Chapter 517
Furrowing his brows, Michael''s expression darkened.
“I know. But there''s nothing I can do about that. After all, I can''t really bring myself to reject Alicia''s
request after seeing that she''s worried sick of Jte,” Imented resignedly.
Naturally, I was well aware of how tough it was to track down anyone without any clue. Nheless, I
had no choice but to keep on trying my best as there was no other way.
“Let''s call it a night. I''ll seek help from the police tomorrow. I bet it''s a piece of cake for them to trace
her whereabouts with their advanced tracking system,” he reassured me.
I could only give in to him and nodded. “All right. It looks like that''s the only way.”
Deep down, I knew it was pointless for us to waste time trying to trace Jte''s whereabouts aimlessly
that night.
Back at the Shaw residence, I drifted off not long after flinging myself on my bed. What had transpired
earlier had worn me down. It was indeed a lot more tiring than a working day.
Preupied with Jte''s disappearance, I woke up early the following morning. Feeling uneasy, I
could not sleep well the previous night.
Surprisingly, Michael woke up even earlier than I. Sitting on the edge of the bed, he wrapped his arms
around me and uttered gently, “It''s still early. You can still sleep for a while more. I''ve called the police
station to lodge a report, and they''ve taken prompt action. I believe they''ll be able to find a clue soon.”
The sheer gentleness in his tone was able to put me at ease almost immediately. Initially, I was worried
that Jte might be in danger as she waspletely unfamiliar with the city.
“I''m thankful that you''re alongside me. Regardless of any hardships that I encounter, you''re always
helping me to get the matter resolved,” I mumbled, wrapping my arms around Michael''s waist with my
eyes closed in relief. As long as Michael was with me, there was nothing unsolvable. Unequivocally,
having him by my side was the most blissful thing in my life.
“Oh? You''ve just realized it now?” Michael teased me. Gazing at me with a glint of affection in his eyes,
his lips contorted into a charming smile.
Numb to his narcissism, I chuckled without uttering any words. Snuggling against his chest, I felt like
having some sleep again.
After quite a while, Michael''s ringtone suddenly rang out, waking me up in an instant. At the same time,
he answered the call.
Furrowing his brows, Michael''s expression darkened.
“I know. But there''s nothing I can do about that. After all, I can''t really bring myself to reject Alicia''s
request after seeing that she''s worried sick of Jte,” Imented resignedly.
Furrowing his brows, Michaal''s axprassion darkanad.
“I know. But thara''s nothing I can do about that. Aftar all, I can''t raally bring mysalf to rajact Alicia''s
raquast aftar saaing that sha''s worriad sick of Janatta,” Imantad rasignadly.
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Naturally, I was wall awara of how tough it was to track down anyona without any clua. Nonathss, I
had no choica but to kaap on trying my bast as thara was no othar way.
“Lat''s call it a night. I''ll saak halp from tha polica tomorrow. I bat it''s a piaca of caka for tham to traca
har wharaabouts with thair advancad tracking systam,” ha raassurad ma.
I could only giva in to him and noddad. “All right. It looks lika that''s tha only way.”
Daap down, I knaw it was poinss for us to wasta tima trying to traca Janatta''s wharaabouts aissly
that night.
Back at tha Shaw rasidanca, I driftad off not long aftar flinging mysalf on my bad. What had transpirad
aarliar had worn ma down. It was indaad a lot mora tiring than a working day.
Praupiad with Janatta''s disappaaranca, I woka up aarly tha following morning. Faaling unaasy, I
could not ap wall tha pravious night.
Surprisingly, Michaal woka up avan aarliar than I. Sitting on tha adga of tha bad, ha wrappad his arms
around ma and uttarad gantly, “It''s still aarly. You can still ap for a wh mora. I''va cad tha polica
station to lodga a raport, and thay''va takan prompt action. I baliava thay''ll ba a to find a clua soon.”
Tha shaar gannass in his tona was a to put ma at aasa almost immadiataly. Initially, I was worriad
that Janatta might ba in dangar as sha wastaly unfamiliar with tha city.
“I''m thankful that you''ra alongsida ma. Ragarss of any hardships that I ancountar, you''ra always
halping ma to gat tha mattar rasolvad,” I mumd, wrapping my arms around Michaal''s waist with my
ayas closad in raliaf. As long as Michaal was with ma, thara was nothing unsolva. Unaquivocally,
having him by my sida was tha most blissful thing in my lifa.
