로그인Richard immediately stepped in front of Alina on instinct. Emma grabbed the small flower vase on the table and gripped it tightly, even though she knew the thing was nearly useless if Daniel's men had truly come.The door opened slowly.A man in a worn hat, with a thin beard, wearing a shabby jacket and carrying a canvas bag, stepped inside without any urgency.No one recognized him."Who are you?" Richard demanded sharply.The man immediately closed the door and locked it from the inside. He raised both hands slowly."Easy."Emma took another step back."Don't move!"The man let out a slow breath, then removed his hat, peeled off his fake beard, and took off the thick-framed glasses that had been covering part of his face."Adrian!"Emma exhaled deeply.Richard lowered his shoulders, which had been tense the whole time."Good grief... I almost attacked you."Adrian smiled faintly."That was the point."He set his bag on the floor."Since midday I've had a feeling I was being watched.
After 24 hours, the search was no longer confined to the city center. The hunt for Alina had now expanded into the outskirts, the connecting roads between districts, even areas Alina had passed through over the last few months. Checkpoints stood at several locations. Blackwood's private security vehicles mixed with police cars conducting quiet inspections. Daniel had no desire to stir up media noise by publicly announcing his wife's disappearance. He simply worked in silence, deploying his trusted people to find one person. Alina. Meanwhile, at the safe house apartment, Emma had just finished getting ready to go out. "I'm going to pick up a few things," she said, pulling on a light jacket. Adrian had already provided basic necessities. Even so, Emma and Alina still needed a few personal items he hadn't thought to include. Richard rose from his chair. "Be careful." Emma nodded. "I'm only going to the convenience store. I won't be long." Alina, sitting on the sofa, looked up at
Elsewhere, Clarissa's phone vibrated just as she finished pouring herself a cup of coffee.She glanced at the screen briefly.A message from Vanessa, one of the women in her socialite circle who had often attended charity events with her."Clarissa, have you heard? Apparently Mrs. Blackwood escaped from the hospital. My husband just got back from the police station. All units are being asked to assist with the search quietly."The cup in Clarissa's hand nearly slipped.Her heart beat hard.She read the message again twice, even three times.Then quickly typed a reply."Seriously?"The response came almost instantly."Yes. Apparently this is an order from above. Alina's name has even been entered into the internal search list. Don't tell anyone, okay."Clarissa didn't reply again. She stood frozen.*"Alina escaped? That woman left the hospital and ran?"*Clarissa's first reaction was shock. But then a smile spread across her face.Clarissa was glad to hear that Alina had fled. That way
Night had not fully fallen when the entire city began to move on a single command.Daniel Blackwood did not know the meaning of surrender.The moment he left the hospital, he returned directly to Blackwood Enterprises headquarters. The top floor of the building transformed into an improvised command center. Dozens of screens lit up simultaneously, displaying city maps, traffic camera footage, vehicle position reports, and digital data refreshed every few seconds.Marcus stood at the large table alongside several members of the security team."We start from the hospital," he said, pointing to one of the screens. "Check every camera facing the exits. Don't miss a single minute.""Yes, sir."Dozens of recordings began playing at once.In the adjacent room, the technology team was tracing the phone signals of Richard, Emma, and Adrian. Every electronic transaction they might have made went directly onto the inspection list.Daniel stood with his back to everyone, his hands resting against
Richard's car stopped in front of an old apartment building standing in the outskirts of the city.The building was not luxurious — it looked ordinary compared to the properties usually owned by the upper class.The exterior paint had faded in several places, while the parking area held only a few vehicles belonging to residents who appeared to live simple lives.That was precisely why Adrian had chosen this place.Inconspicuous.Not drawing attention.And most importantly, not connected to anyone Daniel might suspect.Richard turned off the engine and glanced at his daughter."We're here."Alina didn't respond right away.She stared at the building for a few seconds before finally giving a slow nod. Her body was still exhausted. Her head still felt light from everything that had happened since morning. Yet for the first time in a very long time, her chest didn't feel tight with the same fear.Richard got out first, then helped Alina out of the car.They entered the building through a
Richard's car surged out of the hospital basement, breaking into the blinding midday sunlight.Alina rested her head against the window, still catching her breath, her hands gripping the edge of the seat. Her heart was pounding so hard she could hear it in her own ears. They had made it out. But she knew this was only the beginning."Where are we going, Papa?" she asked, her voice unsteady.Richard gripped the steering wheel, his eyes darting quickly to the mirrors. "Papa isn't sure yet. The important thing is we put distance between us and there. Daniel must know by now. And he'll be deploying everyone he has."As if in answer to that fear, Richard's phone buzzed again. Emma's name appeared on the screen. He answered quickly, switching to speakerphone."Emma? Where are you?""I'm out of the hospital," Emma replied, her breathing still uneven. "I'm in a taxi now. What about you two? Are you safe?""We're on the road," said Richard. "But we need somewhere to go. Somewhere Daniel won't
Three days passed in a blur of careful avoidance.Daniel didn't return to Alina's room, though she heard from Mrs. Helen that he hadn't slept in the master bedroom either. He'd been staying in his study, working late into the night, sleeping on the leather couch when exhaustion finally claimed him.
At eleven o'clock at night, the mansion was already quiet.The staff had returned to their quarters. Daniel was still locked in his study with his laptop and bourbon. Margaret had gone to bed in her own wing. Alina was locked in her room as usual.And Clarissa stood outside Junior's room with her h
Alina stared at the tray before her with empty eyes.The chicken soup was still steaming. White rice neatly arranged. Warm tea in a fine porcelain cup.But she wasn't hungry.Not after the conversation with Emma. Not after hearing the words "divorce" and "custody battle" spoken aloud for the first
At the opposite end of the corridor, in the master bedroom that had just become hers, Clarissa Sterling stood before the large mirror with a practiced confident smile.Maroon lingerie—delicate lace that barely covered anything, with strategically placed details—hugged her body perfectly. She turned







