"Dn!"
It was the first time Mrs. Ferguson ever called him by his full name, her fury so sharp she nearly lost her bnce.
Dn spun his wheelchair around, ready to leave without another word.
Mrs. Ferguson, shaking, waved over the nearest person, her voice cracking with panic. "What are you standing there for? Go find him! Now!"
She knew Dn too well. If he said he''d do something, he''d do it no matter the cost.
She''d thought he was just being impulsive, never imagining he''d actually risk his life.
Quickly, she made another call. "Restore the deleted security footage. Give everything to Aiden."
With that done, she drained her cold tea in one gulp. All her usualposure and careful scheming disappeared in that single moment.
Meanwhile, Aiden was still frustrated, unable to find any trace of the missing footage. Then, out of nowhere, the entire set of surveince videosnded on his desk in less than three minutes.
But whoever took ra had nned it well. It''d beente at night, and the road to the temple was chosen for a reason-there were no cameras anywhere along that stretch.
After that, there was just nothing. No more sign of them on any screen.
Aiden watched the endless stream of cars on the monitor and pointed to one direction.
"Check the traffic cams up there. And look this way too-that''s all wild hills, about ten kilometers from the temple. These cars didn''te back for a while. I''m guessing they went out there for something."
What that "something" was, no one could say yet. The truth was still up in the air, and nobody dared to guess.
*
Tara waited at home for three days, not hearing another word about ra. She finally let herself rx.
She called Mrs. Ferguson, as she always did, just to check in. It was a habit—one that had kept them close for years.
But today, Mrs. Ferguson''s tone was off.
"Tara, dear."
"Mrs. Ferguson, are you feeling alright? Should Ie by the house and check on you?"
Mrs. Ferguson was slumped on her sofa, still rattled. After everything with Dn, she couldn''t focus on anything.
"That boy''s lost his mind," she muttered. "He actually said he''d die for ra. He''spletely out of his head."
She couldn''t think of any other way to describe it.
For thest ten years, ever since Dn left, she''d watched him grow up. He''d
never seemed to care about anything-so detached he almost seemed like a robot, never showing any extra emotion.
But she remembered a time when Dn used tough all the time, when he was warm and kind to everyone. She didn''t know when all that changed.
She''d always med it on what happened with his brother, thinking the weight of it had just shut him down She didn''t pry-after all, someone in his position didn''t need extra feelings getting in the way.
But he wasn''t empty. He''d just saved every bit of feeling he had for ra.
Back in her own youth, Mrs. Ferguson had always been decisive. She and Walter had chosen Dn as the family''s sessor for a reason. Now with no one else in the Ferguson family good enough to take over, there was no option to change heirs.
None of those other candidates could hold a candle to Dn.
She was smart enough not to push him too far.
If he wanted a woman, so be it. She''d give ra to him.
As long as he''d listen in the future-besides, he was important abroad, and the
family''s reputation depended on him.
She took a deep breath. "Tara, I''m
afraid your engagement to Dn just isn''t going to happen. I underestimated how much ra means to him. He''d give his life for her, and I can''t fight with that Just let it go, honey. He''s like a man possessed-no one but ra will do. I started to suspect it when I saw those broken flowers at the temple, but I told myself I was imagining things ara, from now on you''re like my own granddaughter. If you ever fall for someone else, I''ll make sure you''re treated right. Let Dn be with ra. I can''t really let him throw his life away."
Tara''s face went pale with rage.