The early morning air in Noveria was still and heavy, cloaked in the shadows of morning clouds, the sun still hidden behind a thick curtain of mist. The residents have yet to start the day. It was an unusually quiet morning, with the hum of anticipation filling the air.
At Davis’s bungalow, all preparations had been made. Luggage neatly packed as they are all ready for departure to country Y .
In the sitting room, Ethan sat alone, the dim light from his laptop casting a soft glow over his face. His fingers flew over the keyboard, eyes narrowing in concentration.
In the sitting room, Ethan sat quietly, typing on his laptop. He looked calm, but the screen in front of him was filled with urgent reports of the situation of things in Country Y.
Each report worse than the last, every message was like a countdown to disaster. It felt like chaos was waiting to explode. If no action was taken soon, everything might fall apart.
Situation upstairs was in stark contrast to the living room. The bedroom felt strangely still. Jessica sat on the edge of the bed, her chin resting on her palm, her eyes focused on Davis as he stood beside her, clutching his phone hard and pressed to his ear.
His face was cold, his jaw clenched tight, eyes dark and unreadable as he listened to the caller on the other end without uttering any word.
"Thank you," he finally murmured before the line went dead, lowering the phone slowly, his gaze distant and bone-chilling in its silence. A storm was raging inside him.
Jessica, watching him with silent empathy, reached out and gently took his hand. "Davis... calm down," she whispered, her voice soft and steady. "We’re leaving Noveria today. You’re returning to Country Y. This time, fair and square. So you can still handle whatever trouble it is."
His eyes flickered with a glint of purpose. "Yes," he repeated to himself, more firmly. "Fair and square."
"What happened?" she asked gently.
Davis drew in a deep breath, his eyes locking onto hers. "My parents didn’t die by accident. It was planned—by someone close. Some evidence has surfaced, and we’ve caught a few of the culprits."
Jessica’s breath caught for a moment. But then, she offered him a calm, reassuring smile, patting the back of his hand.
"Then, it’s good. When we get back then we can look into the situation and handle them appropriately. Then, make sure to tie up the loose ends, and we’ll build something new from the ashes. Okay?"
He nodded, pulled her into a brief hug, pressed a kiss to her forehead.
Taking a deep breath, he slowly settles down in his wheelchair to exit the bedroom. With practiced ease, he wheeled himself toward the door and out of the room.
Jessica lingered briefly, casting one last look around the room, committing its arrangement to memory with a sigh. Then she stepped out, locked the door behind her, and tucked the key away.
As they joined the rest downstairs, Alex stood awkwardly by the entrance. Despite the hangover from the previous night, his eyes were sharp.
His eyes flickered to Jessica as she strolled downstairs, her handbag in her hand, a wave of emotions crossing his face—confusion, longing, jealousy, and something deeper that he didn’t want to acknowledge anymore. The woman he couldn’t reach. The woman slipping further away.
As he watched her walk beside Davis, he felt in his chest tightening painfully. His gaze trailed to Jessica, standing beside Davis.
Just then, the sound of a car outside turned heads. Moments later, the door swung open, and Becky stormed in, breathless. ". "Thank God I made it," she said, throwing her arms around Jessica wrapping her in a tight a hug.
Jessica chuckled, pulling away. "Don’t forget our deal," she teased with a playful grin.
Becky gave her a mischievous smile. "This year? It’s going to be amazing, it will be the best year ever in your fashion week."Becky said with a playful snicker.
But the tension lingered. Alex hadn’t stopped looking at Jessica, Davis felt uncomfortable from his stare but he braced himself to endure it for a while till they depart.
Jessica glanced at Alex again. Though he greeted everyone politely, his eyes never left her. She took Becky’s hand and led her to him.
"Alex, she’s new here. Can you take care of her for me?" she said with a soft smile.

At the airport, the group was greeted by hostesses. Moments later, their plane left Noveria.
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