The next morning dawned bleak and heavy with rain, the gray skies mirroring Bella's despondent mood. The events of the previous night weighed heavily on her, sapping her of any enthusiasm she might have had. She sat slumped at her worktable, staring blankly at the empty page before her. The pencil beside the drawing board lay untouched.
Meanwhile, Theodore was in the study, focused on his work. The ringing of his phone interrupted him, and he quickly answered. It was Hugo, delivering news that made Theodore's jaw tighten with resolve.
"They were trying to escape the country, but we picked them up," Hugo reported with a note of satisfaction in his voice. "Are you coming?"
"I'll be there shortly," Theodore responded, his voice steely. The thought of those men trying to flee only fueled his anger. He was determined to face them himself, to extract the truth about who had sent them.
