Chapter 763



The more Lacey dwelled on it, the colder her heart grew. Anger simmered beneath her skin. How could someone like Kallie deserve Jake’s love? After all the pain Kallie had caused him, how could he still be drawn to her? Yet, the moment Jake woke, he wanted nothing more than to run back to Kallie without a second thought.

Lacey clenched her fists, remembering the small dose she had slipped into Jake’s food earlier. He was in a deep sleep now, unaware of the chaos unfolding. For now, at least, he was safe. It seemed Clayton and Kallie wouldn’t be returning anytime soon.

As Lacey walked away, a strange sensation washed over her. She told herself she should repay Jake for protecting her and Jeanette, but deep down, she knew it was more than that. She was falling for him.

Lacey inhaled deeply, grounding herself in the truth she couldn’t ignore. She shouldn’t fall for Jake. He had a wife and kids. Even if she felt Kallie didn’t deserve Jake, he still had a family.

Pushing her swirling emotions aside, Lacey felt a strange relief, as if the weight had momentarily lifted.

When Lacey arrived home, Jeanette appeared, her voice soft but urgent. “Lacey, don’t worry. Jake’s been asleep the whole time. He hasn’t woken up.”

“Good job, Jeanette,” Lacey murmured, gently ruffling the little one’s hair.

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Suddenly, a thought struck Lacey, and she crouched down to meet Jeanette’s eyes, her expression serious. “Listen carefully, Jeanette. Jake can never know what happened today. If he finds out, he’ll be upset with both of us. He might leave and never come back.”

Jeanette’s eyes widened. “I don’t want Jake to leave us. I promise I won’t tell anyone.”

Lacey smiled and kissed her on the forehead. “That’s my girl. Now, go on and play. I’ll be here.”

Meanwhile, in Burmoos, Kallie stirred awake, the sterile scent of the hospital filling her senses. Her face was damp, and as she wiped away the lingering tears, she realized she had been crying even while unconscious. Was Jake really gone? She couldn’t bring herself to believe it, but her mind was a haze of confusion and grief. No matter how hard she searched her thoughts, there was nothing to prove that Jake was still alive.

Her voice trembled as she tried to whisper the truth she dreaded: that he was really gone. But the words caught in Kallie’s throat, each one feeling heavier than the last. In the end, all she could manage was a fragile whisper of his name. “Jake…”

Her resolve shattered. Hugging her knees to her chest, she broke down, sobbing into the darkness.

The night passed in a fog of grief. By morning, Kallie had regained some composure. She looked better, though the pale exhaustion on her face lingered as she forced herself to stand.

Clayton arrived and froze at the sight of her. “Kallie,” he said softly, concern etched in his features. “The doctor said you need rest. You didn’t sleep, did you?”

Avoiding his worried gaze, Kallie turned her face away, not wanting him to see her in such a vulnerable state. But her hoarse voice betrayed her. “Clayton… Have the police found anything?”

She still clung to a fragile thread of hope. She had sent her children’s DNA to the police, expecting an official result, hoping maybe the body wasn’t Jake’s. Without a word, Clayton handed her a sealed document. “I haven’t read it,” he murmured. “You should see it first.”

Kallie’s hands shook as she took the folder, her heart racing. Slowly, she peeled it open.

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