๐ฟ๐ช๐ก๐ช ๐๐๐ ๐จ๐๐๐ช๐๐ ๐ ๐๐จ๐๐, ๐ฉ๐๐ฃ๐ฉ๐๐ฃ๐ ๐จ๐๐ฅ๐๐จ๐๐ฃ๐ ๐๐ฃ๐๐ ๐ ๐๐๐๐ก ๐จ๐๐๐๐ฃ๐ ๐ฉ๐๐ง๐ฉ๐๐ฌ๐ ๐๐๐ง๐จ๐๐ข๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ฌ๐๐ ๐๐๐ง ๐๐ช๐๐๐ฃ ๐๐๐ฃ....
๐๐๐ฃ๐, ๐ฉ๐๐ฌ๐ ๐๐ฉ๐ช ๐จ๐ช๐๐๐ ๐ฅ๐ช๐๐๐ง
โขโโโโขโขโฆ โก โฆโขโขโโโโข
He was Abraham Nickol Williams. Though wrinkles now touched the corners of his eyes, the charisma of the Williams family's head remained undiminished.
His firm footsteps echoed as he entered the room, drawing the attention of James and the other young men.
Without a word, Abraham approached and pulled his granddaughter Vianca into a tight, protective embrace.
"Are you hurt anywhere, Princess?" Abraham asked. His voice was low, full of restrained concern.
"No, Grandpa," Via replied simply.
Abraham let out a heavy breath, as if tons of weight had just been lifted from his shoulders. "Thank goodness. Forgive me, my dear. I failed to protect youโleaving you alone out there." A flash of regret crossed his old eyes. He knew his business rivals had always targeted the family's weaknessโand Via was their most precious gem.
"I'm okay, Grandpa. Oh right... where is the Pretty Sister?" Via suddenly asked, glancing around with bright eyes.
"Pretty Sister?" they all echoed in unison. Maxsyn's eyebrows furrowed, while his twin Maxssyan fell silent, his gaze growing sharper by the moment.
Via nodded enthusiastically. "Yes! The Pretty Sister who helped me last night. When I was scared on that dark roadside, she came and carried me. She said she'd take me home. But... why was I here when I woke up? Where is she, Grandpa?"
A cold silence fell over the room. Vanessa spoke softly, "But Via... we only found you with Auntie Surti."
"No! I was with that Pretty Sister!" Via insisted, shaking her head fiercely, rejecting the reality her aunt had described.
Seeing his granddaughter's stubbornness, Abraham gestured to Maxssyan. "Call Auntie Surti here. Now."
It didn't take long for the head housekeeper to enter with her head bowed. Fear was clear in her movements as she faced the Williams men.
"Auntie Surti," Abraham's voice cut straight to the point, "where exactly did you find Via?"
"At the main gate, Sir," she replied trembling. "When I was taking out the trash, the Young Miss was lying there. I immediately called security to bring her inside and contacted you right away."
"Alone? No one else with her?" James pressed, his voice flat but demanding.
"No one at all, Sir. But..." Auntie Surti paused briefly, "I found a red rose and a small note near the Young Miss's hand."
Via let out a little gasp. "Where's the flower, Auntie?"
"I put it in your desk drawer, Miss."
James moved quickly. He pulled open the drawer beside the bed and found a single red roseโstrikingly vivid against the white sheets.
He handed it to Via, then picked up the remaining envelope. Slowly, James unfolded the paper inside and read the words aloud, his voice suddenly hoarse:
"'๐ ๐ฐ๐ถ๐ณ ๐ต๐ณ๐ฆ๐ข๐ด๐ถ๐ณ๐ฆ ๐ฉ๐ข๐ด ๐ฃ๐ฆ๐ฆ๐ฏ ๐ณ๐ฆ๐ต๐ถ๐ณ๐ฏ๐ฆ๐ฅ ๐ธ๐ฉ๐ฐ๐ญ๐ฆ. ๐๐ฆ๐ฏ๐ฅ ๐ฎ๐บ ๐ณ๐ฆ๐จ๐ข๐ณ๐ฅ๐ด ๐ต๐ฐ ๐ฉ๐ฆ๐ณ... ๐ข๐ฏ๐ฅ ๐ต๐ฐ ๐๐ช๐ฎ.'"
The sentence hung in the air like a curse. The warm atmosphere in the room turned suffocating in an instant. Abraham froze, his jaw tightening. The note was more than just a message of thanksโit was a warning from an unresolved past.