Chapter 456: Everything Lined Up Perfectly
For a moment, neither man said anything. The air was thickened with an oppressive silence as they were caught up in their own thoughts.
The snow had stopped falling outside, leaving a layer of frost on the clear glass windows.
"Too many pieces fit to call coincidences," Declan’s cold voice broke the silence, "He lived abroad for decades. Once he returned, he became a teacher at Lari’s school of all places. And now, you guys live in the same building."
Ruediger was still silent, the air in his lungs thick and heavy as he recalled his past encounters with Mr. Eastwood. They had exchanged polite smiles and even chatted, but it turned out he was the one behind everything.
Everything that Declan had pointed out was now plain to see.
Everything was enough to ring the loudest alarm bell in Ruediger’s mind. He balled his hands into fists, veins throbbing as his nails dug deep into his palms.
"They’re not coincidences," Ruediger gritted his teeth, the whites in his eyes reddened with suppressed rage, "He knew someone was looking into the case. No wonder he suddenly resigned and disappeared."
Everything lined up perfectly.
Be it Lariette, Ruediger, or Declan, they had already expected the possibility that the perpetrator might catch a whiff of the investigation.
But when the culprit turned out to be someone so close to them, it changed everything.
Ruediger’s voice turned numb as he added, "He’s been on radio silence since the principal announced his resignation. Lari... She tried checking on him, but his apartment is empty. We thought he had an emergency, but..."
Declan added, each word heavy with regret, "Most likely, he’s hiding. There’s no record of him leaving the country yet."
Declan’s people were on the lookout after learning Charles Eastwood’s identity from the Frenchman. They discovered that he didn’t return to the Eastwood family during the holiday.
Every recent trace of him was wiped clean, as if he had been expecting this move. Fortunately, he was still within the country — unless he had smuggled himself out.
Ruediger looked at his tightly balled fists, his mind reeling. As he forced himself to loosen his hands, he heard how rapidly his pulse was pounding in his ears.
A pang of heartache struck him as her face was conjured in his mind. Out of reflex, he tightened his hands again.
"Lari... She trusts him. I can’t imagine how she will feel or react... once she learns who he truly is."
Declan softened his gaze, "I understand. Please... be careful with how you tell her. I know that she relies on you."
Ruediger exhaled shakily. As he brushed a hand over his face, stray strands of his hair fell over his forehead, damp with sweat.
"I’ll tell her tonight. It’s painful, but she deserves to know. We can’t afford to delay anything."
The longer the truth stayed hidden, the more bizarre the consequences could be. He also didn’t have the heart to watch her worrying about the very person who altered her fate from the day she was born.
Declan nodded, approving the man’s decision, "Thank you. Take care of her, Ruediger. She’s lucky to have you by her side. I... I can’t thank you enough. I know I’ve never been a good brother to her."
The realization came late, very late.
Because of his guilt, Declan vowed to make up for each regret, while not forcing Lariette to accept him. He and Rafael left the decision entirely to her.
Fortunately, hope still existed between them.
Ruediger said nothing. Even though Lariette seemed to be more accepting toward Declan and Rafael now, he still held resentment for how badly they had treated her in the past.
Then, the two men stood up without even touching their drinks. The tension between them was still thick with unease.
Declan said firmly, "We’ll uncover the rest soon. I’ll keep you updated."
Ruediger managed a faint yet grim smile, "I appreciate it. Tell me if you need my help."
As Declan left the private room without taking the briefcase and documents along, Ruediger lingered for a moment longer. He looked down at the second photograph again.
The four figures were frozen in time, none was aware how their lives would change into tragedy later.
Ruediger put the photo and everything else inside the briefcase. Then, he headed out.
The late afternoon sunlight was cold and blinding as Ruediger stepped into the parking lot. He fished out his phone, realizing that it had long past school hours.
She should have been home by now. He hoped that she was enjoying the snow fungus soup she craved without any worry in mind.
Ruediger unlocked the screen, intending to call Lariette, but changed his plan to texting instead. He couldn’t trust himself not to give anything away if they talked right now.
He needed some time to put on his best disguise before meeting her at home.
As Ruediger noticed the new messages from Lariette, he tapped on the notifications. His heart nearly stopped once he read them.
[Lariette: Mr. Eastwood just texted me. Finally!]
[Lariette: He wanna meet me in private. He said there’s something he needs to tell me]
Ruediger’s blood ran cold. His fingers froze midair as if the world around him blurred for a moment. He drew a sharp and shallow breath.
Those two texts were time-stamped at three, right on the hour she clocked out of work. Then, she sent another fifteen minutes later.
[Lariette: Waiting for him now. But I didn’t bring our farewell gift]
Ruediger’s grip on the phone tightened until his knuckles turned white. He immediately hit the call button, but it went to voicemail after not being picked up.
He tried again and again, but still nothing. By now, the unease that had lingered all afternoon had turned into dread.
Ruediger hurried into his truck, tossing the folder onto the passenger seat. His jaw clenched as he had just remembered to check Lariette’s location.
Even though he often sent and picked her up from school, both of them used the feature for safety reasons. Never did he expect it to come in handy now.
Lariette’s location was at a restaurant not far from the apartment. Ruediger had just turned the gear into reverse when Declan’s call came. He immediately connected it to the Bluetooth speaker.
Declan’s anxious voice blared in the truck, "Ruediger! We’ve spotted him! Lari’s with him!"
Ruediger gnashed his teeth, "I know. I just saw her texts. He asked to meet her. She didn’t answer my calls. Get your men to keep her safe."
"Yes!"
Declan had yet to end the call when Ruediger slammed the accelerator. His heartbeat thundered in his ears.