Darn Stupid Brother You Are by Mairee

Chapter 65

(Angel's POV)

The therapy room was always quiet in an unnerving way. A heavy silence hung in the air, filled with secrets nobody wanted to speak about. I sat in the chair across from Dr. Nixon and fidgeted with the hem of my sleeve. She watched me, her eyes sharp, as if she was trying to peel back the layers I had wrapped around myself.

"So, Angel," she began, and her tone was casual, but there was a glint in her eyes that made me feel wary. "How are you adjusting to everything here?"

"Fine," I replied too quickly. She didn't miss how my voice shook. Dr. Nixon always noticed everything. "As fine as I can be in a place like this."

She gave a small smile. "You know, sometimes the most dangerous places aren't the ones with locked doors and barred windows. Sometimes they're the ones where everyone wears a smile, but their eyes are full of secrets." I shifted in my seat and felt the meaning of her words. "What are you trying to say?"

She leaned forward slightly and lowered her voice. "There are connections in this place, Angel. Connections you'd never expect. People who seem innocent but aren't."

My heart skipped a beat. "Like who?"

"Well, for example," she said, and her tone was so light it felt wrong. "Dr. Joe and Miss Ava. Did you know they're related?"

"What?" The word shot out of my mouth before I could stop it. "You're lying."

"I'm not," she said with a shrug. "Ava's his niece. Her mother, Dr. Joe's sister, left her in his care after she... Well, let's just say things got complicated."

I blinked and tried to process this new information. It didn't make sense, yet somehow, it did. "But why would she be here? Why would he allow her to-"

"She owes him," Dr. Nixon interrupted softly. "Ava's mother owed him a big debt, and now Ava's paying it off in her way."

ran cold.

me feel like a child who'd asked a question I should already know the answer to. "By doing whatever he asks. Being his eyes, his

the walls pressed tighter. "Why are you telling me this?"

know who your enemies are, Angel. You need to understand that Ava isn't just some

to piece together everything. Dr. Joe. Ava. This center. There was a whole circle

stared into my eyes. "Not everyone in

the room with my head spinning and felt like I'd just

...

found Hendrix in the game room later that day, laughing with Bundah over some card game. For a moment, I watched him and remembered the boy who used to chase me around the yard with a water gun. The boy who taught me how to ride

smile faded when he saw my expression. "I need

he said and handed his cards to Bundah. "Don't cheat while I'm gone," he warned, but

hallway. "What's wrong?" he asked in that concerned tone he always used when he knew

thoughts. "Dr.

eyes narrowed. "What

Ava's mother

his hair and muttered a curse. "I knew she

been spying on us, Hendrix. All of us. Dr. Joe is using her

he rubbed his hand over

know," I replied, my voice barely a whisper. "What

to keep an even closer watch on her," he said firmly.

place than ever. Hendrix's arm slid around my shoulders, pulling me closer without a word. "What are

play along," he whispered back teasingly. "She's