Betrayed, Then Back For Blood

Chapter 21

Ashton frowned. “Why would anyone dig into Briar’s background? She’s just eighteen. What could be worth 15 million dollars to find out?”

Xavion looked puzzled as well. “Yeah, I don’t get it either. She only came back a few days ago. Do you think it’s got something to do with her acupuncture

skills?”

Still, even though acupuncture and traditional medicine weren’t that popular in Dasmieca, if one looked hard enough, they could find a few decent practitioners.

“Don’t turn the job down yet,” Ashton said. “I’ll have Brandon check if this is connected to my grandfather.”

He was thinking the same thing Xavion was. To him, Briar seemed like a normal girl–quiet, a little headstrong at times–but if she was being targeted because she helped Griffin, then Ashton felt responsible.

Xavion nodded. “Got it. I’ll stall them for now. But if they reached out to us, they’d probably already don’t care who they sell info to as long as the money’s good.”

Ashton grabbed his keys and headed for the door. “Give me thirty minutes.”

Just the thought of dealing with the Hacker Alliance gave him a headache.

ontacted the Hacker Alliance as well. Those guys

At 6 AM, Briar went out for her usual morning run. The house staff was used to her routine by now and got back to work once she left.

But today, Halle and Beatrice were up early too.

Trying not to repeat her past mistakes, Halle didn’t start with any snide remarks. She turned to a servant and asked, “Is Briar up?”

went out running,” the servant

rolled her eyes. “Seriously? She thinks getting

rich girls in Shoneport, Beatrice had

reason.

figured Briar was trying to win favor. With her mom and grandpa gone and no one else in the family supporting her, Briar must’ve been trying to get on Edgar’s

waiting until the servant left. “Don’t forget what your

know,” Beatrice muttered. “We’re supposed to play nice for a few days so she shows

Things are finally moving forward. Don’t screw it up now. If your dad gets mad, there’s nothing

house. Edgar called all the shots. Even after all these years, Halle still had no real

ask for it. Sometimes she even had to rent outfits and jewelry just to show up at high–society events

being cheap. They didn’t know how hard it was for Halle and

own son and future heir of Jennings Group, couldn’t make a move without Edgar’s

they did what Edgar said, Cross him, and they’d end

1/2

Chapter 21

not even

since Briar came back, she’d been going against Edgar at every turn. Beatrice was just waiting for the

the living room sofa. “What are you two doing up so early?” he

and took Edgar’s arm. “We’re waiting

actually slept

thinking about how things would fall into place once the partnership with the Hargreaves family went through–and how

moment later, and the

eating with them anyway. Honestly, it made things

Edgar and Camden left for work. Halle and Beatrice stayed behind to wait for Briar so