?Chapter 434:


    Just as she reached for the handle, a firm grip closed around her waist.


    Cole pulled her aside, keeping her out of the line of danger.


    “I’ll go first,” Cole dered, his voice low but resolute.


    Their eyes met for a brief moment, and Elliana immediately understood that if anything dangerous was waiting, Cole would take the risk. This was his way of shielding her.


    Before she could protest, Cole was already through the door, clearing the way.


    Elliana hurried after him, not wanting to fall behind.


    Myles, Aron, and Hugh barreled in right after, edging past Cole so they could lead the way. They understood their role well. Being part of Cole’s team meant stepping up to face whatever came next before anyone else.


    Instead of another basement, the door revealed a narrow tunnel stretching far into darkness, its end impossible to see.


    With no other way out, Victor must have used this path. Cole and the others had no choice but to follow wherever it led.


    They marched forward, step after step, until one by one, their phones lost all signal. Even so, they kept going, the tunnel winding on without any hint of daylight.


    The air grew heavier as they moved deeper, shadows closing in and dampness clinging to their skin.


    It took six exhausting hours before a faint shimmer finally appeared in the distance. A sure sign that Cole and the rest of the group were close to finding their way out.


    Pushing forward, they quickened their pace, heading straight for the glow until atst, they emerged above ground.


    Morning was just beginning to chase away the night, and the world outside was washed in pale, pre-dawn light.


    Stepping out, Cole took in the sight of a thick, tangled forest all around them. Victor was nowhere in sight.


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    Elliana wasted no time pulling out her phone and checking their GPS. “Cole, we’re only about twenty-five miles from our mansion,” Elliana remarked, reading the coordinates.


    But Cole didn’t respond. When Elliana turned to him, she found his attention glued to the trunk of a nearby tree. Something about it had himpletely absorbed.


    Unable to help herself, Elliana moved closer, tracing his line of sight to a rough carving etched into the bark—a venomous serpent symbol. She wondered why Cole was so fixated on a simple drawing. It seemed like it was just the work of a bored kid.


    “Does this symbol mean something?” Elliana asked.


    Cole stood frozen, his eyes locked on the serpent carving, as though it had cast some kind of spell over him.


    Elliana stepped closer, her fingers brushing his sleeve as she spoke softly, “Darling?”


    Cole blinked, snapping back to the present, and shot her an unreadable nce. A shadow had settled over his features, making his expression unusually severe.


    Elliana studied his face, her confusion deepening. “What is it? Why does that symbol bother you?”


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