Revenge is best served cold (Jane and Jeremiah novel Chapter 1888

The military had been keeping tabs on him for quite some time. By then, he had shed his former identity as the reckless, spoiled heir. The brass had a critical mission for him, one that tied back to the four powerful families and, more importantly, to Sophie.

Years ago, a car accident involving the patriarchs of these families had set off a chain of events that rippled far and wide. Lennon was convinced there was a hidden force lurking in Devonport, with tendrils reaching overseas and into Summerfield. His mission? Go undercover in Summerfield.

Lennon stood in front of him, eyes cold and piercing. "Remember Colby? He went abroad on his own, spending over a decade uncovering the secrets behind those families. As the heir to the Aldridge legacy, can't you at least do that?"

Lennon's words hit where it hurt the most. Outsiders gossiped that the Aldridge family boasted a genius, Gordon, and a failure, Harold. Harold had kept his talents under wraps, but he couldn't stand the thought of people believing the Aldridge family was talentless.

"I'm in," he said, not even pausing to think it through. He couldn't bear the thought of shaming his brother or letting anyone think his brother's sibling was a weakling.

In Summerfield, every day was a dance with danger as he dealt with shady characters, picking up snippets of information about Sophie. Lennon had made it clear: this mission required cutting ties with personal connections and friendships. And so he did.

That's when it hit him—this was what carrying responsibility felt like. It dawned on him just how much his brother had been shouldering all along. It was during this time that he really learned to smoke, a rite of passage that seemed to mark the move from boyhood to manhood.