Chapter 233

Three days passed, and the search and rescue teams had found nothing. Both the rescue squads and the police had done everything they could.

"We've searched the mountain, the woods, and the entire length of the river downstream. There's nowhere left to check," the team leader reported, his expression grim as he debriefed Cedric Clarke at the rescue base camp.

Earlier that afternoon, Quentin had already taken the rest of the medical staff back to the hospital.

But Cedric Clarke refused to give up hope.

The team leader looked troubled. "In our experience, if no one turns up

downstream, chances are they were buried by the landslide."

"That's not possible..." Cedric shook his head, unwilling to accept it.

"There's one other possibility," the leader offered, "Someone might have found her downstream and taken her away before we got there."

Cedric's face was haggard-he hadn't slept for three days and nights. He set his jaw. "Then widen the search along the river. We keep looking until we find her- alive or... not. If we still find nothing, we dig up that landslide. No one leaves until Stella is found. That's final."

The team leader hesitated, but a job was a job. If the client insisted, he had no choice but to order his team to continue.

It wasn't until the second day after Stella went missing that her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Joyner, received the call.

Ableson and Scarlett Joyner rushed straight to the mountains, staying at the site for a day and a night. By the following afternoon, the strain became too much for Scarlett-she collapsed from exhaustion and grief.

to take both Ableson and Scarlett to the

Lockwood Hospital.

Scarlett had been hospitalized, she and

headed

finished picking up medication for her daughter, Ottilie Kensington. As she turned around, she

Melody paused, frowning. "And the man with her he looks quite charming. Is that her new

I know?" Ottilie grumbled, sniffling from her cold. "Let's go, Mom. Why do you even care what Briony's up

even given us more allowance these past few months! But if Briony gets herself a well-off

just don't say anything!" Ottilie

Ottilie's hand. "That old woman's always keeping tabs on Briony, even if she pretends not to care! Come

got dragged along, trailing behind

Briony raised

Ableson answered the door.

politely. "I've come

utterly worn out, but he nodded and stepped aside to

after a

room was heavy

Melody and Ottilie crept closer, trying

she saw Briony, fresh tears welled up. "Bryn, what are we going to

burned, her nose stinging with

But you need to take

raining out there. Star's all alone in that desolate place-she must be so frightened..." Scarlett's voice broke,

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