She Took The House The Car And My Heart

Chapter 954:

Kristian leaned back, eyes closing for a moment. “Dig into Ellis Lambert. I want to know who he really is.”

“Give me everything you find.”

From what little he’d pieced together after losing his memory, Ellis seemed decent. Since Freya was with that guy now, he needed to find out his background. He had to protect her, even from afar.

Gerard agreed. Kristian had asked once before, but he hadn’t acted on it. This time, it wasn’t a suggestion. It was an order.

“When you’re done, head back to Jeucwell,” Kristian added. “My dad probably doesn’t want to handle the company. You’ll take over as acting president—salary doubled.”

Gerard shot him a sidelong glance. “And what about you?”

“I’ll stay in Alerith a while longer. Just… want to be close to her.” Even if he could only watch from the shadows, he wasn’t ready to leave.

knew exactly who it was. He wanted to say something comforting, something practical, something to make it better. But nothing

stepped out, walked to a nearby convenience store,

after confirming a set of instructions

an eye on you. I

but didn’t push him to

it in front of him. But Kristian didn’t touch it. He wasn’t

at least get out of those wet clothes,” Gerard said, his tone hovering between concern and gentle nagging. “You’ll catch a cold.” The room was heated, but still—it was

into his coat and pulled out the crumpled pack of cigarettes and lighter he’d bought on impulse at the convenience store—some desperate attempt to fill the void clawing

Gerard was shocked.

Kristian was smoking?

had a strict no-smoking policy to avoid secondhand exposure, and

the silence. Kristian wheezed, doubled over,

it out in the