I ran like a maniac toward where the helicopter was landing. The cabin door opened, and Helena stepped down the stairs slowly. My heart slammed in my chest, but before I could call out, a hand clamped down over my mouth.

Then, my hair was yanked violently.

"You little punk! How dare you hit me? You've got a death wish!"

It was the man I had just struck in the head. He had chased me down.

Jasper, who had been waiting respectfully to welcome Helena, noticed the commotion. He frowned and glanced over, shaking his head at the man silently.

The man immediately dragged me behind a wall.

Not far away, Helena had reached the ground. She looked exhausted, worry written plainly across her face.

Jasper hurried forward, reporting, "Ms. Cook, we've pulled all the surveillance as you instructed. We'll find a lead on Mr. Jones."

"Let's go to the surveillance room."

Helena strode forward, with only a wall between us. Then, she stopped and clenched her fists.

"Zachary, you have to be alright."

When she said those words, it was as if she were speaking to me—and also to herself.

Tears and blood smeared my face. She was so close, but I couldn't make a sound.

In the end, I was locked in the isolation room again.

To keep me from escaping, they restrained my arms, bound my legs, and stuffed my mouth with a cloth once more.

For days, Helena didn't appear.

The underground casino was dark. On top of that, in the days I spent here with Sabrina, she had left me in the hotel, never letting me out. The surveillance cameras likely never caught my face.

I was starting to lose hope.

Then, one morning, I heard hurried footsteps and Helena's voice.

"Ms. Cook, how can you be sure that's Mr. Jones just from a silhouette? Are you certain you're not mistaken? He's just a pawn left here to pay off a debt," someone said.

"Stop asking nonsense. Where is he locked up?"

Helena's voice was tinged with panic.

"I-In the isolation room ahead."

She recognized me!

Hope surged within me once more, and I tried to let out a muffled cry to get her attention.

But the footsteps halted ten steps from where I was.

"Ms. Cook, I just confirmed with Mr. Jones' fiancee. She says he's already returned to the country. He isn't missing."

It was Helena's assistant speaking.

"Where is his signal location?" Helena asked.

"Also in the country. The record shows he returned three days ago. It only syncs now because of signal issues."

Helena had set up tracking on my phone, and Sabrina took it when she left with Charlie. Now, she was trying to use the signal to mislead Helena.

Jasper then said respectfully, "Ms. Cook, I think you must be mistaken. How could the man in there be Mr. Jones?"

Helena quickly instructed her assistant, "Contact the pilot immediately. Prepare to return. I must see Zachary with my own eyes."

"Understood, Ms. Cook."

The moment I heard Helena start to leave, I unhesitatingly slammed my head hard into the iron door of the isolation room.

A loud bang rang out.

Helena froze in her tracks. Her voice turned cold. "Who's locked in there?"