Chapter 6

They trashed Oscar too, saying he was a shady lawyer with no ethics.

I didn't have much time left in Fairview.

Just wanting to wrap things up fast, I had the driver head straight to Oscar's place.

When I walked in, Ronnie was sitting right there on the couch.

I froze, wondering if he'd somehow figured out I'd be here and was waiting for me.

As I got closer, I saw the open wooden box on the coffee table—and inside, the shattered bracelet I'd smashed to pieces.

Ronnie always kept his cool, and never showed much emotion.

But now, he actually softened his tone, almost like he was begging for something.

"Just do your best to fix it. Name your price. I'll pay whatever it takes," he said.

Oscar was a lawyer by profession, but he also did antique restoration on the side.

He'd actually majored in restoration back in college.

In the first few years after graduation, he built quite a reputation for himself in the restoration world.

But then, for reasons of his own, he put in the work to get his law license and switched careers.

These days, restoration was a hobby he picked up whenever he had some free time.

I'd told Ronnie more than once that Oscar had a real knack for fixing things up—he's super meticulous and skilled.

Honestly, I never thought he'd actually show up here.

Oscar examined the bracelet before replying.

He said, "It can't be restored to its original state.

"But since you've been by Kaylee's side for ten years, I'll do my best to restore it for you..."

I cut him off. "That's not it."

Oscar paused for a moment, then stood up and greeted me. "Hey, you made it.

"All the paperwork's right here—might as well have Ronnie help you look it over."

But before he could finish, he caught sight of me—his expression darkened instantly.

He said, "What happened to your hand and face?"

My wrist had been reset, but the bruises were still there. It'd take a few days to heal.

The bandage was off now, finally exposing the burn that covered half my face.

The wound was just starting to scab over, and honestly, it looked pretty gruesome.

My family's always been a hot mess.

Now that the Anderson family's heir was involved, it was way too messy to explain in a couple sentences.

I didn't want Oscar to worry, so I brushed it off. "It's nothing, just a little accident."

But Oscar wasn't about to let it go. He turned to Ronnie.

He said, "You really expect me to believe she got hurt like this by accident?

"Mr. Anderson, after ten years as her bodyguard, is this what you call doing your job?"

Ronnie kept glancing at the wooden box on the coffee table, clearly anxious to get the bracelet fixed.

At Oscar's words, Ronnie looked annoyed, impatience written all over his face.

"Some things, she pretty much brought on herself," Ronnie said.

Oscar was completely floored, just staring for a few seconds before he finally burst out, "What did you just say?"

Ronnie met Oscar's gaze, his tone calm but cold.

He said, "Isabel's gone, and all that's left is her mother.

"But Kaylee still keeps pushing and tormenting her. If that's not bringing it on herself, then what is?"

Before Ronnie could even finish, Oscar, in a burst of rage, punched him right in the face.

I rushed to stop him, but Oscar's fist had already landed before I could do anything.

Ronnie never saw it coming. Before he even realized what was happening, his nose was already bleeding.

Oscar was so furious, his voice was trembling with rage.

He said, "Isabel? You mean that bitch?"

"Do you even know what those two monsters did to Kaylee's—"

I cut him off, my voice trembling. "Oscar, please, don't. Just stop."

I wasn't afraid of Ronnie finding out anything.

I didn't care if he knew anything, everything.

But when it comes to my mom and brother's deaths, just hearing it mentioned feels like being stabbed all over again.

Not even a single word—I never want to hear about it again.

Oscar's eyes were bloodshot with rage as he snatched up the wooden box from the coffee table and slammed it hard onto the floor.

He spat, "I thought I recognized this. It's Isabel's, isn't it?

"You want me to fix it? Hell no."

The bracelet was already busted up, but now, after that hit, even more cracks showed up across it.

Ronnie's eyes went pitch dark with fury as he clenched his fist and suddenly threw a punch straight at Oscar.

