Unwanted Blood (Harper) novel Chapter 95

Chapter 95

288 Wouters

The knife in my hand stopped. I set it down, wiped my hands, and turned to face them again.

They were both standing by the doorway, not moving, like they were waiting for me to say something.

I looked at them. “Alright. Send me a message when you get there.”

I was about to turn back to the stove when Ryder called out. “Harper.” I looked back.

He was standing in the kitchen doorway, car keys in his hand. He looked tense. “Before I go… can I hug you?”

I froze. I looked at him standing there in the kitchen light, asking a question like a schoolboy. When I remained silent, he seemed to be starting to back down.

Then I took one step forward and nodded.

Ryder walked over and put his arms around me.

I stiffened for a moment. I could feel the warmth of his body through the jacket, the stiff edge of his suit collar pressing against my chin. This was the first time in my memory that this person had hugged me.

When he let go, he turned his face slightly. His voice was deeper than before. “We’ll miss you.”

Then he stepped back, picked up the bag, and turned toward the door.

Colton followed. At the doorway, he suddenly stopped, turned around, and pulled me into a quick, tight hug. He let go almost immediately and walked out, catching up with Ryder in two

strides.

The door clicked shut behind them.

Footsteps faded down the corridor.

I went back to the stove. The water in the pot hadn’t boiled yet. Half a cutting board of carrots sat waiting.

I picked up the knife and kept cutting. One carrot. Two. Three. Then I dumped them all into the pot and put the lid on.

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11:45

Chapter 95

I turned to the sink to wash my hands I opened the tap and realised my movements were slower than usual

The apartment had become too quiet.

A few days ago, Ryder would sometimes sit on the living room sofa reading documents Colton would borrow the corner of the dining table to type. The clatter of keys, the sound of water being poured, the shuffle of slippers on the floor-I’d thought of them as just background noise. Normal Unremarkable.

Now they were all gone.

Fifteen minutes later, Lily came over for dinner.

She walked into the kitchen, took one look at the pot, and said. “You put the salt in twice, you?”

I stared at the soup. It was burning.

I poured the ruined soup down the sink.

“What were you thinking about?” Lily asked.

“Nothing.” I said.

didn’t

Ryder’s POV

Less than half an hours after the plane landed, Colton and I climbed into a black sedan waiting outside the airport.

Old Zhang was behind the wheel. He’d been driving for the Wilson family for over a decade. Quiet. Dependable.

Colton settled into the front passenger seat with his laptop open across his knees, already reviewing documents. I took the back seat. Before the car pulled away, I pulled out my phone and sent Harper a message.

Arrived. Will be back once things are sorted here.

After hitting send, I slipped my phone into my pocket and looked out the window.

Streetlights streaked past on both sides of the highway. The ride was smooth.

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11:45

Chapter 95

788 Vouchers

Colton flipped to another page. “The audit report from the old house came in carly. We’ll need to review it before it goes to the board.”

“Mm ” I leaned back and rubbed the bridge of my nose.

Just as I was about to close my eyes, the car lurched violently. A deep shudder ran through the chassis, as if something underneath had caught for a split second before snapping loose.

My eyes flew open. “What was that?”

Old Zhang tightened his grip on the steering wheel. “The brakes…” His voice shook. “They’re not responding.”

“What the hell.” Colton looked up immediately, shut his laptop, and set it aside.

Every muscle in my body tensed.

“Pull the handbrake,” I said. “Slow it down and get us to the shoulder. Downshift if you have to.”

Old Zhang wrestled with the steering wheel, trying to guide us toward the emergency lane. The wheel felt heavier by the second. Gravity kept pulling us faster downhill.

Colton had his laptop tucked under one arm now, the other hand gripping the overhead handle.

“There’s a curve ahead.” I looked up. “Keep the wheel steady. Stay tight to the inside. If we have to hit the guardrail, that’s better than going over.”

Old Zhang’s knuckles had turned white. He nodded. The veins stood out across the backs of his hands as he fought to keep control.

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