Night Carved Paths Into Silence by Zyrel Ash ` 256
Chapter 256
This barrage of questions made Simon’s already foggy brain
turn to complete mush.
He struggled to open his eyes to see Bradley’s expression, but
all he saw were blurry double images and swaying lights.
He instinctively felt something was off about the questioning,
but the alcohol had.dulled his wariness, leaving only an irritable
desire to get away from the pestering.
“Jeez… are you giving me the third degree…” Simon mumbled,
trying to push the glass away but lacking the strength. “It… it
just happened… what else is there to say…
Bradley stared at him, his heart pounding in his chest, half from
the alcohol, half from a desperate, all–or–nothing gamble.
He leaned forward, lowering his voice to a dangerous, leading
tone:
“My sister, has she gotten over that bad habit from when she
was a kid?”
“Wha… what bad habit.”
Chapter 256
He spoke slowly, each word as if soaked in alcohol, cold and
sharp.
“She has to sleep hugging that doll I gave her. After so many
years, it’s become a habit. She can’t fall asleep… without
holding it.”
Bradley’s voice dropped even lower, almost a whisper, “That doll
is still around, right?”
The air froze for a moment.
Simon’s muddled brain struggled to process this information,
his brow furrowed in pure, unadulterated confusion.
He smacked his lips, his tongue feeling thick:
“Yeah, the doll… she can’t sleep without it. She brought it with
her today, too.”
။
His eyes wandered as he tried to remember, finally confirming it
with a nod.
His voice grew fainter, turning into an incoherent mumble, before his head lolled to the side and he passed out completely.
Bradley’s hand, holding the wine glass, froze in mid–air.
Chapter 256
The wine swirled in the glass, reflecting his suddenly vacant
expression.
There was no doll.
There was never any doll.
He’d given it to her when they were kids, but she’d lost it long
ago.
He had just… made it up.
Simon didn’t even try to make the lie plausible; he just went
along with what Bradley said.
The realization, cold and sharp, hit him like a basin of ice water
poured over his head in the bitter cold of deep winter.
The only sound in the living room was Simon’s heavy, ragged
breathing.
Bradley slowly, slowly put down his wine glass, the bottom
making a soft but clear ‘clink‘ as it met the coffee table.
He leaned back against the sofa, tilting his head to stare at the
dazzling ceiling light. His mind went blank, and a ringing filled
his ears.
Chapter 256
Fake.
It really was fake.
The next moment, a meaningful glint flashed in Bradley’s eyes.
He forced himself to his feet and staggered deeper into the
apartment.
In the middle of the night, a light rain started to fall outside.
Madeleine woke up once.
She woke up to find Roderick holding her tightly, with half of her
body on top of his.
Still groggy, Madeleine smiled. She felt incredibly happy.
Her son, Kevin, had originally come to sleep with them, but in
the middle of the night, Roderick got up and carried him to the
room next door.
Time for just the two of them. Not even their own son could
interrupt.
She went back to sleep, and when she woke up again, the sky
outside had cleared.
“The weather is so nice.”
Chapter 256
Madeleine lay on the bed, watching Roderick open the curtains.
“We can do something outdoors today!”
“Mhm.”
Roderick nodded and brought Madeleine the clothes she was
going to wear today.
As a mother, Madeleine felt a deep sense of guilt for sending
her son away in the middle of the night.
After changing her clothes and washing up,
the first thing she did was go next door to see if the little guy
was awake.
As soon as she came out, Madeleine noticed something was
off.
“Hey… isn’t that Charlotte’s room?”
Madeleine watched in confusion as Bradley, with a messy
bedhead, came out of Charlotte’s room.
He looked like he hadn’t fully woken up yet, his eyes were
bloodshot, and his face was full of exhaustion.
Chapter 256
Madeleine’s eyes shot wide open.
“Holy crap!”
She hurried back to tell Roderick, but unfortunately, he was on
the phone, and it sounded like business.
Madeleine was incredibly anxious, so she immediately went to
Rebecca’s room next door.
She knocked on the door, but there was no response from
inside.
“Rebecca?
You’re not awake yet?!
?”
That can’t be right. Rebecca was the first one to go back to her
room to rest last night. There’s no way she’s not up by now.
She called out again, worried that something might have happened to Rebecca inside, and tentatively tried the doorknob.
Click.
The door opened.
Cedella is a passionate storyteller known for her bold romantic and spicy novels that keep readers hooked from the very first chapter. With a flair for crafting emotionally intense plots and unforgettable characters, she blends love, desire, and drama into every story she writes. Cedella’s storytelling style is immersive and addictive—perfect for fans of heated romances and heart-pounding twists.