Ididntsayaword.Isimplypulledout achairandtookaseatbetweenthem,leaningbackasIpreparedtoenjoythescenethatwasabouttounfold.WhateverreactionOliviaspresencetriggered,itwasntjustshock.Itwasfear.Real,bonedeepfear.Andthatsaidalotmorethanwordsevercould.
IwatchedasthedriveroneofthescumbagsAdrianhiredgulpedaudibly,strugglingtospeak.
Howdidyou…But…hestammered,voicecrackingundertheweightofdisbelief.
Butwhat?Iasked,mytonecoldanddirect,slicingthroughthesilence.
Beforehecouldrespond,hesuddenlyslammedhishands onthetablewithsuchforcethatthe metalclanged throughtheroom,startling evenme.His handcuffsjerkedagainsttherestraintbolts.
Thatbastardplayedus!heshouted,whippinghisheadtowardthewomannexttohim.His face twisted with betrayalandrage.Hesaidwe wouldnthavetodealwithheragain! Thewoman,stillsilent,letout asmallbreathof resignation.Sheburiedherfaceinherpalms,visiblyshakenandunableor unwillingtomeetOliviaseyes.Thatreactionspoke volumes.
Ilookedover at Olivia,who hadfoldedherarmsand steppedforwarduntilshewasjustafewfeetawayfromthedriver.Thelightcaughtherfeatures inawaythatmadeherlookmorepowerfulthanever,likesomeonerebornfrompain.

Youseethisplace?shesaid,voicecoolanddeadly.Noone knowsyouredownhere.Andweplantokeepitthatwayuntil yougiveuswhatwewant.Imsuremybrotheralreadytoldyouexactlywhat thatis.Sounlessyourelookingtorotdownhereforafewmoreweeksorworse youdstarttalking.
1/3 CHAPTER0112 Theroomwentdead silentagain.Ifelt achillcrawldownmyspine,andIwasnteventheonebeingthreatened.Oliviawas differentnow.Stronger.Sharper.Therewasnohesitationinhervoice,nomercyinhereyes.
ButIstillcouldntignorethatsomething hadshakenthembeforesheevensaidaword.
Whatwasthatreactionabout?Iasked,narrowingmyeyes.
Thedriverlookedupatme,jawclenched,furyburningbehindhisexhaustedgaze.
Adrian,hespat.He promisedusthatshedneverbeaproblemagain.Saidhewasgoingtotakecareofher,sowewouldnthavetolookoverourshoulders.Toldushed makesureshedisappeared,eitherlockedawayor…orworse.Helied.He damnwellliedtoallthreeofus.
Andhisaccomplice,thereporterseatedbesidehim,shothimasharp,disappointedlook,clearlyannoyedthathehadlet thatinformationslipsoeasily.Shehadntspokensincewe entered,maintainingatightlippedcomposurelikeshestillthoughtshecouldgetoutofthisunscathed.Ididntblamethedriver,though.Hedalreadyspilledplentytomyprivateinvestigators,includingthefactthatAdrianhadhired him.Soatthispoint,whatmoredidhereally have tolose? She,ontheotherhand,wasoneofthemissingpiecesweneeded.Herconfessionwouldtieeverythingtogether.With
outit,ourcase wasincomplete.
Oliviatookastepforward,her heelsechoingsoftlyagainsttheconcretefloor ofthebasement.Herarmswerecrossedtightlyagainstherchest,her voicecoldanddirectassheaddressedthem.
Well,formetobestandinghere,itsclearthatAdrianplayedyou two,shesaid.Hereyeslockedontheirswithicyprecision.AndletmeletyouinonalittlesecretwhileIwaswithhimthesepastweeks,Ioverheard morethan herealized.Iknowwhatheplannedforthethreeofyou.

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Thatgottheirattention.
They glancedateachotherinsurprisegenuinesurprise.Panicflickeredacrossthereportersfacefor thefirsttime,andthedriver leanedforwardasifhangingontoOliviaseveryword.
Yes,youheard me right,Oliviacontinued,nowpacingslowlybetweenthem.Eventhoughyougotpaidandpulledoffaclean setup,Adriandidntplantoletyoulivelongafterthat.Youwerejustlooseendstohim.Hefiguredthatjustlikeyougotpaidtoframeme,someone elsemightpayyoutotellthetruth.
Theairintheroom thickened.The reportersface paledslightly.
So,hisbrilliant solution? Oliviastonedipped,nowdeadly.Heplannedtoeliminateall ofyouquietly.No questionsasked.
Sheturnedtowardthe driver.Youshouldbethankingmybrotherthathebroughtyouhere.Otherwise,youdprobablybedeadalready.AndImwillingtobetAdrianhas 213 CHAPTER0112 alreadytakencareofthethirdpersonwhohelpedyou.
EvenIwascaughtoffguardbyherwords.Shehadnevertoldmeanyofthisbefore.
Shethenwalkedcloserto thereporter,leaningdownslightlyso theywereateyelevel.So,thinkhard.Itdoesntmatterifyoukeeppretendingyou dontknow anything.Adrianwillcomeforyoueventually.Buttheresawayyoucanprotectyourself.
Thetensionintheroomwasgettingpalpable.Thedriverlookedsicktohisstomach,andthereportervisiblytensed,stilltryingtomaintaincontrol,thoughthecracksinhermaskwerebeginningtoshow.
ThatwaswhenI decided tointervene.

Clearingmythroat,Itiltedmyheadtowardthedoor.Canwetalkoutside?IaskedOliviaquietly.
Shenoddedwordlesslyandfollowedmeout.
Assoonasthedoorclosedbehindus,Iloweredmyvoiceandsaid,WhatsallthisImhearing?YounevertoldmeAdrianwasplanningtokillthem.
Oliviawavedherhanddismissively.Hesnot.Imadethatup.Imjusttryingtogetintotheirheads,makethempanic.Iftheythinktheirlivesare ontheline,theyremorelikelytocooperate.Itsbasicpsychology.TrustmeIknowwhatImdoing.
1blinkedather.Sincewhendid youbecomeaninvestigator? Shesmirked.MaybeIvewatchedtoomanycrimedramas.
Icouldnthelpbutchuckle,shaking myheadindisbelief.
EverythingIsayinthere,justgoalongwithit,okay?Oliviasaid.
Alright.Illfollowyourlead.Letsseehowthisplaysout.
Withthat,weturnedandreenteredthebasement.Oliviasfacereturnedtothatcold,calculatingexpressionasshesteppedbackintothelight.
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