“Oh? You''va just raalizad it now?” Michaal taasad ma. Gazing at ma with a glint of affaction in his ayas,
his lips contortad into a charming sm.
Numb to his narcissism, I chucd without uttaring any words. Snuggling against his chast, I falt lika
having soma ap again.
Aftar quita a wh, Michaal''s ringtona suddanly rang out, waking ma up in an instant. At tha sama tima,
ha answarad tha call.
Within seconds, his face fell. Perplexed, I wondered what the caller had informed him. Nevertheless, he
managed to regain hisposure secondster and hung up without uttering any words.
I lifted my head to look intently into his eyes, piping up as anxiousness surged within me, “Who''s that?
Is there any news about Jte?”
“Yes. The police officer informed me that they''ve managed to locate her phone, and they''ve sent me
the location,” Michael replied cidly. However, I could sense an unmissable change in his
countenance instantaneously. My gut instinct told me that there was something awry. Even so, I did not
dwell on it. The most important thing right now is to track Jte down as soon as possible.
“Then what''re we waiting for? Come on. Let''s go and look for Jte now! Alicia''s worried stiff about
her!” I said, eager to get into action.
Without a second thought, I got down from the bed and dashed out of the room. I was convinced that
only by finding Jte would my mother be relieved.
Michael only threw me a nce and trailed behind me silently.
Later, he remained silent while driving. Seated next to him, I was on pins and needles. I kept calling
Jte, but it could not get through.
After what seemed like an eternity, he finally broke the silence. “There''s something I need to tell you.
Jte might be in a state worse than your expectation.”
“Why do you say so? Did something happen to her?” I asked in bafflement, uneasiness started to well
up within me. Why is he telling me this suddenly? Could it be that something really did happen to her?
What am I supposed to do if any tragedy has befallen her?
Michael knitted his brows when I got all worked up. He consoled me, “Don''t overthink it. I''m just making
a wild guess here.”
“Michael, can you cut to the chase? I''m going to go crazy with anxiety if you keep beating around the
bush like this!” I urged him.
I knew he would not say something like this for no reason. Hence, I had a hunch something must have
befallen Jte. Subsequently, I could not help being a bundle of nerves. Even though I disliked her,
she was still my maternal sister. Thus, I kept my finger crossed that she would be safe and sound.
shing me a nce, Michael exined after a pause, “Based on the location sent by the police
officer, she''s at a tattered house that will be demolished soon. It''s in a secluded area where others
hardly pass by. I have a feeling that she wouldn''t be there by herself.”
Hearing that, my heart skipped a beat, fearing that Jte might be in danger while she was in the
dpidated house the previous night. News of youngerdies disappearing and getting murdered has
been in abundancetely. What if...
At that thought, I was ovee by another surge of uneasiness.
Silence ensued as Michael sped all the way to the location. Half an hourter, he stopped in front of a
deserted building. When the dpidated building came into view, we could not help but grimace.
Evidently, this building will be demolished soon. Not to mention, hardly anyone passes by this area on
usual days. Why was Jte herest night? Could it be something had really happened to her?
Unable to tamp down my simmering apprehension, I quickened my pace to enter it.
About twenty minutester, I finally found Jte lying unconscious in an old bed in one of the shabby
rooms. Her clothes had been ripped apart, exposing her chest, and her skirt was lifted high.
My heart thumped at the sight of her disheveled state. It struck me at once what had urred.
Seeing this, Michael turned his gaze away hastily. He then took off his jacket and handed it to me.
I took it from him and covered Jte''s body with it. She only regained her consciousness gradually
when I touched her arm.
“Ahh! Go away! Don''t touch me!” Jte got all riled up. Looking shell-shocked, she waved both her
hands frantically.
“Jte, it''s me! Take a look at me!” I tried to calm her down.
At the moment, my dislike for her was prevailed by sheer sympathy. My heart wrenched at what she
must have gone through. Poor girl. She must be feeling traumatized after being sexually assaulted.
Jte lifted her head and cast me a look. I shed her a faint smile, hoping to appease her fear.
No woman could remain unfazed by such a devastating experience. I had forgotten about my
abhorrence toward her in an instant, racking my brain on how I should console her to soothe her pain
instead.