Chapter 20: QTRRM
Night had fallen gently over the house.In the warm glow of the kitchen, Elena stood by the stove, humming faintly as she stirred a pot of soup. The scent of spices filled the air. Her hands moved with practiced ease, but her eyes were distant—relief, worry, and the lingering tension of the past few days danced behind them.
In the living room, Miles sat across from Daniel, who rested in his wheelchair with a blanket draped over his knees. The twins, Hope and Asher, laughed and played nearby, their joy filling the home like music after a long silence.
Then the laughter faded into the background, and the quiet between the two men grew heavy.
Miles leaned forward, elbows on his knees, voice low but firm."So... it’s time you tell me why you were being targeted."
Daniel looked down. His fingers tensed slightly against the armrest.
"You have to tell me everything," Miles continued. "If I’m going to end this... I need to know. Otherwise, they won’t stop."
A long pause.
Daniel finally sighed. His voice, when it came, was soft—worn down by memories."Okay... I’ll tell you."
"Almost a year ago, my friend Rory fell ill. It was sudden. I took him to a hospital I trusted—private, clean, expensive. But the longer he stayed there, the worse he got. His body was... breaking down. His organs were failing and no one could explain why."
Daniel’s voice faltered, the pain surfacing.
"One day, when I went to visit him, I saw a man walking out of his room. Face hidden behind a white mask. He froze when he saw me... then bolted. I rushed in. Rory’s nose was bleeding. He looked at me, dazed, and whispered something—something I didn’t understand."