Chapter 4
It wasn't a negotiation.
"From now on, I'll handle things with Addison," Kyla said. "Don't go bothering him again."
I looked up at her.
"He made the first move," I said.
Kyla's eyes turned icy.
"You're still hung up on that?
"Jeff, do you seriously think you're some kind of victim here?" she added.
She took a step closer, towering over me.
"If you really can't handle it.
"There's the door."
"No one's keeping you here."
I'd heard those words from her so many times before.
Every time, I'd just back down.
I'd tell myself Just let it go.
She was under a lot of pressure.
It was not easy for her.
She needed me.
But today, I didn't let myself fall for it.
I just stared at Kyla, refusing to back down. "When did you decide I have to put up with everyone's crap for them?"
She was clearly taken aback, like she hadn't seen that coming.
"What do you mean?" she asked.
I stood up, facing her directly.
We were standing face to face.
We were only a few steps apart, but it felt like there was something invisible keeping us worlds apart.
"Addison only dared to hand me that kind of thing because you allowed it," I said.
"The bodyguards only forced me to stand outside because you told them to.
"Hadley only dared to stand at the door and give me a hard time because you let him."
I didn't speak quickly.
My voice wasn't loud.
But every word was crystal clear.
Kyla's face slowly darkened.
"So now you're blaming me?" she demanded.
"Who do you think you are?"
Her voice got sharper. "Jeff, don't forget—everything you have now, who gave it to you?"
I nodded, my jaw tight.
"I haven't forgotten.
"That's exactly why I've been putting up with all of it."
Kyla scoffed, a cold smirk on her lips.
"So what, you're not going to take it anymore now?" she shot back.
I met her gaze. "I'm not taking it anymore today."
The room fell silent.
She stared at me, as if I were someone she barely knew.
"You've changed," Kyla said.
There was no hint of regret in her voice—only cold displeasure.
"You've been in a weird mood lately," Kyla said, her voice cold.
"Did someone from outside get in your ear?"
I didn't answer.
Suddenly, she reached for the box.
"These things should've been thrown out ages ago," Kyla said, her voice cold.
I stopped her hand.
It wasn't rough, just firm and straightforward.
She paused mid-motion, her expression twisting with displeasure.
"You're stopping me?" Kyla demanded, her voice icy.
"These are mine," I replied.
Kyla's gaze sharpened, her eyes cutting right through me.
"Yours?" she scoffed.
"You live under my roof, spend my money, and now you want to talk about what's yours?"
Kyla's words hit harder with each sentence, her tone growing sharper and more oppressive.
"Jeff, have you forgotten where you stand right now?"
I slowly let go of her hand.
"I haven't forgotten.
"I just don't want to keep pretending I don't see what's going on anymore."
Kyla took a deep breath, trying to keep her anger in check.
"You're really letting me down right now.
"I don't want to keep fighting with you.
"Figure out what you really want," Kyla finished, her tone sharp and final.
She turned to leave.
But when she reached the door, she paused. "One more thing.
"From now on, keep your distance from Hadley.
"You and him? You're not even in the same league."
She said it so casually, like it was just another fact of life.
The door closed behind her, leaving me alone in the silence.
I stood there, listening as Kyla's footsteps faded down the hall.
That tight, suffocating feeling in my chest slowly unraveled.
It wasn't relief.
It felt more like something inside me had finally snapped for good.
I sat back down on the edge of the bed and pulled the box out again.
This time, I didn't bother looking at the old papers.
I just reached to the very bottom and slid out a blank sheet.
I picked up the cracked fountain pen.
The tip hovered over the blank sheet for a moment.
Then, I pressed down.
I wrote a single name.
Kyla Blair.
And I drew a line under her name.
Then, I wrote another one.
Hadley Brown.
I looked at those two names, my face blank.
But deep down, I knew exactly what I was doing.
Some scores weren't settled right now.
But one day, they would be. No matter what.
The night grew deeper.
I picked up my phone. The screen lit up, reflecting my tired face back at me.
In my contacts, there was a number I hadn't dialed in ages.
The name was simple—Home.
I stared at the screen for a few seconds.
Then, without another thought, I hit dial.
The phone rang three times.
Someone picked up almost immediately. "Sir?"
When I heard that word, my throat tightened.
I hadn't heard anyone call me that for a long time.
"It's me," I said.
On the other end, silence lingered for a moment.
"Is there anything I can do for you, sir?" the voice asked, cautious and a little unsure.
I gazed out at the night beyond the window.
My tone was calm.
"I want to make a trip back," I said. "Some debts need to be settled."
*****
By the time the sun came up, I was already out of Kyla's villa.
I slipped out without telling anyone.
There was a blind spot in the cameras by the back door—something I'd stumbled on before and just kept in mind. Now, I finally put it to use.
I ordered a car last minute.
The driver kept quiet the whole way, only glancing at me in the rearview when I told him the address.
That place wasn't even in the city.
The further we drove, the more the city faded away. The tall buildings gave way to stone walls, and finally, all that was left were rows of sycamore trees lining the road.
The air felt different, too.
Crisper, colder, and somehow cleaner.
The car pulled up in front of an old-fashioned iron gate.