Chapter 1358


    Dn had turned down a meeting with Phelps, choosing instead to stay home with Arlene, dedicating


    himself to looking after Judith.


    But Augus had already headed out. He took the wheel personally, curious to find out what Phelps was


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    really up to.


    He had only been driving for a few minutes when his phone rang; it was Ian.


    "Mr. Sanders, I''d advise you to keep your distance from Phelps for the time being. I''m still gathering


    evidence."


    "Just a few hours ago, I had a meeting with him. All he did was apologize, saying he hadn''t found any


    traces of my daughter. Now he''s suddenly iming he has news. I want to see what this is all about."


    Ian''s brow furrowed with concern. At this point, it was all suspicion without concrete evidence. Still, if


    Phelps was the target of these doubts, everything seemed to fall into ce.


    Phelps was like the elusive leaf hiding in in sight. And if it was indeed him, the extent of his backing


    was unfathomable.


    "Mr. Sanders, you mentioned a key yer within the BK with a small red mole by his earlobe. Did you


    notice anything like that when you met with Phelps?"


    "I paid attention to that, but no, he didn''t have such a mole."


    Ian was momentarily at a loss. How could it not be there? Or had Phelps found a way to conceal it?


    "Ian, are you suspecting Dr. Herrington? To be honest, he was my personal physician for a while. If he


    had ulterior motives, I think I would''ve noticed. But the man barely speaks. When he does, he''s quite


    gentle."


    The real problemy in the universal trust Phelpsmanded. Tyler trusted him, Augus trusted him,


    because Phelps had plenty of motives to harm both men but never acted on them.


    Yet, Ian chose to trust his instincts. It was too coincidental, and Phelps remained his prime suspect.


    "Mr. Sanders, feel free to meet him, but please be cautious. I''m on my way back to North America with


    some solid leads. Phelps is at the top of my suspect list."


    After hanging up, Augus continued his drive, now on high alert because of Ian''s words.


    Meanwhile, Phelps was also in his car when he nearly collided with an oing vehicle after a sharp


    turn. He jerked the steering wheel hard, and the car crashed through the guardrail, plunging into the


    "Maja, hold your breath," he instructed as the car sunk.


    Cold water enveloped Maja as she opened her eyes to see Phelps untangling her from the weeds.


    Struggling for air, she pushed him away, signaling him to save himself first.


    But Phelps was undeterred, focused on freeing her.


    In that moment of near suffocation, Maja felt the grip of death. She didn''t want to drag anyone down


    with her. Just as she was about to ck out, the weeds loosened, and they were pulled up towards the


    surface.


    Gasping for air the moment her head broke the surface, she saw mes engulfing the bridge—another


    car had been hit.


    Phelps''s eyes flickered with urgency, and he guided her swiftly in the opposite direction.


    "We need to get out of here—it''s dangerous."


    "Dr. Herrington, was it the Sanders family?"


    "Most likely. Dn probably doesn''t want the real Sanders princess to return."


    A chill ran down Maja''s spine. "So, to protect Judith, he''d kill his own sister?"


    "Maja, blood may be thicker than water, but twenty years of affection for Judith can''t be overlooked.


    He''s used to pampering her. Now, with an outsider like you showing up, it''s disrupted his world. Just


    one tear from Judith, and he''d do anything."


    As Maja was about to respond, a bullet hit the water''s edge.


    Phelps pulled her close, his voice grave. "Be careful."


    "Dr. Herrington."


    The next second, a bullet struck his shoulder, blood mingling with theke''s waters. Shielding her with


    his body, he assured her, "I won''t let anything dangerous happen to you. Stay with me."