[65]

Damian sat quietly in the small interrogation room, staring at Tedy who was tied to the chair in front of him. In the corner of the room, Harold stood restlessly, going through a pile of documents and notes.

“He won't talk,” Harold muttered, breaking the silence.

Damian raised one eyebrow, his expression cold. “Everyone has a soft spot. If he doesn't talk now, I'll make sure he regrets his silence.”

Tedy looked up, his face scarred but his smile mocking. “You think I'm afraid of you, Damian? I've survived this far. You won't get anything out of me.”

Damian leaned closer, his voice low but threatening. “I don't need your confession, Tedy. I just want to make sure that you have no way out. Harold, prepare the documents for the court martial. I want him processed as soon as possible.”

Harold looked at Damian skeptically. “Court martial? Damian, this will attract great attention. Are you sure this is the right move?”

Damian nodded firmly. “Leonard can't communicate with Tedy anymore. It's the only way to cut off all their channels. We have no choice.”

Tedy chuckled, though it was clear he was in pain. “You think you've won, Damian? You don't know anything. Leonard will find a way to destroy you.”

Damian stared at Tedy with sharp, hawk-like eyes. Without warning, he punched the table in front of him, making a loud banging sound that made Harold jump. “You've played enough, Tedy. If I find any trace of Leonard, you'll wish you never knew him.”

Harold took a deep breath, trying to calm himself down. “I'll take care of the paperwork. But I hope you know what you're doing.”

Damian just nodded, his gaze locked on Tedy. “Do it now. I'll make sure everything goes according to plan.”

After leaving the police station, Damian decided to head back to his main house. His car drove at a steady pace, escorted by several security vehicles. His hunch told him something was wrong, and he would not let it escape his notice.

Upon arriving at the main house, Rebecca was already waiting at the door. She was seated in her wheelchair, wearing a graceful dress that accentuated her elegance. Her face lit up when she saw Damian getting out of the car.

“Damian, are you home?” she exclaimed in a voice full of happiness. “I didn't expect you to come today.”

Damian just gave a small nod, his gaze flat. He walked past Rebecca without stopping, heading straight into the house.

Rebecca was silent, her smile slowly fading. However, she did not give up. With the help of her wheelchair, she followed Damian inside.

“Damian, I've prepared dinner. I thought we could spend some time together tonight,” she said in a soft voice, trying to sound sincere.

Damian didn't answer. His steps stopped when he saw a room that looked like the one where Rebecca spent a lot of time. The door to the room was slightly ajar, and something caught his eye.

With one motion, Damian opened the door completely. Inside, he saw a wall filled with photos of Miya, some of which had been recently taken. There were also detailed notes about Miya, including information about her pregnancy and the doctor who treated her.

Damian clasped his hands tightly, his jaw hardening. “What is this?” his voice was low, yet full of anger.

Rebecca appeared behind him, her face pale. “Damian, I can explain...”

“Explain?” Damian turned to look at her sharply. “You spied on Miya? You even knew about her pregnancy. What exactly are you up to, Rebecca?”

Rebecca was silent, her eyes glazed over. “I just wanted to make sure everything was okay. I... I'm worried about you, Damian.”

Damian didn't answer. He took a deep breath, trying to calm himself down. “You've crossed the line. I won't let this continue.”

He grabbed his cell phone and dialed Victor. “Victor, tighten the surveillance at Miya's mansion. Make sure no one gets close to her, including Rebecca.”

Victor replied briefly, “Understood. I will arrange everything immediately.”

Damian hung up, then turned to Marcus. “Check every corner of this house. If there's any trace of Leonard, I want to know right now. And make sure the people in this house have nothing to hide.”

Marcus nodded firmly. “I'll take care of it, Damian.”

Rebecca tried to get close to Damian, her tears starting to flow. “Damian, I just want to be by your side. I love you...”

Damian looked at her coldly. “Love? If this is how you show love, then you never knew me. Stay out of my business, Rebecca.”

He turned and left the room, leaving Rebecca sobbing in her wheelchair.

While Damian checked the other rooms in the house, Marcus gathered his team. They began checking every corner of the main house, looking for signs of Leonard's activity or anyone else who might be conspiring with him.

One of Marcus' men reported. “We found some suspicious communication devices in one of the servants' rooms. It looks like someone is receiving instructions from outside.”

Marcus frowned. “Bring that stuff to me. And make sure no one leaves the house without permission.”

His team moved quickly, making sure the house was securely locked. Meanwhile, Damian sat in his study, staring blankly at the window. His anger was still simmering, but he knew that he had to remain calm to deal with the situation.

