Chapter 11
When Howard kicked open the iron door of the basement, the smell of mustiness hit him in the face.
The moonlight streamed in through the high small window, illuminating a dark pool of blood on the ground, mixed with torn chains. He crouched down, running his fingertips over the half–dried bloodstains.
“Where are the people?”
“Yesterday, last night, I broke free from the chains and ran away…”
“Snapped?”
Howard sneered and raised the broken clasp.
“This is the toughest buclde I imported from overseas, do you think I’m blind?”
Sweat dripped from his forehead
“It was really her own…”
Howard suddenly grabbed his throat and pressed him against the wall, the back of his head making a dull sound
“Where is everyone for the last time?
The gunshot made the iron gate buzz, Howard threw off the limp body, turned his head and shouted at his subordinates who rushed over at the sound, “Search the whole city! Dig three feet into the ground and find it for me!”
Howard stared at the blurry footage captured from the warehouse dock on his phone, which didn’t look anything like the seriously injured Victoria. He impatiently loosened his tie
“Still haven’t found it?”
He loosened his the, his voice tinged with anger.
His subordinates lowered their heads and said, “All transportation hubs have been checked, and there is no record of departure…”
“Keep looking”
“Alive to see people, dead to see corpses.”
“Howard!”
The sweet and mellow voice came from behind, Beatrice wearing a light yellow dress, fluttered onto his back like a butterfly.
“You’re finally back! Shall we go to Disney? There’s a new themed area opened
Howard frowned and discreetly avoided her touch.
sob
I’ve been so busy lately, Beatrice. How about next time…”
“But you promised me.
Beatrice’s eyes immediately turned red, grabbing his sleeve and shaking it.
“Victoria is not b
there,
e, you don’t play with me anymore…
Upon hearing that name, Howard’s temples suddenly throbbed.
He stared into Beatrice’s watery eyes and remembered how Victoria looked the first time she went on a mission with him. The woman was clearly trembling with fear, but she tried to put on a cold demeanor. However, when she saw the body, she immediately vomited and passed out.
Howard rubbed his brow.
The crowd at Disney overwhelmed Howard.
Beatrice Insisted on riding the carousel, waiting In line for forty minutes just to
those ninety seconds of childish spinning
Howard said he would buy her a fast pass, but she shook her head and rotused, saying “it’s more fun to wait in line.”
With the music started playing, Howard watched as Beatrice waved her hands in front of him, but in his mind, he saw Victoria’s disdantul expression. “What’s the point of these things that k
kich play with?”
In the memory, Victoria was smoking and potated to the roller coaster in the distance,
“If you want to play, then play that ne
The woman “clinched his hand tiglatly” when the roller coaster plungedd, her nails digging into his flesh.
After coming down, he said with a still neck, “It’s just a normal stimulation.”
“Howard! Take a picture of ine quickly!”
Beatrice’s call brought him back to reality, she stood in front of the castle malding scissors with her hands, smiling sweetly
Howard raised his phone, but there was always mother face in the camera lens, Victoria hated talding photos, and every time he tried to sneak a picture, she would glare at him, Once, she even satelied his phone and deleted the photos. However, the clear and beautiful picture of her when she first arrived still existed in his encrypted album.
Durlig dinner, Beatrice chattered away about princess stories, while Howard responded absentmindedly, his gaze fixed on the fireworks out side the window. Last New Year’s Eve, Victoria secretly set off fireworks in the backyard of the villa, almost setting the lawn on fire,
When he drowned and scolded her, the woman actudly showed their fairy wand into his hand.
“Give us a spile, Mr. Irwin, why so stingy?”
Howard?
Beatrice pouted in grievance
“Did you listen to me?”
He suddenly put down the cup, gently squinted his eyes and smiled.
“It’s late, let’s go back early.”
On the way back, Beatrice fell asleep and leaned on his shoulder, exhausted.
Howard watched as the streetlights passed by outside the window. One time, Victoria drank too much and insisted on climbing onto the roof of the car. He was so angry that he just carried her back to the bedroom.
“We have arrived.”
Pestrice rubbed her eyes and pouted.
“Howard carried me un
up
Howard got out of the car and walled straight to the door, lighting a cigarette as he stood at the entrance of the villa. He looked up at the second–floor window, which used to be Victoria’s room. Now, the curtains were tightly closed, dark like a pair of silent eyes,
The phone suddenly
ly vibrated, and he squinted his eyes, took a puff of smoke, and looked at the message sent by his subordinate.
The dock worker said he saw someone last night who looked like Ms. Blackwell.
