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.

for someone to take both

Lockwood Hospital.

been hospitalized, she and James

headed

medication for her daughter, Ottilie Kensington. As

with her he looks quite charming. Is that

"Let's go, Mom. Why do you

more allowance these past few months! But if Briony gets herself a well-off boyfriend and the old lady finds out, she'll be furious. And when she's in a bad mood, do

don't say anything!" Ottilie rolled

woman's always keeping tabs

protests, Ottilie got dragged

hospital room, Briony raised her hand

Ableson answered the door.

"I've come to

nodded and stepped aside

entered, James following after a brief

was heavy with

Ottilie crept closer, trying not

Briony, fresh tears welled up. "Bryn, what are

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