Chapter 1518 Richard, Let's Set Off Now
Richard studied Selena with concern—her ordeal at Mystic Prison had left her noticeably thinner and worn. She leaned back against the pillows, finally allowing herself to relax now that she knew Raymond was safe.
Richard sighed heavily. "That island was completely isolated until recently, but the continuous explosions over the past two days have drawn international attention. Several countries have already sent investigation teams, and what they've found is total devastation—only a handful of survivors remain. The hospital there has been exposed too, creating a massive media storm."
He paused, his mouth curving into a cold smile. "Multiple nations have submitted formal requests for a joint investigation into the island's ownership. The puppet masters behind this are either criminal organizations or..." He let the implication hang in the air. "Or certain governments themselves. Either way, the media coverage is relentless now, which should keep whoever's behind this from making any rash moves."
Selena nodded, feeling a wave of relief wash over her. While she'd always felt secure with Raymond, this was the first time she truly appreciated having family support. She held no particular affection for the Smith family as a whole, but Richard had proven himself a decent brother.
"Richard, how is... how is Dad?"
The original purpose of infiltrating Mystic Prison had been to find an antidote, but with everything on the island destroyed, what hope did Jason have now?
"His condition is stable, but we need to locate the antidote soon. Selena, this isn't your burden alone—don't carry that weight. There must be traces left somewhere, and our people are still searching the ruins."
Selena nodded, lowering her gaze. "Richard, about the woman imprisoned in that underground chamber..." Her brow furrowed with concern. "The chamber's construction is incredibly complex, but she might know how to formulate the antidote. We should try communicating with her—she's... she's our mother."
Richard remained silent, having harbored this suspicion himself. The room fell quiet as he rubbed his temples wearily. "I've deployed multiple teams, but that chamber has at least a hundred thousand interwoven circuits—designed both to prevent her escape and to stop anyone from rescuing her. If we can't find a solution, that place will become her permanent prison."
The thought left him deeply unsettled. He'd learned the truth some time ago—the woman who'd remained with the Smith family had vanished without a trace, her whereabouts unknown.
He'd initially assumed the imprisoned woman was simply a key figure within Mystic Prison, never imagining she was the real Octavia.
"Selena, once you've recovered, I'll take you to see her."
With Mystic Prison now under international oversight, it was temporarily secure. The self-destruct mechanism had been disabled, ensuring the island's preservation.
Selena agreed. Her injuries from the island were minor—the whip marks were superficial, and two days of rest had nearly healed them completely.
"Richard, let's set off now."
Unable to dissuade her, Richard nodded his consent. But as Selena opened the door, she found herself face-to-face with Lawrence standing in the corridor.
Lawrence had been about to knock when their eyes met, causing his hand to freeze mid-motion. He opened his mouth to speak but seemed choked by invisible hands, unable to form words. Beside him stood another tall, imposing man, both of them blocking out the overhead lighting.
Lawrence instinctively stepped aside to clear Selena's path, his gaze shifting to some distant point as if paralyzed.
Selena found herself equally speechless.
The situation between her and Lawrence remained painfully awkward. While the collaboration between the Smith and Perez families had undoubtedly helped her, expecting her to immediately forgive and embrace Lawrence was impossible.
The chasm between them was too vast to bridge in such a short time.
Without a word, she kept her head down and walked toward the elevator, never looking back.
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