Silver watched as Jayden wept, his pain clear in the way his shoulders shook. Despite the sympathy stirring inside her, she kept her composure, refusing to let him see her vulnerability.
Taking a deep breath, she stood up and walked to the kitchen. She opened the refrigerator and took out a water bottle.
Pouring the clear liquid into a glass, Silver returned to the living room with it. Jayden was still sitting on the sofa, tears glistening on his cheeks. She placed the glass in front of him on the table, her expression neutral.
"Here," she said, her voice steady. "You need to hydrate. It might help clear your head."
Jayden looked up at her, surprise flickering in his eyes. He hesitated for a moment before reaching for the glass on the table, his hands still trembling. "Why are you doing this?" he asked, his voice hoarse.
"Because you wanted to hurt my family," Silver said simply, sitting down opposite him again. He stared at her in shock. "You approached my sister, Parel, because you wanted to take revenge on the Miller family, didn't you?"
Jayden's expression changed, and he finally nodded, letting out a deep sigh. "Yes," he whispered. "I went after your sister because I wanted revenge on your family." He set the glass down after taking a sip, the sound echoing in the tense silence.
Silver's heart raced, and anger flushed her face. "Why?" she demanded, her voice sharp.
"Because that was what my grandfather wanted before he died in jail," Jayden replied, his gaze dropping to the floor. "He always talked about how the Millers wronged us, how they took everything from our family—how your grandfather killed my parents, and he wasn't even arrested…"
Silver's expression hardened, disbelief washing over her. "So you were willing to hurt my family without even seeking the truth first?" Her voice trembled with anger.
Jayden looked up, desperation in his eyes. "I thought I was making things right. My grandfather's stories filled me with rage, and I let that anger cloud my judgment. I didn't think about searching for the truth—I believed him. All I could see was revenge."
Silver shook her head, feeling frustrated. "Revenge won't bring your parents back or heal your family's wounds. And you would have killed an innocent family—us."
As she spoke, memories rushed back—images of that terrible day when their lives fell apart. Anger rose inside her as she realized everything had crumbled because of someone's lies.
Jayden's expression changed as he seemed to understand. "I let my grandfather's anger control me, but I see now… it was wrong," he said, his voice shaky as he faced the truth.
"What is your plan now?" Silver asked.
Jayden looked at Silver, his expression a mix of regret and uncertainty. "I don't know," he admitted, running a hand through his hair. "I thought revenge was the only way to honor my parents' memory, but now I see how misguided that was."
He took a deep breath, gathering his thoughts. "Silver, I need to ask for your and your family's forgiveness. I want you to know how truly sorry I am for everything." He paused, his eyes pleading. "And as for Parel... I used her. I never really loved her the way she deserved."
Silver's gaze hardened, determination shining in her eyes. "We will never forgive you, Jayden," she said bluntly. "What you did and what you wanted to do to our family... all for your revenge. I won't ever forgive you."
Jayden's shoulders slumped at her words, the weight of her anger hitting him like a physical blow. "I know," he murmured, his voice barely audible.
After a pause, Silver spoke, her voice steady but laced with intensity. "Did you kill Jae Young?"
Jayden looked Silver in the eyes, his expression shifting from regret to a hard, cold resolve. "Yes," he admitted, the word hanging heavy in the air between them.
Charlie became alert as the tension in the air thickened. Silver's breath caught in her throat, shock and anger surging through her. "Why?" she asked, her voice trembling with disbelief.
Jayden shifted uncomfortably under her intense gaze, the weight of his actions pressing down on him.
Charlie and his two team members exchanged quick glances, silently signaling each other to be ready for anything. The atmosphere was charged, and everyone sensed that this confrontation could erupt at any moment.
Jayden took a deep breath. "I killed her because she was obsessed with me. I felt trapped. No matter how many times I tried to break things off or tell her I needed space, she wouldn't listen. It became suffocating, and in a moment of anger, I killed her."
Silver's eyes narrowed, disbelief washing over her. "And you made it look like she committed suicide?"
"Yes," he said, his voice filled with guilt.
"So why are you telling me this now? Are you going to the police?" Silver asked, her tone a mix of curiosity and caution.
"I thought it was important to be honest with you, even if it makes me look like a monster. And I plan to go to the police," Jayden replied, determination in his eyes.
Silver stared at Jayden, her expression a mix of anger and disbelief. "You're a monster," she said bluntly. "But I think going to the police is the right choice."
"I know," Jayden replied, his voice heavy with remorse. "Thank you for telling me the truth." Before Silver could respond, a voice interrupted.
"You are under arrest, Mr. Jayden Gill." Silver and Jayden looked up to see Charlie and his team enter, guns drawn, their expressions serious.
"So you were working with the police?" Jayden asked, disbelief coloring his tone.
Silver stood up, her voice steady. "Yes, I was. I wanted to protect my family from you."
Jayden nodded slowly, the weight of the situation settling in. "I understand. I'm ready," he said quietly as he stood. "I know what I did was wrong."
He held out his hands, and an officer stepped forward to handcuff him, the cold metal clinking as it locked into place. Jayden glanced at Silver one last time, a mix of regret and acceptance in his eyes as he was led away.
"Are you alright?" Charlie asked as his team escorted Jayden to their van.
"Yeah…" Silver replied, her voice barely above a whisper.
They had arrested the person who killed her and her family in their previous life, but the one who planned it all had died long ago. Jayden was also a victim, trapped by his grandfather's lies.
As she watched the van pull away, Silver felt a heavy weight in her chest. Justice had been done, but the pain still remained, with memories of the past blending into their present.