"Remember toe to the anniversary celebration on Saturday. Rex misses you." The familiar handwriting wed at memories she had locked away for years.


    Instantly, the world around her plunged into darkness. A biting, icy wind whipped at her, feeling like a thousand tiny des slicing at her skin, like needles burrowing into her very bones.


    "You little mutt, you dare steal food? Let''s see if you really starve to death after three days with no meals!"


    "Your hands are so filthy! I should have let you freeze to death on the doorstep instead of taking you in!"


    "If any of you dare to give her food, you''ll be locked in there with her!"


    "You''ll stay in there and reflect on what you are an unwanted piece of trash! Spit!"


    A torrent of curses swirled around her, wrapping her in a suffocating shroud. Hannah''s breathing grew short and ragged. Her vision blurred, and her legs felt like they were about to give out.


    She pressed a hand against the wall to steady herself, shaking her head violently as if to dislodge the voices.


    Don''t think about it. You don''t have to think about it anymore. You''re gone from that ce. You''re safe. It''s all in the past.


    She swallowed hard and shoved the note back into her pocket.


    It would be fine if she didn''t go. Rex wouldn''t me her. He was the one who helped her escape the orphanage, escape that monster. He wouldn''t want her to go back.


    I can''t go back...


    "Hannah, what''s wrong?"


    The elevator doors opened to reveal Anna, who rushed in, horrified to see Hannah on the verge of copsing.


    "My God, you''re burning up! Your skin is on fire!" Anna eximed, grabbing her arm to support her.


    "Sir, I''m taking Hannah to the hospital! She''s burning up!" she called out to their manager.


    "Go, go! Someone get a car, quickly!" the manager ordered, sending a few people to help before turning back to his client with an apologetic smile.


    "Mr. Temple, I do apologize. This way, please."


    Peter Temple''s expression was thoughtful, the initial shock in his light brown eyes fading.


    "Who was that? What''s her name?"


    "Hannah. She''s a newwyer on our team. Incredibly talented, she''s


    already solved several major cases. 1 cant believe she came in today while she''s so sijek," the manager said, muttering thest part to himself before quickly adding assurances that thepany had no strict policies forcing sick employees to work.


    "She''s in the legal department?"


    "Yes."


    Peter''s eyes narrowed. He thought of his nephew, Samuel, who also worked in the legal department, and sent him a quick message asking about Hannah.


    There was something hauntingly familiar about her face. Or perhaps it was just his imagination.


    Yves'' assistant, Louis, had found the security footage from the garage and the mall and sent it to him.


    Watching the video, Yves saw Jason block the elevator door, saw Hannah''s frantic, terrified attempts to close it, and herpleteck of resistance. No one would believe this was simply the shock of seeing an old acquaintance after many years.


    This was a physiological response born from deep-seated fear.


    Moreover, she hadn''t identally left her bag behind; she had used it as an


    excuse to flee the restaurant.


    Louis also sent over Jason''s file.


    On paper, he was an unremarkable


    orphanage director who had


    sessfully raised many talented children over the years. He was known for his meticulous screening of adoptive parents-a dedicated and caring man by all ounts.


    But if the file was urate, Hannah''s reaction to seeing him made no sense at all.