Victor sent a text message: All is set. Miya is in full custody.

Damian replied: Good. Stay alert.

***

Night was falling as Tessa stood at the door of Damian's mansion. She found it hard to leave Miya, especially after seeing her friend's seemingly vulnerable state despite being surrounded by tight protection. A well-built man in a black uniform was ready to escort her home.

“Thank you for coming, Tessa,” Hera said, giving the girl a meaningful look. “But there's something you need to understand. If you wish to see Miya again, it must be with Victor's permission.”

Tessa was surprised. “Why? I just want to make sure Miya is okay. I won't harm anyone.”

Hera shook her head slowly, her tone firm yet gentle. “This isn't about trust, Tessa. It's about safety. You know this situation is not normal.”

Victor, standing not far from them, interjected in a calm yet authoritative tone. “I don't mind you coming back, Tessa. But protocol must still be followed. Miya's safety is priority number one.”

Kayoko, who had been observing the interaction from the stairs, finally descended with slow steps. “Okay, this is starting to sound suspicious. What exactly is going on? Why is Miya suddenly being treated like a royal princess who must be closely guarded?”

Hera let out a long sigh, while Victor seemed to hesitate for a moment. However, seeing Kayoko who didn't seem to be giving up, he decided to speak up.

Victor took Hera and Kayoko to the living room, making sure Miya didn't hear this conversation. After closing the door, he stood with his arms folded across his chest, his face tense.

“I'll speak frankly,” he said finally. “There is a real threat to Miya. Leonard, Damian's enemy, managed to escape captivity. We believe he has plans to get close to Miya, and that's the reason why security here has been tightened.”

Hera, who had been trying to restrain herself, immediately stood up from her seat. “Rebecca must have something to do with this! I knew she was always up to no good!”

Victor gave Hera a calm but firm look. “We can't jump to that conclusion, Mrs. Hera. But Damian has already taken care of Rebecca. We should stay here and focus on Miya's safety.”

Hera frowned, furious. “Focus? How can I stay here while that woman keeps trying to control everything? I need to talk to her!”

Victor restrained Hera gently but firmly. “Damian is already upset enough with this situation. If you go there now, it will only make things worse.”

Kayoko, who had been silent, finally spoke up. “In that case, what can we do? Sit here and hope everything is okay?”

Victor looked at her, then smiled slightly. “Actually, I need your help, Kayoko. You're good with technology. If we can track Leonard through the CCTV cameras, we might be able to find his trail.”

Kayoko's eyes lit up, her smile widening. “Finally something interesting! Give me access to the city's CCTV network, and I'll get to work.”

Victor nodded. “We need all the leads we can get. I trust you.”

Kayoko got straight to work, connecting her laptop to the available surveillance systems. Her fingers danced over the keyboard, her face serious as she scrolled through thousands of CCTV recordings from various corners of the city.

Victor and Hera waited patiently, though the tension in the air was palpable. Time passed, and finally Kayoko lifted her face with a triumphant smile.

“I found him!” she exclaimed. “Leonard was seen around Rebecca's house a few days ago.”

Victor immediately contacted Damian, his voice full of urgency. “Damian, we have a lead. Leonard was seen at Rebecca's house a few days ago.”

Damian, who was in his office, stood up immediately. “I'll check right away. Send me all the information you have.”

Kayoko sent over the data she had found, while Hera walked back and forth in the living room, clearly unsettled. “What will Damian do? Is he going to confront Rebecca?”

Victor looked at Hera with a calming gaze. “Damian knows what he's doing. Trust him.”

Marcus and his team arrived at Rebecca's house a few hours later. They carefully examined every corner of the house, looking for signs of Leonard's presence. However, the results were disappointing. Leonard was no longer there, leaving only a few traces behind.

Victor received the news with a tense face. He called Damian again. “Leonard's gone. We're too late.”

Damian growled on the other end of the line, his anger clearly audible. “Keep looking. I don't care how long this will take. We have to find him.”

Victor hung up the phone and turned toward Kayoko and Hera. “Leonard is no longer at Rebecca's house. But we won't stop here. Kayoko, continue your search. Hera, stay with Miya and make sure she doesn't find out anything about this.”

Hera nodded, though her expression still showed concern. “I just hope this all ends soon. Miya doesn't deserve to live in fear like this.”

Victor smiled slightly. “We all hope so, Lady Hera. But until then, we must remain vigilant.”

Kayoko returned to her laptop, starting a new search. Meanwhile, Victor sat on the couch, trying to plan his next move. He knew that this was only the beginning of a larger battle.