As soon as James stepped out of the room, Sophie finally exhaled the breath she''d been holding. She leaned back against the bed, feeling a bit lost about whaty ahead. Joseph''s arrival had definitely filled in some gaps for her. First off, Joseph had been reincarnated. Second, the Devonport treasure was somehow tied to reincarnation. Third, Joseph was the one who had killed her and Colby''s parents, and even Gordon and Harold''s parents weren''t safe from his deadly reach. And fourth...


    As she pondered the fourth revtion, a splitting headache threatened to overtake her. Joseph believed she knew the location of the Devonport treasure, but the truth was, she didn''t have a clue. Had she forgotten something crucial? Meanwhile, over at Burke Estate, Gordon was at the window, his mind wandering back to years ago when a young Sophie had dashed over and clung to his legs.


    "Brother, what are they all doing?" she''d asked.


    "They''re protecting the city," he replied.This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org.


    "Is the city in danger? Why does it need protection?"


    "There are lots of bad people who want these things. They lose their sanity and humanity over it. Our job is to keep these things hidden forever."


    Gordon snapped back to the present as the door swung open. Colby stood there, his gaze icy as he looked at Gordon in his wheelchair. "Did you do this? Did you?" Rick, standing nearby, frowned. "Mr. Colby, please watch your tone."


    "I don''t care what tricks you''re ying or what you''re thinking! I won''t let you use her as a pawn!"


    "Mr. Colby, this has nothing to do with our Sir! He didn''t even "


    "Everything can be a pawn. She won''t die; she''ll just face some hardship... Besides, with Kiran showing up, all our enemies are out in the open. Isn''t that a good thing?"


    Colby''s expression turned even


    colder at Gordon''s words. "Colby is


    it that she can''t handle the hardship,


    or is it that you can''t bear


    onee her


    suffer?"


    "I can''t stand to see her suffer, and I certainly can''t bear... anyone sending her to suffer."


    Colby''s voice was like ice. "If you''re sending her to the abyss, then I''ll go and bring her back."


    With that, Colby turned and left Gordon''s study. Gordon''s eyes darkened.


    Rick, still by his side, asked, "Sir, why didn''t you tell Mr. Colby you had no idea about this? Kiran was just a fluke-"


    "It''s fine," Gordon said, turning away. "A bit of suffering now is better than losing her lifeter. You can go."


    "Yes, Sir."


    Once Rick had gone, Gordon gazed out at the storm clouds gathering. He murmured softly, "Don''t worry... your Colby is on his way to save you."


    He knew. In this world, the only one


    ove!


    who still had the right to rescue Sophie was Colby. Only Colby could rightfully bring her back. And only Colby was the person Sophie wanted to see now more than anyone else.


    Outside, the storm raged on with bright shes of lightning and roaring thunder, rain pouring down in torrents. Watching the chaos unfold outside, Marian burst into James''s room, panic in her voice. "Sir Bea... Bea, she''s gone!"


    James jumped up, his expression turning grim. "What happened?"


    "I-I don''t know, she was perfectly fine this afternoon! But when I went back..."