Chapter 650

Caiden and Joyce instinctively turned to the door.

Before they could react, Daniela's voice cut through the room. "Caiden, you're the first."

Caiden hesitated,his lips pressing together."Huh?"

"How did you get out of the psychiatric hospital.If you skip anything or lie, I'll have you sent straight back."Daniela's gaze was icy, void of emotion. "Since you escaped, they've reinforced the place with layers of security. If you end up back there, not even wings could get you out."

Caiden's face went pale. "Daniela,I'm your father! You can't do this to me!"

Daniela leaned back, fingers drumming lightly on the table, her presence alone weighing on the room.

Caiden swallowed hard. "Honestly, I don't know what happened. It was a rainy night when my door suddenly creaked open. A voice in the dark asked if I was your father. The moment I said yes, they stuck a needle in my neck. Next thing I knew, I blacked out."

Caiden rubbed his neck. "Right here. When I came to, I was in this villa. At first, I freaked out, but I had nowhere else to go. So I stayed. Nothing weird happened after that, so I just settled in."

Daniela lowered her gaze, listening to the steady downpour outside.

Tasha quietly shut the floor-to-ceiling window. The heavy rain hammered against the glass, filling the room with a steady rhythm.

Daniela finally spoke. "Did the person who helped you have any noticeable features?"

Caiden thought hard, his brows furrowing. He shook his head. "No, but I remember a weird smell. Kind of like hospital disinfectant, but different. If I smelled it again,I'd know right away!"

Caiden pointed to the base of his thumb. "Oh! He had a burn mark. Right here."

Daniela didn't respond right away, and Caliden's inerves spiked. "That's everything, Daniela. You have tho keep your word."

Daniela's eyes narrowed. "Why do you think they helped you?"

Caiden spread his hands. "No clue. llt's beem bugging ime ever sinoe. They just wanished after geting ime (out." Daniela gave a slight nod. She then shifted her gaze to Joyce. "And you? How did you get out of Alexander's basement?"

Joyce's eyes widened the moment she heard the question. "How do you know?" She had never told a soul about that.

Daniela wasn't about to reveal that she led the intelligence department. She knew Olisvine like the back of her hand-Alexander's basement included.

"I ask, you answer. That's how this works. I don't owe you any explanations."

Joyce pouted. "Fine. Alexander locked me up in the basement. I was just about to escape on my own when someone unlocked the door, so I slipped out. Then l saw the explosion on TV. I had nowhere else to go, so I came back to the villa."

Daniela stared at her. "That's it?" She didn't look impressed. Joyce's story wasn't much help.

Joyce quickly added, "Wait, there's more! Before you came back,I got a note. It said you were returning and told me not to let you go. It even said thatif you died,your fortune would be mine."

Daniela held out her hand. "Where's the note?"

Joyce hesitated. She considered using it as leverage. "I'll give it to you, but can you give me some money as a reward?"

Joyce shot Daniela a wary glance, suddenly feeling uneasy.

Daniela shut her down instantly. "No."

Joyce gawked at her. "If you're asking for a favor,the least you can do is be polite! Do you even want the note? It might be linked to whoever planned the explosion-your enemy, for all you know! This could be a major clue."

Caiden frowned, suddenly regretting not asking for something too. He should've bargained while he had the chance.

But before he could dwell on it, Daniela's icy voice cut through the room. "Joyce,do you really think l can't send you right back? That basement's been empty for a while now. Want to take another trip down there?"

Joyce shot up from her seat in an instant. Without a word,she bolted for her room.