Chapter 25 Billionaire's Scandal

• The old house sat alone on the city’s outskirts. Its gray stone walls were tangled with ivy, and its windows stared out like empty eyes. Max hadn’t set foot here since his mother died years ago. The place carried too many memories, but tonight it served a purpose. It was remote. Quiet. A perfect cage. The SUV crunched to a stop on the gravel driveway. Max climbed out and yanked the back door open. Alicia stumbled as he pulled her free. Her wrists were bound with zip-ties, and her short black hair stuck to her forehead, slick with sweat. She glared at him, but her steps faltered as he gripped her arm.
• “You’ve lost it, Max,” she said. Her voice was sharp, though it trembled slightly. “This won’t fix anything.”
• “Keep your mouth shut,” Max replied. His tone was cold, clipped. He pushed her toward the front door. The wood was warped and groaned as it swung open. Inside, the air smelled old—dusty and stale. Tony followed close behind. He carried a coil of rope over his shoulder. His boots thudded on the creaky floorboards as they moved through the narrow hallway. Max didn’t look around. He didn’t need to. He remembered every corner of this place.