Chapter 40 Crossed Paths
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Every time Quinn was thrown into solitary, Damon would show up, sitting beside her with a flashlight and a stack of books, studying while teasing her like it was the most natural thing in the world.
As time went on, he even started pulling Quinn into his study sessions, dragging her through obscure and difficult material. It was thanks to the techniques Damon taught her that she managed to earn her first real money in the stock market.
Thinking back on it, Quinn was actually pretty grateful for that strange young man.
What she didn’t understand was, she had already decided to stay out of Damon’s life–so why was he the one coming to her now?
Later on, she had asked him. Damon said he enjoyed the lifelessness that clung to her back then, and he respected the kind of madness and single–minded determination she carried when it came to people.
He wanted to be friends. And he found a strange kind of pleasure in watching a girl who was kind to everyone slowly get dragged through the dirt.
The day Quinn was released from prison, Damon met with her one last time.
He told her he’d be leaving soon, too. He said he hadn’t forgotten how he’d almost gotten her killed back then. So if she was ever in real trouble, she could come to him–but only once.
If she ever wanted his help again, she’d have to pay. And the price wouldn’t just be money. It would be whatever was closest to her heart.
So when Quinn turned to Damon for help again, she was prepared for the worst–for him to name something she
Couldn’t possibly agree to.
But when she saw that the price written below his message was just one word–life–her heart still dropped.
Because she didn’t know whose life he meant.
The more she hesitated, the clearer her grandfather’s frail, sickly face became in her mind. So in the end, she agreed.
Quinn arrived in Riverville. The moment she got out of the car, she spotted a familiar vehicle.
Zayden was leaning against the hood. He wore a plain black T–shirt under a knee–length coat, dark blue jeans below, tall and lean, his figure lit just right by the sun. There was something quietly melancholy in the way he stood there.
“What are you doing here?” Quinn asked, startled.
Her first thought was that Zayden had been following her.
He walked toward her in long strides, took the bag from her hand without a word, turned around, and got in
the car.
There was something important in that bag. Quinn had no choice but to get in after him.
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Chapter 40 Crossed Paths
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Finally, as they reached a traffic light, Zayden spoke for the first time. “What are you doing here in this town?”
Quinn frowned. Her tone was cold. “I remember telling you that what I do is none of your business. Pull over. I’m getting out.”
As she spoke, she eyed her bag, estimating whether she could reach it.
But Zayden stepped on the gas and drove straight to a hotel. The bag was still in his hand–out of her reach -as if he knew exactly what was inside.
“I booked you a room. Whatever you came here to do, you’re not doing it out of my sight. If you want to go sightseeing, I’ll go with you.”
Quinn’s frown deepened. She took a long breath and was about to speak, but Zayden cut her off.
“Last time, you went to that factory on your own. You remember how that ended, right?”
Quinn fell silent. She knew nothing she said right now would get through to him.
He’d always been like this. She’d spent enough years following behind him to know how he operated. So she didn’t speak again.
“I know you don’t want anything to do with me,” Zayden said, his voice sincere. “But you have to admit, there’s always been something between us. I want to make things right.”
His gaze was steady. “I want to do everything I can to make up for what I did to you. I know it’s late–but I’ll make it up to you twice over.”
Back then, if Zayden had looked at her with that kind of emotion–or said even a tenth of what he was saying now–she might’ve been willing to give him her whole heart.
But things had changed. Quinn had allowed herself to fall for him twice. That was enough.
She walked into the hotel lobby first. Zayden followed right behind.
As soon as she lifted her eyes, she saw Marcus standing at the front desk, tall and poised. She froze for a second.
Marcus seemed to be talking to the receptionist. When he heard the commotion behind him, he turned. The moment he saw Quinn, his brows lifted in a smile and he walked over–steady and unhurried.
“Quinn, what a coincidence. You here on vacation too?”
Behind her, Zayden sneered and exposed him without hesitation.
“Coincidence? More like a planned ‘accidental‘ run–in.”
After all, he’d already seen Marcus’s flashy sports car at the highway entrance. That kind of vehicle wasn’t exactly subtle–who was he trying to impress?
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Marcus didn’t argue. He looked like he couldn’t care less. But from Quinn’s blind spot, the two men locked eyes, and invisible daggers flew.
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