Collide Into Ruin

Henry exhaled slowly as he stepped out of Emilia's hospital room, the sterile scent of antiseptic clinging to his senses. His fingers lingered on the doorframe, reluctant to let go. Even with the steady beeping of her monitors behind him, the weight in his chest refused to lift.

He clenched his jaw and pulled out his phone.

Henry: She's not to be alone. Get here now.

The response came instantly.

Cayden: Already on my way.

Footsteps echoed down the hall, pulling Henry's attention. Caleb approached, his phone still in hand, his expression unreadable. [This book is available exclusively and for free on 抖阴社区. If you find it anywhere else, it has been stolen. Please report any unauthorized copies.]  The tension in his shoulders told Henry everything—whatever he'd just learned wasn't good.

"What is it?" Henry asked, his voice sharp.

Caleb exhaled, stopping just in front of him. His gaze flickered toward their parents before he spoke.

"The car," he said grimly. "It wasn't random."

Linda's head snapped up, her hands clutching each other tightly. Elias stiffened beside her, his expression darkening.

Caleb continued, his voice steady but firm. "It was reported stolen three days ago. No plates. No traceable records. And the driver masked." His jaw clenched. "This wasn't an accident. It was intentional."

A heavy silence settled over them.

Linda pressed a hand to her chest. "Oh my God..."

Elias's features hardened, his mind already calculating the implications. "Do we know who was behind it?"

Henry's throat worked as he hesitated for half a second. Then, in a voice filled with quiet certainty, he said, "Zoey."

Linda gasped. Elias sucked in a slow breath, his expression momentarily betraying his shock before he locked it down.

"She's alive," Caleb confirmed. "Vincent told us when we confronted him earlier. She was institutionalized after the accident. Her parents lied to you, saying she died because they knew how volatile she was getting. She got out recently—under questionable circumstances." His voice dipped lower. "She's been off the grid since."

Henry's pulse roared in his ears. Zoey.

He had known she was alive. Known she was out. But this—this was proof that she wasn't just lurking in the shadows. She was making her move.

His fingers curled into a fist at his side.

"She's coming for us," Beau muttered.

"No," Elias corrected, his voice cold and sure. "She's coming for Emilia."

Linda's face was pale. "But she—she was in love with you, Henry. Why would she—"

"Because love had nothing to do with it," Henry said tightly. "Not with Zoey."

She had fooled everyone once. The charming, sophisticated fiancée. The future Mrs. Kingsley. But beneath the surface had always been something darker, something possessive and unhinged. And now, she was back.

And Emilia had nearly died.

The thought made his stomach turn.

"This is my fault."