Without thinking, I threw myself in front of Oscar.

Ronnie swung his fist at Oscar, but at the last second, he changed direction—still ended up catching me right on the forehead.

The pain hit, and my ears were buzzing for a moment.

Ronnie stood there, frozen in place, his hand suspended mid-air, as if he was lost in the moment.

He stared at my forehead for what felt like ages, as if he was still in shock and couldn't process what had just happened.

Oscar was fuming on my behalf, about to step forward and take another swing.

My mind was almost empty. I stood there, numb, holding Oscar back without even thinking.

"Oscar, I'm fine, really. Just let him go," I said.

Ronnie locked his gaze on me, eyes dark and intense, something complicated flickering across his face.

He stood there for a long time, opening his mouth a couple times like he wanted to say something, but not a single word came out.

In the end, Ronnie just lowered his eyes and picked up the wooden box.

As he turned to leave, he looked unsteady—almost lost—as he walked out the door.

He must've been crushed about the bracelet. Bet he was full of regret.

After signing the paperwork, I sold off every last share of Ochoa Group I'd clawed back from them.

As for any other assets connected to the Ochoa family—if I could unload it, I did. No hesitation.

The stuff might be jinxed, but the money was rightfully mine—so it was legit.

By the time I got home, it was already late at night.

As I was entering my apartment gate, someone suddenly stepped in front of me, blocking my path.

Ronnie, for once, had dropped his usual coldness from earlier in the day. He kept glancing at my face, then looking away, looking uneasy.

After a long pause, he finally spoke. "Kaylee, can we talk?"

Over the past ten years, Ronnie had called me "Kaylee" countless times.

He called my name just like my brother once did.

For ten years, it felt warm and natural, like it was part of my life.

But right now, all I felt was my stomach twisting.

I walked around him, struggling to keep my voice from shaking.

I said, "There's nothing left to say between us. Don't come looking for me again."

I walked into the apartment.

Behind me, Ronnie's voice sounded a bit lost and confused.

He said, "I just wanted to apologize."

Chapter 7

Ronnie said, "Is it really that hard for you?"

For a split second, I almost turned around and went at him, ready to fight.

He'd never get it—the blood feud between me and Isabel and her mom.

He'd never understand how, for ten years, he'd secretly blocked me at every turn, how he'd burned down my study and destroyed everything I held dear.

Those were things more important to me than my own life.

Ever since my brother passed away ten years ago, the only reason I was barely hanging on was to get my revenge.

But now I couldn't hold out for another decade.

I knew better than to think I could go up against the Anderson family.

I didn't turn around. I forced out each word, "Don't let me see you again. Just take it as me begging you."

He started trailing after me, his footsteps echoing behind.

I ignored him, but for the first time ever, Ronnie's voice actually trembled as he called out, "Kaylee."

I kept moving forward, but his footsteps never stopped following me.

Finally, Ronnie looked both angry and embarrassed.

He said, "I don't get it. Clearly, this is your fault."

I sped up, swiped my keycard, and slipped inside the building.

At last, the voice that made my skin crawl was gone.

When I got home, I was completely worn out for no reason at all.

I crashed onto my bed and slept so deeply I lost track of time, only waking up when I heard a soft rustling by my bedside.

When I woke up, it was still pitch black outside. It was just after 1 AM, and there was a guy sitting at the edge of my bed.

My brain was screaming red alert.

Ronnie? That was my first instinct.

Ever since I bought this place, he'd spent years crashing here with me.

But the faint moonlight outside glinted off the blade in his hand.

It was like a shard of ice cutting through the darkness.

Only then did I realize that silhouette wasn't Ronnie.

I reached for my phone by the pillow, ready to hit the emergency button, but it was gone.

The guy got up and started moving toward me.

My mind went completely blank.

Right as the blade plunged into my chest, I heard his cold, vicious voice. "Mr. Anderson said you'd regret this."

The moonlight let me see the snow outside, and in that moment, everything faded away.

