Ka seemed to hate the rusty trailer I was in, finishing her call and not lingering a moment longer before she stormed out the door.


    The ce reeked of mold, and the excessive rocks littered everywhere didn''t help, covering the ce in dust. I wasn''t a geologist, but I could tell something was off about them.


    Struggling to keep myself upright, I finally sumbed to sleep with a rock as my pillow. But before falling into a deep slumber, I heard hurried footsteps approaching from outside.


    Ka and the delivery guy, each grabbing one of my arms, hoisted me up, with Ka pressing a switchde against my lower back.


    She turned to the delivery guy. "You head to the car and block them off. Bear it in mind. You won''t see a dime if I get caught."


    Still seemingly groggy, the guy nodded and dashed outside with a clenched jaw.


    Ka swiftly popped two pills into her mouth and swallowed hard.


    I eyed her suspiciously, but she gave me a wry smile. "Life-saver. You won''t be needing these. But how did you notify Clyde? Why would hee looking for you?" Her gaze fell on my ne, and she snatched it away. "Damn! You''ve been wearing this ne forever. When did you fit this with..."


    When Ka handed the ne to me, I noticed something ck embedded in the diamond for the first time. Ka smashed the ne on the ground, and a tiny ck device dropped. No wonder I felt the ne was heavier. Was it a GPS tracker?


    The realization that Clyde had been tracking me stirred anger and relief. Was he keeping tabs on me? Yet, that very action may have just saved my life.


    Suddenly, gunshots rang out from


    outside, and acting on instinct, Ka pulled me closer, pressing the de against my throat. "Mnie, bcan''t run anymore."


    She nced around. There was only one door, swarmed with cops.


    Ka chuckled. "Mnie, let''s make a bet, shall we?"


    I asked in confusion. "On what?"


    Ka smirked. "Whether he loves you or not."


    There was a hint of sorrow in her tone, but it quickly turned intoughter. "Mnie, he doesn''t love you. Otherwise, how couldn''t he


    notice your cancer? But he doe


    you. To investigate your dad''s death, he sometimes went days without sleeping. All these years, he kept digging. That''s devotion."


    My heart skipped a beat, aplex feeling washing over me. Clyde had been investigating my family''s issues. Then why hadn''t he told me?


    I looked curiously at Ka. "Why tell me all this? Trying to move me, hoping I''d reconcile with him?"


    "Yeah, I told you it was a bet. So, does he love you or not?" Her expression twisted, showing a mix of ferocity and determination.


    "I bet Clyde won''t realize he lovesContent from N?velDr(a)ma.Org.


    I


    you until you''re dead!" She then drifted her gaze to the stones nearby, bursting intoughter. "Mel, lots of these rocks in the abandoned quarry are radioactive. The pills I took were anti-radiation. While nning your kidnapping, I thought of bringing you here. I hoped you''d get cancer, and look, God did hear my prayers!" Her voice grew more cheerful. "You''ve rpsed twice already, and with this radiation, isn''t a third time inevitable? Mnie, you''re going to die! Isn''t that just fantastic? I''ll be watching from heaven as you two are forever separated. Thinking about it, it''s blissful, isn''t it?"