The Memory Keeper: Twisted Roots

Chapter 3: Disruption

I nodded, though a knot tightened in my chest. The truth had always been elusive, hidden beneath layers of deception, but it would come to light. I could feel it in my bones.

"We'll meet again soon," I whispered, more to myself than to her. "And when we do, everything will change."

Victoria gave me a reassuring smile and kissed the top of my head. "Patience, my love. Patience."

I nodded again, this time a small, cold smile playing on my lips.

The time for waiting was drawing to a close. Soon, everything would fall into place. Khai would be with us, and the Stantons would be forced to face the consequences of their lies.

•••
Rain's POV

The memories of that night—the violence, the fear, the sound of glass shattering on the floor—still lingered in my mind like a nightmare I couldn't wake up from. My heart races every time I think of it, the way my body froze, unable to react, as the terror unfolded around us.

But more than the fear for myself, what haunted me the most was the look on Khai's face, the way she tried to protect me, tried to shield me from what was happening, even though I knew she was carrying so much on her shoulders already. She had enough to fight, enough to carry, and yet, she didn't hesitate for a moment to put herself between me and danger.

I knew I couldn't leave her to deal with this alone.

She needed me.

I saw the way she was trying to bottle everything up, the way she withdrew into herself, trying to shield me from the burden she was carrying. I hated seeing her like this, but I knew she wouldn't let me in unless I forced myself to be there.

I couldn't let her do this alone.

I couldn't let her fight this war, these ghosts, these shadows, all by herself. I'd seen the pain in her eyes. I saw the weight on her shoulders when we were at the apartment, the way she clenched her jaw, determined not to let anyone see how much it affected her. But I knew.

She was afraid.

And she had every right to be.

The people after us—the people after her—had no boundaries, no mercy. But what terrified me more was seeing how much she wanted to protect me, how much she loved me. How much she was willing to lose to keep me safe.

I couldn't let that happen. I couldn't let her carry the burden of this war alone, even if it meant putting myself in harm's way.

I took a deep breath, forcing my nerves to settle. I had to be strong for her now. I had to show her that I was there, that I was not going to let her walk through this darkness by herself. She was my world, and if anyone was going to fight for her, it was going to be me.

As much as my own fears gripped me, I knew what I had to do. I had to stand beside her, no matter what. She needed to know that she wasn't alone in this. And maybe, just maybe, I could give her the strength she needed to face whatever came next.

For her, I would face it all.

Khai's POV

It was late—9:54 PM, the digital clock on my desk glowing faintly in the dim light of my home office. The house was quiet, but the silence felt suffocating, like it was pressing down on me from all sides. I sat hunched over, elbows resting on the cold surface of my desk, my fingers running absentmindedly over the smooth edge of my laptop.

The weight of the world seemed to be on my shoulders tonight.

I had always been good at compartmentalizing, at locking away the parts of myself that couldn't handle the heat of what I was living. But tonight, the walls I had carefully built around my emotions were crumbling.