Chapter 46 Chapter 46: A Brother’s Desperation
I grabbed Nielle’s wrist before my courage could disappear. “Please,” I whispered, my voice shaking more than I wanted it to, “can you cover the wing for me? Just until Miss Elara finishes her bath. I’ll be back before she notices. I swear.” Even as I said it, guilt coiled in my stomach. Nothing about this felt safe. Nothing about this felt allowed. But the thought of Wilder waiting outside—worried, searching, refusing to leave—was louder than fear.
Nielle studied my face for a long moment, the kind that felt like it stretched forever, then gave a slow nod. “Go,” she said softly. “I’ll handle things here.”
Relief hit so fast it almost made my knees weak. “Thank you,” I breathed, already moving toward the corridor. “I won’t be long.” The words sounded like a promise I desperately hoped I could keep.
The staff corridor felt colder than usual as I hurried through it, my shoes whispering against the polished floor. Every second stretched tight with urgency, like time itself was watching me break the rules. My heart pounded harder with each turn of the hallway, each staircase, each step that carried me farther from the safety of routine and closer to something unknown. I couldn’t stop the flood of questions racing through my head. Why was he here? Has something happened back home? Was someone sick? Or worse—had Father finally discovered the truth about where I lived and what my life had become? By the time the gray metal door marked STAFF ENTRANCE came into view, my chest felt so tight it was difficult to breathe.
I slowed as I reached the door, my hand hovering over the handle while fear and hope battled inside me. For a moment I simply stood there, listening to the faint hum of the city beyond the wall, trying to steady the storm in my chest. Then I pushed the door open. Morning air rushed in, cool and sharp, carrying the distant sounds of traffic and life that felt impossibly far away from the silent luxury upstairs. And there he was. Wilder stood near the steps, pacing in short restless lines like he had been wearing a path into the concrete. His clothes were rumpled, his hair wind-tossed, and the moment he saw me, he stopped moving entirely—like the world had snapped into focus all at once.
Then, Wilder closed the distance between us in two quick steps and pulled me into a tight hug before I could even think. The force of it knocked the breath from my lungs, and for a second I just stood there frozen, arms trapped between us while the familiar scent of dust and cold air wrapped around me like a memory.
“You scared me,” he whispered into my hair, his voice rough and unsteady. “Why didn’t you come yesterday? I waited all night.” Guilt stabbed sharply through my chest. I slowly lifted my hands and gripped the back of his jacket. “I didn’t get the chance to leave,” I said quietly. “I couldn’t. Things… got complicated.” He pulled back just enough to look at me, his brows pulling together. “Complicated? Sera, you promised you’d meet me.”
I glanced nervously at the open doorway behind me, the heavy building looming like it was listening. “You weren’t supposed to come here,” I whispered urgently. “If anyone sees you, they’ll call security—maybe even the police for trespassing. You remember what happened last time.” My voice dropped to a frantic hush. “You can’t be here, Wilder. You really can’t.” His jaw tightened, and he ran a hand through his hair in frustration. “I know. I know,” he said quickly. “But I didn’t have a choice.” The panic in his tone made my stomach twist. Wilder rarely sounded afraid. Seeing it now felt like the ground shifting beneath my feet.
“What do you mean you didn’t have a choice?” I asked, my voice barely steady. He glanced over his shoulder like he expected someone to appear out of thin air, then leaned closer. “The Marquis’s men are looking for me,” he said under his breath. The words hit like ice water. My heart dropped into my stomach. “Why?” I whispered, though part of me already knew the answer. He hesitated just long enough to confirm my fear. “I owe him money, Sera. More than I can pay back right now.” His voice cracked slightly. “They’ve been asking questions. Showing up at places I go. I can't stay there anymore or they’ll kill me.”
The weight of what he was saying settled slowly and heavily over me. “You came here because you need money,” I said quietly. It wasn’t a question. Wilder’s eyes filled with something between shame and desperation. “I wouldn’t ask if it wasn’t serious,” he said quickly. “I swear. I just need enough to keep them off my back until I can fix this.” He searched my face like he was holding his breath, waiting for an answer that might save him or break him
.My throat felt dry as I forced the words out. “How much do you owe him?” I asked quietly, even though part of me didn’t want to hear the answer. Wilder didn’t respond right away. His gaze dropped to the ground, his shoe scuffing against the concrete as silence stretched between us. That hesitation made dread bloom in my chest. “Wilder,” I pressed softly, “how much?” He swallowed hard and finally looked up at me, guilt written all over his face. “A hundred thousand dollars," he said. “One hundred thousand.” The number hit me like a physical blow. My breath left in a sharp gasp. “A hundred—Wilder, that’s… that’s not just debt, that’s ruin.” My hands trembled at my sides as the reality of it sank in. “How could you owe that much?”
“I know,” he said quickly, stepping closer as if he could steady me. “I know it sounds impossible, but it got out of control. I thought I could fix it before it got this bad.” I shook my head, still trying to wrap my mind around the number. “I don’t have that kind of money,” I whispered. “You know I don’t. I barely have anything at all.” Saying it out loud made the helplessness feel heavier, like the walls behind me were closing in. Wilder’s expression softened with something almost apologetic. “I know you don’t,” he admitted. “I knew that before I came.”
Confusion flickered through the shock. “Then why—?” The question died halfway through as understanding crept in slowly, cold and unwelcome. He hesitated again, and that silence said everything before his words did. “Sera… the girl you work for… she does.” My stomach dropped so fast it felt like the ground vanished beneath me. “No,” I whispered instantly, shaking my head. “No, you can’t mean that.” But the look in his eyes confirmed it before he spoke again.
“I’m not saying steal it,” he rushed to explain, desperation spilling into his voice. “Just borrow it. Find a way. Ask her, maybe. People like her spend that much on a weekend. It wouldn’t even matter to her.” Each word felt heavier than the last, pressing against my chest until breathing became difficult.