"Yes, Kiran."


    Hearing the name Kiran, Gordon paused for a moment, lost in thought. "Just as you suspected, the Pord family is definitely hiding something."


    Gordon''s eyes were fixed on theputer screen, reying the scene of Angelo leaping from the second-floor window. The footage clearly showed Angelo lying unconscious for about a minute before he shook it off and stood up, brushing the dust from his clothes. Then, Kiran focused on the monitor. In the blink of an eye, the screen shattered from a silenced gunshot fired by Kiran.


    "The Pord heir has a serious split personality disorder. If that got out, it''d cause a massive scandal. No wonder the Pord patriarch has been working so hard to keep it under wraps."


    "Sir, is this Kiran a friend or foe?"


    "Seems more like a foe than a friend right now."


    Gordon took a moment before continuing, "Have Colby and the otherse back."N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content.


    "Understood."


    Once Rick left, Gordon managed to quell the unease in his chest. With James and Harold on the scene, at least Sophie wouldn''t be left to fend for herself.


    Meanwhile, Sophie slowly came to, recognizing the familiar surroundings of the room. It dawned on her she was in the Burke household.


    Next to her, a doctor was carefully tending to her injuries. Seeing Sophie awake, the doctor promptly went to inform James.


    "Her vitals are looking pretty stable for now," the doctor reported.


    James nodded, then gestured for the doctor to leave. "Thank you, you can go now."


    After the doctor exited, James stepped into Sophie''s room. Shey there with her eyes open, looking weary but alert.


    James spoke coldly, "Gordon used


    you as bait to draw us into a trap


    hoping to catch us all in trape


    one go


    Seems like you''re not that important to him."


    "Mr. Burke, are you here to kick me while I''m down, or to drive a wedge between us?"


    Sophie closed her eyes, her voice calm but tired. "If it''s the former, go ahead. I''m too exhausted to argue."


    James, unfazed by her indifference, pressed on, "Colby couldn''t save you-what a failure. Don''t you regret picking such a man?" Sophie remained silent.


    James continued bluntly, "Your life''s


    in my hands now. I decide if you live or die. Tell me where the Devonport treasure is, and maybe I''ll let you go


    Still, Sophie said nothing.


    "I''ll give you a day to think it over," James said. "I''ll be back tomorrow, same time. I hope you''ll have made a decision by then."


    With that, James turned and left the room.


    Outside, a man was waiting by the door, having overheard every word of the exchange.


    "James, you''re too soft. You need to be harsher with our enemies," the man said, his voice low and unsettling.


    "What''s the fun in killing more et


    he continued. "It''s much more satisfying to torment them first Mental anguish is far worse than any physical pain."


    James nced at the man and replied, "Here, you can drop the mask, no need to hide."