Total pages in book: 136
Estimated words: 137326 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 687(@200wpm)___ 549(@250wpm)___ 458(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 137326 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 687(@200wpm)___ 549(@250wpm)___ 458(@300wpm)
The moment I release her, she steps back, the leaves crunching beneath her sneakers. She stumbles, her wide eyes never leaving my face before she turns around and runs back the way she came.
Dahlia is smart enough to sense danger. At least, now she is.
She should’ve seen it before she decided to approach the organization.
Or me.
Because even though I just let her go, it’s only temporary so that I can keep myself under control.
It’s only a matter of time before I trap her again.
10
DAHLIA
The detective in charge of Vi’s case agreed to assign an officer to watch over her hospital room.
After I saw someone on the verge of hurting her—or worse, finishing the murder attempt—Detective Collins found clear evidence of tampering with the hospital’s security system.
Someone disabled the hallway and elevator cameras for that specific time on purpose.
Detective Collins suspects that this was a seasoned hacker’s work.
Unlike the DNA samples the police managed to gather from underneath Violet’s nails, this time, no evidence was left behind.
That unidentified DNA sample is the only clue I have about the attacker.
Detective Collins said that there’s a strong likelihood that the attack happened after an altercation. In the initial blood test, there was propofol in her blood, so she probably fought before she was sedated.
And that makes the case more complex and elusive.
In fact, the Stanton Hospital surveillance camera that showed the man in the van dropping off Vi didn’t capture his face. It was covered by his hoodie when he laid her on the gurney and then jumped back into the van. We only assume he’s a man, judging by his tall height and broad build.
There’s a possibility he’s the attacker, but he did save her by bringing her to the hospital, so that possibility is small. That man is still probably the only witness to what happened.
I asked the police to look into medical professionals or those with access to hospital drugs, because it struck me as weird that whoever sedated Vi went for an anesthetic agent instead of opioids or something more widespread in the market. However, Detective Collins made it clear that I had no place getting involved in the investigation.
Which is why I started my own revenge journey after seeing Violet’s journal. In that journal, I found a few entries where she mentioned someone following her.
In one particular entry, she mentioned a black ring on his index finger with unintelligible symbols she couldn’t see from far away.
Then she wrote ‘them,’ which made me think it’s a group.
But the clear evidence that made me go after the Vipers were these words:
I saw him today. The man who’s been following me. On the local channel in the bar where I work. I never watch sports or pay attention to what’s on TV, but I did today, and he was there on the screen, in his hockey gear, glaring at the camera. Apparently, he plays for the Vipers, a college hockey team from the neighboring rich town.
But even with the clues Vi’s journal gave me, my revenge isn’t going well.
After Kane terrified the hell out of me in that forest three days ago, I’ve stayed away.
For some reason, I thought he would fuck me and then kill me, and no one would be the wiser.
So I’ve redirected my attention to Violet.
Every day, after I finish school and my part-time job at a local grocery store, I go to spend the night by her side.
I take my laptop and study most of the night while watching over her. It’s been almost a week since that potential attack, and I’ve been surviving on three hours of sleep and nasty energy drinks.
Tonight, however, I have to trust the officer to keep her safe.
Because I’m going to a party.
“I can’t believe you’re finally living a little!” Megan hugs me to her side as we saunter up to Drayton’s house in the town center.
Gavin Drayton is the Vipers’ goalie and one of the insiders. He’s also a Vencor member, judging from the serpent necklace I’ve caught a glimpse of a few times.
Following the team’s away-game win, he’s throwing an open-house party for the campus students and townspeople. And while Drayton is part of the system, considering his dad is the town’s mayor, he’s a small fish.
The actual powerful families hold the town and beyond in the palms of their hands, and they’re usually more detached from the townspeople.
The Davenports are pioneers in a centuries-old trade business, and they handle an extensive imports and exports network.
The Armstrongs control energy production and resource management from oil to various alternative sources.
The Callahans own the largest pharmaceutical company in the country and other massive medical complexes, including the town’s hospital.
The Osborns are the aces of real estate, construction, and urban development.
They’re benefitting from each other while maintaining a monopoly in their respective fields.