Chapter 322
The words hit like a fist to the ribs. I froze, breath shallow, chest burning. I tore his hands off my shirt and shoved him hard. “Get away
from me p>
His lips curled in a sad, tired smile. “The truth hurts, doesn’t it? You can hate me if you want. You can curse me. It won’t change a thing. I never hated you, Roman. I would never hate you. You’re my brother. You’re my blood p>
The kitchen light flickered, humming softly. The clock ticked. Midnight didn’t touch either of us.
I didn’t speak. I couldn’t.
He stood and leaned against the counter. His silhouette looked frayed. Like he was held together by threads. “Father planted discord
between us. He nurtured it. Fed it. He built this divide and convinced you to water it with resentment. And it worked. It pulled us apart. It
drove me back to him. He kept me close because of what I know p>
I swallowed. My throat scraped like gravel. “If he’s so determined to keep you under control, then why let you come here? Why are you in
my house p>
Reese’s expression didn’t change. “Maybe he hoped you’d hate me enough to kill me in my sleep. Maybe he hoped you’d think Savannah
and I were having an affair and snap. Or maybe he just wants to watch us destroy each other. Take your pick. He enjoys the spectacle p>
My stomach knotted. Father’s shadow felt everywhere. Cold. Watching. Always watching.
I dragged my hand down my face. “I do not hate you, Reese. I never did. I only hated what I believed you did. What he made me believe. If
we are going against him, then we go fully. You have to tell me what you know. Tell me who touched Dahlia. Tell me what The Professor
looks like p>
I needed the truth like oxygen. I needed a target. A face. A neck to break.
Reese inhaled slowly. “I don’t know his real name. All I know is that he was in education. A professor, likely. High–ranking. Untouchable
like all his friends. That is why they call him ‘The Professor p>
My fist tightened against the tile. A curse tore from my throat. The pieces were close. I could feel it. Professor Kingston. The one man
that knew my father. That has got to be that bastard’s connection to my father. Right? It had to be him. It had to.
Reese looked at me again. His eyes flickered with something else. Something darker and almost… colder. “Roman,” he said quietly.
“Remember when I mentioned earlier that there was one real name I knew? ”
My pulse spiked. I nodded once.
“The Party Man.” Reese’s voice dropped. “I saw him in the tapes, I recognized him from a news broadcast before I ever understood what
was going on behind the scenes p>
1/2
Chapter 322
The kitchen felt like it tilted sideways. “Who is he?” My voice was barely audible. Was it a club owner? A man obsessed with debauchery? Parties? Orgies? Was that the reason behind the alias?
Reese looked at me without blinking. “The Party Man is Senator White p>
Everything stilled. I guessed wrong.
A memory slammed into me. Penelope. The trial. The scandals. The threats. The man she was defending his son for obvious carelessness and murder in broad daylight.
Then it all made sense about why Reese was doing this.
He wasn’t helping me out of brotherly loyalty. It wasn’t just an easy way to get laid. This was personal. This was vengeance.
Penelope was the catalyst.
And I finally understood him. “I get it. So that’s why p>
Reese exhaled. “Now you see p>
I nodded slowly, feeling something inside me lock into place. Not grief. Not guilt. Something sharper. Cleaner. Vengeful.
My heart hardened around a single, burning purpose. “Then we burn them all,” I said.
Reese didn’t smile.
He nodded.
Sara Lili
Sara Lili is a daring romance writer who turns icy landscapes into scenes of fiery passion. She loves crafting hot love stories while embracing the chill of Iceland’s breathtaking cold.