Chapter 74: Edgar Was Here?

I sat up, cooling my core temperature back down to normal, and picked up my phone to check the time. Late afternoon. It seemed I had spent far longer in my mindscape than I realized, even though it had felt like mere minutes in there.

Bradford should be wrapping up his shift at the academy right about now. I needed to talk to him about paying off that loan today. It had to be today. Where would I tell him I got the money from? Well, I’ll think of that later.

Before I could set the phone down, a text message flashed across the screen.

—Investor E:I want to prepare an apology gift. What would you like?

I stared at the message for a long moment, twisting my lips. I was never one to turn down free resources, especially from a powerful Alpha. Might as well make full use of his wealth while I had his attention.

I typed out a response slowly, my thumb still clumsy on the touch-screen. After re-reading the text twice to make sure it was clear, I hit send and dropped back onto the mattress, staring up at the ceiling.

I guess this is just another excuse to see him and slowly build an attachment, I thought.

I turned onto my side, letting out a heavy sigh. I didn’t know if it was because I had just restored a portion of my soul power, but an overwhelming wave of exhaustion suddenly washed over me. Let me just sleep for a little while...

That was the plan, at least. But my body absorbed the spiritual energy far slower than my former self would have, sinking me into a sleep so deep it was practically a stupor.

I only woke up when Jayden shook my shoulder.

My eyes snapped open as I jolted upright, my assassin instincts screaming at me for letting my guard down so completely. I hadn’t even heard him walk into the room.

"Brianna," Jayden called out, his face pale and sick with worry.

I rubbed my pounding head, my pulse racing. "What? What is it?"

"Something happened," he said.

My heart nearly split in two. My mind instantly shot to Valentina’s threats, convinced that Bradford had actually been ambushed on his way home from the academy.

"Did something happen to Father?!" I demanded, leaping off the bed and grabbing Jayden by the arm.

I used far too much force in my panic. Jayden winced violently, his jaw clenching as he cried out, "Agh—that hurts!"

I gasped, instantly tearing my hand back. Right. I was no longer the fragile and weakbodied Brianna. I had 30% of my original strength pulsing through my veins now.

"Sorry," I apologized quickly, my eyes searching his face. "I’m sorry. But tell me—what happened to Father?"

"Father? Nothing happened to him," Jayden said, rubbing his bruised arm with a baffled look. "He’s fine. But Brianna... tell me, what is your relationship with my boss?"

I froze, taking a full five seconds to register his question. Eh?

Did he find out? Did he see me with Edgar at the casino? No, that was impossible. I had been careful when leaving through the back. Then why was he asking? Was he just trying to feel me out?

"I... I don’t really know what you’re talking about..." I stammered, playing it safe.

Before Jayden could press further, Jordan barged straight into the bedroom, his eyes wide with frantic energy.

"Brianna!" Jordan blurted out, breathless. "Tell me—if you’re owing anybody money, just tell us! We can cover for you! No one will find you!"

I blinked at both of them in utter confusion. What in the world was going on?

"Idiot, does he look like someone who came to collect a debt?" Jayden snapped at his twin, clicking his tongue in exasperation.

"Then why in the hell is the owner of the Morningstar Casino sitting in our living room?!" Jordan hissed back.

"He said he was looking for Brianna and had something to give her!" Jayden said, "Not to collect,"

Eh?

Wait... no... don’t tell me...

Edgar was here?! In our house?!

I scrambled out of my room, practically flying down the creaky stairs to see it for myself.

And true enough, sitting on a cheap wooden chair that looked like it would collapse under his massive frame at any second, sipping tea from a chipped mud mug—the only one we owned—was Edgar Morningstar himself.

The moment I stepped into the room, he sensed my presence and lifted his gaze.

When his golden eyes met mine, a sharp, knowing glint flashed within them. He felt it instantly—the subtle, dangerous shift in my aura, realizing I had gotten noticeably stronger in just a matter of hours.

A slow, devastatingly handsome smirk curved his lips. Whatever calculations he was making in his head about his ’investment’, he was clearly pleased with the return.

But for me, the only thought screaming through my mind was: What the hell is this Alpha doing sitting in my living room?!

He looked utterly, absurdly out of place.

My mind whirled back to the text message I had sent him right before I fell asleep. I had asked him to get me a weapon with a specifically detailed description so it would take him a while to find.

I certainly hadn’t asked him to personally march into my slum of a neighborhood and drink tea in my living room!

"Brianna," Bradford’s gentle, bewildered voice broke the suffocating silence. My father was sitting on the opposite stool, looking like he was afraid to breathe too heavily in case he offended the Alpha. "This gentleman says he’s here to see you. He said... he’s an investor in your future?"

He told them that? I’m screwed.

Jayden and Jordan pressed up behind me on the stairs, their eyes darting frantically between me and the most dangerous man in the district.

"Brianna," Jordan whispered, his voice laced with a mix of awe and sheer panic. "Why is the master of the Morningstar Casino sitting in our living room drinking mother’s cheap ginger tea?"

Ah, I’d like to know as well.

I swallowed the sudden dryness in my throat, forcing my face into a flat, unbothered mask as I stepped down the final stair.

"Edgar," I said, my voice dangerously calm as I stopped a few paces away from him. "What are you doing in my house?"

"I told you I wanted to apologize sincerely, didn’t I?" he said.

Well, yeah, but he failed to mention the part where he was coming to my house to do so.