Before Angelo could even voice his concerns, the heavy thud of footsteps echoed from outside the door.


    Sophie spun around to see Colby striding in from the Burke Estate, covered in dust and looking pretty rough. She rushed over, anxiety written all over her face, "What happened?" "It''s nothing," Colby brushed off, shaking his head.


    Adler, not buying it, chimed in, "You look like you''ve been through a war zone, and you''ve been MIA all night. Where the heck were you?"


    Colby nced at Rick, who had juste down from the second floor, and finally said, "I got ambushed on my way back from the office."


    Adler''s eyes widened, "How many did they send to hold you up? I need to know how big a deal this is!"


    It was the first time Adler had seen Colby dyed for so long without even a check-in.


    Colby, still looking towards Rick upstairs, replied, "Four vans. About a hundred and eighty people."


    Adler sucked in a breath, "They must really want you out of the picture! Only you could fight your way out of such a crowd; I''m seriously impressed." Colby stayed silent.


    But Sophie frowned, "They just came after us not long ago, and now another attack? And... a hundred and eighty people? How did you manage to get out?" Colby taking on ten or even twenty people was nothing new to her.


    But a hundred and eighty? That was a stretch.


    Colby spoke softly, "I''m a bit tired now, let''s talk upstairs."


    "I''ll help you up."


    Sophie supported Colby as they made their way to the second floor, with Adler and Jenna trailing behind.


    "That''s not fair! We want to hear too!" Adler shouted at Colby''s back, but Colby and Sophie were already halfway up the stairs.


    Once they were in the room, Sophie locked the door behind them and immediately asked, "Okay, spill it. Who did this to you?"


    Considering that a hundred and eighty people were involved and Colby was unscathed, Sophie had been skeptical from the start. But since Colby hadn''t spilled the beans in front of everyone, she hadn''t pressed further.


    Any other time, Colby''s lie would''ve been busted in a heartbeat.


    Facing Sophie''s intense gaze, Colby sighed and finally said, "It was Gordon."


    Hearing Gordon''s name, Sophie''s smile vanished.


    "Sophie!"


    In the next second, she flung the door open and stormed toward Gordon''s room.


    Everyone on the second floor watched, stunned, as Sophie, zing with anger, pushed open Gordon''s door.


    Jenna was the first to break the silence, "Did she... go to the wrong room?"


    Sophie saw Gordon seated at a chessboard, and sheughed augh dripping with anger, "Mr. Gordon, you seem to be in good spirits."


    Inside Gordon''s room.


    Gordon looked up, seeing Sophie


    safe and sound before him, and smiled, "Ms. Sophie, you look a bit


    worse for wear. Didn''t sleep well?”


    "Mr. Gordon, next time could you find a new way to mess with people? This whole feigning sickness act is getting old." Gordon gestured for silence, a slight smile in his eyes, "Have you ever heard the story of The Boy Who Cried Wolf, Ms. Sophie?" "Are you about to tell me a story, Mr. Gordon?"Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org.


    Gordon smiled faintly, "Once upon a


    time, there was a boy who herded sheep. He found it very boring, so to amuse himself, he shouted ''Wolf! Wolf!'' and watched as the vigers came running to help, only to find out he was lying. The second-time, he did the same, and the vigers rushed over again, only to find out it was a prank. But when a wolf truly appeared and the boy cried out for help, nobody came to his rescue."