Chapter 185:

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Kelly’s POV

Pierce came back with a cake. I smiled as he prepared it and handed me a piece on a plate. He kept staring at my face, and since he’d been doing that for a while, I didn’t confront him about it.

“Kelly…”

“Hmm?” I took a sip of the water he had given me.

“I saw Klay Carver.”

My chewing slowed down until it completely stopped. I lifted my gaze to look at him, worry creeping in.

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“Are you okay? Did he say or do something?”

He shook his head and extended his arm, offering me a flash drive. “He wants me to give this to you.”

My forehead creased as I looked at the small black rectangular object in his hand. “What’s that?”

He shrugged and gently placed it in my hand. “I’ll ask my assistant to bring my laptop or iPad here.”

I nodded and stared at the flash drive before looking back into his eyes. “Did he say something bad? Did he…?”

He took my hand, halting my words. Smiling, he gently caressed my cheek with his other hand.

“Don’t worry, Kels. He didn’t come to fight. He just wants to… check on you.”

I blinked a few times before nodding and letting out a long sigh. “He said he regretted what he did to me. Should I… believe him?”

“Can you feel his sincerity?”

I bit my bottom lip at his question. I could feel it, but… I was afraid to trust Klay again.

“I know I shouldn’t compare, but if you forgave me—even after the cruel things I did to you—because you felt my sincerity, why can’t you do the same for him?”

My heart ached. He was right. When I thought about it, it was the same. The pain they both caused me was similar, but I forgave Pierce. So, why couldn’t I bring myself to forgive Klay? Was it because I had too many expectations of him, knowing he gave so much of himself to me? Or was it because he had hurt the little girl in me, the one who should have been able to rely on him as my stepbrother?

“Forgiveness is up to you, Kelly. If your heart wants to give him the forgiveness he’s seeking, and if it will make you feel better… then forgive him.”

I stared into his beautiful brown eyes. He was always so kind, even to people who didn’t deserve his kindness.

Pierce’s POV

Kelly wants to forgive him. I can see it in her eyes, but she’s afraid he’ll hurt and disappoint her again. I can’t stand seeing that look in her eyes. It makes me feel guilty and pained.

I asked my dad to visit the police station to get an update on the shooter. I was waiting outside Kelly’s hospital room when I saw Emily walking toward me.

“How’s Kelly?”

I stared at her, my dad’s words replaying in my mind.

There’s a traitor among the people I trust. I don’t know who it is, but I have to be careful.

“Pierce!” Emily snapped her fingers in front of my face and flipped her hair.

“She’s resting,” I said coldly.

She rolled her eyes and crossed her arms. “You don’t want me to visit my friend? Really?”

I sucked in a breath and clenched my jaw. “I’ll be honest with you, Emily. You’re one of the people I’m doubting.”

Her forehead creased. “Do you mean someone’s a traitor?”

I gritted my teeth and pressed my lips together. She sighed deeply and looked down at her shoes.

I don’t know if she’s trying to hide her eyes or if she’s just thinking, but I don’t care either way.

She sighed again, grabbed her bag, and handed me a memory card. “I copied the voice recording to this. I’ll try to gather more evidence, like videos or photos, so when Kelly decides to file a case against Attorney Lee and Connor Foster, they won’t be able to escape.”

I lifted my chin, my face blank. “Are you only saying this to get out of my suspicions?”

“I don’t care about your suspicions, Pierce. It’s Kelly I care about.”

She placed the memory card in my hand and combed her hair with her fingers. “I’ll be gone for a while.”

My brow shot up. “For what reason?”

She sighed again. “I need to find Matt Foster.”

“What?”

“I need to find him, Pierce. We need him to testify against his father.”

I shook my head. “You can have your men search for him, Emily. Why do you have to do this on your own?”

She laughed sarcastically. “Are you sure you’re doubting me?”

“You’re Kelly’s friend,” I replied. “She’ll be devastated if she loses you.”

“She won’t lose me this way, Pierce. But if Matt dies this way… she’ll really lose me.”

What do you mean?”

She shook her head and sighed before turning her back and walking away. My forehead creased as I watched her retreating figure.

Dad appeared just after Emily disappeared from my sight. I sighed, shaking my head, and dropped my gaze to the memory card she had handed me.

I didn’t know how to bring this up to Kelly—or if I even should. It would only make her worry.

“Pierce…”

I lifted my head. “Dad.”

“Follow me to the chapel. There’s something I need to talk to you about.”

I nodded and instructed the guards to keep Kelly safe before following my dad.

When we entered the chapel, he was staring at the altar, his expression serious as he turned to face me.

“The shooter is dead.”

My lips parted in shock. “What?”

He sighed, looking at me with a mixture of concern and resolve. “You can’t trust the police. You can’t trust some of the influential people in this country. The only ones you can rely on are those who were once part of the dark world but chose to find the right path.”

I furrowed my brows. “You mean…”

“Team up with people who are more powerful than the legal authorities. Emily and Klay Carver share the same goals as you. They’re your allies.”

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