Jason watched his mother gently touch Jeff’s forehead. Her fingers hovered there for a moment as if checking for something more than just physical warmth.

Jeff slowly reached up and, without much force, pulled her hand away.

“I’m fine,” he muttered, voice low. He stood up, carefully slipping on his slippers, but before he could make his way toward the door, a familiar voice from the television caught his attention.

His brows furrowed as he turned toward the screen.

The large, bald man—Adam—was speaking to reporters, a slew of cameras flashing around him.

"We’ve determined that Miss Alicia White’s incident was not a suicide, as the rumours have suggested. Her fingerprint was found on the glass shard, but there was another fingerprint we have yet to confirm. There are many mysteries surrounding this case, and we, the police, will uncover them one by one. Rest assured, we will get to the bottom of it before concluding that Miss Alicia White's death was a suicide. Thank you."

Jason noticed the small, almost imperceptible smile tugging at Jeff’s lips before he turned and left the room. Frowning, Jason kept his eyes on the policeman on the screen, a wave of unease stirring in his chest.

What’s really going on? Jason thought, sensing Jeff’s smile held something far darker than a passing joke.

Mrs Anderson sighed softly, slumping in the chair with her hands in her lap. Her face was drawn, worry etched in the lines around her eyes. She seemed lost in thought, her expression distant.

“Mom?” Jason called softly, but she didn’t respond. He shook his head, moving to close the refrigerator door.

“Stop overthinking,” he said, his voice firmer than he intended. His hands briefly rested on her shoulder as he crouched down to meet her gaze. “You’re making yourself sick with all this.”

She blinked, her eyes slowly focusing on him, and then she sighed again, her breath heavy with unspoken fears. “I can’t help it, Jason. Things... things have been happening lately, and Jeff... I’m so worried about him.” Her voice was barely a whisper. “He looks miserable. Can’t you see it?”

Jason's stomach twisted at her words, his throat tightening. He didn’t know how to reassure her, not when his own heart felt like it might shatter at the thought of Jeff’s pain. He gave her a tight smile, his fingers brushing against the bottle of water in his hand.

“I see it,” he said softly, his voice quiet. “But we have to focus on what’s important right now. Don’t let it eat you up, Mom.”

*************************************************************************************************************************************

Jason climbed the stairs to the rooftop, his hands shoved deep into his pockets. The cool night air ruffled his hair as he stepped onto the roof. He stared up at the darkening sky, feeling the weight of the evening pressing down on him.

He turned, his eyes finding Jeff leaning against the parapet, a cigarette dangling from his fingers. The white smoke curled upward as Jeff stared down at the empty street below, his eyes distant, lost in something Jason couldn’t name.

This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

Jason walked over, his footsteps quiet on the rooftop. He slapped his palms onto Jeff’s shoulder, startling him slightly. “Remember, you’re still in her house,” Jason said, eyeing the cigarette with a pointed look.

Jeff didn’t acknowledge him. He took another drag, the smoke rolling from his lips as his gaze remained fixed on the road below, unblinking. The remnants of his nightmare still clung to him—devilish laughter, the boy’s cries, Rebecca’s pleading voice—and his pulse hammered in his chest as the words echoed in his mind: I told you I would come for you.

“Put it out before she finds out,” Jason warned, his voice sharp.

Jeff remained silent, his thoughts elsewhere. He took another deep drag from his cigarette, his gaze fixed on the road below. The quiet stretched between them like a heavy fog.

“Do you know that guy?” Jeff broke the silence, shifting the topic.

Jason opened his mouth, ready to remind Jeff of his promise to Alicia, but sensing the unusual mood, he decided it would be better to go along with the conversation. “Who?” he replied, frowning.

“The policeman, Adam?” Jeff glanced over at Jason.

Jason nodded. “Sure. I’ve seen him a couple of times. One of my colleagues works under him.”

“He works for Rose,” Jeff added, his voice quiet, but the weight of the words made Jason pause.

“Rose?” Jason squinted, trying to connect the dots. “Is he the man you’ve mentioned before? The one who...?”

