?Chapter XXX:


    Alex’s performance deserved standing ovations. It was nothing short of masterful theater.


    Had Noah not already nursed his growing doubts, this borate exhibition of devotion might havepletely deceived him.


    Noah’s ownughter bubbled up unexpectedly, though his eyes stayed cold as winter steel.


    “I was merely joking. You did not take me seriously, did you, Mr. Howe?” Noah rose from his seat with fluid grace, adjusting his sleeves with the refinedposure of generations of breeding. “Given the circumstances, I should take my leave and stop imposing on your valuable time.”


    Alex maintained that practiced smile while his eyes transformed into twin ciers of barely contained hostility. “Safe travels, Mr. Wall. I trust you can find your way out without my assistance.”


    Noah pivoted on his heel and strode from Howe Manor, each footstep measured and deliberate.


    Only when Noah’s imposing silhouette had vanished from sight did the carefully crafted smile tear away from Alex’s face like a mask ripped from its moorings.


    Without warning, he flung the coffee cup from his grip and watched it crash against the marble floor. “Bang!”


    The delicate china erupted into countless fragments, each shard catching the light like a scattered mirror. Thick veins snaked across the back of his hand, and his chest heaved in savage, uncontrolled bursts.


    That cursed Noah! Alex had been certain he had erased every trace of his presence, yet somehow Noah had discovered his visit to Nirvana—how could that be possible? Had he made a critical error and left behind some telling clue? A bone-chilling thought sliced through his mind.


    What if Sadie had discovered the truth as well? The idea of Sadie harboring even the smallest doubt about him was intolerable.


    Shadows darkened his features as he whirled toward the butler, who already trembled like a leaf in a storm. Alex’s voice dropped to an arctic whisper. “I want answers. Track down whoever betrayed this information and bring me their name.”


    The butler’s knees nearly buckled under Alex’s menacing presence. He dropped into a desperate bow. “Of course, Mr. Howe. I will begin the investigation immediately, sir.”


    By the time Noah returned to Myrtlewood Estate, Sadie had arranged an borate feast and sat at the dining table, her thoughts restless as she waited. The moment she saw Noah’s familiar silhouette in the doorway, she sprang to her feet and rushed toward him. “How did it go?”


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    Though she kept her concerns unspoken, anxiety gnawed at her from within. Part of her refused to believe that Alex could be capable of such ruthless behavior.


    Throughout her darkest hours, Alex had remained her steadfastpanion, offering countless acts of kindness and unwavering support. Yet the circumstances surrounding Tina’s death bristled with unanswered questions,pelling Sadie to scrutinize every potential threat, no matter how painful. This internal conflict between loyalty and suspicion tortured her soul relentlessly.


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