With a swift nod of affirmation, Walter dered, "I''ll get on it right away." The investment proposals he was dealing with had the potential to tie up nearly half of thepany''s liquid assets. The longer the dy, the greater the risk of loss. If another project encountered problems and the cash flow was cut, thepany could find itself in dire straits.


    Exiting the office, Walter carefully flipped through the documents in his hands. They were identical to the ones given to him two days prior-no alterations, no marks, yet this time they were inexplicably approved. He pondered over this, wondering what it could mean. Had Alexander not reviewed them thoroughly, or was there something else at y? Regardless, the signature was unmistakably Alexander''s. A glint appeared in Walter''s eyes as he left the office, documents in hand.


    Meanwhile, Kyle knocked and entered the office under the pretense of delivering files. However, his true intention was to deliver thetest search reports, a task he approached with hesitation. "Alexander... there''s still no sign of them," he confessed, referring to the two women who had vanished without a trace. Despite his and Oliver''s best efforts, they had had no luck.


    Alexander flipped through the files indifferently. "Then keep looking," hemanded. Kyle, however, was at a loss. "Yes... but we''ve searched everywhere we can think of. I''m not sure where to start now..." He confessed his embarrassment, considering himselfpetent, but this time, he hadn''t made any headway.


    Alexander paused, then shut the file abruptly and looked up at Kyle. "Kyle, you need to learn to think outside the box."


    "Ah... Yes, I understand. I''ll try toe up with something."N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material.


    "What I mean is," Alexander continued, "what you see with your eyes isn''t always the truth, get it?"


    Kyle was taken aback for a few seconds, not fully understanding Alexander''s words. "Forgive my dullness... Could you enlighten me, Alexander?" he asked.


    Alexander, visibly irritated, tossed the file onto the desk. It wasn''t forceful, but the noise made Kyle shiver. Reclining in his chair, Alexander fixed a piercing stare on Kyle, causing a bead of sweat to trickle down Kyle''s forehead. After a while, Alexander spoke up, "Ever heard the saying that the most dangerous ce can sometimes be the safest? You''ve been fixating on the direction they vanished on the monitor. What do you think you''ll find?"


    It finally clicked for Kyle. "I''ve got it. I''ll look into it again!" he eximed. Alexander, still visibly irritated, tugged at his tie before deciding to yank it off entirely, tossing it into his desk drawer.


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    Once Kyle left the office, he immediately coordinated a search team tob through the downtown area. He had been so fixated on the alley where Abigail and Quinn had disappeared, assuming it had to be their hiding ce. The more he searched, the further off track he got,pletely overlooking the downtown area. It defied logic to think that people on the run would hide out in in sight downtown. What would be the point of running, then? Kyle felt doubtful but didn''t dare contradict Alexander. After searching for days without a single clue, he mused, ''What if Alexander''s guess was right?''


    When Quinn woke up again, she found herself in bed. Opening her eyes, she gazed at the stark white ceiling for a few seconds, recalling the previous events. She then abruptly sat up. It was dark outside, but the dim outlines of buildings were still visible. Walter hadn''t restrained her, and her first instinct was to flee, to escape and find help for Abigail.


    She threw back the covers and discovered she was only wearing an oversized t-shirt, so thin it felt almost nonexistent. Even if she dared to venture out like this, the cold would likely be the death of her. Quinn got out of bed to search for clothes. It was a two-bedroom apartment with the other room locked. She couldn''t open it. There was nothing suitable to wear in the living room either. She checked the bathroom and the bedroom she was in. Finally, it dawned on her-Walter had taken her clothes!


    She was about to check the balcony outside the living room to figure out where she was when the sound of a door opening behind her made her flinch.