"I knew everyone would love my daughter," commented Mary with a pleased smile, watching Eva with motherly affection.
Eva lowered her gaze modestly, softly responding, "I was nervous I wouldn't be able to fit in, but everyone was so welcoming."
"That is because you are so lovely," Mary complimented, touching her cheek adoringly. "I noticed that the Second Young Master Han had his eye on you the entire time. What do you think of him?"
Eva's eyes fluttered, looking away shyly, and her cheeks flushed delicately. "Mom, what are you saying? How can he be looking at me?"
Mary chuckled. "Although he is not worthy of you, let Mom know what you think of him."
A sigh then left Eva's mouth. "I wish my sister could be there. She is so outstanding she would have attracted all the attention."
"That girl... who likes to see her bitter face all the time?" Mary sounded disgruntled. "She acts high and mighty as though the world owes her something. A girl should be like you, sweet and gentle."
"Mom, don't say that about Lily. She will feel bad," Eva expressed.
Mary shook her head and then patted on Eva's shoulder. "Forget about her. Go to bed now. You must be exhausted."
But before Eva could enter her room, a shout echoed from Alex's room.
"WHO WENT THROUGH MY ROOM?"
Eva and Mary exchanged glances before making their way to Alex's room. His room seemed to have gone through a storm- drawers yanked out, paper and gadgets strewn across the room, and bedsheet thrown on the floor. His laptop sat open on the desk, and the wallpaper on it was the image of a dog with its middle finger raised high.
"My room is a mess as well," commented Jason. A frown was etched on his face.
Alarmed, Mary rushed to her own bedroom. Her children followed her. When she entered the cloakroom, there was Henry already standing with his jaw tightened, wearing a dark look.
Not one of his watches were spared.
"Get Lillian here for me!" he loudly ordered.
Just then, Alex's phone began to ring. Seeing the call from his assistant, he received it.
"Cut it short. I am busy," Alex voiced out.
"Young Master, your nudes have been leaked online. They are going viral. All the companies have called to discuss regarding their cooperation with you. And a worse news is it seems your ID has been deleted," informed his assistant. There was fear and alarm present in his voice.
Alex's eyes widened in disbelief. "Stop playing around."
"I am not. You can check on the internet!" his assistant cried. "Whom did you offend?"
His hasty movements marked his sense of urgency as his trembling fingers quickly opened the Weibo. His breath hitched in his throat. There was his name listed on top of the ranking.
'Alex Chen's leaked nudes'
Dizziness went through his head, and his heart pounded in his chest. Color drained out of his face, and his knees buckled. He staggered backwards as his phone slipped down from his numb hand, hitting the marble tiles.
Noticing her brother's disoriented state, Eva stepped forward and supported him before he collapsed entirely.
"What's the matter, Alex?" she asked- her voice filled with concern.
Jane hurried in with a panicked look and reported with a shaking voice: "We looked around the entire mansion. Ms. Lillian is nowhere to be found."
"What do you mean she can't be found? Check the CCTV camera- now!" Henry's order fell, his voice cracking like a thunder across the room. It was full of anger.
That is when Mary's attention fell on the torn pages scattered at one corner of the room. Creases formed between both of her brows. Something was wrong. Her heels clicked against the floor as she made her way over.
She bent down to pick them up, and her eyes dilated out of shock.
"My scriptures," she muttered. Her trembling voice showcased her disbelief. "They are all torn to shreds."
Her gaze then shifted to a piece of string lying abandoned, and panic surged through her being. She stood up abruptly and went over to the drawer at the back of the room. Yanking it open, she retrieved the finely carved wooden box from inside.
As she lifted the lid with heavy expectations, her movements paused when she realized it was empty. Her breath was shallow and uneven.
Her vision spun.
The air left her lungs in a gasp as a searing pain shot through her chest. Clutching her heart, she stumbled backward.
A stream of blood suddenly spurted out from her lips.
Then, as if to pile disaster upon disaster, servant's voice came from the side.
"Master, all the CCTV footage have been destroyed."