Chapter 18
By the time Koi reached that conclusion, he couldn’t think of anything else.
Taking the day off from work before his exam had suddenly turned into a stroke of luck.
Without hesitation, he left his house and stopped by a nearby store, stuffing a few types of instant soup into his bag before pulling out cash to pay. He also picked up some cold medicine.
I’m coming, Ash.
Pedaling as fast as he could toward Ashley’s house, Koi’s heart felt like it was burning with worry.
*
Ashley Miller’s house stood at the highest point inside the country estate.
There was nothing around it—just the massive mansion rising alone on the hill, visible even from a distance. To get there, visitors had to go through strict security checks and prove they had been invited.
Every morning, cars lined up at the estate gates as workers presented their IDs and called in for approval before being allowed through.
By protocol, Koi should have gone through the same process, waiting for Ashley’s permission before he could step foot onto the estate grounds.
But Koi didn’t want to bother a sick Ashley.
And he just happened to know another way inside—a route that bypassed security.