Chapter 924



“It’s not true,” Lacey shot back, her voice rising sharply, yet a twinge of unease seeped through, betraying her.

With a mocking sneer and icy gaze, Leo countered, “Whether you admit it or not doesn’t change anything. Just know this: I’ll be keeping a very close eye on you. Don’t fool yourself into thinking you can keep any secrets from me.”

As Leo turned on his heel and left, a wave of weakness swept over Lacey’s legs. She watched him stride away, her jaw clenching in impotent fury. But there was nothing she could do. Leo was Jake’s right-hand man, deeply trusted and beyond her reach to challenge.

Lacey considered conspiring with Cody, a fleeting thought that quickly dissolved. Too many complications could arise from entangling with Cody, and deep down, she wasn’t ready to dive into such turbulent waters.

Kallie made her way to the residence where Neal had claimed to be living with Brysen. Kallie seldom visited. Typically, she preferred to deliver any items directly to them. However, given Kallie’s concerns for Brysen’s safety, she had taken the time to learn the layout of the neighborhood intricately. In other words, she could navigate her way there blindfolded.

As Kallie knocked on the door, she braced herself to see Neal or Brysen greet her. Instead, a cluster of unfamiliar faces welcomed her. The house was in Neal’s hometown, supposedly his current sanctuary, so the presence of strangers immediately set off alarm bells in her mind.

Kallie’s brow furrowed with concern. “Who are you?” she demanded, her voice tight. “Why are you in someone else’s home?”

A middle-aged woman at the forefront of the group eyed Kallie with a mixture of confusion and defiance. “What do you mean, someone else’s home? This place is mine. I’ve reclaimed it, and it’s no longer up for rent. Who are you, and why are you knocking on my door?”

A shade of paleness washed over Kallie’s face. “Your home? You own this property?” she asked, her voice tinged with disbelief.

The middle-aged woman nodded, her impatience evident in her brisk tone. “If you don’t believe me, feel free to call the police. I own several properties in this area, and everyone around here knows me as the landlord. Haven’t you been caught in some kind of scam, my dear?” she remarked with a tinge of concern.

Promptly, the middle-aged woman motioned for someone to fetch the property deed and showed it to Kallie. As Kallie inspected the document, the truth was undeniable.

It was indeed the middle-aged woman’s name on the deed. The middle-aged woman wasn’t lying. Yet, Neal had explicitly told Kallie that the apartment was his. Was he the one who had lied to her?

A chilling dread crept into Kallie’s heart, her anxiety mounting, yet she managed to maintain her composure. With a courteous nod, she apologized. “I’m terribly sorry for this mix-up. I was under the impression that the apartment belonged to a young man in his twenties. Actually, he’s supposed to be living here with a woman, my sister, to be precise. They’re married, or so I thought. I believed he had purchased this home to start their life together, but it seems I’ve been misled.”

The middle-aged woman’s expression shifted as she pondered Kallie’s words, and then a flicker of recognition crossed her face. “Now that you mention it, I do recall a young man renting this place with a woman a while back. Something was peculiar about the woman. She never seemed to engage much with others, barely responding when spoken to. But there’s a discrepancy in your story. The man introduced the woman as his girlfriend, not his wife.”

Kallie’s fists tightened in frustration. Neal had truly deceived her. “Where could they be?” she muttered, her voice tinged with urgent frustration. Panic surged through Kallie as she feared for Brysen’s safety, her thoughts spiraling into anxiety.

The middle-aged woman shook her head, her expression solemn. “I don’t know. They left at least two years ago.”

.

.

.