Heartstrings on Fire novel Chapter 1064

Agnes barely had a moment to herself before she said, "I'm kind of beat. Mind if I crash in your room for a bit?"

Ryder's face lit up with a hint of surprise. "Sure, you hungry? I can whip up something for you."

Agnes's voice was faint. "Whatever works."

She headed to Ryder's room. The truth was, Agnes was exhausted. She was uncertain about her next move. She had agreed to Ryder's terms, but this seemed like the only viable option now. She felt trapped. And the path ahead? She was clueless. Agnes just wanted to lie down on the couch for a while.

Ryder watched Agnes's curled-up figure from the doorway, a warmth flooding his heart. Even his usually stern expression softened. This was the life he had always imagined. She was so close, almost within reach. After a moment, Ryder turned and left, gently closing the door behind him.

But sleep was the last thing on Agnes's mind. Why stay? Because it meant keeping her options open. The moment the door clicked shut, Agnes sprang up. Choosing Ryder's room wasn't random; his laptop was right there on the desk. Ryder had information on a drug lord, claimed he dug it up himself. There had to be some trail left behind. Most likely, it was stored on his laptop.

Agnes's heart raced. She got up and powered on Ryder's laptop. This might be her only shot. Maybe she'd find a clue. Maybe she'd break free from Ryder's threats and conditions. When the laptop came to life, Agnes was stunned to see her own photo as the screensaver. Agnes paused, momentarily lost in thought. But she couldn't afford to dwell on it. The laptop was password-protected.

Agnes frowned. After a few attempts with common passwords failed, she tried another angle, inputting Ryder's birthdate. No luck. Brow furrowed, she decided on a whim to try her own birthday. To her astonishment, it worked. A complex wave of emotions washed over her. She quickly dove into the search for clues.

Agnes was frantic, clicking through files, emails, and even social media accounts, but found nothing. Disheartened, she wondered if there was no way out after all. Suddenly, the door swung open. Agnes froze. Ryder stood there, holding a steaming bowl of noodles. The steam blurred her view of his eyes.

Caught in the act, Agnes remained seated, the laptop still open, her intent obvious. Yet, she scrambled for an excuse. "I just remembered some work. Thought I'd use your laptop, hope that's okay."

Caught red-handed, but it didn't matter. As long as they didn't cross a line. Ryder, expression unchanged, stepped inside. "Feel free. I'd be pretty dumb to leave anything important on here."