The following day dawned with a sense of anticipation in the air.
After breakfast, M took her child and apanied her mother-inw for a stroll in the garden. It was there that her phone buzzed with a call from Miranda.
M excused herself and stepped aside for some privacy. "Miranda."
"M, I''ve got some fantastic news for you!" Miranda''s voice was bubbling with excitement, and she couldn''t contain herself, spilling everything out like a torrent.
After listening for a few moments, M understood the gist. Miranda''s partnership with Rnd was steady, and although the Lockwood family was still weathering the storm, their foundation was bing more secure.
"M, I spoke to him, and in a few days, he''s going to publicly address and dispel the rumors of his disappearance. Once that''s done, and we announce the coboration with the Forest Team, the Wayne family can join in, and nothing will be able to hold you back!"
M was thrilled and was about to respond when suddenly there was a sharp cry from Miranda''s end, apanied by the roar of a motorcycle speeding by.
M''s heart skipped a beat, and she raised her voice in rm, "Miranda!"
There was no immediate reply, and M''s anxiety grew as she called out repeatedly. Finally, Miranda''s slightly shaky voice came through.
"I''m okay, I''m fine. Someone just drove a bit recklessly, almost clipped me. It gave me a scare."
"Are you sure you''re alright?"
"Yes, yes, in a few days, we''ll be able to see each other again. Aren''t you excited?"
Miranda''s voice had regained its usual liveliness, and although M still felt a twinge of worry, she couldn''t help but smile in response.
"Very excited."
...
Elsewhere, Miranda hung up the phone, still feeling a little unsteady on her feet. That motorcycle hadn''t been careless; it hade straight for her. Were those targeting the Lockwood family really that desperate to resort to such tactics?
"Ms. Wayne, are you alright to stand?"
The voice beside her was warm and reassuring, snapping her back to reality. She steadied herself by holding onto the arm of a man in a sleek ck outfit, who had pulled her to safety just in time.
"Thank you," she said, grateful for his quick reflexes. Without him, she might have been seriously injured.
"No problem, it''s my duty to protect you."
The man, dressed like a bodyguard with a ck cap and mask, was none other than Rnd. His eyes, the only visible part of his face, twinkled with amusement.
Despite her gratitude, Miranda couldn''t help but feel a bit annoyed. She red at Rnd, "If it weren''t for you, would I be dealing with all this chaostely?"
She had agreed to partner with Rnd. The n was for her to be the public face, causing a distraction while various interests attacked the Lockwood family, allowing Rnd''s team to reim assets and clean up The Lockwood Group. This made her a prime target for bacsh.
Her business adversaries, unable to beat her in the boardroom, resorted to underhanded tactics, and she''d been through a lot recently. If it weren''t for M and the Wayne family, she would''ve walked away long ago.
Rnd, perhaps recognizing her struggles and needing to handle some affairs personally, had taken to shadowing her as a bodyguard, ensuring her safety.
Miranda shot him another re as she unsteadily got into the car. "Ever since I met you, nothing good has happened. Once this is over, you''d better keep your distance!"
She was convinced that they were a disastrous pairing, bad luck incarnate!
Rnd chuckled, adjusting his cap, and followed her into the car.
...
Over the next few days, Lysander had not returned to the family mansion.
Felicity, his mother, was noticeably upset. On several asions during her post- dinner walks, M witnessed her angrily berating someone over the phone.
Unbeknownst to her, Lysander was spending his nights at the hospital with Giselle. Felicity simply couldn''t fathom how her son could be so absorbed in his work that he hadn''t been home for days. Naturally, whenever she had the chance, she would call him to demand exnations and scold him for his neglect.