Chapter 9
Reginald’s face went completely pale as he stumbled back like his soul had been ripped out.
“You’ll spend the rest of your life with that illegitimate daughter! Lisbeth is dead! You’ll never see her again!”
Beatrice did not even look at him again. She waved a hand, and the bodyguards carried off the unconscious Ken, leaving Reginald crumpled on the floor.
He sat there in a daze, muttering over and over like a broken record, “Impossible… She wouldn’t leave me… She’s just mad, she’ll come back when she calms down…”
He kept repeating the same thing, trying to convince himself.
Yet, the next day, the news shattered his delusions. The Montgomery family was holding a funeral for Lisbeth.
Reginald stood outside the mourning hall, his legs frozen. He could not take a single step inside.
Then, Beatrice appeared. Her eyes were red and swollen from crying. The woman who had held the Montgomery family together through thick and thin–without ever cracking–strode over and slapped him.
“You monster! How dare you show your face here?” she spat.
Her voice was raw with grief and fury.
“You and Ingrid killed my daughter! Get out! Get out of here!”
Reginald’s face burned from the blows, but he felt nothing.
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Chapter 9
His eyes lifted to the photo of Lisbeth surrounded by flowers, and the
tears came fast.
“Lisbeth, I’m sorry. I didn’t know it’d end like this…”
288 Vouchers
He dropped to his knees, bowed his head, and slammed it against the ground. Again and again, as if punishing himself could somehow bring her back.
Beatrice shouted for the bodyguards. They tried to drag him out, but he clung to the doorframe like a madman. He refused to let go even when they bent his fingers back.
Above them all, unnoticed, a tiny surveillance camera blinked quietly–its red light flashing.
Everything from the funeral played out on my computer screen.
“How sad. Regretting it already, huh”
My longtime rival, 034, sneered and gave me a mocking look.
“027, this is the man you left the organization for?”
I turned off the surveillance feed, said nothing, and walked toward the
tarmac.
The Antarctic wind and snow were calling–no lies, no betrayal, just endless ice and a fresh start.
“Let’s go. None of that has anything to do with me anymore.”
My voice was steady and emotionless as I headed straight for the helicopter.
Just before the hatch closed, a firm hand grabbed the door.
“Why didn’t you wait for me?”
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Chapter 9
I stared at the familiar man in front of me in shock.
“John? What are you doing here?”
He gave a small smile, stepped inside, and sat down beside me.
“Call me 009. I’m your new partner.”
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I was taken aback. John had always been a mutual friend of Reginald and me, and I knew he had liked me since college.
However, back then, my world revolved around Reginald, and John had always kept it platonic.
I never imagined he was 009. No wonder he risked everything to save me during that mission seven years ago.
“Why’d you come back? I thought you left too?”
The man looked down at the shrinking city below. His voice was quiet, but crystal clear.
