Chapter 172 I Want to Stand with You
"You've... got the wrong person."
Detective Wilson wore a bucket hat with sunglasses covering half his face. He froze when he spotted Zachary, then tried to hurry away. But Zachary blocked his path.
He reached up and yanked the hat off Detective Wilson's head. "Drop the act. I've seen this getup before—the hat, the sunglasses, those shoes. I recognize all of it."
The night breeze was cool, but sweat broke out across Detective Wilson's forehead.
"Mr. Jennings, I was just grabbing coffee. Do you... need something?"
He tried to sound calm, but nervousness bled through every word.
"Come with me."
Zachary's long strides carried him forward without looking back. Lucas had already pulled the Maybach up to the curb. Zachary got in, leaving the door open.
Detective Wilson stood frozen. He had no idea what Zachary wanted.
In Rosewood City, crossing Zachary wasn't an option. But by that same logic, with Zachary's protection, no one would dare touch him either.
He knew how to weigh his options.
After a few seconds of hesitation, he climbed into the Maybach.
The car headed straight for Maple Estate. Zachary leaned back with his eyes half-closed. He didn't speak, but the oppressive tension in the car was suffocating.
Detective Wilson kept his head down, waiting for the interrogation to start.
But Zachary stayed silent.
Detective Wilson knew Zachary well enough—clumsy lies wouldn't work here. They'd only make things worse. He was a private detective. If Zachary came after him, he'd have nowhere left to work in Rosewood City.
When Zachary still didn't speak, Detective Wilson cracked. He started talking on his own.
"Mr. Jennings, Ms. Elikin asked me to help her. I owed her a favor—had to pay it back."
Silence.
Detective Wilson spilled everything. How Quinley first contacted him, how she asked him to create a fake identity, how they'd planned her entire escape.
"Mr. Jennings, Ms. Elikin came to see me today about a photograph."
"What photograph?"
Zachary's eyes opened, his dark gaze landing on Detective Wilson.
"The photo's related to Ms. Elikin's background. She suspects she and Susan might be biological sisters."
"Where's the photo?"
Zachary's voice was sharp with suspicion.
Quinley was born into the Elikin family. Susan came from an orphanage. Sure, they looked somewhat similar, but they had zero connection. Sisters? Impossible.
Still, Detective Wilson's words planted a seed of doubt.
"Ms. Elikin has it."
"That's all I know. If... if you have a problem with it, I won't help her investigate anymore. Please, Mr. Jennings, just let me go."
He pressed his hands together apologetically.
As they neared Maple Estate, Zachary signaled Lucas to stop.
"Get out. Don't tell Ms. Elikin about tonight. Whatever she asks you to do, do it. Just contact Mr. Murphy the second she reaches out to you."
"Yes, yes. I'll do exactly as you say."
The door opened. Detective Wilson practically bolted.
He looked around cautiously before hurrying away into the darkness. The Maybach stayed parked. Zachary stared out the window until Detective Wilson's figure completely disappeared.
"Mr. Jennings, are Ms. Elikin and Susan really biological sisters?"
Lucas's brain was swimming in confusion. He'd never met Susan—only Adela. Adela and Quinley as sisters? His imagination couldn't stretch that far.
Zachary let out a low sigh. "South city apartment."
"It's almost midnight. Ms. Elikin's probably asleep. You still want to go?"
"Why are you talking so much?"
Zachary's frown shut Lucas up immediately. He drove straight to the apartment complex.
When they arrived, Zachary looked up. Quinley's window was completely dark.
"Mr. Jennings, maybe we should head back. She's already asleep. If you go up now, she'll just shut you down again."
Lucas tried cautiously.
But Zachary wasn't listening.
After talking to Detective Wilson, he felt shaken. He hadn't realized he'd made Quinley feel so unsafe that she'd gone through such elaborate lengths to escape him.
Even after returning to Rosewood City, she still barely trusted him.
He had no right to blame her. He'd created this mess himself.
At her door, Zachary knocked. And knocked. No response.
Inside, Quinley had just taken sleeping pills and put in earplugs.
Ever since returning to Rosewood City, the insomnia had come roaring back. So every night she took pills and blocked out the world.
She didn't hear the knocking at all.
Her sleep was restless and heavy. She dreamed of the van rolling off the cliff again—grabbing desperately at the seat as the vehicle slid out of control.
"Mr. Jennings, save me!"
She woke up screaming.
The room was pitch black. She sat up in bed, drenched in cold sweat. This nightmare kept coming back, night after night. A terror she couldn't shake.
Wide awake now, she turned on the light and pulled up a comedy podcast. Let other people's laughter drown out her fear.
Zachary didn't go back downstairs. When knocking failed, he simply sat down outside her door.
The darkness made it easier to see into his own heart. He cared about Quinley—really cared. She mattered more than he did.
This time, he wasn't just going to keep her close. He was going to break through every wall she'd built around her heart.
Morning came.
Quinley got up, showered, did her makeup, and got dressed. The moment she turned the doorknob, Zachary—who'd been leaning against the door—tumbled onto the floor.
"Mr. Jennings! What are you doing here?"
She jumped, then just looked confused.
Zachary pushed himself up with one hand. He'd been so exhausted in the early morning hours that he'd actually fallen asleep out here.
"I knocked."
"I didn't hear it."
"I need to talk to you."
He had dark circles under his eyes. His head felt foggy, but he was fully alert.
Quinley glanced at her phone. "Mr. Jennings, I only have half an hour before work. I need to get to the office."
She was obsessive about punctuality. Back when she was his secretary, she'd arrive at exactly 7:10 every morning without fail. By 7:30, his schedule would be on his desk.
"You're not going in this morning."
His voice left no room for argument. He was the boss. He could decide her schedule.
"Mr. Jennings, if I remember correctly, you have two meetings this morning and lunch with suppliers at 11:30..."
Before she could finish, Zachary called Lucas.
"Push back everything on my schedule this morning."