Darn Stupid Brother You Are by Mairee

Chapter 76

(Dr. Nixon's POV)

The office air was heavy with the sharp scent of antiseptic and the faint whir of the overhead fan. I sat at my desk, my body weighed down by sleepless nights. My cheeks were hollow, and the shadows under my eyes told stories I'd never dare share. Across from me, Angel sat with her arms crossed, her frustration clear in the way her jaw tightened.

"I need more than vague warnings, Dr. Nixon," she said sharply. "You keep telling me to stay alert, but that's not helping. What's coming? What do we need to prepare for?"

I met her gaze with tired eyes and tried to keep my voice steady despite the exhaustion that threatened to pull me under. "Angel, there are bigger things at play here. The people in charge... they're dangerous. It's not easy getting the evidence I've been trying to get, not is it easy to get what I need to-"

Angel leaned forward, cutting me off. "And I'm supposed to just sit here and wait while you give me breadcrumbs? My brother-Hendrix-is getting sicker by the day, at least emotionally, and people are dying in this place. What are we supposed to do?"

My hands twitched on the desk. I pressed them flat against the surface and forced myself to stay composed. "You think I don't know that?" My voice cracked before I managed to rein it back. "The inspection coming next week-just...just stay in line. Don't draw attention to yourself or the others. Let me handle the rest."

Angel stood abruptly, the sound of her chair scraping across the floor cutting through the tense air. "Handle it? You've been saying that for weeks, but nothing is happening. Do you even care what happens to us?"

Her words hit me harder than I wanted to admit, but I kept my face impassive. "Angel, trust me "

"I don't know if I can," she interrupted coldly. "You're just as much a part of this place as they are."

argue. I waved a hand toward

me for a long moment before turning on her heel and

I revealed the bruises around my wrists and the faint scars that

a ghost I

tied behind my back, the metallic taste of blood sharp in my mouth. Dr. Joe stood in front of me,

betray you," I whispered hoarsely. "I just... I couldn't

wall, the impact making my vision blur. "You're my wife, Nixon. My wife. You don't get

streaked my face as his grip tightened. "Please," I

sneer was venomous as he leaned

but it left me trembling. I pulled my sleeves down, my tears slipping silently down my face. "I'm sorry..." I whispered into the emptiness of the

...

(Hendrix's POV)

of voices from the center's residents swirled around me, but I couldn't focus on them. My eyes stayed locked on the courtyard across

low wall near the gardens, their heads close as they talked. Thomas leaned in and said something that made Angel laugh in that sweet way I was

stood nearby with Eddie, her tone carrying the weight of a secret. "Apparently, Angel and Thomas are... you

way," Eddie replied in disbelief. "Thomas?

"They've