Bye-Bye Jerk, Hello Mr. Right by Rosie Steppe

Chapter 528

+25 BONUS

The lights in the Johnston main hall were blinding, making everything feel sharper, more intense.

Lindey didn't give me her usual warm welcome. Instead, her expression was all nerves.

Matthew just sat there, still as a statue.

I couldn't ignore how frail he looked now-thinner, with hair that had gone almost completely white. But as Hayden and I stepped in, he barely reacted, his face a blank slate Lindey got up, awkwardly. "Rea, Hayden... you're here."

"Lindey. Matthew," I greeted, same as always.

Matthew gestured for us to sit, and Isabel brought over tea.

"Are you hurt?" Matthew asked, breaking the silence.

burned-a painful reminder of hours spent tied up, bruises

to reach out, but she held back. It was like

on that later," Matthew

my mouth. "That won't be

was barely

raised his hand, stopping her. He looked at me

throat tight. "Is what Thorsten told me

at him-the man who'd been like a father for so long. And suddenly, I was

answer would wreck everything I thought I

the words I dreaded still came from

like a

and I stared at him, my gaze shaky. Matthew held my eyes, steady. "Your parents' deaths... I arranged

world collapsed

though Thorsten had laid it all out, I'd clung to the hope that without Matthew's confession, it

But now he'd confessed.