Jessy never thought she''d get a call from Marcus again in her lifetime. For a moment, she was so overwhelmed that she could hardly form a sentence.


    "Jessy, let me ask you something. Has Cassie contacted you or told you to do anything?" Marcus'' deep, maic voice wasced with ice. "I don''t have time for your nonsense. You''d better answer me right now."


    The excitement that had surged in Jessy''s chest instantly turned ice cold. Her thrill barelysted three seconds before reality came crashing down.


    "I..." She felt a mix of sadness and fear at the coldness in his voice. "Cassie hasn''t contacted me. Ever since I messed things up in Balford and got punished by her, she never spoke to me again."


    Jessy had never liked Cassie, but she had relied on her to get close to the Holden family and even marry Marcus. As such, she had no choice but to obey Cassie at every turn, trying to please her.


    After failing the mission in Balford, where she was supposed to help treat Charles, she lost the opportunity to be in Cassie''s inner circle.


    Just as she was about to say more, the call ended. She felt dejected as she listened to the empty beeping tone.


    It was obvious that Marcus'' rtionship with Cassie was just as bad as ever.


    Jessy started thinking. If Marcus was looking for Cassie, maybe she could gain some favor with him by providing useful information.


    With that in mind, she immediately picked up her phone and started reaching out to her contacts.


    But after asking around, she came up empty. No one had any idea where Cassie had gone. The only thing people knew was that she had left Dithoria City a couple of days ago.


    There were no flight records under her name, and her car hadn''t left the city either. Yet somehow, she had vanished without a trace.


    "This is so weird," Jessy muttered to herself. "A person doesn''t just disappear into thin air!"


    "I need to dig deeper." Determined, she picked up her phone again and continued making calls.


    The next morning, Ethan arrived early at The Herbalist''s Sanctuary in Amberton, bringing along a still-unconscious Lucy.


    Marcus and Natalie were having breakfast, casually discussing their next steps over the meal.


    Seeing Ethan rush in, looking exhausted from travel, Marcus gestured for him to sit. "Ethan, have a seat and take your breakfast.


    "Noah, have the cook prepare another serving of breakfast."


    "Yes, Mr. Holden."


    Ethan sat down while Lucy remained slumped in a chair, still unconscious.


    Marcus stood, walked over, and poured a ss of cold water. He dumped it directly onto her face without hesitation.


    The icy shock jolted Lucy awake. During the trip, she had barely been conscious. Every time she woke up and tried to resist, Ethan had force-fed her water spiked with sleeping pills. She never had a chance to think or escape.


    Now, as the freezing water dripped down her face, she finally started to regain her senses. As soon as she saw the person standing in front of her, her expression changed instantly.


    "Elijah, Noah,e here," Marcus said calmly.


    He continued slowly and deliberately. "This is none other than the renowned Dr. Maine from back then, the very person who drugged your father, causing his disappearance, and driving your mother away."


    Elijah strode forward, narrowing his eyes at Lucy. "Damn. It''s you, bitch."


    Lucy blinked and was confused. What the hell? Why was he insulting her the moment he saw her?


    "You disgusting woman. You can''t


    survive without a man, huh?" Elijah had spent all night listening to the details of what had happened back then. His heart ached for his parents, and now, seeing the womano responsible for drugging his father, he wanted nothing more than to rip her apart.


    "You''re ugly as hell. No wonder no decent man wanted you. You had to resort to drugging people, huh? When your parents had you, did they identally throw out the baby and keep the centa instead?"


    Noah didn''t say anything, but his expression was just as dark.


    "Noah, find out where Cassie is."


    Marcus turned away, casually returning to his seat and continuing his breakfast.


    "Elijah, let me take her." Noah finally spoke, his cold eyes locked on Lucy. "I''ll make her talk."


    "Alright," Elijah agreed. He grabbed Lucy by the hair and started dragging her out.


    "Ow, ow, ow-it hurts! Let go! I''ll walk! I''ll walk!" Lucy screamed in pain, wing at Elijah''s hand. In the next second, he yanked harder, making her let out a blood- curdling shriek.


    "Shut up," Elijah snapped, ring at her. "Stop screaming."


    "It hurts! Let go! I''ll walk on my own!" Lucy whimpered, reaching up to pry his fingers off. "Please just let me walk!"


    Elijah suddenly released his grip, and she copsed onto the floor.


    "You... You''re Marcus Holden." Her eyes darted toward the man sitting at the table, and an overwhelming wave of fear surged through She had spent years worrying about this exact moment, and now it had finallye.


    "Dr. Maine, you have a good eye," Marcus said casually. "You helped deliver me back then, and after more than 20 years, you still recognized me at a nce."


    He set down his fork and fixed her with a piercing gaze. "You were so ''attentive'' to my mother back then. I suppose I should thank you properly."


    "Mr. Holden... I''m sorry, I''m so sorry." Lucy fell to her knees, frantically prostrating on the floor. "I had no choice! It was Cassie who forced me!


    "She was the one who drugged Adam. She was also the one who took him to that hotel. I only posed as Abigail. I never did anything to hurt Mrs. Holden!"


    "Dr. Maine, you can


    save those


    excuses for my mother," Marcus said, lifting his coffee cup and taking a slow sip. "You must have missed her all these years. My mother is still alive. That must be such a disappointment for you and Cassie."


    Lucy''s face turned pale. "Mr. Holden, I''m sorry, I really am! I wronged Adam, but I swear I never harmed Mrs. Holden!"


    She kept prostrating, her forehead hitting the ground over and over. She was willing to admit to what she had done to Adam, but she didn''t dare confess to anything involving Laura.


    For years, she had kept tabs on the Holden family, so she knew exactly what kind


    of man Marcus had be ruthless, decisive, and utterly merciless.


    She had distanced herself from Cassie precisely because she was terrified that the past would catch up to her one day.


    "And now, with Cassie missing and my mother having suffered for years, how should I make things right for my mother, Dr. Maine?"


    Marcus set down his coffee cup and stared at her with chilling intensity.