A few hours later, the atmosphere in the ER waiting room, which had been quiet, turned crowded. Hurried footsteps were heard from the end of the corridor. Mr. Edmund and Madam Yosie appeared, followed by Jasmine, who still looked pale with red marks on her neck. Jasmine managed to catch up with them after Ukaz drove her there.Madam Yosie’s face was flushed red before she even saw Thom. The moment her eyes caught sight of Thom sitting on the chair, she immediately rushed forward. Mr. Edmund tried to hold his wife back, but Madam Yosie roughly shook off his hand."Thom!" Madam Yosie shouted, her voice echoing throughout the waiting room. Several people turned their heads. A nurse who was passing by paused for a moment, then chose to leave, not wanting to get involved. "This is all because of you! You have never been able to take good care of Shenina!"Thom did not move. His eyes remained fixed straight ahead.Madam Yosie grew even angrier at that indifference. "You should have been m

Mr. Edmund walked out of Madam Yosie’s treatment room with a pale face and trembling steps. His wife was still lying inside, connected to an IV and a heart monitor. The doctor said Madam Yosie had suffered severe shock. Her blood pressure had spiked, then dropped drastically. She needed to be hospitalized for at least one night for observation. Mr. Edmund could only nod helplessly as the doctor explained, having no energy to ask further questions. He walked to the waiting room with a chaotic mind. Rachel had become a fugitive. Rachel had sold her own child. His wife had fainted. And now, Thom stood in front of him holding a piece of paper. "Please read this," Thom said, handing over the brown envelope. Mr. Edmund accepted it with trembling hands. He opened the envelope slowly, took out the paper inside, and read it. His eyes moved from the first line to the last. His face changed from pale to white like the paper in his hands. "How is this possible?" whispered Mr. Edmund, his voic

Rachel waited for ten minutes. Ten minutes that felt like ten years. She stood in the dim mansion living room, surrounded by damp exposed brick walls, old chandeliers casting a faint yellow glow, and dark corridors in every corner whose ends she had never known. On the walls, large posters displayed skulls, fire, and half-naked women. In the corner of the room, a spiked baseball bat lay beside a black leather sofa torn in several places.Throughout the wait, Rachel did not dare to move. Her eyes stayed fixed straight ahead, staring at the wooden staircase at the end of the room. Around her, tattooed men in black vests still stood, still watched her with unfriendly eyes, still made her feel like a mouse that had wandered into a snake’s cage.Rachel’s legs began to tremble. She could not control them. The high heels that once made her feel confident now felt like instruments of torture. Her heels ached, her back was sore, and her neck felt stiff from holding her head upright.She hea

24 hours passed…In the hospital. The pastel-colored room with cartoon drawings on the walls felt warm despite the air conditioner running quite cold. Shenina lay on a small bed, a rabbit-patterned blanket covering her tiny body. Her face was still pale, but her breathing was steady, and occasionally her lips curved into a smile in her sleep.Jasmine sat on a chair beside the bed, her hand holding Shenina’s small fingers. Her eyes were swollen from lack of sleep, but she refused to leave the girl for even a second.Ukaz stood near the door, his eyes watching the corridor through the glass. Two other Delta Force members sat on chairs in the outer waiting area, their weapons hidden beneath their jackets.Thom stood by the window, his back to Jasmine and Shenina. His phone was pressed to his ear. His voice was low, not wanting to wake Shenina."Report." Red Dragon on the other end let out a breath."King, the police have checked all airports, train stations, bus terminals, and ports. The

The black car sped along the highway toward the outskirts of the city. Inside, the atmosphere felt heavy. Red Dragon sat in the driver’s seat, both hands gripping the steering wheel firmly, his eyes focused on the road ahead. In the back seat, Thom sat beside two Delta Force members who were as silent as statues. No one spoke. Only the sound of the engine and the rush of wind from the slightly open window filled the air.Thom broke the silence. "Which ATM did Rachel withdraw that cash from?"Red Dragon nodded. One hand stayed on the wheel while the other reached for the phone mounted beside him. His fingers moved quickly, opening a report that had been sent by his intelligence team a few hours earlier."On the outskirts of Sehudi, King. Near a gas station.”"Sehudi," Thom repeated. His eyes narrowed. "Near the port and the airport."Red Dragon glanced at Thom through the rearview mirror. His boss’s face remained expressionless, but his eyes moved quickly, as if connecting dots no on