Chapter 510

The accident she described—was it the same one that killed my parents? So, Hayden’s father… he was paid off?!

Shock twisted inside me, but I forced myself to stay calm. I looked at Sasha, trying to maintain my composure. “Who told you this? Is there any proof?”

She didn’t notice my agitation, just shook her head. “I don’t know. It’s just something people whisper. Anyone close to him is too scared to say it out loud. If Thorsten caught wind of it, they wouldn’t live to see another day.”

“Could you… find out more?” I asked, barely able to hold it together.

Sasha turned, finally sensing something was amiss, and gave me a curious smile. “Why are you so interested?”

I hesitated, staring at her, wondering if she could handle the truth. But then I decided she deserved it. Because those people… they were my parents. And that driver was my ex’s father.”

Her eyes widened. I grabbed her arm, my grip tight. “That’s why I need to know if it’s true. I need evidence.”

Her false lashes fluttered, taken aback. “So… you want me to help?”

I knew we weren’t close. She’d tried to befriend me once, and I’d brushed her off. And now here I was, asking her for help—it felt humiliating. But she hated Thorsten, and she was close to him, close enough to know things. Rumors like this didn’t come out of nowhere. Someone out there had to know the truth.

Swallowing my pride was the least of my worries—I needed answers, and I’d do whatever it took to get them.

“Ms. Grey, please… help me.”

Sasha paused, then gave me a faint smile. “We’re not even friends. I could just say no, you know.”

Yep, women can be petty. She definitely hadn’t forgotten that I’d brushed her off before. But from the glint in her eye, I knew she was just testing me.

“If you help me, then we’ll be friends,” I replied, matching her tone.

She smirked. “Is that how you usually ask for favors?”

“It’s not a favor. It’s a request,” I said, keeping my cool. I needed her help, but I wasn’t about to beg. Even with friends, if you come across as too desperate, you’re bound to lose ground. Sasha wanted to be close, and if she helped me now, I’d repay her in a way that actually meant something to her.

She studied me. “Raised by the Johnstons… yeah, I can see you don’t lack confidence. Fine, I’ll see what I can do. But no promises.”

Chapter 510

Her agreement didn’t exactly settle me. If anything, my stomach tightened. Thorsten had no personal reason to go after my parents. And yet, he did. There had to be something bigger, something I wasn’t ready to face.

The rest of the evening passed in a blur of cake and candles for Milly’s birthday. As I was heading out, I turned back to Sasha. “What are you going to do about the baby?”

She rested a hand on her still-flat stomach. “I’ll do my best to keep it.”

Her resolve was clear. I leaned in. “My best friend’s an OB-GYN. If you need anything, let me know—I can set something up.”

She nodded. “Be careful getting back.”

Her driver took me home. The rain was still coming down, like it hadn’t stopped all day. Parts of the road were flooded, and he mentioned other areas had been completely submerged. But I was too wrapped up in my thoughts about my parents to really listen.

As we neared my place, Yuna called. “Keira, where are you?”

“I’m almost home,” I replied, my voice sounding distant even to myself.