Elsie was devastated. She didn't know what to do. She went to the Russell brothers' villa estate and insisted on waiting by the gate. Unknown to her, the Russell men were seriously busy searching for Lilian, cutting down every shield Perry Jerome had built. Until ten in the evening, none of the Russell brothers appeared.
Elsie turned to the security men. She noticed that the inhumane guards from earlier had been replaced—two new faces had joined the two who resumed duty around four in the evening.
She walked up to them, pleading almost on her knees. "Please, it's about life and death. Just tell Mr. Derek Russell it's about Lilian. If he don't want to see me, I'll go."
The two guards who had been there since morning discussed how she had been waiting since six a.m. They felt pity for her and dialed the Russell villa's phone number.
On the other end, panic erupted as soon as they mentioned "Miss Asienwegher." The guards looked at Elsie in surprise and handed her the phone.
Elsie was taken aback when she heard Derek's charming, cold baritone voice. Though calm, tension laced every syllable.
"Hello, Miss Clinton. What do you want to tell me about Lily?"
Elsie didn't hesitate. "Mr. Russell, it's not something we can talk about over the phone."
Silence fell on both ends for a few moments. Then Derek sighed. His voice followed, seductive yet strained. "Send the address where—"
Elsie quickly cut him off. "Let's meet at the Luxurious Goods and Jewelry Company."
Derek nodded. "Alright. Let's meet there in five hours."
---
Elsie thanked the security men and rushed to her Ferrari 250 GTO. She drove through the dark night until two in the morning, finally arriving at the company and honking at the gate.
The security guards were surprised to see her at such an hour. Rumors had spread that both the CEO and her assistant were missing. But the next morning, the assistant had returned, while the CEO remained absent.
Not long after, Cayden and his assistant Xander Campbell arrived at the company. They followed Elsie into Lilian's office, looking at her curiously.
Cayden's piercing eyes fixed on her. "Miss Clinton, what did Lily ask you to tell me?"
Elsie calmly handed him a small folded piece of paper. "This."
---
Cayden curiously unfolded the paper, frowning slightly as he turned it over. He looked at Elsie. "And what does this mean?"
Elsie shook her head, sniffing back a sob. "We didn't have a chance to communicate. She secretly pushed this—" she pointed to the paper "—into my dress. When I read it, that's what she wrote."
Xander glanced at the content. It read: Please give this to Derek.
His frown deepened as he turned the paper over. "What is this?"
The others leaned closer, staring at the ugly drawing on the paper.
Cayden studied it carefully, then glanced at Lilian's chair. Elsie's eyes lit up as she lookee at Cayden curiously, "Could it be that Lilian was trying to draw a chair?"
Suddenly, Xander exclaimed, "These are armrests of a chair!" He frowned. "But what does it mean?"
Cayden, studying quietly, suddenly strode to Lilian's chair and began searching.
Soon, he pulled out another piece of paper with a rushed note. He quickly read it:
Derek, please save me! If you can save me this time, I promise to do anything you want, as long as it's not against the law. If you're still interested in me, I will even agree to marry you. I'll kill myself if you can't save me from Perry's hands.
---
Cayden's heart broke. He clutched his chest painfully, gasping for air.
Fury consumed him. He looked at Xander, his voice trembling with rage. "Assistant Campbell…"
Xander felt the seething fury emanating from his alpha. He shivered, answering quickly, "Yes, Mr. Russell. What can I do for you?"
Cayden's tone was calm but deadly. "It seems Morgan Jerome has been enjoying too much leisure time. Why don't you keep him very busy this time?"
Xander nodded respectfully. "I'll get into it right away."
Cayden turned to Elsie. "Miss Clinton, don't worry about Lily. I promise I will find her and bring her back."
Elsie nodded, her voice trembling. "Lilian and I are counting on you, Mr. Russell."
She watched them walk out of the office. Exhausted, she entered Lilian's resting room, washed up, and finally lay down. It was already a few minutes to four a.m. when she fell asleep.
---
Meanwhile, in Avaldos Country, a serious protest erupted early that morning. Shocking, disgusting, and painful video clips had been released—exposing Perry Jerome's devious and inhumane activities.
The first video showed a family of five. The father had taken a loan from Perry's organization to save his wife's life but couldn't repay it. Perry turned the entire family into slaves, forcing them to work on his farms. He also slept with the man's two daughters, keeping them in his brothel.
Other clips revealed the devastating effects of the drugs produced by Perry's organization. Teenagers and adults alike had gone insane. Some had died. Others lay in psychiatric wards. Many times, Perry's men were arrested, but higher authorities always called for their release.
The most painful video was of a nineteen‑year‑old university belle reported missing eleven months ago. She had been sold to an ugly man who assaulted her, then forced her to sleep with a horse. She died in the act.
Another clip showed a twenty‑three‑year‑old woman sent into a drug addict's room. The addict had an abnormally large body and tortured her all night. Her heart‑wrenching screams pierced the night until her voice faded. She was carried out bleeding, seemingly lifeless.