When Fred entered the house, his military boots made a loud sound that reverberated around the living room. The moonlight outside made his shadow look even longer.Fred was just about to climb the stairs when he heard some noises upstairs. He stopped, like he was expecting someone to come down. After a few moments, Mya showed up. Her eyes were only half open, and they looked kinda blurry. She had a bunny plushie in her hand.She slowly went downstairs. When she got to the bottom, she sort of went past Fred without noticing him. Right then, Fred could tell that Mya didn't see him. She went straight out the door while the wind was blowing really strong.Fred walked after her, being really patient. They walked until they got to a little shed. Mya went inside and plopped down suddenly. Fred looked around the shed. It seemed like it hadn't been cleaned in forever. Dust was all over the place, and it smelled pretty gross.Fred stared at her and said, "Get up."Mya answered, "I will beha

Mya's hair was all messy from running around. She clutched the bunny plushie's ears in her hand, and her cute face looked really scared. She rushed up to Fred while he just stood there. Grabbing onto his belt, she hid behind him. Fred was surprised and tried to stretch out his arm, but Mya peeked out from under it, holding onto his clothes tight."Fred," Mya said, "bad guys caught me, and they wanted to bully me just now."The officers behind Fred looked tense. When Mya called Fred by his name, they frowned in dissatisfaction, all staring at her. If Mya was a normal person, she might have been scared, but she wasn't. Not only did she look fearless, but she also seemed clueless about it all."Tell me, who bullied you?" Fred asked while looking at her. His question made the faces of the servants in the hall turn pale.The servants hurried over and knelt down beside them. One of them explained, "Mr. Turner, Ms. Harper came downstairs looking all messy and without her shoes. We did all

In the shadowy study, adorned with European-style furnishings, a bronze statue of Jesus with an integrated cross design took pride of place on a dark desk. Seated across from it, Riley Tillman, Fred's deputy, clutched a photograph. "Sir, tracking this guy down might be really tough—there's no cell service out in that area. But it's like this guy is onto us. We lost all our leads by the time our team got there—he'd vanished."Fred reclined in an armchair, playing with a small, ornate dagger. The blade gleamed sharply, complemented by the large, shining blue sapphire on its hilt. He asked, "What was his last known address?""Wrupant Village," Riley replied promptly. "Our guys showed up and he had vanished.""Tell them to round up a bigger team. I want him found, whether he's breathing or not.""Got it," Riley replied.A moment later, Fred's expression changed as a knowing grin took over. "On second thought, cancel that. I'm going myself. Get my car ready."Madelyn was jolted awake

On the dressing table, Madelyn's makeup was accompanied by an array of sparkling jewelry. Necklaces and earrings lay in perfect order — just the way Madelyn liked it. These pieces were not just pretty; they were expensive. Even the tiniest diamond earrings could have gotten you a big, fancy house in Ventropolis. Every item had a special code and Madelyn's name on it. If someone had tried to snatch one, any shop expert could have told it was hers in a heartbeat. No thief would dare lay a finger on them.In the study, Zach was deep into a transnational video conference, pouring over the details of overseas medical investment projects. He had also set up a foundation to back the medical researchers. The risk of the funds evaporating without a trace did not faze him; to Zach, the investment was completely justified.There was a photograph on Zach's desk: Madelyn in her Ventrocloud High School uniform. Her smile was wide, capturing the spirit of her first day at high school--a memory Zach

'I just knew things would go back to how they started. Zach, I knew you would be tired of me,' Madelyn thought. All she could do now was wait for Zach to show her the door. She wouldn't be free until she left the Jent residence behind. If not, she worried she might never escape being wrapped up in Zach's world.In the video, Zach was in the spotlight, and his influence in Ventropolis now overshadowed even that of the once-dominant Arnold family. The more Zach triumphed, the more Madelyn stewed over it. 'How did Zach get so much money and power? Did he do it at the Arnolds' expense, climbing over them ruthlessly to fulfill his ambitions? Is this the kind of conquest you wanted, Zach?' Madelyn pondered quietly, her eyes fixed on the horizon through the big windows of her studio. The setting sun bathed her in a warm golden light, contrasting sharply with the cool, detached gleam in her gaze.A maid climbed the stairs. "Mrs. Jardin, dinner is ready.""Okay," Madelyn replied.Zach sti