He Gave Me Hearing, Then Taught Me What Silence Really Means novel Chapter 36

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He finally pulled out a cigarette, lit it, and rested it on the gravestone.

Macy spoke up, "My brother doesn't smoke."

"Is that so? Well, this is all I have right now. He did save my life, after all."

He murmured the words almost entirely to himself.

Macy eyed him warily, unsure of what he was playing at.

Nelson turned and walked away.

As he passed Juniper, he paused for a brief second. "You certainly are fiercely devoted."

He didn't look back again.

Juniper stood frozen, the wind sweeping down from the mountain chilling her to the bone.

She didn't fully understand what Nelson meant by that, but the hatred in his eyes had been undeniable.

Her fingers curled tightly as Macy's complaining voice broke the silence. "That guy is just as arrogant and insufferable as he was back then."

Macy snatched the cigarette off the grave, crushed it under her heel, and turned to Juniper. "What are you spacing out for? Come say hi to my brother. We agreed we'd come together, but you sneaked off ahead of time. Looking at you, did you seriously stay out here all night?"

Nelson probably thought the exact same thing.

Juniper's face was pale. She hadn't eaten a thing since yesterday and was still reeling from whatever gas the kidnappers had used. Her head was swimming. "I was kidnapped and brought here last night."

"Juniper, Nelson's already gone."

Macy looked annoyed and crossed her arms. "It's a shame we rushed out here. I didn't even get to buy flowers. It's all Nelson's fault, shoving me into his car in the middle of the night. But you need to stop turning your phone off."

Juniper finally noticed her phone resting right next to the gravestone. It was completely powered down.

She let out a hollow laugh, realizing just how thoroughly she had been set up.

Meanwhile, Nelson reached the bottom of the hill, got into his car, and slammed the accelerator to the floor.

His grandmother's call came through. "Well? Did you find Juniper? I've been worried sick all night."

His grip on the steering wheel tightened like a vise. "She was just visiting an old flame. You panicked over nothing. Do you have any idea how many millions that contract I delayed was worth?"

Mrs. Saint was taken aback. The struggle she had heard over the phone last night had sounded terrifyingly real.

"Are you absolutely certain?"

Nelson didn't want to talk about it anymore. His mind was an absolute mess. "Don't call me about her again. And you'd better delete her number from your phone."