Billionaire's Second Chance At Love

Chapter 101

Carmen squeezed her hands, waiting for her heart to calm down.

After receiving the call from Eric, she had been nervous beyond what could be considered rational. Her thoughts were running rampant, and despite Ronin's assurance that he would take care of everything, she had her suspicions.

It just felt really odd for Eric to call her and summon them to such a remote location.

What was he planning to do?

Why didn't he call Ronin himself?

Did he think she would be easier to get through, or did he have something else entirely in his mind?

God, she felt terribly sick simply thinking about the outcome of this meeting with Eric. She didn't want to think of the worst, but so much had already happened that now every thought that entered her mind didn't seem impossible.

She just hoped Ronin and she would make it out of this mess alive.

Alive and unscathed.

"Are you alright?" Ronin asked as he turned off the car and glanced over at her. He looked just as tense as she was. "You know what, why don't you stay here and wait for me? At the end of the day, he's my brother. I can handle him just fine."

"No," she spoke too soon. "He called me. If he wanted you to come alone, he would have called you directly. Something tells me there's a reason he wants me here."

"That's what I'm afraid of," Ronin muttered, and while Carmen wanted nothing more than to pretend she didn't know what he meant, she did understand where he was coming from.

"Let's not make him wait any longer," they had reached the location he had sent them; there was no point in dragging the matter anymore. She turned to face him and squeezed his hand. "Promise me you won't lose your cool."

He frowned. "You know I can't promise you that."

She knew, but she had to try nonetheless. "Just hear him out."

"That, I can try."

They both got out of the car and walked down the muddy trail to the abandoned house.

Carmen watched a moment of hesitation pass through Ronin before he reached for the door and gently pushed it open. The first room that greeted them was what could only be assumed to be a living room. The walls seemed intact, but the paint was clearly peeled off. There were bricks and wooden planks strewn on the marred floor, and dented nails dug into the walls and doors. The air inside the house was like any other empty place, musty. Something that made Carmen cough a few times and cover her mouth.

Ronin held Carmen's hand tightly and gestured for her to stay behind. Who knew what they were about to walk into? Eric might be his brother, but after learning what he had done with their sister, it was like he was about to meet this man for the first time. He didn't know what to expect from the Eric that was waiting for them on the other side. He didn't know how dangerous he could be.

They moved further into the house and came across a corridor leading to what appeared to be a makeshift office. A single flickering bulb swung from the ceiling, casting eerie shadows on the worn-out furniture. Carmen's grip on Ronin's hand tightened as they entered the room, and she scanned the area cautiously.

And then, they saw him.

Eric sat behind a dusty desk, his silhouette barely visible in the dim light. His eyes, however, were piercing and filled with an intensity that sent shivers down Carmen's spine.

He didn't look the same as she remembered from the last time. Something had changed.

"Ronin, Carmen," Eric's voice broke the silence, cold and detached, as he sat comfortably in the chair. "I appreciate you coming. Please, have a seat." He gestured at the two chairs across from him.