His for a year. - Chapter 32: Chapter 32

I didn’t waste another second.
I opened the door to talk to Ray. His posture was alert, his arms folded across his chest like he already knew something had happened, or was about to happen.
“I called Lara,” I said. “Our old neighbor… from when I lived in Flat 4B.”
He lifted a brow but didn’t interrupt.
“She used to work at the club too. One of the midnight dancers. She’s alive. The only one who didn’t die in that building collapse. She agreed to talk.” I looked at his eyes. “We need to go now, Ray. Before she changes her mind.”
He didn’t flinch. “You’re sure it’s safe?”
“No. But I need answers. And I can’t sit in this house waiting for another slap or threat.”
He gave a slow nod, already reaching for his keys. “We’ll go quietly. No one will know we left. I’ll drive.”
We slipped out the back gate of the Avner estate. Ray had a small, unmarked vehicle parked just for moments like this—when discretion outweighed luxury.
The drive to the Bronx was long, but I barely noticed. My mind was spinning, full of too many thoughts and questions. The city flew past the window like a blur of memories.
As we turned into my old neighborhood, my chest tightened.
Nothing had changed. It'd been 2 months plus away.
The cracked sidewalks. The uneven fences. The faint smell of fried oil mixed with exhaust. My eyes scanned the street corners, the dimly lit alleyways, the peeling posters on rusted metal doors.
It was as though time had stood still here… while my life had spiraled into something unrecognizable.
Ray parked quietly on the far end of the block. A short figure stepped out from one of the neighboring buildings and started walking toward us.
Lara.
Same fierce stride. Hair now dyed burgundy and cut shorter. She wore a simple hoodie, jeans, and heavy boots that clunked with every step. But her eyes were unmistakable.
She stared into the car window, did a double take, then muttered, “Damn.”
I unlocked the door.
She slipped in, staring openly at me. “You really married Zade Avner. I read the articles but thought it was one of those rich-boy charity wedding stunts.”
“No stunt,” I murmured. “Unfortunately.”
She chuckled dryly. “You cleaned up good. This interior alone looks like it costs more than my whole wardrobe.”
I smiled faintly but didn’t engage in the small talk. “Lara… about the club. You said everyone died?”
She nodded slowly. “Yeah. All the girls. Every one of them. They were doing a late show. I called in sick. I was home when it happened.”
I winced. “That’s awful.”
“They never even investigated properly. It was all rushed. Like they wanted it forgotten.”
I shifted. “Has anyone… strange approached you in the last few months? A woman, maybe? Asking about that time? With my stalker? The one that died?”
She shook her head. “No one’s said a word to me about it. Until now. Why?”
I hesitated, then said, “Just trying to trace where a leak may have come from.”
“You think someone’s talking?”
“Maybe.”
Lara leaned back, studying me. “Girl, you think it’s me?”
“No,” I said quickly. “Not anymore.”
A heavy pause settled over the car.
Then I asked, “Do you know where boss Hector is? I need to speak to him too.”
She nodded. “He’s not far. Has a tiny pub just five blocks from here. Keeps to himself.”
Ray glanced at me for confirmation. I nodded once.
“Take us there.”
The pub was dim, tucked behind a faded grocery mart. No signboard. Just a single red bulb flickering above the door.
We all walked in together—I, Ray, and Lara—and immediately spotted him.
My boss. Hector.
He looked older. A little greyer. But his eyes were still sharp.
He froze when he saw us.
“Olive?” he said, disbelief thick in his voice.
I smiled gently. “Hi, Boss.”
He hurried from behind the counter and gave me a strong hug. “It's been years. What the hell are you doing here?”
“I needed to see you.”
Before I could say another word, Lara piped up with her usual bluntness. “She’s asking weird questions. About the club. About that night.”
Hector stepped back, his brow furrowing.
“Well, you’re not the first one. A man was here about an hour ago—asking the same damn things. Said he was a journalist working on a memorial piece. But something felt off.”
My pulse spiked. “A man?”
“Tall. Bearded. Fancy coat. Kept looking around like he was looking for hidden clues in the place.”
Ray stepped closer. “Did he leave a name?”
“Nope. Just questions.”
I exchanged a glance with Ray. Someone else was digging into my past. For justice? For the whole truth? Maybe something darker.
Hector sat us down and poured me a small glass of warm tea. “I never talked to anyone about that night. I swear on my life, Olive. I buried it with the girls.”
“I believe you,” I said softly. “I needed to hear you say it.”
I reached into my bag and pulled out a thin gold chain with a tiny hummingbird charm. It was cheap—but it meant something.
It belonged to I and one of the girls, someone we used to call ‘Lil Mama.’
“I want you to have this,” I said, placing it in Hector’s hand. “To remember them. Remember us.”
He nodded, eyes suspiciously glassy.
After a few more minutes, we stood to leave. I handed Lara a small gold bracelet with a blue gem in the center.
