Chapter 2 The Only Way

Avery's eyes narrowed, a hint of anxiety flickering beneath her calm facade. "It's probably nothing, just a little headache," she insisted, trying to wave off the concern.

"It's best to check everything, just to be safe." The doctor met her gaze with a reassuring smile.

She pressed her lips together, uncertainty twisting in her gut.

If she went along with the exam, her secret could be exposed right here and now.

Walter tried to put her at ease. "You should let the doctor do his job. Even if you seem fine on the outside, you could be hurt where we can't see it."

"I..."

"Avery!" a woman shouted, her voice trembling with emotion as she rushed into the room.

Without warning, the woman gathered Avery into a fierce hug.

"My precious boy, I never thought I'd see you again," she sobbed, clinging tightly.

Avery sat frozen in her arms, barely breathing, terrified her disguise would be discovered in this sudden embrace.

"Take it easy, Mom. The doctor is still examining Avery," said Walter, gently pulling his mother back.

Blinking away tears, Lindsay Hudson turned to the physician. "Doctor, please-tell me how my son is doing."

The doctor offered a polite nod. "Mrs. Hudson, the patient appears to be stable for now. Walter mentioned he's experiencing headaches, so I'd like to run a few checks to be sure."

"Thank you, doctor. Please be thorough," Lindsay replied, and then motioned for Walter to follow her out so the exam could continue in peace.

Once they stepped into the hallway, Avery let out a long breath, tension slipping from her shoulders.

Now came the hard part-getting through this examination without exposing her secret.

The doctor leaned in and whispered, "There's no need to worry, ma'am. I'm with the Umbra Collective."

Instantly, Avery's entire posture shifted. She jumped off the bed, hand shooting up to press sharply against his throat.

The doctor's hands shot into the air, and he let out a shaky laugh. "Please, calm down. There's no need for violence!"

"Calm down? How? Look at the mess I've been dragged into! Tell me what Ashton's really up to," Avery insisted, her voice ice-cold and unwavering.

The doctor knew what she was capable of, and he knew there would be no second chances if he slipped up.

He kept his tone steady as he explained, "For years, Umbra Collective has hunted the real mastermind behind the Shadow Kingpin's death. Every clue keeps leading us back to the Hudson family. But their power in Shoria is ironclad. No one on the outside can get close enough to expose the truth. The only way in is for you to become one of them-take on the role of their missing youngest son, gain their confidence, and uncover the mastermind from within."

Avery pulled back, dropping her hand and slumping onto the bed, her laugh bitter and hollow. "I'd be amazed if I made it to the end of this mess without blowing my own cover. The Soul Reaper is the least of my problems."

"Wait-look at this." The doctor produced a worn photograph and handed it over.

Avery scanned the picture and frowned. "What am I supposed to see?"

"That's the Hudson family portrait."

Avery studied the faces-she picked out Lindsay and Walter right away. Her gaze lingered on the stern man with commanding eyes; that had to be Ryan Hudson, the family's patriarch.

On either side stood two men, both exuding quiet confidence. She guessed those were Phillip Hudson and Zachary Hudson, the eldest and third sons.

Her suspicion didn't fade. "Why hand me this photo? What's your angle?"

He gestured for her to look closer. "See the resemblance? You match the family more than you realize."

Avery gave the picture a second, longer look. She couldn't deny it-there was a real similarity, enough to fool even a careful observer.

"You want me to step into the shoes of their lost son based on a bit of family likeness?" Her voice was sharp, disbelief edging every word.

The doctor nodded, voice calm. "Your backstory has been created down to the smallest detail. We even staged that car crash to give you a believable case of amnesia. Everything else depends on your performance."

Avery gritted her teeth, cursing Ashton silently for dragging her into this mess.

She leveled a cold glare at the doctor. "Tell me about the massacre of the Cooper family. Don't forget the rules of the Umbra Collective."

The doctor paled, his voice shaky as he tried to reassure her. "I promise you, the Cooper family made their own bed. They crossed too many lines-nobody innocent got caught in the crossfire."

Some of the tension eased from Avery's shoulders. Even in the underworld, there were boundaries you didn't cross.

Meanwhile, out in the hallway, Lindsay wore a fierce expression, her presence commanding attention.

"Have you uncovered who's behind all this?" Her voice was sharp, eyes flashing. "Whoever dared lay a hand on my son won't live to regret it."

Walter answered, his face serious, "Mom, I doubt we'll have to get involved. When we found the ones responsible, someone had already taken care of them."

Lindsay's eyebrows shot up in surprise. "Already handled? Who would go that far before we could?"

Walter gave a slight shake of his head. "We're still piecing things together. Right now, all signs point to the Umbra Collective being involved."

A deep furrow appeared between Lindsay's brows. "The Umbra Collective?" she echoed, voice tinged with disbelief. "That's that new syndicate from Vrunron, right? People say their boss is a woman, but what business would she have here in Shoria?"

She fell silent, thinking it over, and then gave a firm nod. "Keep the investigation quiet. Avery just came back, and he barely knows what this family is about yet. Let's protect him from any more trouble."

A shadow passed through her eyes. "He's been through enough as it is. We owe him a peaceful home now, more than ever."

Walter nodded with resolve. "I promise, Mom. I'll look after him."