My Brain Fades, His Hate Never Ends Chapter 03

My Brain Fades, His Hate Never Ends Chapter 03

My brother and I moved into a smaller, run‑down basement.

There were no windows, and the air always smelled of damp rot.

Jude Cole went to every gas station in Havenbrook.

None would hire him.

He picked up odd jobs—hauling bricks at construction sites, loading cargo at the docks.

Every night, he came home exhausted, barely able to stand.

I couldn’t even land the simplest job.

Without the notes on my sleeve, I messed up basic addition and subtraction.

I stayed home, clinging to my journal and Polaroid,

repeating names and faces so I wouldn’t forget my brother.

That day, Jude came home unusually early.

He looked happy, holding a small cake box.

“Elara, guess what I got you.”

He opened it. A tiny fruit tart.

Happy Birthday was written in red icing.

“Birthday?” I stared at him, confused.

“It’s your birthday, silly,” he said, ruffled my hair gently.

“You’re twenty‑five.”

He pulled a small item wrapped in old newspaper from his pocket.

“I don’t have much m0ney. This is all I could get.”

I unwrapped it. A sleek digital voice recorder.

“How do I use this?” I asked, curious.

“I’ll show you.”

Jude covered my hand, showing me how to record, play, and turn it on and off.

“Record important things.

If you forget, just play it back. Faster than writing.”

I pressed record.

“Jude Cole is my brother.”

I hit play.

My clear voice filled the small room.

I smiled bright.

“Thanks, brother.”

Jude stared at my smile, his eyes glistening.

“Silly girl. Don’t thank me.”

That night, we split the tiny tart.

It was the sweetest thing I’d ever tasted.

The next day, I practiced using the recorder in the basement.

The door crashed open.

Men in black suits stormed in.

Elias Voss’s assistant led them.

“Miss Cole, my boss would like to see you.”

His tone left no room for refusal.

I hid the recorder behind my back.

“I’m not going.”

“You don’t have a choice.”

The assistant smirked and signaled.

Two guards grabbed me and dragged me out.

I was forced into a black sedan and taken somewhere I’d never been.

It looked like a palace—lavish, overwhelming.

Elias Voss sat on the central sofa. Scarlett Hale leaned against him.

He saw me and curled his mouth into a cruel smile.

“Elara Cole. Long time no see.”

I tensed, watching him.

“What do you want?”

“A chance to earn m0ney.”

He nodded at a huge glass water tank beside him.

“See that?

Inside’s a ring. The engagement ring I planned to give you five years ago.”

“Dive in, get it, and I’ll pay you a milli0n dollars.”

I stared into the dark, deep tank. My chest tightened.

I couldn’t swim.

My journal said I was terrified of water.

“Scared now?” Scarlett purred, mocking.

“Miss Cole, you once tried to kill Elias for m0ney. Where’d your courage go?”

“Or is a milli0n not enough for you?”

Elias picked up a glass of red wine and swirled it slowly.

“Make it ten milli0n.

Dive in, get that ring, and it’s yours.”

“With that m0ney, you and your brother won’t have to live in a basement anymore.”

He knew where we lived. He’d been watching us.

I squeezed the recorder in my pocket.

“I’m not going in.”

Elias’s face turned cold.

“Elara, don’t push me.”

“I’ll say this once. You dive in willingly…

or I bring your dear brother in here to do it for you.”

My heart jolted.

“Don’t touch him!”

“Then you do as I say.”

Elias set down his glass, stood, and stepped toward me.

“I’ll ask you one last time.

Are you getting in, or not?”

I looked into his icy eyes, then at the massive tank.

I knew I had no choice.

I walked slowly to the tank and kicked off my shoes.

Cold, sharp fear clamped around my heart.

I was about to jump when Scarlett suddenly shrieked.

“My necklace!”

She pointed at the tank, panic written all over her face.

“Elias, my necklace fell in!”

“It was my mom’s last gift to me!”

Elias pulled her into his arms, softening instantly.

“Calm down. I’ll have someone get it.”

“No!” Scarlett shook her head, crying.

“It’s fragile. Tools will break it!”

She turned to me, eyes pleading.

“Miss Cole, please—you’re such a good swimmer.

Will you get it for me? I’ll… I’ll get on my knees!”

She started to kneel.

Elias caught her at once.

“What are you doing?”

He stared at her with gentle concern, then shot me a look of pure disgust.

“Elara. Now Scarlett’s necklace is in there too.

You’ll retrieve both the ring and the necklace.”

“Miss even one, and I’ll break one of your brother’s legs.”