Ruben sighed and nodded. “Alright. Let me know what you find.” With that, he turned and left.

Once Ruben was gone, Bertram addressed the others still lingering in the room. “Alright, the show’s over. Get back to your business.”

The small crowd scattered.

Once alone with Bertram, Jeff raised his eyes, voice tight with worry. “Dad… What’s really wrong with Jason?”

Bertram’s mask slipped. “Jason’s in trouble. Big trouble. You stay here and watch your mother. I’m going to find out what’s going on. And not a word of this to anyone.”

Jeff gave a sharp nod. “I understand.” Though young and once reckless, his time with Elliana had steadied him. He could be trusted now.

Bertram hurried into the study, shut the door with a slam, and dialed Cole’s number.

Far away, Cole hadn’t returned to Ublento since leaving Beakcliff. He had gathered a team of professional rescuers and was planning the search for Taylor through the night.

The forest below the cliff was a death trap. No one who’d entered ever made it out. A fall from that height left no chance of survival. Yet Cole still pressed forward. Even if all they found was a piece of Taylor — or just torn clothing — it would be something. This text is hosted at Find~Novel.net

Throughout all this, Elliana had stayed by his side. Cole had urged her to rest, but she refused. How could she possibly sleep now?

They were deep in discussion when Cole’s phone buzzed with Jason’s message.

Fear twisted in Cole’s stomach upon reading the content. He immediately called Jason back, but just like Ruben, he was met with an endless, unanswered ring.

Elliana, reading over Cole’s shoulder, caught sight of the message. While he was still frowning in confusion, her fingers were already flying across her own screen, hacking a trace on Jason’s phone.

Your favorite stories are on g?lnσνes?c?m

Jason’s phone was heavily encrypted, but for a hacker of Elliana’s caliber, it was only a matter of moments.

When the location flashed on her screen, the color drained from her face. She grabbed Cole’s arm. “Cole. Look.”

Cole’s eyes fell on the coordinates, and his breath caught. Jason’s phone was at the bottom of Beakcliff. Jason was sharp and careful. He would never be separated from his phone — not unless he was incapacitated.

With the strange message and the location together, the brutal truth struck Cole and Elliana like a hammer.

The terrible truth had finally come to light — Jason had likely somehow discovered that the chip controlling Taylor’s mind and the deadly attack on Cole during the concert had something to do with Irene.

Consumed by overwhelming guilt about Taylor being commanded to leap from the cliff under the chip’s influence, Jason had believed the only way to make amends for his mother’s terrible crimes was to sacrifice his own life.

The fact that Jason’s phone was now traced to the bottom of that same cliff seemed to confirm the worst: he had jumped.

.

.

.