The crowd’s gasps echoed around me as I watched Tanya inch closer to the edge of the rooftop.


    I didn’t scream, but my heart jumped to my throat. Seeing her teeter like that made my skin crawl. It


    was like my whole body was on high alert, even though I wasn’t the one standing up. there.


    This wasn’t about her, though. It was about the sheer horror of watching someone flirt with danger


    like


    that.


    I knew what it meant. Jace had made it to the roof.


    I couldn’t hear a word from down here, just watching helplessly, until someone nudged me. “Miss,


    your phone’s ringing


    Snapping out of it, I grabbed my phone. Jace. Why would he be calling me now? Unless…


    It had to be Tanya making him do it.


    I answered. Jace’s voice was tight. “Rea, can you bring my dad up here?”


    I could ve o gone, but why did he need Matthew, too? His health was shaky, and whatever Tanya


    had nned, it wouldn’t be good for him. I couldn’t let her drag him into this mess.


    ncing up at Tanya, wobbling on the edge, my stomach clenched. I hung up and made my way


    through the crowd, heading for the elevator. But I didn’t tell Matthew. I was going up alone.


    As the elevator climbed, my mind raced, trying to figure out Tanya’s angle. Was she nning to use


    us against Jace?


    The moment I stepped onto the rooftop, the wind pped me in the face, icy and sharp.


    Jace was already there, eyes locked on me, but I focused on Tanya. She was ring at me, too.


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    One of the firefighters asked her, “Is this who you wanted?”


    “There’s one more, Tanya snapped.


    “It’s just me. Matthew’s not feeling well,” I said, shutting down whatever she had in mind.


    Tanya’s expression twisted in annoyance, and she jabbed a finger in my direction. “You,e


    here!”


    “I’lle, but leave Keira out of this, Jace cut in, his voice steady but tense.


    Tanyaughed. “Are you scared I’ll drag her down with me?”


    Of course, he was scared. And honestly, so was


    I’d already figured out she was going to try and use me or Matthew as leverage. Now, it was


    obvious.


    “This has nothing to do with Keira, Jace said, trying to keep things calm.


    “Nothing to do with her? Tanya’s voice cracked. “Everything I wanted–she ruined it all!”


    Her words were filled with desperation.


    She red at me like I was the viin in her story. “Keita, are youing over here or not? If you


    don’t, I’m


    jumping.”


    Yeah, I wasn’t moving. No way I was letting her pull me into her mess. Even with the safetys


    below, I wasn’t about to gamble with my life for her.


    I


    And for what? To die because of her drama? Please. People would probably say I had iting.


    “Why should I care if you jump?” I shot back, smirking.


    Everything went dead silent. Even the firefighters froze. One of them muttered, “Don’t provoke her.”


    Tanya’s face twisted–she hadn’t seen thating. She thought we were all scared, that we’d y


    her game. She didn’t expect me to be this… icy.


    “Keira Kay, this is all your fault!” she screamed.


    “You stole my fiancé, and now you’re acting like the victim? Seriously, Tanya Twain, where do you


    get off? “I shot back, my voice steady as I took slow steps forward.


    “If Jace really loved you, he wouldn’t have been with me,” Tanya spat, not even a hint of shame.


    I nced at Jace, whose face was pale, his jaw tight.


    “Yeah, well, I never imed he loved me. I lost him to you a long time ago. Is that why you dragged


    me up here? To rub it in?”


    Jace shot me a look, clearly shocked. Tanya, caught off guard too, just stood there, speechless.


    For a second, the whole rooftop was still. Then, suddenly, she let out a piercing scream.