Heartstrings on Fire novel Chapter 1059

Agnes stepped out of Ryder's room, her heart heavy with sorrow. She had never imagined Ryder capable of such betrayal. His offer to trade his freedom for Jared's was baffling and heartbreaking.

Lost in her thoughts, Agnes found her way to the dining room. Jared’s glance was enough to confirm his worst fears upon seeing her troubled expression. Dinner was a somber affair, with Ryder joining only after the butler’s insistence. The four of them sat at the massive dining table, engulfed in an eerie silence that contrasted sharply with the lively dinners of the past, full of laughter and joy. Now, the oppressive silence seemed almost tangible.

Once the meal was over, Agnes and Jared left the grandeur of Whitfield Manor behind. Shortly after their departure, Alyssa called to say Ryder had also driven away. Alyssa sighed over the phone, still reluctant to believe Ryder's betrayal, a truth Agnes hadn’t shared with her. Sometimes, the comfort of uncertainty is a cruel kind of mercy.

Their car pulled into the driveway of Maplewood Manor, but neither Agnes nor Jared was in a hurry to get out. Jared, who had been lost in thought the entire drive, finally broke the silence. “What exactly did Ryder say to you?”

Agnes recounted the painful conversation, ending in mutual silence. “I'm so scared,” Agnes confessed.

Jared took her hand. “As long as you stay with me, everything else will work out,” he assured her.

Agnes looked down. “Jared, I’ll never leave you again.”

Despite the turmoil, Jared continued going to the office, but the media’s scrutiny grew more intense. The Tim Group was in disarray, with public protests escalating to demonstrations outside their office. Agnes tried to spend as much time with Jared as possible, even visiting him at the Tim Group. One day, as Jared exited the building, he was met with a barrage of thrown objects from the angry crowd, one of which—a head of cabbage—left a stain on his clothes. Agnes, witnessing the scene from her car, felt a pang of sorrow but knew Jared needed space.

Though Jared and the Tim Group were under a cloud of accusation, the investigation was ongoing, offering a glimmer of hope for exoneration. That hope was dashed when a police officer suddenly confessed to being bribed by Jared to poison Patton with ricin, leading to Jared’s arrest on charges of premeditated murder. With no visitation allowed for 48 hours, the media exploded with speculation and condemnation.

Agnes watched the news in despair, seeing the narrative twist into a sordid tale of drug trafficking and murder. She knew, deep down, that someone was orchestrating Jared’s downfall, determined to see him ruined.