Chapter 17 My hand tightened around Emily's throat , her face turning an alarming shade of red as she desperately clawed at my fingers . Her eyes hulged with genuine terror - the kind that only comes when someone realizes they might actually die . " Jade ... " Max's voice came from behind me , soft but urgent . I hadn't heard him approach , but I could sense his presence in the doorway now . Without turning , I kept my gaze fixed on Emily's reddening face . Not now , Max . " " Jade , please ... His voice trembled slightly . I spoke coldly , my eyes still locked on Emily .

If you don't want to die , I warned the girl in my grip , " you better stay the hell away from me after this . The silence that followed was broken only by Emily's choked gasps . After another moment , I finally released my grip , letting her collapse onto the floor - not for Emily's sake , but for Max's . 1 stepped over her as if she were nothing more than a piece of trash on the sidewalk and walked into the kitchen . My hands were steady as I filled a glass with water and drank it in one long swallow .

Then , without warning , I hurled the empty glass against the wall where it shattered into a thousand glittering pieces . The crying stopped instantly . From the corner of my eye , I saw Emily scrambling to her feet , half - crawling toward her bedroom . The door slammed behind her , and the house fell silent again . Max had already begun picking up the sandwich from the floor , his movements careful and precise . Without a word , he grabbed the dustpan from under the sink and started sweeping up the glass shards . " Leave it , " I said . He looked up , his expression unreadable .

" It's no trouble . " " I said leave it . Come to my room . I want to show you something . " In my bedroom , I opened my laptop and positioned it so Max could see the screen . Lines of code scrolled across the display , complex algorithms and data patterns that would have been gibberish to most people . Max's eyes widened . " You ... you're saying you're ... ? " I smiled slightly , reaching out to touch his cheek . His ears immediately flushed pink . The contrast between my treatment of him and Emily couldn't have been more stark .

" Hacking is about finding weaknesses in systems and exploiting them , " I explained , my voice softer now . " It's understanding how things work at their most fundamental level and then figuring out how to make them work for you instead . " Max leaned closer , completely engrossed . I spent the next hour walking him through basic penetration testing concepts , and he absorbed everything with remarkable speed . " You have talent , " I said finally . " With some practice , you could be very good at this . " " Really ? " His face lit up with a mix of pride and excitement . " Really .

Which is why we're going to get you a proper computer . Come on . " At Best Buy , I led Max straight to the high - end laptops . " Pick whichever one you want , " I told him . His eyes darted between the price tags and my face . " Jade , these are like two thousand dollars each . " " And ? " While Max carefully compared specs on three different models , I watched him with something close to affection . He had a natural aptitude for technology - quick to understand concepts , methodical in his approach .

Within minutes , he was explaining to me why one processor would be 1/3 Chapter 17 better than another for specific applications . After purchasing the laptop , I made a quick stop at the Chase Bank branch next door to set up a new account . ' Let's get some lunch , " I suggested afterward . " I'm starving . " The Grand Plaza Hotel restaurant looked just as impressive as it had a few days ago - elegant , refined , and ridiculously overpriced.

Despite this being his second visit to such an upscale place this week , Max still fidgeted with his silverware , clearly not yet comfortable in these surroundings . " Don't let all the extra silverware intimidate you , " I said , noticing Max eyeing the multiple forks and spoons . * Just remember , for a formal service like this , start from the outside and work your way in with each course . " He nodded seriously , watching as I subtly demonstrated with the outermost salad fork . " Where did you learn all these fine dining protocols , Jade ? " I shrugged . " I read a lot .

" After lunch , rather than taking a cab directly home , I decided to get off early . " I'm going to walk the rest of the way , I announced . " Need to burn off those calories . " I'll come with you , " Max said immediately . I frowned at his leg . " Don't be stupid . Your foot will hurt . " " I don't care . I'm coming with you . " Ethan's POV : " Any update on finding those attackers who were after you in Cloud City ? " I asked , keeping my eyes on my tablet as Alexander entered the room . " Not good news , " he replied , wincing as he took a seat .

His wound was clearly still bothering him . " Our security team tracked their trail to Cloud City , but then lost contact . Our men haven't reported back since . " I stopped scrolling through my emails . " Interesting . " " I'm worried about that girl , " Alexander admitted . " If those attackers found her - the one who helped me escape - she could be in serious danger because of me . " " The girl who saved you , " I considered the implications . This situation was escalating . " I think it's time I paid a visit to Cloud City myself .

" " Uncle , that might not be necessary- * * She saved your life , Alexander , ' I said firmly . " That makes her a friend of the Haxton family . My tone left no room for argument . " I'll handle this personally and ensure she's protected . " Alexander looked concerned . " Just ... be careful . She's just a normal high school student . The last thing she needs is someone like you showing up and turning her life upside down . " The next day , I sat in the back of my Maybach . We were parked half a block from a decidedly unremarkable residential area .

I'd been waiting patiently , observing the neighborhood . " Mr. Haxton , that's her , Connor , my assistant , suddenly indicated a teenage girl walking with a boy who moved with a noticeable limp . I leaned forward slightly , studying the pair through the tinted window . The girl looked utterly ordinary - nothing about her immediately suggested she'd be capable of helping my injured nephew escape professional trackers . Perhaps Alexander had exaggerated her involvement . Then something unexpected happened .

As if sensing my scrutiny , she suddenly turned , her gaze cutting directly to my window . Though I knew she couldn't possibly see through the heavy tint , her eyes seemed to lock with mine for a moment that stretched uncomfortably long . An electric scooter zipped past , momentarily breaking our connection . The boy with the limp quickly moved to shield the girl , a protective 2/3 P P. Chapter 17 gesture that seemed instinctive . " Jade , what's wrong ? " I heard him ask . The girl held my invisible gaze for another moment before turning away . " Nothing , " she said . " Let's go .

" I took out my phone and snapped a quick photo . Something about her awareness had caught my attention . I watched the pair continue down the sidewalk , noting how protective the boy seemed toward her . " This is ... her boyfriend ? " Chapter Comments R Visitor 7 days ago love it < SHARE 1 Reviews >