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 Ableson and Scarlett to the

Lockwood Hospital.

Scarlett had been hospitalized, she and James hurried there to

hospital and headed straight for the

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

frowning. "And the man with her he

sniffling from her cold. "Let's go, Mom. Why do you even care what

look. "Ever since Stewart dumped Briony, the old lady's been thrilled-she's even given us 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 you think

don't say anything!" Ottilie

from her forever." Melody grabbed Ottilie's hand. "That old woman's always keeping tabs on Briony, even if she pretends not to care! Come on, let's see

Ottilie got dragged along, trailing behind Briony and

room, Briony raised her

Ableson answered the door.

Joyner," Briony greeted politely. "I've come

worn out, but he nodded

after

room was heavy with

crept closer, trying not to draw

from crying. When she saw Briony, fresh tears welled up. "Bryn, what are we going to do? What will happen

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