SHADOWS OF DECEIT

Chapter 36

Joshua yanked the zipper of the duffle bag closed, his hands moving on instinct, shoving it into Samuel's arms without a second of hesitation.

The weight of it nearly made the younger stumble, but he barely reacted. His fingers trembled as they curled around the fabric, his grip loose—like he wasn't even registering what was happening.

Joshua didn't have time for this.

With gritted teeth, he snatched Samuel's car keys from the table and shoved them into his palm.

"Take them." His voice was firm, unwavering.

But Samuel just stood there. Staring.

His pupils were blown wide, his chest rising and falling rapidly, his entire body frozen under the crushing weight of Jeonghan's words that still echoed in his mind.

Four monitors.

Chan's threads.

Tracing back to you.

This wasn't happening.

This couldn't be happening.

He had it under control. He knew he did.

He didn't even know if his fucking life was his anymore.

Joshua took one long look at him—at the emptiness swallowing Samuel whole—and exhaled sharply, his jaw clenching.

Then, without warning—

Slap.

The sound cracked through the apartment, sharp and brutal.

Samuel's head snapped to the side, his cheek stinging, and for the first time in what felt like forever—he felt something.

His breath hitched. His lips parted slightly, his eyes blinking rapidly as the world around him slammed back into focus.

And when he turned to look at Joshua, his vision blurred with unshed tears, Joshua's face twisted with so much fucking emotion that it almost made Samuel collapse right then and there.

Joshua almost cried right then.

Instead, he stepped forward and pulled Samuel into a crushing embrace, his arms wrapping around him with a kind of desperation that only came with the fear of fucking losing someone.

One hand pressed against Samuel's back, grounding him, while the other tangled into his hair, ruffling through it in a way that was painfully affectionate.

"I believe you, Samuel-ah." Joshua whispered against his temple, his voice thick, raw.

Samuel choked on a breath.

"Even if the whole fucking world points at you, I believe you. The only thing I'll trust is what you say."

Samuel squeezed his eyes shut, his throat burning, his fingers curling into the back of Joshua's shirt like he needed to hold on.

"But right now," Joshua continued, his voice firm, "I need you to run. Now. We don't have time. I can't let them take you, Samuel. I fucking won't."

Samuel didn't move.

Joshua pulled back, gripping his shoulders tightly, forcing him to meet his gaze.

"I want to drive you there myself, I do. But I can't. Because they're already coming. If they see me leaving with you, it's going to look so much worse."

Samuel's stomach twisted.

"I'll cover for you," Joshua promised. "I'll tell them you left to blow off steam, that you just fucking vanished like you always do when shit gets rough. But for that to work, you have to fucking leave."