Goodbye, Mr. Ex: I've Remarried Mr. Right novel Chapter 1355

Marion drove through the night, streetlights flickering across his face.

A weathered old newspaper lay crumpled in the passenger seat, its yellow pages detailing every grim detail of that decade-old kidnapping case, but not a trace of warmth touched his expression.

When he reached the coast, he killed the engine. Clutching the newspaper, he strode to the water's edge. A lighter flashed in his hand. Flames crawled across the brittle paper, casting dancing shadows on his tense jawline. He watched until the last ember died, then scattered the ashes across the sand.

...

Debra had drifted into an uneasy sleep.

Her dreams swirled with half-remembered fragments—a ship's deck, choking smoke, a cramped dark space.

Saltwater stung her nostrils as waves pressed down on her face. She thrashed against the suffocation until she was exhausted and helplessly sank into the water.

Suddenly, a child's scream pierced the darkness. "Brother, save me."

Debra jolted awake. The fading image of a faceless boy running toward her lingered. Then came the phantom stench of a filthy car trunk.

She couldn't remember the face, but it felt strangely familiar.

A sense of unease, one she'd never experienced before, surged through her body. She trembled as she pulled herself up from the bed.

There was something she needed to confirm. She had to know the answer, and fast.

Old voices crowded her mind.

When she saw the door at the end of the attic, a sharp headache struck her. Her breathing quickened, and her heart seemed ready to leap out of her chest.

But still, she forced herself to keep moving forward. She raised the hammer high and slammed down on the lock.

Downstairs, Andrew woke up with a start. His fingers clutched his heart, and violent coughs wracked his body.

He collapsed on the floor, crawling toward the door like a wounded animal.

The hammer blows above grew frantic.

With a final crash, the attic door splintered. The dust slowly settled around her.