Snow paused, a frown settling on his face. Had he just heard something? He turned slightly, his sharp gaze landing on Ryan, who still wore a friendly smile.
"Did you say something just now?" Snow asked, his tone calm but firm.
Ryan didn't even blink. Instead, he chuckled lightly, placing a hand on Snow's shoulder. "I just said, 'Please be in good health.' You've been pushing yourself too much." His voice was warm, reassuring—like a real friend's.
Snow hesitated for a second before nodding. "Yeah… thanks."
But something didn't sit right. His instincts told him Ryan wasn't as simple as he seemed.
Ryan watched as Snow left the set, his smile never fading. But the moment Snow was out of sight, his expression darkened. His jaw clenched, and he turned on his heels, heading straight toward Ethan's office.
The moment he entered, he slammed the door behind him and grabbed Ethan by the collar.
"You idiot!" Ryan hissed, his usual carefree attitude nowhere to be seen. "I told you—Snow should never find out the truth. He should never know that I'm involved." His grip tightened, eyes flashing with pure anger. "And yet, you let him get this close? Are you trying to ruin everything?"
Ethan struggled against his hold, sweat forming on his forehead. "I-I didn't have a choice! He was already digging! What do you expect me to do? The more I tried to shut him out, the more suspicious he got!"
Ryan released him with a forceful shove, his glare icy. "Then do a better job at covering our tracks." He took a deep breath, running a hand through his hair as he lowered his voice. "Don't forget… we were both in on this. We both had a hand in what happened to his parents. If he finds out, you won't be the only one going down."
A heavy silence filled the room. Ethan swallowed hard, looking away.
Ryan straightened his suit, his usual easy-going smirk returning. "Just do as I say, and everything will be fine."
But before Ethan could respond—
The office door suddenly burst open.
Ryan's body tensed as he spun around, only to see Snow standing in the doorway.
For a second, nobody spoke. The air grew thick with tension.
Ryan's mind raced. How much did he hear?
Snow took a step inside, his sharp eyes scanning the room. "What's going on?"
Ryan quickly plastered on his usual concerned expression. "Snow… what are you doing here?"
Snow narrowed his eyes. "I should be asking you that. You looked pretty angry just now."
Ryan let out an awkward chuckle, scratching the back of his head. "Ah, it's nothing. Just some business talk. Nothing you need to worry about."
Snow didn't look convinced.
Ryan took a step forward, placing a reassuring hand on Snow's shoulder. "Listen, I know you're going through a lot. But don't let the past eat you up. Focus on your career. That's what you do best, right?"
Snow held his gaze, searching for something. But after a long moment, he sighed and nodded. "Yeah… I guess you're right."
Ryan patted his shoulder, his friendly smile never fading. "Good. Just trust me, alright? I've got your back."
But as Snow left the office, a sinking feeling settled in his gut.
Something was wrong.
And he was going to find out what.
Meanwhile, back in the office, Ryan let out a slow breath, his smile twisting into something darker.
"This is getting dangerous," he muttered under his breath.
Ethan wiped the sweat from his brow. "What do we do now?"
Ryan's eyes gleamed with a sinister glint. "We make sure Snow never finds out the truth."
He pulled out his phone and dialed a number.
The moment the call connected, he spoke in a low, chilling tone.
"Snow is trying to dig up the past. Handle it."
A pause.
Then a voice on the other end chuckled darkly.
"So… it's time for him to join his parents."
Click.
The line went dead.
TO BE CONTINUED