?Chapter 2737:


    “Are there any other exits? She might slip away…”


    “Hadley!” Ellis’s voice cut through her frantic thoughts.


    “Calm down.”


    “Hmm?” Hadley was taken aback. What did she need to calm down for?


    “First,” Ellis began, steady but firm, “are you sure it couldn’t have been someone else? Are you absolutely certain it was Bianca?”


    “Yes!” Hadley nodded without a shred of doubt.


    “Don’t be too quick to answer,” Ellis pressed, his brows knitting.


    “Was her face visible? Did you see her clearly?”


    Hadley froze.


    “She… she was covered—hat, mask, sunsses.”


    “You see?” Ellis spread his hands, his toneced with reason.


    “You can’t be certain.”


    “Even so,” Hadley said, her anxiety spiking, “I might not be wrong, and besides…”


    Her eyes pleaded with him.


    “Better to act and be wrong than do nothing and lose her. If you just seal the ce…”


    “That’s against protocol.” His cool gaze studied her tense face.


    “I can’t abuse my power and shut down a business on your word alone. I need to review the surveince first.”


    “Surveince?” Hadley shook her head.


    “That would take too long!”


    She leaned toward him, almost begging.


    “Mr. Gomez, if it really is her, she could be gone any second! Can’t you—?”


    Even as they argued, Bianca could already be escaping.


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    Ellis’s tone lowered.


    “Another thing—this isn’t my case anymore. Acting now would overstep my authority.”


    If the person inside wasn’t Bianca, the consequences would fall squarely on him.


    “Even if it is her, I must follow procedure. Otherwise, it could cost me dearly.” His voice deepened, a hint of conflict flickering in his eyes.


    “This risk is no small matter…”


    Then he paused—an idea took shape.


    His gaze locked on Hadley, dark and probing.


    “Why should I take that risk?”


    Hadley stared, words failing her for a moment.


    “Here’s what I can do,” Ellis said atst.


    “I’ll go in to confirm…”


    “Wait!” Hadley seized his arm, a sudden realization dawning. Her lips parted, uncertain yet resolute.


    “What do you want… in exchange for taking this risk?”


    Ellis turned fully to her, the thought he’d half-buried now surfacing.


    He hadn’t said it aloud, but he had hinted.


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