“Of course,” Jeff interrupted. “He was involved in his death.” He took another long drag from his cigarette, which trembled in his hand as his gaze intensified, his expression darkening.

Jason observed Jeff, unsure of his thoughts but sensing his rising anger.

“Since he’s involved, Rose must be behind it all. They’re responsible for Alicia's incident,” Jeff's voice tightened at the thought of her.

Jason observed as Jeff clenched his hands, his fists shaking. He opened his mouth to speak but let out a loud sigh instead, running his fingers through his hair as he gazed up at the sky.

“Why is she doing this?” Jason muttered, his voice barely above a whisper.

“She wants the Whites' fortune,” Jeff answered.

“Is it for herself?” Jason asked, glancing at Jeff. “And what about Alena? I’m confused—do you think Rose is doing all this for Alena, or is it for her own benefit?” He raised an eyebrow at Jeff.

“Alena and Rose are in cahoots. She knew everything,” Jeff exhaled a cloud of smoke, frustration evident in his voice. “They’re using Alison and wanted Alicia dead. Alena is desperate to claim it all for herself, seeing Alicia as a threat to her position as the first daughter.”

Jason scoffed and looked up at the sky again. After a few seconds of silence, he asked, “Do you really believe Alena is Rose's daughter? Do you think everything she knows about Rose and her family is true?” His tone was grim.

Jeff exhaled slowly, taken aback by the question as he stared at Jason.

Jason lowered his head, fixing his gaze on the road below while Jeff continued to watch him.

“After you told me about your real connection to Alicia as a spy two years ago, I’ve been doing some digging on the side,” Jason said, meeting Jeff’s gaze.

“What did you find?” Jeff asked, tossing his cigarette to the ground and crushing it.

“I know you’ve been suspicious of Wilson, thinking there’s more to him. You’re right. He’s involved with Rose,” Jason said, rubbing his neck.

“I don’t know the exact nature of their relationship because they’re very careful, but I do know it’s linked to Olive, Mr. White’s secretary. Olive is Wilson’s older brother, and I suspect Rose is their mother. Rose and Olive have been meeting recently, even before Alicia’s incident,” Jason explained.

“Why didn’t you tell me sooner, you idiot!” Jeff shouted, storming toward Jason with clenched fists.

Jason raised his hands in a defensive gesture. "I didn't have all the pieces until now. I'm just telling you what I’ve found. It’s messy, but it’s real."

Before Jason could say anything more, Jeff surged forward, his fist coming out in a quick, sharp motion. Jason didn’t even have time to react before a sharp pain shot through his nose.

"Goddammit!" Jason staggered back, holding his face.

Mrs Anderson appeared at the door, her eyes wide in shock. "Oh my, Jason!" she gasped.

Jason rubbed his nose, wincing, but managed to stand tall. He turned to her, his face flushed with more than just pain. “I’m fine, Mom,” he muttered through clenched teeth.

Jeff quickly recovered, his face morphing into a grin that didn’t quite match the anger still simmering in his eyes. He stepped forward, pulling Jason into a loose, awkward hug. “It’s just a joke, Mom. Nothing serious, right?” He gave Jason a playful shove, his eyes flicking to Jason for confirmation.

Jason nodded, though his stomach churned with unease. He forced a strained smile, rubbing his nose as he walked toward his mother.

“It’s okay, Mom. What’s going on?”

“Dinner’s ready,” Mrs. Anderson replied, still unsure of the tension hanging in the air.

“I’ll be down in a bit,” Jeff said, sniffing at his clothes as if to prove the joke was over. “You go with Jason. He’s starving.” His words hung in the air, tinged with something unspoken.

Jason glanced at Jeff, sensing the shift beneath the surface, the tension that never quite left. He nodded at his mother, gently taking her wrist and leading her away.

“We should go now, Mom,” Jason said, trying to sound casual, but his heart wasn’t in it. “I’m starving.”

As he led her down the stairs, Jeff turned back to stare at the road, his fingers tightening into fists. His gaze darkened, and Jason could almost feel the weight of his thoughts pressing down on him.

Olive and Wilson... This can’t be true.