Chapter 121
It wasn’t until a moment ago, seeing her leaning heavily on her crutches, looking so frail and drained.
He finally realized that things might not be what he had thought at all.
Declan froze, watching his boss’s deeply suppressed frustration, and secretly thought: *It’s been so long, why is he only asking now p>
He had assumed Jarred knew the truth all along.
Declan swallowed hard, speaking with nervous hesitation. “Mr. Sterling, didn’t you know? Madam wasn’t found by our men p>
Jarred’s gaze turned sharp and predatory. “What did you say p>
“Our men followed Ms. Carlyle’s instructions, expanding the search radius by over a mile from where she found you. We conducted a grid search but never found any trace of Madam p>
Declan paused before continuing, “It wasn’t until almost noon that we got word from the rescue team. They said she had made it back on her own.
And… according to the location she reported to the command center, the spot where she fell and got separated from you was in a completely different direction p>
Jarred furrowed his brows, the doubt in his eyes deepening.
Seeing this, Declan quickly added, “But the terrain around Eagle’s Point is complex. The trails are steep, and it’s easy for anyone to get lost just walking normally, let alone falling from such a height. Drifting off course is to be expected p>
Jarred gave a slight nod, choosing not to dwell on the issue.
Changing the subject, he asked in a low voice, “The man who called her away from the gathering point—the one I asked you to look into. Did you find him p>
“Yes, his name is Zeke Stark,” Declan replied quickly. “I have people digging into his network and movements. We should have results soon p>
Jarred waved a hand, his tone laced with exhaustion. “Go. Report back the second you have news p>
“Yes, sir.” Declan, looking as though he’d just been granted a pardon, quickly agreed and hurried away.
Only Jarred remained in the empty, quiet hallway.
He stood there, his gaze fixed on the distance toward Sienna’s hospital room, a somber heaviness settling in his eyes.
Inside the room.
Sienna leaned against the headboard. Her luminous skin lacked its usual rosy hue, but her eyes remained sharp and clear.
Luna sat beside her, peeling an apple while listening to her recount everything that had happened over the past few days.
Her tone was so detached it sounded like she was telling someone else’s story, but every word felt like a punch to Luna’s gut.
“Sienna! Do you even see me as a friend?” Luna demanded, caught between anger and panic.
She was furious that Sienna had faced such a catastrophic ordeal alone without breathing a word, recklessly putting herself in danger.
But she was also terrified by how Sienna looked right now.
This was the first time Luna had seen her in person since she returned from the rescue site.
Her gaze fell on the thick bandages wrapping Sienna’s leg, and a suffocating wave of despair tightened around her chest.
Tears welled uncontrollably in her eyes.
Choking up, Luna mumbled, “What are we going to do, Sienna? You’re so young, and this leg p>
Seeing her friend’s loss of control, Sienna offered a carefree smile. “What are you scared of? It’s not like I can’t walk. I just need to rest p>
She didn’t want the people closest to her to suffer on her behalf.
Before Luna could say anything else, she changed the subject. “Forget about that. Did you get any results on what I asked you to look into p>
Hearing this, Luna quickly blinked back her tears.
She instinctively glanced out the window, and only after confirming no one was around did she lean in close to Sienna’s ear.