Morning arrived cold and gray over the Cole mansion.
Rain slid softly against the enormous windows while dark clouds covered the sky outside. The estate still looked elegant and untouchable from afar.
But inside—
Everything felt tense.
Ever since Vivian returned, the atmosphere inside the mansion had completely changed.
The servants walked more carefully.
Spoke less.
Worked faster.
Even breathing too loudly suddenly felt dangerous.
Elena noticed it immediately the moment she entered the kitchen that morning.
Several maids stood silently preparing breakfast trays while Madam Martha personally inspected every plate near the counter.
"Careful with Madam Vivian's tea," Madam Martha warned quietly. "Too much sugar irritates her."
One younger maid whispered nervously under her breath,
"Everything irritates her."
Unfortunately—
The kitchen doors opened immediately afterward.
Silence swallowed the room.
Vivian stepped inside elegantly wearing a fitted dark dress while expensive diamond earrings shimmered softly beneath the kitchen lights.
Her sharp eyes slowly scanned the room once.
Instant pressure filled the air.
Vivian walked calmly toward the breakfast trays before stopping beside the fruit arrangement.
"This looks careless."
The older cook immediately lowered his head.
"I apologize, ma'am."
"You should apologize before serving it."
Her tone remained soft.
Controlled.
Cold.
That somehow made it worse.
The cook hurried to rearrange everything quickly.
Vivian turned toward another maid next.
"And these flowers already look half dead."
The frightened maid swallowed hard.
"I changed them yesterday, ma'am."
"Then clearly you chose poorly."
Nobody spoke afterward.
The kitchen became painfully quiet again.
Elena quietly continued arranging cups while avoiding attention.
Unfortunately—
Vivian noticed her anyway.
"You."
Elena looked up respectfully.
"Yes, ma'am?"
Vivian slowly studied her appearance.
"Your posture is too tense."
Elena lowered her gaze slightly.
"I apologize, ma'am."
"You apologize too much." Vivian tilted her head faintly. "Weak people usually do."
The words settled heavily inside Elena's chest.
Weak.
That same word again.
Still, Elena forced herself to remain calm.
"Yes, ma'am."
Vivian continued watching her for another moment before speaking again.
"You need confidence if you plan to survive in houses like this."
Then she walked away calmly.
The second the doors closed behind her, several servants quietly released nervous breaths.
One maid muttered shakily,
"That woman terrifies me."
Madam Martha immediately silenced everyone with one look.
But Elena remained quiet.
Because deep inside—
Something cold had already started growing.
Every time Vivian looked at her, old memories returned.
Blurred memories.
Broken screams.
Blood against marble floors.
Her mother's terrified face.
And somewhere inside those memories—
Vivian.
Elena tightened her fingers slightly against the tray.
No.
She would never remain weak again.
Upstairs, Adrian sat silently inside his office reviewing several financial reports spread across the desk.
Rain tapped softly against the large windows behind him.
Cold silence filled the room.
Daniel stood nearby holding a tablet carefully.
"We searched again," Daniel reported quietly.
Adrian didn't immediately look up.
"And?"
Daniel hesitated slightly.
"We still haven't found the girl."
The office became silent.
For several long seconds, Adrian said nothing at all.
His sharp eyes remained fixed on the reports before him, though his thoughts clearly seemed elsewhere.
Daniel continued carefully,
"It's been years, sir."
"I know."
"We don't even know if she remembers anything."
Something dark flickered briefly across Adrian's expression.
Gone almost instantly.
Coldness returned immediately afterward.
"Keep searching."
Daniel nodded slowly.
"Yes, sir."
For years, Adrian quietly searched for one missing girl connected to something buried deeply inside his past.
Something he never discussed.
Something that changed him completely.
It was one of the reasons he became colder over time.
More distant.
More guarded.
Some memories never truly left a person.
Daniel carefully placed another file onto the desk afterward.
"We also traced the missing company funds."
Adrian's attention immediately shifted back toward business.
The atmosphere inside the office sharpened instantly.
"Report."
Daniel opened the file carefully.
"The missing funds were transferred through hidden subsidiary accounts."
Adrian's expression remained unreadable.
"But the numbers still don't fully match," Daniel admitted. "Someone manipulated the reports carefully."
Adrian leaned back slightly.
"Then find the missing connection."
Later that afternoon, Elena carried coffee upstairs toward Adrian's office.
The mansion remained strangely quiet today.
As she approached the partially opened office door, voices drifted softly from inside.
"The numbers still don't balance," Daniel said in frustration.
Adrian answered calmly.
"Then someone altered the records before submission."
Elena slowed slightly near the doorway.
Several reports covered the desk inside.
Then suddenly—
One document caught her attention.
The numbers looked strange.
Very strange.
Without realizing it, she spoke softly.
"The money wasn't moved directly."
Silence instantly filled the office.
Daniel turned sharply.
Adrian slowly lifted his eyes toward the doorway.
Elena froze immediately.
Realizing too late she interrupted.
Daniel frowned.
"What?"
Elena tightened her grip nervously against the tray.
"I apologize, sir."
But Adrian continued watching her silently.
Cold.
Unreadable.
Yet waiting.
Finally he spoke calmly.
"Explain."
Elena hesitated briefly before stepping inside carefully.
"If someone wanted to hide stolen money..." she explained softly, "they wouldn't transfer large amounts at once."
Daniel crossed his arms skeptically.
"And?"
"They would move smaller amounts repeatedly through weaker subsidiary accounts." Elena pointed carefully toward another report. "Separately, the transactions look normal. Together, they create the missing total."
Silence filled the office again.
Daniel quickly grabbed the reports.
His eyes widened suddenly.
"The Northbridge accounts."
Adrian's gaze sharpened faintly.
Daniel looked shocked now.
"The transfer dates actually match."
Elena immediately stepped backward.
"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have interrupted."
But Adrian continued staring at her thoughtfully.
Not warmly.
Never warmly.
Just carefully.
"You notice details easily," he said calmly.
Elena lowered her gaze slightly.
"I only noticed what looked wrong."
For several seconds, Adrian remained silent again.
Then he finally spoke.
"Daniel. Review every Northbridge transaction."
"Yes, sir."
Daniel hurried from the office immediately afterward.
Nearly twenty minutes later—
The office doors suddenly opened again.
Vanessa walked inside carrying several luxury shopping bags while speaking loudly into her phone.
"No, I want the diamond set reserved before tomorrow."
The moment she noticed Adrian's expression, she slowly lowered the phone.
"...Why are you looking at me like that?"
Daniel quietly placed several printed reports onto the desk.
Adrian's voice remained calm.
Cold.
"Sit down, Vanessa."
For the first time—
Something inside the atmosphere felt truly dangerous.