Chapter 146 Secret societ

Chapter 146 Secret societ
Chapter 147

Ryan POV

I spent the entire night staring at the ceiling of the holding cell, waiting for someone to tell me what was going to happen next.

Nobody did.

Every time footsteps approached, I lifted my head, hoping someone had finally brought news about the little girl. Every time, it was another officer walking past without saying a word.

By morning, I was exhausted and furious.

I sat on the edge of the narrow bed, rubbing my face before letting out a frustrated sigh.

"Is she alive?" I asked the officer who stopped outside the cell.

He barely looked at me.

"You've asked that question about twenty times."

"And I'll ask it twenty more times if nobody gives me an answer."

"Your mother said she'll speak to you this morning."

I scoffed."Of course she did."

The officer walked away, leaving me alone with my thoughts again.

My mother's ultimatum kept replaying in my head.

Join her society.

Become part of whatever dark world she had spent years hiding from me.

In exchange, perhaps the little girl would live.

I clenched my fists.

There was no way I was joining.

"Not a chance," I muttered.

The door opened several minutes later.

I immediately looked up.

My mother walked into the room wearing a perfectly tailored suit, her expression calm as if she hadn't spent the previous night destroying my life.

She sat across from me and crossed her legs.

"You look terrible."

I laughed bitterly."You look wonderful."

"I'm your mother, Ryan. You don't need to speak to me like an enemy."

"You stopped being my mother the moment you decided an innocent child was a bargaining chip."

Her expression tightened."I didn't hurt that child."

"But you know what happened to her."

She remained silent.

My jaw tightened.

"Don't do that."

"Do what?"

"That thing you do when you want to make me feel like I'm imagining everything."

She sighed."Ryan, I'm not here to fight with you."

"Then why are you here?"

"To make you understand."

"I understand perfectly."

She leaned forward."You don't."

"I do. You want me to join your secret society."

"It's not as simple as that."

"It is to me."

She shook her head."You think I enjoy asking you to become part of something you don't understand?"

"You've spent years controlling people's lives. Don't tell me you're suddenly worried about what I want."

Her eyes hardened."I'm not asking you to love what I do."

"Good, because I don't."

"I'm asking you to understand what will happen if you refuse to become part of it."

I stared at her."What will happen?"

She didn't answer immediately.

That silence told me everything I needed to know.

"You threatened me yesterday," I said. "You told me my football career could disappear. You told me my future could disappear. Now you're here again with another threat."

"I'm warning you."

"No. You're manipulating me."

Her lips pressed together."You have no idea how powerful these people are."

"And you do?"

"Yes."

"Then maybe that's the problem."

She stared at me.

I leaned forward.

"You framed me for running over a child."

Her expression changed."I didn't frame you."

"Then why am I here?"

"Because circumstances have gone beyond what you think."

I laughed."Of course."

"You were found at the scene."

"I was unconscious!"

"And your car was involved."

"Because someone used it!"

"Ryan."

"No!" I slammed my palm against the table. "Stop acting like I'm stupid. You know I didn't do this."

"I know."

Her words made me pause."You know?"

"Yes."

"Then tell them."

She looked away.

"Tell the police."

"I can't."

"Why?"

"Because the matter has gone beyond me."

I stared at her for several seconds before shaking my head.

"Nothing is beyond you."

"This is."

"You expect me to believe that?"

"I need you to."

"I don't."

She took a slow breath."The little girl is alive."

My entire body went still.

"What?"

"She's alive."

I stood so quickly the chair scraped against the floor."Where is she?"

"I can't tell you."

"Why?"

"Because I don't have the authority."

I stared at her in disbelief."Then get the authority."

"It's not that easy."

"It is easy. You know where she is. You know she's alive. Bring her here."

"I can't."

"Why?"

"Because the society has already stepped into this matter."

I laughed."The society again."

"Ryan, listen to me."

"No. You listen to me."

I pointed at her."If that girl is alive, release her."

"I'm trying."

"Then try harder."

"I am."

"No, you're not."

Her eyes flashed with frustration."You think I want my own son sitting in a police station?"

"I think you want me under your control."

"I want you alive."

"I don't need your protection."

"You do."

"I don't."

She leaned closer."You have no idea what you're dealing with."

"Neither do you, apparently."

She looked hurt for a second, but I didn't care.My mind was on the little girl.

"Let me see her."

"I can't."

"Then I'll find her myself."

"You can't."

"I'll try."

"Ryan, please."

I scoffed at the sudden softness in her voice."Please?"

"Stop making this harder than it already is."

I laughed."You're the one complicating everything."

"I'm trying to free both you and that child."

"Then do it."

"I told you I can't."

"Because you're afraid of them?"

She said nothing.That silence made my anger rise.

"So the great woman who controls police officers, businessmen and half the people in this city is suddenly powerless?"

"You don't understand."

"I understand enough."

She stood."The society is bigger than you think."

"And you're part of it."

"Yes."

"And you want me to join."

"Yes."

"Then here's my answer."

I looked straight into her eyes."No."

Her face fell."You need to reconsider."

"I already did."

"Ryan."

"No."

She swallowed."You could lose everything."

"I've already lost enough."

"Your football career?"

"If that's what happens."

"Your future?"

"I'll build another one."

"Your freedom?"

"I'll fight for it."

She stared at me as though she was searching for something in my face.

Then she whispered, "And what about your life?"

I smiled without humor.

"You've threatened my life before."

Her expression changed.

I leaned back."Just like Dad?"

She froze.The room became painfully quiet.

I watched her carefully."You know what I think?

"Ryan, don't.

"I think you had something to do with Dad's death."

Her face hardened.

"Be careful."

"Why? Did I touch a nerve?"

"You have no idea what you're saying."

"Maybe I know more than you think."

She stepped closer."Don't say these things outside this room."

"Why?"

"Because they could cost you your life."

I laughed."Cost me my life? Just like Dad?"

Her eyes widened.

For the first time since she walked into the room, she looked genuinely shaken

"Don't ever accuse me of that again."

"Then prove me wrong."

She said nothing.

I stared at her."My sympathy is only for that little girl. Don't mistake it for sympathy for you."

Her lips parted, but no words came.

"I don't care what happens to your society," I continued. "I don't care how powerful they are. I don't care how many people you have protecting you."

I stood."If that child is alive, bring her to me."

"Ryan..."

"If she's dead, I'll make sure everyone knows what you've been hiding."

She stared at me."You would destroy your own mother?"

I shook my head."You destroyed yourself a long time ago."

She turned toward the door.

Then she stopped."Think carefully before you make your final decision."

I folded my arms."My decision was made the moment you told me an innocent child's life was being used to control me."

She slowly walked out.

The door slammed behind her.

I remained standing in the middle of the room, my heart pounding.

The little girl was alive.

That was the only thing that mattered.

But my mother's reaction kept bothering me.

She had been afraid. Not of me, but of someone else.

I sat down slowly and stared at the floor.

For the first time, I wondered if refusing my mother had put me in even greater danger.

Then Eileen crossed my mind.

I closed my eyes.

I wondered if she had noticed I wasn't at school.

Was she worried?

Was Melissa with her?

Was Eileen sitting in class right now, pretending she didn't care about my absence?

A faint smile touched my lips.

"You're probably angry with me," I whispered.

Then the smile disappeared.

I couldn't shake the feeling that something was coming.

Something much bigger than the arrest. And whatever it was, I knew one thing.
I wasn't going to let my mother or her secret society decide how my story would end.