On a highway that spanned across multiple sectors, a sleek black sports car roared through the night, its engine growling as it tore past speed limits, ignoring the cautionary signs posted along the way.
The six-lane road was nearly deserted, offering ample room for the car to weave effortlessly between the few vehicles ahead, making full use of the open stretch.
Tring~
Inside the car, the driver's hands moved skillfully, guiding the vehicle with precise control.
The car suddenly veered off the highway, taking an exit that connected to another road.
Though the transition from high speed to a sharp turn seemed reckless at first, the driver quickly regained control, bringing the car to a steady pace after a brief skid.
"Have you found anything about her?" Aecilia asked, her eyes locked on the road ahead.
Her voice was calm, but her focus was sharp.
One hand rested on the steering wheel while the other interacted with the car's built-in receiver, ensuring her attention never wavered from the drive.
:: Yes, my lady. The woman in the photo is Aria Williams, daughter of...
The voice on the other end of the call belonged to a woman, calmly detailing the background of the person Aecilia had been investigating.
After Aecilia's meeting with the Marquess, she had sent the photo for identification, and now the information was being relayed back to her.
Aria Williams, it was revealed, was the daughter of a well-known businessman from Sector 15, primarily involved in the textile industry.
Following her mother's death, Aria had become increasingly isolated, falling into depression as her father buried himself in his work, neglecting the emotional needs of his daughter during her most vulnerable years.
Their last public interaction, outside the confines of their home, had been over the arrangement of her marriage to Lin Diego, the son of her father's close friend.
While such personal details might seem difficult to access, in today's world, where everyone carries a phone, it is all too easy to obtain information.
Phones, even when switched off, still contain data that can be extracted if one knows the right channels—and has enough money to grease the wheels.
No matter how secure a device claims to be, everything is run by a company somewhere, and companies sell data if the price is right.
With teams of people working on a single lead, it didn't take long for them to uncover Aria's details.
"I see... what about Amrita?" Aecilia asked, smoothly pulling her car into the hotel's parking lot.
Upon closing the door, she patiently sat on a sofa, which appeared to be part of a presidential suite large enough to resemble a hallway.
She then looked towards a large window in front of her, revealing a night sky filled with the moon and stars. She thought about how Lin Diego was from a Ravan family, which Marquess was already aware of, and that he had most likely helped that man named Leo, after knowing about the clear grudge he held against Amrita's brother. (*misunderstanding)
It all felt as if everything was moving precisely as Marquess wanted, making her think for a moment, 'Marquess, have you come from the future?'
.
.
.
.
.
Far away from the hotel room, inside the elite academy's department of medical science, even though the long auditorium was completely empty, the whole academy was illuminated due to artificial bulbs and lights.
Inside a room in that department, the lights were still on, revealing two people seated nearby.
"Professor, you can leave... if you want," Aria, seated on the bed, even though she felt her legs were numb, glanced towards Avendial, who was seated nearby, with hands folded and eyes closed, as he opened one of his eyes looking towards her.
Naturally, as he did, he noticed that subtle hint of hesitation in her voice, clearly showing her state, being aware she wanted him to go away, but not with her heart.
She wanted someone nearby, and given he was here, it was clearly giving rise to a sense of closeness in her.
At the end of the day, no matter how strong the connections between people may be, it is only those who rescue them from dire circumstances—when they are surrounded by darkness—that they genuinely appreciate as their saviors.
So, right now Avendial was playing the role of a savior.
"Are you not going to your home?" Avendial inquired, noticing her sitting on her bed and looking towards the window, as she pursed her lips with visible tension, appearing very vulnerable.
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"Home? I live alone, Professor," Aria managed a slight smile, remembering the house where she lived.
As a child, she would wait for her father to come back from work, falling asleep while waiting.
In the morning, she would wake up with her blanket over her body, often contemplating the care he had for her neighbor back then.