Under the Veil I Rule
Chapter 55

Keith stared at Amara's mask, not responding. The image of her face from that day crossed his mind, and he found himself wishing she'd take off the mask again.

But he reminded himself that her skin hadn't fully healed yet, and she couldn't remove it completely. Besides, his schedule was packed with filming, and he didn't have time to linger. So he held back his request.

Standing up, he said, "Well, I'm off. If that Liliana bothers you again, just let me know, alright?"

With that, Keith reluctantly left the room.

Amara didn't dwell on Keith's odd behavior. They'd been friends for so many years, and she was used to his occasional quirks. For the most part, Keith was his usual self.

Just then, another knock came at the door. Amara called out, "Come in," and was surprised to see Finnian enter.

Finnian was dressed in his usual black shirt and slacks, his already stern face appearing even more severe than usual. He strode over to Amara, asking curtly, "Did you move out of Autumn Ridge?"

"Yeah, why?" Amara looked up at him.

The Autumn Ridge house had a housekeeper come by thrice a week for cleaning. Finnian had swung by to pick up some things and bumped into the housekeeper, who casually mentioned that Amara no longer lived there.

But if she didn't stay at the mansion, then where was she living?

"Where do you live now?" Finnian inquired.

"I'm staying near the film set," Amara replied. "The apartment complex right across from it."

Images of the old, weathered buildings with peeling walls flashed in Finnian's mind, and his expression darkened as he began, "That place isn't safe. You should move back."

"It's perfectly safe. There's a security door and cameras. I'm fine there," Amara countered, turning slightly away from Finnian.

Finnian wasn't genuinely concerned about her safety. He was worried about having to explain to Kevin if anything happened to her. That was why he was so insistent, she presumed.

How could she go back to Autumn Ridge? Even though she'd lived there alone for three years, every corner of that house was filled with memories of her waiting for Finnian. To her, it was a house full of reminders, and she couldn't bear to return.

At the sight of Amara's turned back as if she had no interest in engaging in the conversation, Finnian's brows furrowed slightly. Then, something else crossed his mind as he glanced around the rest area.

Will had mentioned he delivered the bags this morning, but now they were nowhere in sight. Where were them? Had Amara put them away? Why wasn't she giving him the bag now? Was she planning to wrap it up nicely before handing it over?

"Just be careful living out there on your own. Call me if you need anything."

Finnian decided not to press about the bag; eventually, Amara would hand them over. With a quick reminder, he turned and left.

Outside, Finnian texted Will, asking him to replace Amara's exact address and send over some details about the surrounding area.

Will was a highly efficient assistant and had the location delivered by that afternoon.

[Mr. Everly, Mrs. Everly is living in Apartment 201, Building 9, Maple Crest. Here are some photos of the entrance, the complex, and the passageway.]

Along with the text, Will sent a few photographs. Finnian examined each one, his frown deepening at the sight of cracked paint and the narrow road shaded by large trees.

But when he reached the last photo, his gaze froze, locking onto the man in the picture with intense scrutiny.