Chapter 271

"I wasn’t planning to run or anything. I’m just curious—someone like you, who had a solid future in the army, why throw it all away to work with drug dealers? That’s honestly such a waste," Vanessa asked, genuinely puzzled. Alex didn’t speak right away. After a pause, he said, "Things aren’t always that simple. You don’t always get to choose your own path. People like you, who’ve grown up with a silver spoon, can’t really understand what it’s like for folks like us." Vanessa frowned. "Folks like what? You mean people who claim they have no choice? I don’t buy it. If someone really wants to do the right thing, and they try hard enough, there’s always a way out—unless they just don’t want one." Alex stayed silent, dragging Vanessa quickly through a dense forest. At the edge of the woods stood a somewhat beat-up pickup truck. He pushed her into the passenger seat and sped off down a road she didn’t recognize. Given the situation, there’s no way she should’ve been able to sleep, but Vaness