âIs there an intruder?â Emmeline said nervously. âThe children. might be outside.â
âNo,â Abel said. âI didnât hear any other alarm sounds.â
âDo you mean only the security system of your room is activated?â
âThat seems to be the case.â
Emmeline was angry. âAbel! Youâre doing this on purpose!â
Abel looked at her in disbelief. âDo I look like I have nothing better to do?â
âSo why is only the security system in your room activated? You must have some ulterior motive!â
âHey, donât accuse me.â Abel was angry. âIâm not so petty as to stop you from going out with Benjamin on a date!â
âYou⦠Youâre not making any sense at all!â Emmeline huffed.
âYou said I have an ulterior motive!â
âArgh! Iâm not talking to you anymore!â Emmeline sat down on the sofa.
âThe door might unlock automatically in a short while. Why are you so worried?â Abel stared at her.
âWhy arenât you calling Luca? The children wonât be able to help us!â Emmeline said.
Abel thought that the suggestion made sense. He picked up his phone on the table and called Luca.
Luca was having fun somewhere with the bodyguards. He became nervous when he saw Abel calling him.
âYes, Mr. Ryker.â
âInform the security department of Ryker Group that the security system of the Precipice has been activated, and Iâm locked in!â
Luca was dumbfounded for three seconds.
The security system was activated? That wonât happen unless thereâs an intruder!
Luca shuddered, and sweat began to pour from his head. âMr. Ryker, is it one of your enemies?â
âDonât panic. Itâs only my room. Everywhere else is fine,â Abel said.
Luca was confused. He did not understand why only Abelâs bedroom was locked down.
Donât tell me thereâs a bug in the system. I thought the system was more sophisticated than that.
âYes, Mr. Ryker,â Luca said. âIâII inform the security department right away.â
The four children were in the living room.
âSuccess! Iâve hacked into Daddyâs bedroom and locked it,â Moon said.
âThey can spend a night together,â Su said.
âIâm afraid Daddy and Mommy wonât like the snacks we prepared for them,â Star said.
âDonât worry. Theyâll eat anything if theyâre hungry enough!â Timothy said.
âHahahaha!â The four boys laughed.
The two janitors came into the living room. âWhy are you all laughing?â
âItâs nothing. We were playing hide- and-seek earlier,â Timothy said.
âThe power went out earlier, so weâre here to check.â
âThe fuses are intact, but why did I hear some beeping sounds on the second floor earlier?â
âYou mustâve been mistaken,â Sun said. âEverything is still just fine, right?â
âI guess.â The two janitors returned to their quarters.
Soon, Luca and the bodyguards returned.
Behind them was a technician from the security department of Ryker Group.
Luca knocked on the door. âMr. Ryker, can you hear me?â
The door was well insulated, so Abel could only hear a faint buzzing sound.
He took his phone and called Luca.
âMr. Ryker, the technician is here,â Luca said.
âGet him to fix this immediately,â Abel said. âMs. Louise and I are trapped inside.
Luca grimaced. Oh? Ms. Louise Is trapped inside too?
This⦠This is good news!
âYes, Mr. Ryker!â Luca answered happily.
âTake care of the children for me,â Abel said. âTell them to stay in my study and not go anywhere.â
âThe bodyguards are keeping an eye on the children. Theyâre playing in your study.â
âThatâs good to know.â Abel put the phone on the edge of the bed.
Emmeline sat down on the sofa.
Arranged neatly on the coffee table in front of her was a spread of childrenâs snacks, soft drinks, fruit juice, and milk.
Emmeline stared at those items and thought something amiss, but she could not figure out what it was.
âDoes your finger still hurt?â Abel asked her.