The quiet rustling disturbed my sleep.
When I cracked my eyes open, I saw Ostin. He was standing in my bedroom, helping Theron get dressed. Judging by his damp hair, he had already managed to take a shower.
They both froze the moment they noticed I had propped myself up on one elbow and was struggling to open my eyes. Theron looked at me for only a second. Then he gave Ostin the slightest nod.
That was enough. Without a word, Ostin left the bedroom, quietly closing the door behind him.
I looked at him and didn't know what to say.
What to ask.
I didn't even know what I was supposed to do now.
For the first time, being near him made me feel awkward. And hurt.
Theron met my gaze, remained silent for about a minute, and then returned to buttoning his shirt. Beneath it, a rigid compression bandage was wrapped tightly around his body, and every movement came slowly, almost clumsily. I noticed how his brows shifted ever so slightly each time the fabric pulled more tightly against him.
Slowly getting to my feet, I stepped closer. I only wanted to help. But my hand froze just a few centimetres away from him. Theron noticed it immediately. He stopped. His gaze slowly dropped to my hand. The memories brought the hesitation back.
He said nothing.
And that silence seemed to stop time itself. Bitterness filled my throat.
One minute. Then another...
Neither of us broke the silence. I only lowered my hand slowly, and we continued looking at each other. This was no longer our familiar, almost comfortable silence. It tore at us from within, growing heavier with every passing second.
The knock at the door seemed to pull us both out of a trance.
Without a word, Theron turned and walked away.
I never uttered a single word. Not a sound. I only listened as he and Ostin left my apartment. And only when the front door closed did tears finally well up in my eyes.
"I ruined everything..."
At last, the whisper broke the silence. A tear rolled down my cheek, and I immediately headed for the bathroom.
The cold shower gradually brought me back to my senses, cooling the surge of emotion that was desperate to break free. But rationally, I understood only one thing: I had behaved like a selfish person. And I had ruined everything.
Now all I could do was wait for Theron's decision and... hope that Derek would recover. And that he wouldn't come to hate me.
After struggling to find a change of clothes, I headed straight to the hospital to visit Derek.
He still hadn't regained consciousness, but his condition was no longer critical. The doctors now described him as stable, with no immediate threat to his life. Though, as the physician explained, the treatment and recovery could take several months.
Those words loosened, if only slightly, the grip that had been crushing my heart.
They wouldn't let me into his room. Through the glass, I saw Ame. She was dressed entirely in medical scrubs and was carefully monitoring the readings beside Derek's bed. The moment she noticed me, she came out.
"The danger has passed," she said, and for the first time since all of this began, there was relief in her voice. "I'll stay by his side throughout his recovery. As soon as he regains consciousness, I'll let you know immediately."
"I can't stay?" I asked quietly.
"You can't help him here, Mirey," she answered calmly, glancing back at Derek through the glass once more. "Right now, all he needs is time. He will recover."
"All right. Call me the moment he wakes up." I looked at him as well. "But I'll still come here and wait. I can't do otherwise. So don't ask me to leave or stay at home. He's here because of me. How can I rest peacefully, knowing what I've done?"
She didn't answer.
After standing there for another few minutes, watching Derek, I decided to go downstairs to reception to clarify the payment and insurance details and, while I was there, finish all the paperwork we hadn't managed to deal with on the first day. As far as I understood, I was now his only authorised representative, so I had brought all the necessary documents from home in advance.
But the woman behind the desk merely shook her head.
"Everything has already been taken care of. All additional expenses have been paid. Including the work of three specialists and five nurses."
She quickly checked something on her computer.
"Yes, Mr Vescari settled all the financial matters," the receptionist clarified, looking up at me. "Please don't worry. We understand what happened, and we've already completed all the necessary documentation."
Theron had paid for everything.
He...
The thought was interrupted by the ringing of my phone.
It was the FBI agent.
"Can you come to our office in an hour? We need to conduct an interview and..." The agent hesitated.
"I'm listening."
"So to speak, a face-to-face meeting with her. I understand this may be difficult..."
"All right. I'll be there."
Not giving him the chance to finish, I ended the call and left immediately.
When I arrived, they escorted me into an office. Opposite it, behind a pane of glass, was a small interrogation room. Amy was already sitting inside. In handcuffs. Wearing a prison uniform.
"She said she wants to speak to you one last time. You understand... we need this. The more evidence and details we obtain, the better." Agent Ron was clearly trying to pressure me, even though I had already told them more than enough.
"Fine. But if she crosses the line, I'm leaving," I replied coldly.
We might have caught Amy, but he still had to fulfil his part of the deal. And he was still hunting Theron.
I had to be extremely careful.
"What about my stepfather?" I asked as I left the office and headed towards the interrogation room.
"I'll fulfil my part of the agreement," the agent answered reluctantly.
"I need actions, not words," I reminded him, and without waiting for a reply, I stepped into the adjoining room.
The moment I entered, Amy straightened up at once. As though she had found new resolve.
I sat down opposite her, watching her with an expression of deliberate boredom.
"How did you figure out it was me? How did you know?" Her voice sounded calmer than before. Or perhaps simply exhausted. It was difficult to tell.
I remained silent, deciding which truth to show her. The real one or the one that would benefit me more. Every word had to be chosen carefully now.
"Speak!" she screamed hysterically.
But only a second later, she adjusted her prison uniform, straightened her back, and spoke calmly again.
"Why couldn't I uncover you?"
"Because I was always on Theron's side," I said with a faint smirk.
"You're just a cunning little rat. I saw the way the agents were talking to you." She leaned forward.
"It was only a deal." I gave an indifferent shrug.
"Bitch!"
With a scream, she tried to lunge at me, but the handcuffs wouldn't allow it.
Two agents entered the room immediately.
Amy sat back down.
I didn't so much as flinch. My expression never changed. I had learned long ago how to wear a mask of indifference flawlessly.
"How did you realise what I was doing? How?" she persisted, though now she kept her eyes fixed on the guards.
"You gave yourself away," I answered calmly. A faint, almost mocking smile appeared on my lips. "You were trying far too desperately to convince me that I meant nothing to him. You said things you couldn't possibly have known. In the end, it was you who destroyed the plan you'd spent years building—with your own hands."
For greater effect, I even applauded her slowly a few times.
Amy only clenched her fists more tightly, fully aware that every movement she made was being closely watched.
"Where's the tie really? Or was that another clever move to lure me out?"
"I'm afraid I'll have to disappoint you, but I always had two ties from Theron." I shrugged again.
"What?"
Her eyes widened.
"The first one. The very one he gave me in the beginning. And the second—the one he deliberately handed to me in front of you."
"But they told me you'd thrown the first one away," Amy protested, stunned.
"No. I had it the entire time. It was kept in a safe deposit box. That first one—the family tie." I was no longer pretending to be tired. "And the second one was with the agents from the very beginning. I came without the tie in the first place, so even if you had gotten it from me, nothing would have changed. I outplayed you from the very beginning."
I watched the anger slowly ignite in her eyes.
"Bitch!"
Her hysterical scream was accompanied by equally desperate attempts to break free. The handcuffs rattled loudly as she strained towards me.
"Remember this. I won't let you live in peace!"
The two agents tried to force her back into her chair, showering her with warnings, but Amy was no longer listening.
Silently, I rose to leave.
"I'll kill you!" Her scream struck me in the back. "Do you hear me? I swear, I'll kill you!"
And at that very moment, the door opened.
Theron was standing in the doorway.