Vincent Grandelle wiped his damp eyes with his sleeve. "Theodore Valentine's methods were ruthless back then. He made too many enemies. The police investigated for years, but the case was eventually dropped."

Sophia Laurent hesitated.

She wanted to ask if Victoria Windsor was a suspect, but seeing the old man's weary face, she couldn't bring herself to voice the question.

What father would suspect his own daughter?

"Master, dry your tears." Sophia handed him a tissue.

Vincent took it, gazing at her with conflicted emotions.

How he longed to tell her the truth—but Theodore's warning echoed in his mind, forcing him to swallow the words.

"Where did Nicole and her brother go afterward?"

"They returned to their hometown," Vincent sighed. "They felt too ashamed to stay with the Valentines."

After noting the address, Sophia stood to leave.

As she opened the door, a furtive figure was slinking down the hallway.

Sophia quickened her pace and yanked the person back.

Diana Grandelle spun around in alarm, her thick foundation flaking off.

"Eavesdropping?" Sophia smirked.

Diana straightened. "I was looking for my husband. None of your business!"

"Then why not go inside?"

Diana's eyes darted before she sneered, "Who knows what shady things you two are up to, always glued together!"

Slap!

A sharp crack echoed.

Diana clutched her cheek, raising her hand to retaliate—only for Sophia to shove her against the wall.

"One more word, and it won't just be a slap next time."

"Outrageous!" Diana shrieked.

Vincent stormed over, his voice thunderous. "Enough!"

Instantly, Diana switched to wailing. "I can't take this anymore! Even an apprentice dares hit her master's wife now!"

Sophia watched coldly.

No wonder Isabella turned out the way she did—with acting skills like this.

"Get out!" Vincent roared. "This shop belongs to Sophia now. You have no right to be here!"

Diana paled. "You'd give it to an outsider over your own granddaughter? You senile old fool!"

Vincent summoned the staff to drag her out.

At dawn the next day, Sophia prepared to depart.

She was heading to find Nicole—the key witness in the kidnapping case years ago.

"I'm coming with you," Ethan Sullivan frowned.

"Too conspicuous," Sophia shook her head. "I'll take Iris under the guise of antique-buying. A few bodyguards will suffice."

"Six."

Sophia smiled wryly before setting off with Iris and the guards.

Nicole's hometown was a mountain village in the neighboring province.

The derelict house was overgrown with weeds, clearly abandoned for years.

The trail had gone cold.

Disappointed, Sophia turned—then spotted a familiar black SUV.

The door opened, and Kyle Grant strode over, his long legs eating up the distance.

"Kyle!" Iris brightened.

He gave her a cursory glance. "Use my full name."

Sophia blinked. "What are you doing here?"

"Tracking Nicole," Kyle scanned the area. "But she changed her identity."

Just then, his phone rang.

Hanging up, his eyes gleamed. "We found her. Get in!"