Shadow of Death (SOD)

Chapter 4

"Phew. What a job well done." Jesse heaved a long sigh of relief.

"Ah... I’m exhausted."

Jayden collapsed onto one of the sofas, allowing his entire body to sink into the cushions.

Asher smirked.

"Lazy bones."

Jack gave Clara a side hug as they both looked at the kids.

They had successfully finished unpacking.

Every box had been carried inside, and the new house was finally beginning to look like a home.

"Good job, kids. Now go freshen up. I will prepare dinner." Clara announced.

"Oh yeah." Jayden grinned as he rose from the sofa and began walking upstairs. "Time to claim the best room after Mum and Dad’s."

"Wait. No! I deserve a good room!" Jesse shouted as she bolted after Jayden.

Asher chuckled softly before slowly rising to his feet.

"Aren’t you worried they would get the best room?" Jack asked with a raised brow.

Asher waved his hand dismissively as he grabbed his backpack.

"They can have it. I don’t mind. A room is a room to me. I just need the socket close to my bed, and that’s all that matters to me."

Clara beamed.

"You are such a good kid. And a good brother. But what I don’t like about you is that you are always on your phone without a break. If I didn’t know better, I would think you are addicted."

Asher smirked and turned around before hurrying upstairs.

"I’m not addicted!" he shouted over his shoulder as he hurried away and disappeared upstairs.

The two adults lingered for a few moments, staring at the staircase.

"He’s addicted."

"He sure is."

Clara then looked at her husband for a few seconds with a frown on her face.

"You too."

"Me? I’m not addicted to my phone." Jack waved his hands defensively.

Clara chuckled.

"Not that. I mean go upstairs and freshen up while I prepare dinner."

Jack shook his head before pulling the woman into a tight hug.

"I want to help my baby."

Clara lightly tapped his chest.

"Shush. Do you want the kids to hear us? Leave me. They shouldn’t see us this way."

Jack tightened his grip with a wide grin on his face.

"Oh please. They aren’t kids anymore. Besides, how do you think they became three in number?"

As he said that, he rubbed the woman’s face gently with his thumb while slowly leaning in until—

"Ahem... I don’t see how that is the dinner we were promised."

Jesse’s voice broke through the romantic air.

Jack froze like he had been caught with his hand in the cookie jar before quickly shooting backward, away from Clara as though he had been caught in the act by his mother.

"Uh... uhm... I was—uh... she had something in her eyes, so I was trying to blow it out."

"Uh-huh." Jesse nodded, clearly playing along.

Clara straightened her hair and dress, her cheeks heated with embarrassment.

Noticing the awkward silence, Jack rubbed his hair before pointing upstairs.

"I will go... uhm... go freshen up now." He said, then hurried away.

"Don’t forget to call the driver to inquire if he got home safely." Clara shouted after her husband.

"Will do."

"...."

Jesse lingered for a few seconds, watching as her mum awkwardly looked around before pointing toward the kitchen.

"I will go... ahem... I will go prepare dinner now."

Clara turned around and was about to walk away when she suddenly paused.

Her brows knitted together as she turned back to face her daughter.

"Hang on. What are you doing down so soon? Didn’t I say you should go freshen up?"

Jesse thought for a few seconds before suddenly snapping her fingers.

"Yeah. I came to report Jayden. He got the best room by cheating."

Clara was about to say something, but she paused.

A devilish smile slowly spread across her face.

"Oh really? Come to the kitchen and tell me more in detail so I will know how to judge the case accurately and get you back your room."

She smirked as she turned around and gestured for Jesse to follow.

The girl happily followed, genuinely pleased that her case was finally being taken a look at.

While in reality—

’And maybe help your darling mother with dinner.’

.....

Asher walked into his new room and shut the door behind him with a low thud.

He turned around and took in the sight before him.

A bed large enough for three people to sleep on comfortably occupied a good portion of the room.

A wardrobe stood off to the side, slightly ajar, with a bunch of new clothes waiting inside for him.

A study table with a lamp resting on it sat in one corner, positioned close to the window that gave him a clear view of the neighboring house.

Lifting his gaze, he spotted a poster hanging on the wall, followed by three paintings of his favorite anime and manga characters.

Another small table had been placed directly beside his bed, while a socket was fixed conveniently above it.

The moment Asher saw the socket, a smile immediately spread across his face.

That was exactly what he wanted.

He pulled his backpack off his shoulder, unzipped it, and quickly pulled out his charger before rushing toward the socket and connecting it.

He plugged his phone in, and an icon of a half-eaten pear lit up on the screen.

Asher breathed a sigh of relief.

"At least you survived."

He then decided to go take his shower.

Minutes passed.

The sound of running water echoed from the bathroom before eventually stopping.

A moment later, Asher stepped out with one towel wrapped around his waist and another being used to dry his damp hair.

He walked toward the table where his phone lay and checked the battery percentage.

Twenty percent.

He turned it on before deciding to walk toward the study table, where a brand-new laptop had been placed.

His eyes immediately lit up.

He smiled deeply.

’Dad got me the laptop? Noice.’

He was about to go get dressed when he suddenly paused.

His head slowly lifted toward the window.

Something had caught his attention.

A blinder from the neighboring house moved.

It looked as though someone was standing there, watching their house from across the way.

The light inside the neighboring house was still on, allowing Asher to see the shadow-like figure looking directly toward their home.

It remained there for several seconds.

Asher narrowed his eyes.

Was someone actually watching them?

He looked closer.

The blinder suddenly shut.

Immediately afterward, every light inside the house went off.

The entire house was plunged into darkness.

Asher remained standing there, genuinely confused.

’What the hell?’

He lifted his head toward the clock hanging on the wall.

The time displayed on it was—

8:20 p.m.

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