After I Died for Justice, He Chased Me for Years

Chapter 9

The word "stain" hit her like a thunderclap in Jillian's chest.

Nathan could refuse to trust her all he wanted, but he had no right to stand in front of her parents' graves and claim she'd gone down the wrong path!

Jillian stormed up to the two of them.

Their eyes locked, and time seemed to freeze for a heartbeat.

Nathan's sharp eyebrows furrowed. "What are you doing here again? Don't you have enough mess to deal with already?"

That harsh, accusatory tone made a heavy, tight lump form in Jillian's chest.

She jabbed at her phone screen furiously, typing out all the rage boiling inside her. "You can bring Nina, the daughter of a murderer, here, but I'm not allowed to visit my parents and Jake? What kind of backwards logic is that?"

When he read her sharp retort, Nathan's face turned icy cold. "I brought Nina here to apologize to James. And... you don't get to say Jake's name."

"If it weren't for you, he'd still be alive!"

Every word that left Nathan's mouth sliced through Jillian's heart like a razor-sharp blade, cutting her to the bone.

All the blood drained from her face in an instant, and a high, ringing buzz filled her ears.

The air that had been crackling with tension just seconds ago dropped dead, thick enough to cut with a knife.

In the heavy silence, Nina stepped forward and curled her hand around Nathan's arm, smiling through a pitiful little pout. "Come on, Nathan. Let it go. It makes sense Jillian won't forgive me. We should just leave."

Nathan fixed Jillian with a long, hard stare. "If I'd known these six years would turn you into this, I'd rather you..."

Without another word, he just turned on his heel and walked away, Nina clinging to his side.

In that moment, Jillian couldn't tell if he'd been about to say he'd rather she never left, or never came back.

All the strength drained out of her body, and she collapsed in a crouch in front of the tombstone, completely spent.

The air was sweltering, but even wrapped in long sleeves and pants, she felt chilled straight to the bone.

Jillian stared at her parents' photos carved into the stone, her eyes burning with unshed tears as she mouthed silently, "Mom, Dad, why won't Nathan believe me? He's only known Nina for a few days..." How could that possibly outweigh the ten-plus years we had together?

A scorching gust of wind swept through the cemetery, carrying the dry scent of grass and dust. No one answered.

"Ah, let's not dwell on this." She brushed the wetness from the corner of her eye, her fingers brushing the photo of her parents on the tombstone. "Most of the Taylor crime ring's criminals are already in custody. As for the rest..."

Her gaze flicked to the flowers Nina had left, and she swore silently in her heart. "Don't worry, I'll track every last one of them down and bring them to justice. When that day comes, you can finally rest easy in the afterlife."

With that, Jillian stood up and turned to look at Jake's grave.

The face on his headstone was so young, his smile so bright—exactly the same as the lively, vibrant guy she remembered.

"Looks like out of the three of us... you're the only one who hasn't changed."

The bitter thought drifted through her mind, and she cut it off right there.

She stood there in silence for what felt like forever, then turned and walked away.

She hadn't eaten a proper meal in ages, and a sharp, throbbing ache started flaring up in her stomach.

She popped a painkiller, then headed to the street market at the end of the road to grab some ingredients to cook at home.

But just a few steps away, at the meat stall, she spotted Nathan holding Nina's hand in one hand and a grocery basket in the other. They looked exactly like a giddy, loved-up couple.

"We'll have cola chicken wings for lunch, and I'll come back later to pick up stuff for dinner."

"Yay! Can you cook for me all the time from now on, Nathan? I really hate takeout."

"Sure." Nathan agreed easily.

Their laughter and chatter stabbed into Jillian's ears like hundreds of tiny needles.

She watched them chat casually about their meal plans, then walk off arm in arm once they'd bought everything they needed.

This was the exact life she'd daydreamed about a thousand times, the life she thought she'd have with Nathan one day.

But the dream had only half come true. The person standing by Nathan's side wasn't her—it was Nina!

It felt like a thousand swords were piercing straight through her heart, but she could only grit her teeth and bear the pain.

A ping from her phone snapped her out of her daze.

She reined in all her messy emotions and unlocked the screen. It was a text from Richard.

Richard: [Come to my office at 2:00 p.m.]

At 1:50 p.m., Jillian walked into the local branch again.

Richard was sitting behind his desk, his face grave. "I called you in because the remaining members of the Taylor crime ring are on the move again. All the agents who worked on the previous raid showed their faces during the operation, so they can't go undercover this time. Do you have any thoughts on this?"

Jillian fell silent for a beat.

Undercover work was already a deadly game to begin with, and the Taylor syndicate had already been taken down once before. If she snuck back in now and got caught, the torture they'd put her through would be unspeakably brutal, nothing short of a living hell.

But someone had to step up if they wanted to finish this mission for good.

"I'll go." Jillian's fingers tightened into white-knuckled fists as she typed out those two words.

Richard's face twisted with conflict. "Do you have any idea what's waiting for you if you go back there?"

"I do."

Nina had already seen her face. Sending her in now was basically a suicide mission.

But if someone had to make the ultimate sacrifice, Jillian would rather it be her than anyone else.

All her other coworkers had families waiting for them, people who'd grieve if they didn't come home. She had no one left. It was no loss for her.

Jillian typed again on her phone: "No one knows the Taylor syndicate better than I do. I'll hunt down every last one of their remaining members with my own two hands."

"Punish cruelty, stamp out evil, stand up for the vulnerable, hold fast to justice, and fear no enemy!"

Richard watched her type out that line, the very creed that embodied their faith and duty, and his eyes glistened with unshed tears. He nodded firmly. "Your parents raised one incredible daughter. Everyone in this branch will be proud of you."

Once the plan was finalized, Jillian pushed herself up to leave.

But right before she could lift her foot to go, she typed out one more message.

Jillian: [There's one thing I'd like to ask your permission for.]

The leader blinked in confusion, then read the next line she typed.

Jillian: [Don't tell Nathan I'm going undercover this time.]