Three Years Forgotten, Why Go Crazy When I Say Goodbye? novel Chapter 468

Leo ripped one of the posters off the wall, violently shredding it into confetti in seconds.

The harsh sound of tearing paper slashed through the quiet yard.

It echoed loudly, sharp and abrupt.

Then came the second, the third. He tore into the flyers with savage desperation, venting his murderous rage, desperate to scrub this filth from the backwoods forever. What he really wanted was to be ripping Vivienne to pieces instead.

Willow watched his frantic efforts, her chest tightening with sympathy. "Stop tearing them down. You'll never get them all."

Leo froze, his chest still heaving, his face contorted in furious disbelief. "What do you mean I can't get them all? You shouldn't have to deal with this psychotic garbage being dumped on you!"

Refusing to accept that this tiny village could be entirely consumed by these vicious lies, he stormed out of the yard, determined to see just how many more flyers were out there.

But the second he stepped through the gates, his fury and fragile hope were instantly snuffed out, replaced by a chilling wave of despair.

The sight before him made his blood run cold, and then boil over completely.

Every mud wall, wooden door, utility pole, and the massive trunk of the old locust tree at the village entrance was plastered in them. Every single front gate in his line of sight was smothered in the exact same smear posters.

The glaring black-and-white print was an inescapable, suffocating plague that infected every inch of the village.

As the wind blew, the loose corners of the flyers fluttered aggressively, sounding like countless vicious mouths whispering their toxic lies, condemning Willow without mercy.

Leo stood rooted to the spot, adrenaline spiking as the sheer magnitude of the sabotage sent his rage into overdrive.

Suddenly, Willow's words made sickening sense.

Willow and Leo fully understood the stakes. Refusing to waste another second on Vivienne, they headed straight for Ethan's house.

According to the original plan, they had a full day of interviews scheduled with the boy. But when they arrived, the gates that were normally wide open were bolted shut, radiating a hostile, dead energy that acted as an icy barrier locking them out.

Impatient, Leo practically jogged up to knock on the door. After a long wait, the heavy wood finally creaked open, revealing Garrett. His face was grim, his eyes heavily guarded.

Leo took the initiative, asking if Ethan was home and explaining they were there to continue the research.

Garrett remained silent for a long moment before answering, "Ethan isn't here. And don't ever come looking for him again."

"He won't be participating in your project anymore. We're done here."

His tone was exhausted but completely immovable. In just a few words, he had single-handedly sealed the fate of their research.