Chapter 1054

Cole stood up abruptly. "Dad, I'm going to check the room. Makiko's pretty particular about cleanliness, and I'm worried those folks might have messed up her things

while searching."

"Cole, don't worry about it. If anything's broken, I'll replace it. What really matters now is the peace of this home and our family's safety."

With a sigh, Cole sat back down. "Alright, Dad, we'll wait here for the search results."

Josefina announced, "I need to use the restroom."

"I'll go with you," Oliver offered, standing up to accompany her.

As Oliver and Josefina left the room, Makiko was about to rise when Brandon stopped her.

"Makiko, why don't you tell me more about your family? You and Cole have been married for a while now, and I haven't had the chance to meet your folks. We should have dinner together sometime."

Makiko sat back down, forcing a polite smile as she answered him. Brandon kept the conversation going, effectively pinning Cole's family to the couch.

Meanwhile, under the guise of a bathroom break, Oliver and Josefina slipped into Makiko and Cole's room. Harry, already inside, gestured towards the lamp with a finger to his lips, signaling for silence.

Josefina got the message immediately. She pulled on a pair of gloves and retrieved a compact testing kit from her oversized winter coat.

Asher stood vigilant at the door, keeping watch, while Harry quietly rummaged through the room.

The whole operation was conducted in silence, like a covert mission. Oliver and Josefina were in and out in a flash to avoid drawing any suspicion.

After hours of searching, it was clear there was no thief hiding in the villa. Everyone was exhausted after the three-hour ordeal.

Brandon finally spoke, "Let's all get some rest. We'll report this to the police in the morning and let them handle the investigation."

Bennett, ever the loyal attendant, offered, "Sir, you should rest too. Let me help you to your room."

"I'm not as young as I used to be, can't handle all this chaos," Brandon sighed as he left with Bennett.

Oliver turned to Cole, "We'll head home now. You both should try to get some rest too."

With that, Oliver took Josefina by the hand, and they left together.

Cole, still sitting on the couch, felt the weight of exhaustion settling in, the shadows under his eyes deepening.

Sandi yawned, "Mom, Dad, I'm going to catch some sleep."

Wilder chimed in, "You two should rest as well."

With that, Sandi and Wilder headed off to their rooms.

Once Cole and Makiko returned to

their room, they were relieved to everything

their intact, just as was

it

find

before. Clearly, the search had been conducted with care.

Makiko sat on the bed, her

expression a mix of elegance and worry. Cole slipped out of his outerwear and reminspecting the room for

joined her, both on et

am

hidden bugs or cameras. Finding none, they finally relaxed a bit.

Cóntent

Makiko exhaled deeply, concern etched on her face. "Cole, we can't stay here any longer. We need to leave."

"We can't move out just yet. Dad wants us to stay together as a family, and leaving now would really upset him."

Makiko sighed, "Aren't you worried about being discovered?"

"Of course, I am, but sometimes it's better to be cautious than to be found out."

They exchanged a look, neither willing to change their stance.

Cole sighed in resignation. "Let's just hold on a bit longer."

Seeing his determination, Makiko reluctantly agreed.

"We'll stay a

we need to seriously consider moving out," she said, lying down

need few more days, but then

and turning her back to del

km Comment

Cole lay beside her, his mind replaying the night's events over and over. How did things end up like this?