Chapter 504
Chapter 504:
She pointed toward the closed VIP lounge at the far end of the hallway, her tone perfectly level. “Dr. Merrick is in there. Ask him yourself who the lead architect — who Sophia — really is p>
Belle’s eyes lit up with sudden, desperate triumph. Convinced Isolde had let something slip, she shoved past the guards and raced toward the VIP lounge.
Isolde glanced at Harper and the corner of her mouth lifted.
“Come on. Let’s go to the garage p>
Harper fell into step beside her, frowning. “Why did you send her to Merrick?” she whispered. “What if she causes trouble p>
Isolde walked on steadily, her gaze clear and unhurried.
“I’m letting her see the truth. Though people trapped by jealousy rarely see what’s right in front of them — even when it couldn’t be more obvious p>
At the other end of the hallway, Grayson watched Isolde walk away, then looked toward Belle disappearing through the VIP lounge doors. Confusion and guilt twisted together in his chest. After a long moment of hesitation, he followed Belle — desperate, at last, to know whether the mysterious Sophia was the woman he had never truly seen.
The noise faded. The hallway grew still. Only the sharp, fading click of Belle’s heels remained, echoing alone through the empty corridor.
The heavy oak doors of the VIP lounge flew open with a resounding crash.
𝖱e𝖺𝗱 t𝘩е 𝘭a𝘁еst 𝘵𝘳е𝘯𝗱ѕ 𝘰𝗻
Belle Escobar stood panting in the doorway, her chest heaving, her usually immaculate makeup slightly smudged. She had run all the way here, driven by a frantic, desperate energy.
The room was quiet. Eerily so.
The only person inside was Dr. Merrick, sitting calmly on a plush sofa, a delicate porcelain teacup in his hand. Late afternoon sunlight streamed through the floor-to-ceiling windows, catching the dust motes drifting in the stillness.
Belle’s eyes swept the room. Where was he? The mythical lead architect — the genius known only as Sophia. The reclusive old man Isolde was supposedly meeting. But there was no one else. The room was empty.
“Where is he?” Belle demanded, her voice sharp and ragged. “The lead architect! Isolde said he was here p>
Dr. Merrick took a slow sip of his tea and set the cup back on its saucer with a soft clink. He looked up at her with an expression of quiet, almost pitying calm.
“Miss Escobar, your manners are truly lacking p>
Just then, Grayson appeared in the doorway behind Belle. He lingered at the threshold, his face a mask of exhaustion and confusion.
Belle paid him no attention. “Cut the pretense!” she snapped at Merrick. “Tell me where Sophia is. Is he hiding in the bathroom p>
Without waiting for an answer, she stormed across the room and threw open the en-suite bathroom door. Marble and chrome gleamed back at her. Empty.
She spun around and yanked open the doors of a large wardrobe. Empty hangers rattled mockingly inside.
A raw, frustrated cry tore from her throat. “Where is he? Did Isolde hide him? I know she did p>
Dr. Merrick let out a long, weary sigh and rose to his feet. “Miss Escobar, the lead architect was indeed here just a moment ago p>