bChapter /bb218 /b

The little girl in the photo had bright, sparkling eyes and a beaming smile, so adorable that bit by bit, she merged with the girl in his memories.

So many years had passed–Frank’s recollection of that child’s face had long since grown hazy.

Yet right now, in this moment, the girl in the picture ovepped perfectly with the one from his past.

What’s more, the photo itself struck him as oddly familiar.

He was certain he’d seen it somewhere before.

When he noticed Elissa’s gaze drifting in his direction, Frank, afraid she’d realize he was searching for someone else, instinctively tucked his phone away and cleared his throat. “I-”

“You probably have something urgent to take care of, don’t you?” Elissa caught the impatience in his

demeanor and offered him an out.

Frank was, in fact, itching to confirm where he’d seen that photo before. “Yeah, I do need to handle something,” he admitted.

“Then go ahead,” Elissa said.

Frank nced warily at Cliff, who stood beside her, but after weighing his options, he nodded. “Alright, I really do have to run.”

Once Elissa gave her consent, Frank strode toward the elevators, every step betraying his anxious

urgency.

He barely waited for the car door to close before dialing Bernard. “I know I’ve seen this photo somewhere before,” he blurted out as soon as the call connected.

He stared at the image, feeling more and more certain–the girl looked so familiar. Not just from the scattered encounters in Cresthaven years ago. No, this was a deeper familiarity, as if the answer were right on the tip of his tongue.

Frank’s voice was tense, tinged with frustration. “Dig into that photo. Track down every possible lead–don’t miss a single detail.”

“Yes, Mr. Atwater,” Bernard replied crisply.

Frank took a steadying breath, then asked in a low, measured voice, “Last time, Marcia said the person who adopted little Nine was from Vistapeak City. How’s your search going on that front?”

“Still working on it,” Bernard reported. “I’m starting with the old–money families who might have had ties to the drug trade. That narrows things down, but it’ll still take some time.”

Vistapeak was home to its fair share of wealthy families, but only a handful had ever brushed up against the narcotics business. Investigating from this angle might save them some legwork.

Still, adoptions weren’t something most families advertised, and confirming them meant a lot of quiet digging. Plus, these families were experts at covering their tracks; evidence didn’t just vanish by ident.

18:02

Frank nodded. “Make it fast.”

After hanging up, he instructed the driver to head out, then immediately ced another call.

“Did you arrange for Marcia to join the pharmaceutical project?” he demanded as soon as the line

connected.

Of all people, his mother was the most likely to have meddled.

Carm, unfazed by his pointed tone, denied it without missing a beat. “What project? I haven’t heard. a thing. Why would I get involved?”

Frank didn’t believe a word. His brow furrowed. “You’d better tell her to stay out of this. My patience is running thin.”

He’d let Marcia off the hook once, for the sake of his brother and Hickey Atwater, but there wouldn’t

be a second time.

After Frank left, Elissa packed up her things in theb and headed home to Vistapeak Gardens.

Rowan hadn’t been back since New Year’s, and Elissa had secretly hoped he’d finally grown tired of the ordinary apartments here and decided to return to his grand mansion. The thought alone brought her a quiet sense of relief.

Living across the hall from him, that whole contract ordeal had hung over her like a curse.

Now that Rowan had supposedly moved back to Rivercross Residence, she could finally breathe

easy.

She was even humming to herself as she stepped out of the elevator.

“Well, someone’s in a igood /iimood /itonight. Did you know I’d being back?”

She hadn’t even reached her front door when a smooth, rich voice sounded behind her, stopping her

in her tracks. The cheerful itune /icaught in her throat.

She hadn’t expected Rowan to return iso /isuddenly, without the slightest warning.

No wonder she hadn’t nced to the left when the elevator doors opened.

bChapter /bb219 /b