Outside the ward's sterile glow, he pulled out his phone. After a long, reluctant pause, he called Cecilia.

While the ringtone droned, he stared at the blizzard curling beyond the glass, stomach knotting with dread.

He knew he could never repay the mountain of debt. Cecilia was the one future he could still afford.

The thought tasted of shame, yet no other name lived in his thoughts.

Across town, Cecilia glanced at the unfamiliar number. The strange prefix told her it was Magnus.

Her private line was airtight. Unknown callers simply didn't exist unless they were family.

Besides Magnus, she knew no one in that dusty county code.

She pressed mute and let the phone pulse in silence.

The ringtone died again. Magnus redialed, brows knitting. "Why isn't she picking up? Did she change numbers?" he muttered.

He blew out a white breath. "Looks like I'll have to risk a trip back to Tudela."

The New Year was only days away. Magnus convinced himself that holiday sentiment would loosen Cecilia's purse strings and drag him out of this mess.

Back inside the ward, he shut the door.

creasing her brow. "So, this plan of yours, what is it? You're not about to do anything stupid, are

course not," Magnus said, shaking his


you getting that kind of

never stopped digging until every shard

sister. She's loaded. What I owe

from Denise's face. She

seeped into

felt the

voice. "Denise, what's wrong? Think I'll head back to Tudela, get rich, and

thought you'd changed. Clearly, you haven't.

The word slapped him. Had anyone else said it, he would have fired back, maybe

him. She was a living reminder of every line

surged beneath Magnus' skin. His cheeks blazed, the shame so fierce it felt as if someone had pressed a

The word snagged in his throat, nothing but a jagged whisper and

shares not one


our values don't

never wavered, each syllable a measured cut.

on anyone else, so Magnus' behavior landed

spun. Panic pooled in his stomach, cold and sudden,

The Novel will be updated daily. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

Comments ()

0/255