Kaden’s expression darkened further. "I’ll ask again. Where did Wren go?"

"You don’t know yet, do you, Mr. Xavier? Wren has already resigned. She’s long gone from the hospital."

"Resigned?!" Kaden was in disbelief.

He had imagined countless ways he might confront Wren on his way over, but not one of them involved her resigning from the hospital.

’So, her disappearance wasn’t just a spur-of-the-moment decision. It was premeditated!’

’So, has she really decided to never see me again?’

’No. I won’t allow it.’

Kaden released Mason Shaw’s collar and stormed away in a frustrated huff.

Mason Shaw stood his ground, a flicker of satisfaction crossing his face as he watched Kaden’s indignant figure retreat into the distance.

’Did you see that, Dr. Wynter?’

’He’s regretting it.’

’Even a titan of the business world like the great Mr. Xavier is just a blind idiot if he can’t cherish a wonderful woman like Wren.’

...

「Moonwater Villa」

Julian Hawthorne was soaking up the sun in the courtyard, with Linda Lynch reading quietly beside him.

KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK—

The doorbell rang. Linda Lynch rose and went to the door.

"Who is it?"

"Kaden Xavier." Kaden stood outside, his posture ramrod straight.

This was the first time he had taken the initiative to visit Wren’s mentor.

Wren’s parents were both dead, so he knew how important Julian Hawthorne was to her.

Which meant he absolutely had to know where Wren had gone.

Inside, Linda Lynch froze for a second upon hearing the voice, then turned to look at Julian Hawthorne.

"Don’t see him! Tell him to get lost!" Julian Hawthorne roared, his anger spilling over.

"My dear, why must you be this way..."

Linda Lynch remained at the entrance, torn between opening the door and leaving it shut.

"He’s lucky I’m not chasing him off with a stick. Stay out of this. Go on and rest. I’ll handle it."

He hadn’t liked Kaden since the day Wren decided to marry him.

And now that Kaden had trampled all over Wren’s heart, he despised him even more.

Linda Lynch sighed. Looking up at the dark clouds gathering overhead, she warned, "Don’t go too far. It’s about to rain. There’s a limit to how you should act, even when you’re angry."

"I know, I know. Don’t you trust me to handle things?"

Julian Hawthorne waved his hand impatiently. ’Kaden must be here to ask where Wren went,’ he thought.

Hearing the sounds from within, Kaden called out from outside the door, "Elder Hawthorne, I have something to ask you."

Julian Hawthorne pretended not to hear, continuing to lounge in his rocking chair.

There was no response. Kaden understood that Julian Hawthorne was deliberately ignoring him.

However, Elder Hawthorne’s attitude was proof that he knew where Wren was.

Undeterred, Kaden stood firmly outside Moonwater Villa, his gaze resolute. He wasn’t leaving.

An hour later, the sky was thick with dark clouds, and the rain came down in sheets.

Linda Lynch saw Kaden on the security monitor inside, soaked to the bone.

"My dear, he’s still there."

"Let him!" Julian Hawthorne snapped.

But Linda, who knew his temper well, could hear that he was already starting to soften. It was a sign he was wavering.

Another hour later.

"Elder Hawthorne, I have a favor to ask! Please, I beg you, grant me a meeting."

Kaden’s voice rang out, carrying through the air at intervals.

Julian Hawthorne stood just inside the door, his brow furrowed and his expression icy.

"Hmph. I suppose you’re at least somewhat sincere." Julian Hawthorne opened the door, glanced at the drenched Kaden, and said coldly, "Get in."

Joy flashed across Kaden’s face as he quickly followed him in.

Linda Lynch handed him a dry towel. "Don’t be angry with him," she said softly. "That’s just the way he is."

Kaden took the towel from Linda. "I’m the one asking Elder Hawthorne for a favor today. And I’m the one who wronged Wren. If I couldn’t even pass a simple test like this, there would’ve been no point in me coming here at all."

"Let me get you a change of clothes. Go get cleaned up so you don’t catch a cold."

Kaden nodded, followed Linda to a room, and went inside to take a hot shower.

When he came out, he found a new set of clothes lying on the bed.

After he got dressed, he heard a voice from outside the door.

"Let’s go." It was Leo Crowe.

Kaden followed Leo Crowe to the living room.

In addition to Julian Hawthorne and Linda Lynch, several of Wren’s other fellow apprentices were there.

Kaden gave the room a quick scan. Aside from Ho-ran Park, whom he recognized, he had only met the other two once before.

Julian Hawthorne scoffed when he saw him. "Alright, spit it out," he said coldly. "Why are you here?"

Kaden Xavier got straight to the point: "I want to know where Wren went."

Julian Hawthorne raised his gaze, his aged eyes glinting with a profound depth. "And what makes you think I’ll tell you?"

"I believe you want her by your side as well, Elder Hawthorne." Kaden recalled Butler Chandler telling him Wren had gone far away. "I want to bring her back."

"On your own?" Julian Hawthorne scoffed, tossing a form onto the table. "She applied to join Doctors Without Borders."

Kaden’s heart sank upon hearing this.

’Doctors Without Borders?’

’She left the country?’

’And to do such dangerous work, of all things.’

"Which country?"

"Aferia."

"What?"

Kaden froze on the spot.

Aferia was engulfed in war. Stray bullets flew, casualties were staggering, and the daily news from the region was a litany of international tragedies.

’Does she have a death wish?’

"Why would you let her go somewhere so dangerous!" Kaden couldn’t stop himself from roaring.

"Kaden Xavier, this isn’t your Xavier estate. It is not your place to question me." Julian Hawthorne’s brow furrowed in displeasure. "I’ve already spoken to the person in charge at the International Medical Association. A major war recently broke out between Aferia and the Leittan Nations. They’re desperate for medical staff, and she volunteered for the assignment."

Kaden fell silent, his hands trembling uncontrollably.

He was a pilot, and his inside information was always reliable. 𝑓𝑟𝑒𝘦𝓌𝑒𝑏𝑛𝑜𝘷𝑒𝘭.𝒸𝘰𝑚

Just last night, a message came from the control tower: the flight to Aferia was hit by an enemy artillery strike after landing. The entire plane was blown to smithereens.

Of the thirty-four people on board, many died and many were injured. Exactly half of them were killed. Of the survivors, some had lost arms or legs, while others were severely wounded and comatose, their lives hanging in the balance.

He hadn’t paid it much mind at the time, merely instructing his people to handle it and arrange for compensation for the pilot and crew. He never dreamed Wren would have been on that plane.

"Was that yesterday?" Kaden finally found his voice, struggling to maintain his composure.

Seeing his face drain of all color, Linda Lynch tried to console him. "Don’t you worry. Our Second Brother is there. He’ll look after Wren."

"That’s right. Look at you, so scared. And here I thought you were a man who could handle responsibility. Turns out you’re just a coward," Leif Shaw sneered, curling his lip in disdain.

Only Ho-ran Park and Leo Crowe felt that something was wrong.

Kaden Xavier ran a massive corporation. How could he possibly be scared witless over something like this?

Something wasn’t adding up.

Ho-ran Park frowned and, for the first time, spoke to Kaden Xavier in a relatively mild tone.

"Mr. Xavier, do you sense something is wrong?"

Kaden turned his head stiffly, his knuckles white, his throat dry.

"The tower got a message yesterday," he said. "The flight to Aferia... it was attacked by enemy forces after it landed. Casualties were catastrophic."

"Are you saying... Wren was on that plane?"