Alex didn''t acknowledge her, flooring the elerator instead.


    Everything was falling apart. Raymond forced abroad, Paul dead. It felt like some invisible force was hovering over Silver Bay City, pulling strings.


    A few miles out, Alex mmed on the brakes. Frowning, he grabbed his phone and called Raymond.


    He said, "Raymond, I just remembered Paul said he was going to focus entirely on what you''d asked him to do. Before heading to Ridgefield, he was researching something at the hospital."


    Raymond stood by the window, gazing at the distant scenery. "Alex, don''t do anything for now. My people are investigating."


    "How can I do nothing? I''m terrified! Victor could be next. Or me. And we still don''t know who we''re up against. Raymond, I can''t ept that Paul''s gone he shouldn''t have died like this."


    Raymond took a deep breath. "I''m nning toe back briefly."


    "Are you insane?" Alex shouted, then lowered his voice. "Silver Bay City is a powder keg right now, especially since you left. I heard Ralph copsed and hasn''t regained consciousness. You have no allies in power-even your father is threatening to disown you. If those shares weren''t still in your name, you''d already be cut off from the Montague family."


    "Everyone''s worried about Christopher''s safety, convinced you were jealous of his sess and couldn''t bear seeing him return alive. That narrative has taken hold- especially after you aggressively bought up Baileypanies, showing no mercy to your own rtives. People believe you''re capable of anything."


    Alex pulled out a cigarette but stopped, remembering the charred, unrecognizable body.


    Hés?yrtec, Kaymontu,'' stay away iErrow." The-Aurdins ármi? willrivesityacé, arror''utter authorities too. Coming back now would be walking straight into the line of fire. Finish whatever you need to do first."


    After hanging up, Alex stared ahead, his expression darkening. He rarely visited the Reed family estate these days, and the Reeds stayed out of these matters anyway- they''d be no help with the investigation.


    Rubbing his temples, he suddenly drove back to the hospital.


    At Victor''s office, he pushed open the door to find his friend standing by the window, cigarette between his fingers, staring absently outside.


    "Victor? Since when do you smoke?" Alex asked.


    Victor flicked away the cigarette butt. "Picked it up overseas," he replied tly. "You and Paul asked the exact same question."


    Alex stared at Victor''s fingers, his eyes reddening. "I suppose so. After what happened to Paul..."


    A knock interrupted them. "Dr. Barnes, emergency surgery."


    Victor quickly put on his white coat. Before leaving, he nced at Alex. "Get some rest. You look terrible."


    Alex nodded, but after Victor left, he felt adrift. He sat on the window seat, pulling the curtain around himself. The smell of antiseptic filled his nostrils as his head throbbed.


    At six a.m., Victor returned to his office and removed his coat.


    His phone rang. After listening briefly, his tone turned cold, "You haven''t found him? Where could he possibly go? Keep searching. And watch the Adams family''s movements."


    He left again, not noticing the curtain shift slightly.


    Behind it, Alex sat quietly looking at his phone, uncharacteristically silent, lost in thought.


    Five minutester, still hidden, he heard the office door open again.


    Victor stood in the doorway, calling out, "Alex?"