CHAPTER 62: A DEBT IN BLOOD

The sun had already climbed high overhead, but Lyra didn’t realize it. She was still lost in her dreams when the nonstop ringing came from the bag beside her.

Lyra slowly opened her eyes halfway and fumbled toward the bag.

"Hello..." she murmured, already drifting back toward sleep.

"Where are you?" Pearl’s voice came from the other end of the line. She had come home from work that morning and gone straight to bed to rest.

When she later woke up and realized Lyra wasn’t there, she started to worry because there was no note left behind. That was why she called.

"Lyra? Are you there?" Pearl asked, her voice turning puzzled when Lyra suddenly went quiet.

Before Lyra could respond, Rowan grabbed the phone from her hand.

"Lyra is still asleep. Call back later," he said quietly before ending the call.

He set the phone aside, then slipped his arm around her waist and slowly pulled her closer to him.

The earlier noise had pulled him from sleep, stirring a restless hunger within him.

"Come here." His hands began to roam over her body.

But Lyra gently pushed his hand aside.

"Rowan, take a break. You need to rest too," she murmured.

"No, it’s not over yet. I haven’t even finished using the toys."

Lyra quickly tugged the blanket up, shielding herself.

"Then... continue at home. I want to sleep now."

Rowan lifted a brow, that’s an interesting idea.

But Lyra didn’t realize what she had just promised. She only cared that she might finally get some sleep.

Rowan left the bed with a smile as he went to freshen up.

He decided to return to apartment while Lyra was still asleep.

He didn’t want her to know he had been watching her for the past three days, so he made sure everything was cleaned up before left.

Hours later, Lyra finally woke. Her stomach was growling with hunger. She tried to sit up, but collapsed back onto the bed.

Lyra glanced around the room, but there was no sign of Rowan.

She grabbed her phone and called him. "Where are you?" she asked weakly. "I can’t even get up."

Lyra heard him chuckle softly on the line. "Hang on," Rowan replied. "I’m coming now."

Then Lyra remembered, she hadn’t told Pearl she was with Rowan. She immediately tapped the screen and called back.

The call barely rang once before Pearl’s voice exploded through the line.

"Who are you with? Where are you?"

Lyra held the phone away from her ear, wincing. Only after the yelling finally stopped did she raise it back to her ear.

"Sorry, I forgot to tell you. Rowan came over last night," Lyra replied lazily as she yawn.

"Rowan? You mean that rough voice earlier is your husband?" Pearl’s voice sounded excited on the line.

Lyra blinked in confusion. "What do you mean?"

"I called you earlier. A man answered."

Lyra’s eyes widened. "Really? When did..."

She tried to recall it but failed. "Ah, forget it. I must be exhausted. I can’t even get up."

Pearl knew exactly what Lyra meant by exhausted.

"Wow, a rough night." Pearl giggled. "Don’t forget to bring him home later. I’ll be waiting, okay? Bye."

Just like that, Pearl hung up.

Not long after that, the five of them were seated together at a table in the hotel restaurant.

"Rowan, these are my friends. Pearl and Martin," Lyra said.

"Guys, this is my husband, Rowan, and this is Kane..."

"...Kane Prince, the prince charming," Kane cut in with a grin, flashing Pearl a bright smile.

"Hello, gorgeous. Nice to meet you."

He plucked a flower from a nearby vase and offered it to Pearl.

"Oh, thank you," Pearl said as she took the flower, blinking several times in surprise.

"How did you know I like this flower?" she asked.

Kane froze for a moment, clearly caught off guard, then finally admitted it with a grin.

"I have a strong instinct, my lady," he said with a wink.

Lyra quickly pulled her friend away from Kane the Casanova before she became his next prey.

Just then, the server brought their food, and they began to eat while chatting comfortably.

With Rowan present, Martin brought up the dark web and told him that Lyra’s name kept showing up in the searches.

"You weren’t aware of this?" Martin asked in confusion. He still couldn’t understand how Rowan, the expert, had been completely excluded from it.

"I think they deliberately blocked you from that server," Martin added, only guessing, but Rowan agreed.

"If the server is based in another country, that would explain it. I’ll have to look into it," Rowan said before turning to Lyra.

"Don’t wander around alone. Make sure Martin is always with you."

Lyra pretended not to hear him. She stabbed at her food and continued eating. After all, he was the one who had made her leave the house in the first place.

After the meal, Rowan insisted Lyra return with him. Staying outside Mistvale for too long was too risky.

Pearl went with them to the airport to say goodbye to Lyra.

They hugged tightly, unsure of when they would meet again. Their eyes were red with tears at the farewell.

"Don’t forget to visit Mistvale."

"I will. I’ll let you know when I’m coming," Pearl replied, sniffling as her nose tingled from tears.

They slowly pulled apart, and Pearl turned to Rowan.

"Please take good care of her," she said, bowing slightly. Rowan returned the bow.

The four of them then headed for Rowan’s private jet and from a distance, Pearl waved again and again until they disappeared from sight.

Once Lyra was gone, Pearl’s world grew quiet again.

...

Dante stood inside one of the rooms in his casino which the atmosphere heavy with tension.

His hand was wrapped in a cloth stained with blood, though none of it was his.

Two men were tied up in front of him, their hands and feet bound. Their faces were bruised and swollen from the beating they had taken.

"I told you to keep your eyes on her," he snapped, rage burning in his voice. It had been five days with no news of Lyra.