His direct approach left little room for debate.
The implicit expectation was clear-their presence, more a formality than a necessity, was no longer required.
With a few courteous exchanges, the crowd began to dissipate, the villa soon regaining its customary stillness.
With the departure of the relatives, Nathan spared them no further thought.
His next steps were towards Nortonâs room, where he sought to check in on his grandfatherâs condition.
An hour had passed when Sonnyâs call came through.
Nathan, who had been vigilantly keeping watch over Norton, glanced at his phone before stepping quietly out of the room to a secluded spot at the corridorâs end to answer.
âRonanâs been found,â Sonny reported from the other line.
âHe tried to slip away, hiding out in a bar.
I caught up to him before he could make a run for it.
â
âBring him to the ancestral temple,â Nathan instructed firmly.
âIâll confront him there myself.
â
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Meanwhile, at Peace Mountain, Lucinda watched the clock, her anxiety palpable.
She realized she neednât have involved Graham.
Her status as Cadieredâs wealthiest woman and CEO of the Simmons Group meant she had ample connections to address the situation on her own.
Yet, she had chosen to see where Grahamâs loyalties lay, to decipher his true stance on her and Valerieâs confrontation.
After all, when Valerie had caused Lucinda a lot of trouble back then, Graham was implicated as one of Valerieâs backers.
As the time for the flightâs departure neared, Lucinda resolved to seek an update directly from Graham.
Rising from her seat, she
was met by the sight of Graham descending the stairs, a cautious hand on the railing, his knee bearing his careful steps.
Their gazes locked across the distance, Violeta quickly stepping in to assist Graham.
Holding Lucindaâs gaze, Grahamâs voice, rough yet determined, broke the silence.
âIâve had it confirmed.
Nala and Danilo are booked on tonightâs flight to Zephyria.
Measures have been taken to temporarily withhold their passports, ensuring they cannot depart as planned.
â
Lucindaâs tension eased with Grahamâs assurance.
âUnderstood,â she acknowledged.
Graham, aware of the delicate situation, advised, âTime is of the essence, especially with Daniloâs status.
International pressures wonât allow his detainment for long without repercussions.
â
âIâm aware,â Lucinda agreed, recognizing the urgency.
âNow that weâve established Nalaâs identity, we must resolve this swiftly.
â
She was poised to exit when Graham, overcoming a bout of coughing from his dry throat, intervened.
âIâve managed to secure Daniloâs contact from his flight details.
Directly reaching out to him might expedite resolving this situation.
â
Turning back, Lucinda was visibly taken aback.
Graham had gone beyond merely supporting her.
He had proactively gathered valuable information on her behalf.
âPlease forward Daniloâs contact to my phone.
Thanks.
â Lucinda expressed her gratitude, then left the villa, Jennifer accompanying her.