Chapter Ninety Seven

Jared's POV

The papers were burning a hole in my thigh as I walked home, so many things running through my mind.

I was exhausted, not just physically but mentally too.

I stayed far away from the city, choosing a safe spot in the woods to call my home.

Val mocked me for the longest time that I was an old man, seeking refuge away from the world but honestly even though we did joke about it, I preferred my home here.

It was a perfect spot to bring the ladies for some midnight getaway, and also it was the best place for me when I needed to unwind from the day's stress.

It used to be my parent's getaway cabin, for when they needed time for themselves.

I still have faint memories of being happy here on vacations with them as a child.

Unlike Valerian, they died unexpectedly, run off by a drunk driver when they went on a mission.

They weren't found on time, and they froze to death till their bodies were retrieved the next morning.

It was said even in death, they found my father shielding my