Overwhelmed by back-to-back emotional trauma and severe exhaustion, Evadnepletely lost consciousness.


    Inside the hospital room, her brothers paced like caged animals. The Ashbourne family was thrust into yet another massive crisis.


    "Cassius, I know this might sound extreme, but we''ve been backed into a corner. We have absolutely no other choice."


    Arnold took a deep breath, looking at his oldest brother with desperate, pleading eyes. "Can you reach out to Chasel? He''s a world-renowned neurosurgeon. Can he figure out a way to reverse Dad''s amnesia? I''ll personally go beg him. I''ll do whatever he wants!


    If he can bring Dad''s memories back, I''ll even quit being a prosecutor!"


    The family stared at Arnold in utter shock.


    Everyone knew Arnold had dreamed of being a prosecutor since high school. He had fought relentlessly for over a decade to get where he was. That badge wasn''t just his career; it was his very soul.


    For him to offer up his lifelong dream meant that nothing on earth mattered more to him right now than fixing their father.


    "Arnold, don''t say that..." Cassius choked out, struggling to breathe.


    Elvis walked up to them, his dark eyes heavily threaded with red. "Cassius, please. Ask Chasel to save Dad. If Dad doesn''t get his memory back, Evadne willpletely break down. She might never recover from this.


    She already lost Thaddeus''s love. She can''t survive losing Dad''s love, too... it''ll destroy her!"


    "I know... she''s my baby sister, how could I not understand how much she''s hurting?!"


    Cassius dragged a massive hand down his face in pure agony. His voice was raw and cracked, like a man who had walked through a desert. "I''ll do everything in my power to get Chasel. If he agrees to help, I''d dly drop to my knees in front of him every single day."


    With trembling hands, Cassius pulled out his phone and dialed Chasel Bright''s number.


    It went straight to voicemail. His phone was turned off.


    "What is going on? We still can''t reach Suri, either. This is getting way too weird!"


    Aviana walked over holding her phone, sick with worry. "Emeric is dealing with a major crisis. She wouldn''t just vanish without a trace. Even if she stepped out, she wouldn''t gopletely radio silent! What do we do... I have a really bad feeling about this!"


    The siblings exchanged uneasy nces. They had been so focused on Evadne that they hadn''t realized how long Suri had been gone.


    In broad daylight, where on earth could she be?


    Bet asked sharply, "When was Surist seen?"


    "This morning. After lunch, she said she was stepping out for a bit and hasn''t been back since. I just called the butler-she never went back to Silveke Harbor!" Myra said frantically.


    Elvis pressed, "What about the Bright Group?"


    "I''ll call her secretary right now!"


    Aviana immediately dialed the secretary, but the answer was negative. "Nothing... she didn''t show up at the office either!"


    A heavy, suffocating dread settled over the group.


    Cassius still couldn''t get through to Chasel. No matter how many times he called, the phone remained dead.


    An aunt and nephew from the Bright family vanishing at the exact same time-it was terrifyingly suspicious.


    Cassius''s heart seized. His eyes


    grew cold. "Rull all the security footage from the hospital


    immediately. We need to know et


    suri left on her own or if someone took her. And we need to know what direction she went.


    As for Chasel, I''ll contact every friend he has in Elmsworth and send someone to check his house! Split up and stay in contact!"


    At that very moment, in the hospital''s underground parking garage.


    Inside a top-tier, limited-edition Maybach, Chad Abernathy sat in the back seat, his eyes closed in rest.


    He naturally wanted to stay by Evadne''s side.


    But the Ashbourne brothers had formed an imprable iron wall around her. He couldn''t get within ten feet of her.


    The realization brought a rare, frustrated frown to his elegant face.


    "Sir, did you know that drug''s side effect would cause total memory loss, or was it an ident?" Alexia finally gave into her curiosity.


    "Take a guess," Chad replied, a ghost of a smile ying on his lips.


    Alexia blinked in pure awe. "You definitely knew. You''re brilliant; you know exactly how every drug works."


    "I knew. But I didn''t realize it would


    impact Emeric Ashbourne so severely that he wouldpletely forget his favorite daughter. I suppose age really does take its toll on the mind."


    Chad''s smile widened with genuine amusement. "It works out well. The more people who leave Evadno the easier it


    will be for me to walk right into her heart."


    Alexia pressed her lips together tightly, not daring to speak.


    Suddenly, a real-time tracking alert popped up on her tablet.


    She quickly tapped it. Her pupils shrank instantly, and she shoved the screen under Chad''s nose.


    "Sir, look at this!"