Chapter 17

Nester remained on his knees for a long time, until his legs went numb and the bitter wind chilled him to the bone. It was only then that he braced his hands against the floor and tried to stand, but his legs failed him. The injury and prolonged kneeling left him unable to do so after several tries. In the end, he almost crawled to retrieve his crutches. Using every ounce of his remaining strength, he finally dragged himself up on his feet. Leaning on the crutches, he limped away. His back was hunched like an old man in his twilight years. Slowly, the night swallowed him whole. … Nester returned to Crisea. He was no longer the disheveled wreck from before. Instead, he was once again the impeccably dressed, sharp CEO of Blackwell Group, but there was a cold, annihilating frost deep within his eyes. Upon returning to Blackwell Group, the first thing he did was compile all the evidence he had gathered on Della, including security footage screenshots, fire-residue analysis, and wi