“Thank you. For still being here. And for not lying to me.”
Lara smirked. “Guess someone had to keep the ghosts company.”
We dropped Lara off at the edge of her street. She waved once, then vanished back into the shadows of the only world she had ever known.
As Ray drove us back to the Avner estate, I stared out the window.
There was someone out there, tracing the bloodied pages of my past.
I had no idea what they wanted yet.
I leaned my head against the window, watching the city blur into golden streaks and familiar shadows. But nothing looked the same now. The streets that used to comfort me now felt like alleys hiding ghosts and secrets. I didn’t know who to trust anymore—except for Ray. And even that felt fragile in moments like this.
I broke the silence first.
“It has to be her.”
Ray glanced at me through the rare mirror. “Amanda?”
I nodded slowly. “There’s no one else who knows. Everyone that knew is dead. I confided in her. My best friend. I told her everything, Ray. Everything. And not through a message. In person. So if it’s out now... it means she told someone. She had to.”
He didn’t respond right away. Instead, he drove in silence for a moment more, his grip on the steering wheel tightening.
“She did seem... shaky on the phone,” I added. I wanted to talk, to air out the voices speaking in my mind.
“Kept giving different explanations. First she acted shocked, then claimed maybe her phone was hacked, then said she might have written it down in her digital diary.”
Ray’s eyes narrowed. “Why would anyone write something that personal in a digital diary? And concerning your best friend?”
“She’s lying,” I whispered. “I know when she’s lying.” My heart skipped a beat, I was still in disbelief even though the evidence was right in my face.
Ray exhaled through his nose. “Then let’s assume Amanda is the leak. The question is—why now? Why would she hold onto that secret for over a year and then suddenly spill it? What's her motive?”
I turned my head toward him, my voice shaking. “Maybe she didn’t want me to be here. Maybe she’s bitter that I left her behind. Maybe she never forgave me for marrying Zade.”
“You think she’s jealous?”
“I think... I don’t know.” I rubbed my temples. “I can’t think straight.”
I felt crazy saying such things about her. Jealousy didn't exist between us. We were always happy for each other.
“Maybe she was threatened to talk.” My voice low as if I was talking to myself.
He gave me a few moments, then asked calmly, “Who else knew about the club? About your stalker? About the... night he died?”
“No one,” I said immediately. “Not even Aliyah. She only knew that I had a hard time and worked in a bad part of town. I never gave her the details. Amanda’s the only one I ever talked to about all these. I trusted her.”
“Okay.” His voice was steady. “And since your marriage, who’s shown an unusual interest in your past? Anyone new who came close? Any reporters, strange messages, fake social media accounts?”
“Yes,” I frowned. “One photo of Zade and I from an unknown person. That person had been watching us, or watching me. Now that's suspicious.”
Ray stayed quiet, thinking.
Then he said, “What if Amanda didn’t do this alone?”
I blinked. “What do you mean?”
“She might’ve told someone. Someone she trusted. Maybe she didn’t mean for it to go public or however this is going, but whoever she shared it with had other plans.”
My heart sank. “God... You think she might’ve gossiped with someone who used it against me?”
He nodded. “That’s possible. Or she could have sold it. Secrets like yours? They’re worth gold in certain circles. Especially if the goal is to humiliate you. Or shake Zade.”
My stomach churned. “Zade.”
He still hadn’t said a word to me about the leak. Still hadn’t confronted me. That silence felt heavier than any insult or slap. It was like a verdict waiting to fall.
Ray noticed my silence and said gently, “You’re not alone in this, Olive. We’re going to figure out exactly what happened. But if Amanda’s the root, you’ll have to prepare for what comes next.”
I swallowed. “What do you mean?”
“She might deny it. Gaslight you. Try to play victim. Or worse—turn the story around on you. She already sounded unstable when you called. I'm sorry but people like that? They dig graves for others and end up falling into them.”
I turned my face away from him, fighting the urge to get angry for the way he talked about my best friend. Then I murmured, “I just don’t want it to get uglier.”
“It’s already ugly,” He said. “But that doesn’t mean we can’t clean it up.”
As we approached the Avner estate, I leaned back and stared at the darkening clouds outside. The sky looked like it wanted to cry. So did I.
Ray parked in the side lot and turned off the engine. He didn’t speak again until I was ready.
Finally, I whispered, “What now?”
He turned to me. “Now, we plan. We collect evidence. We stay ahead. And if Amanda really did this, we’ll make sure she never gets the chance to do it again.”
I looked him in the eyes.
Not a flicker of doubt.
Just the calm, calculated loyalty of a man who’d seen too much and still chose to protect me. He was a hundred percent sure of what he said.
I gave him a shaky nod and stepped out of the car.
I felt my spine straighten as I walked into the house.
Let them come.
Let them whisper.
Let them dig.
I had nothing left to hide.