Chantelle reached out and pulled the handle, but the door was locked from the inside.
The light was still on, yet no one answered.
A bad feeling crept over her.
"Find a way in and check it out."
Calvin nodded and started checking the windows around the villa.
Chantelle stood alone in front of the door. The darkness around her made her restless.
She hesitated, wondering if she should go back to the car and wait.
Just then, the door suddenly swung open.
Calvin stepped out from inside.
"There's no one in the rooms, but the tea on the table is still warm, Ms. Chantelle. He must have just left!"
Chantelle instinctively turned and hurried toward the car.
She suddenly stopped and asked, "Are our people nearby?"
"I just called them. They're already searching." Calvin held up his phone, showing the latest updates.
"Tell them to search thoroughly. We're going inside to check."
After a brief pause, Chantelle made her decision and walked straight into the villa.
Calvin quickly sent a message, then caught up to her without hesitation.
"Our people should have arrived first and started chasing when they saw the house was empty, right?"
"Then who do you think locked the door?"
"Ms. Chantelle, are you saying he's still inside?"
Daniel didn't leave the hospital after visiting Chantelle. Instead, he headed to the Silver Crest Global District on the third ring road.
This district had only one apartment building, standing at eighty-eight stories tall.
It was a luxurious complex with a silent and elegant atmosphere, built at a high cost.
The most expensive part wasn't the location but the exceptional service provided by the management.
Residents enjoyed VIP treatment similar to a five-star hotel.
It was ideal for wealthy individuals without families, especially those from affluent backgrounds.
Daniel entered the elevator and went straight to the top floor.
At ten past three in the morning, he arrived at the entrance of Unit 8801.
Daniel entered the password and walked inside. He immediately saw a night owl who had barely fallen asleep an hour ago.
Philip sat in the living room, his hair a mess, looking dazed as if he were still half-dreaming.
"Daniel, be honest. Is your insomnia getting worse again?"
"You... Even if it's serious, did you really have to come here at three in the morning? I just got back from your place an hour ago. Couldn't we have talked there instead?"
"I called before coming, but they told me you had already gone home."
"I..." Philip sighed. "Fine, just blame me then."
He felt like he was falling apart.
His head buzzed as he struggled to stay awake. Had he really only slept for ten minutes?
"Do you have ten minutes?"
Philip felt like he must have done something terrible in his past life. Otherwise, why was he being punished with a friend like Daniel—a machine who never needed sleep or rest?
Daniel stepped over the scattered clothes on the floor. He looked disgusted as he walked to the sofa and sat down, watching Philip struggle to stay awake.
"Mr. Charles said you left two hours ago. Looking at you now, I'd say you stopped by a bar before heading home."
"I—I had a date," Philip stammered. "How could an expert flirt like me miss an appointment? Besides, I left after making sure Rai was okay. Can't I celebrate? Not everyone is like you doomed to a lonely life."
"...So what if you have a son? I would have one too if you and your son hadn't been keeping me busy all the time!"
Daniel nodded seriously.
He had to admit that Philip had a point.
Before Philip could say anything else, he collapsed onto the couch.
With no other choice, he gave in.
"Okay, tell me. Why did you come looking for me at this hour? Just so we're clear, I have principles. I only sell my skills, not my body!"
Daniel ignored his joke.
"I want to know if these two people are related and, if so, what kind of relationship they have," Daniel said as he pulled two small sealed plastic bags from his pocket.
Inside each bag was a single strand of hair.
"That's it?" Philip stared at him. "You came to my house in the middle of the night just to ask me to run a DNA test?"
"Yes, that's it. I'll wait while you do it."
"Daniel, you do know that any hospital can run a DNA test, right? Plus, I don't have the equipment for it. And, in case you forgot, I'm way overqualified for this task."
"I don't want anyone to find out," Daniel said. "Also, I think your memory is failing you. Remember the lab on the 87th floor? I invested in it. If you don't plan to use it, you can always return it to me."
Philip was speechless.
Fine. Since this guy was funding my research, I had no choice. When you live under someone's roof, you follow their rules.
Philip sighed and accepted his fate.
"Got it, boss. I'll do it right away."
Philip took the test samples, forced himself to wake up, and left.
Daniel stood by the floor-to-ceiling window, lost in thought after Philip was gone.
The hair sample had been taken from Chantelle when he visited the hospital earlier.
Soon, he would have his answer.
Could it really be her?
Could someone really come back from the dead?
He wasn't sure if he felt fear or hope.
His thoughts were cut short when his phone rang in his pocket.
He took it out and answered.
"Sir, Felix has shown up!"
Meanwhile, Chantelle couldn't shake the feeling that something was off at the Garden Villa.
However, since she had already decided to go in, she had no choice but to split the work with Calvin.
She searched the kitchen while he checked the bedrooms.
She was about to go upstairs when something on the living room floor caught her eye.
The blood was still fresh as if it had just been spilled moments ago.
Chantelle's eyes instinctively moved upward.
Her breath caught as she saw blood dripping from the second floor, sliding down the stair railing.
The dark red liquid trailed along the white walls, creating a disturbing sight.
"Calvin!" she called out.
"Ms. Chantelle, what's wrong?"
Calvin was searching the kitchen when he heard Chantelle's voice. Without hesitation, he rushed out.
"Go upstairs and check it!" she ordered.
His eyes landed on the bloodstains, and he immediately ran upstairs.
Chantelle followed behind him.