Then I remembered the message Ronnie sent me in a fit of rage: [You'll regret this.]

So that was what he meant.

Who else could it be, if not him?

He was the only one I ever gave the gate card and my door code to.

The guy I thought was my guardian angel ended up being the reason there was a knife in my chest.

Was he really that obsessed with Isabel?

Just because I refused to apologize to Isabel and her mom?

As blood spilled from my chest, in a daze, I remembered my brother's last words before he died.

He had said, "Kaylee, never trust anyone."

I was wrong.

Ronnie was right. I had it coming.

The guy was still growling threats, his voice dripping with hate.

Everything faded out. I couldn't hear him anymore. All that was left was me. If I wanted to survive, I had to save myself.

He ripped the knife out and raised it to strike again.

I shoved him away like a madwoman, scrambling to my feet.

Without thinking, I grabbed whatever was on the nightstand and smashed it hard against his head.

Blood streamed down his forehead, getting into his eyes and blurring his vision.

As he angrily wiped the blood from his eyes, I bolted out of the bedroom.

The crash of the figurine hitting the floor echoed in my ears.

It was a crystal piano Mom gave me when I was little.

Even after she was gone, Mom saved me one more time.

Tears streamed down my face. I couldn't even tell if it was terror or heartbreak. I couldn't tear my eyes away from the front door.

Just as my hand closed around the doorknob, the man, wild with rage and stumbling, lunged and yanked my arm from behind.

I screamed for help without thinking.

But then it hit me that no one could hear me through the door, not at this hour. A wave of despair crashed over me.

But then I heard the sound of the door unlocking from the outside, and someone burst through the door.

By the time I came to my senses, the guy who stabbed me had already been kicked to the floor.

The dull thud of fists hitting flesh sent a chill down my spine.

I thought it was Oscar.

By now, he was the only person I could possibly count on to save me.

But when I burst out the front door and spun around, it was Ronnie.

Ronnie's eyes were bloodshot, and his clenched fists pounded the guy's face over and over, relentless as a storm.

The man on the floor had his face beaten into a pulp of blood and flesh—his struggles slowed, then stopped for good.

I couldn't wrap my head around it. He let that guy in to hurt me, then swooped in to save me. What the hell was Ronnie trying to pull?

I didn't have time to think. I spun around and bolted for the elevator, my mind screaming, 'Get out.'

For ten years, he was the one who stayed by my side—the only person I ever truly felt safe with.

But now, all I saw was a snake, dangerous and ready to strike.

It was only a few steps, but as soon as I pressed the elevator button, Ronnie was right behind me.

The moment he grabbed my wrist, I screamed, "Get off me! Get off!

"You sent someone to kill me, but I still won't apologize."

It was human nature to fear death, to cry out for help.

But I could never forget how my mom and brother died.

I heard Ronnie's voice trembling. "Kaylee, you're safe now."

Then he suddenly went quiet.

After a long pause, his voice was full of disbelief.

He said, "You think I sent someone to kill you? Y-you really think I'd do that to you?"

I wanted to say something more.

But I was so worn out, everything started spinning.

My body lurched and I passed out cold.

What a joke.

The guy who lied to me for ten years, and now he was pretending he was innocent, like he was the victim, and still had the nerve to ask why I didn't trust him.

I slept for what felt like forever.

When I finally woke up, the steady beep of a heart monitor filled my ears.

The guy who stabbed me got arrested—no surprise there. He didn't even mention Ronnie's name, not a single word.

By my hospital bed, I heard voices I knew all too well.

Mabel's voice was soft and sickening as always.

She said, "Ronnie, you're always doing so much for us. You really don't have to."

Ronnie replied in a low voice, "It's what I should do.

"Kaylee needs to apologize. Once she's recovered a bit, she'll..."

Last night, Ronnie was still putting on his innocent act, but now that I was awake, he wasn't even trying to hide it anymore.