The villa had settled into quiet darkness, with both Arthur and Yona retired to their respective rooms for the night.Keith found himself unable to sleep, his mind consumed with worry about Linda's whereabouts and condition.Unable to bear the restless anxiety any longer, he made his way to Linda's laboratory.The lab still carried traces of Linda's presence - her coffee mug sitting beside her computer, her handwritten notes scattered across the workbench, and various experiments in different stages of completion.Keith picked up the silver bracelet the grateful woman had given him, turning it over in his hands as he tried to focus on something other than his fears."What exactly are you?" Keith murmured to the bracelet, examining its intricate engravings more closely in the bright laboratory lighting.The craftsmanship was unlike anything Keith had seen before.The symbols etched into the silver seemed to shift and dance in the light, creating patterns that were both beautiful and so

Keith spent the remainder of the night in his study, his mind churning with suspicions about Arthur and desperate worry about Linda. The security footage of Arthur's mysterious conversation played over and over in his head, each viewing making him more convinced that something wasn't right about his supposed apprentice."I need to investigate this myself," Keith muttered, staring at the frozen image on his computer screen. "I can't trust anyone else with this."The morning sun was just beginning to filter through the villa's windows when Keith heard aggressive knocking at his front door. The sound was sharp and demanding, nothing like the polite visitors he usually received.Keith made his way to the entrance, glancing through the peephole before opening the door. His heart sank when he saw Emilia standing on his doorstep, her face twisted with fury and determination."How did you find my house?" Keith asked as he opened the door, blocking her path inside."I tracked down my sister,"

Keith stared at Detective Morrison's phone in frustration as the automated message played repeatedly. The brief glimpse of hope he had felt when Linda called was rapidly fading into despair."You shouldn't worry too much about this," Detective Morrison said, trying to sound reassuring. "It's common for kidnappers to dispose of phones once they realize they've been compromised. Linda might find another opportunity to contact us.""And what if she doesn't?" Keith demanded. "What if Sean realizes she had access to his phone and decides she's too much trouble to keep alive?""Don't think like that," Detective Morrison replied firmly. "Sean Li has kept her alive this long for a reason. He wants something from her, which means she has value to him."Keith began pacing around the small office, his anxiety making it impossible to sit still. "What progress have you made in finding Sean? Any new leads since yesterday?"Detective Morrison's expression grew apologetic. "I wish I had better news f

Emilia's face turned pale as Yona's direct question hit her like a physical blow. The accusation hung in the air between them, and for a moment, Emilia's carefully constructed facade of righteous anger began to crack."That's ridiculous!" Emilia shrieked, her voice pitched higher than usual. "I have no such feelings for that worthless man!""Then why do you care so much about what I do with my life?" Yona pressed, studying her sister's panicked expression."Because you're my sister!" Emilia replied desperately. "I'm trying to protect you from making a terrible mistake!"But even as the words left her mouth, Emilia knew they weren't entirely true. Deep in her heart, she could feel something stirring - emotions she had tried to bury since the divorce. The truth was complicated and painful to acknowledge.Keith's newfound wealth had become increasingly tempting to Emilia as her own family's financial situation deteriorated. The mansion he had taken from them, the money he seemed to have

Keith drove back to his villa with a mixture of hope and frustration coursing through him. Detective Morrison's promise to investigate Sean's property holdings was encouraging, but Keith felt helpless sitting around waiting for leads while Linda remained in danger.As Keith approached his front door, he noticed Arthur crouched in the foyer, carefully picking up pieces of broken glass and placing them in a dustpan. The sight immediately put Keith on alert - there had been no broken glass when he left for the police station."Arthur," Keith said sharply. "What happened here?"Arthur looked up with what appeared to be genuine concern. "Master Keith, I'm so sorry. Something terrible happened while you were gone.""What kind of something terrible?" Keith demanded, his suspicion already growing."Some men came by the house," Arthur explained, continuing to clean up the glass. "They were looking for you, but when they found out you weren't here...""They what?" Keith pressed impatiently."Th