Rebirth Into My Second Chance

I had to find Richard. But my spirit was fading fast, my upper half almost dissolving into thin air. Was I about to vanish from this world, never to uncover the final truth or witness the day they cleared my name?

'Richard, where are you? Can you come to me, please? I'm fading away.' I muttered to myself. 'Please don't risk yourself for me again, okay? You already spent time behind bars because of Claude's scheme. It was all for me. You shouldn't ruin your life a second time for me!'

It seemed all I could do was cry. I really couldn't do anything else. I stayed at the police station, watching them pore over surveillance footage, waiting for Richard to make another threatening call. But Richard never called.

Claude even showed up at the station, pacing back and forth. He never seemed this worried when I went missing. But when Kate got kidnapped, he was in a frenzy. Suddenly, I wanted to see how far Claude would go for Kate.

"It's been twelve hours. How much time did the kidnapper give you?" Ronald asked Claude.

"Just twelve hours," Claude replied with a frown.

Ronald muttered a curse, then said, "Let's wait a bit more for the kidnapper to ring up."

But Claude got anxious and stood up, saying to Ronald, "Let's hold a press conference now. Tell the kidnapper I'll do as he asks. Otherwise, Kate's grandma might fear the worst."

Ronald's forehead twitched with irritation, and he scoffed, "Your reaction is unusual. Your wife, Claire Floyd, has been missing for days, and you're calm. But the moment your first love is in trouble, you panic."

Claude's face darkened with anger. "Mr. Collins, I've told you. Kate is kind-hearted, while Claire is cunning and willing to do anything to achieve her goals. You see now what she's capable of. She's kidnapped Kate and is trying to ruin her reputation!"

Ronald didn't respond but signaled to a junior detective, who went off to arrange for some journalists for the press conference.

comments you just made, in case you

Claude snorted in acknowledgment.

seemed I could only watch from the sidelines. But I was more worried about Richard getting into trouble because I couldn't think

My parents were always away, protecting Claude, so they were hardly ever home. They were close with the orphanage director, and since Richard and

the orphanage, I was happy,

well taken care of and gave me the best of everything, though, Ke often said those were originally donations from my

taught us moral values. So, it wasn't as

parents died, the

provide any

giving some

my parents' ashes, saying I was too young to know what to do with them. So, I'd never visited

detective novels, speculating, "What if the Hart family was guilty all along? What if your parents didn't die in a car accident

was too young

said, "Your parents' work was confidential.

everyone assumed were bodyguards of the Hart family, died protecting Claude, the director

the moment, I

life had been

parents died. Everything