To verify his suspicions, Nathaniel drove in the opposite direction, following the path suggested by his own investigation.
Even though the National Investigation Bureau had the best investigative techniques in the country, and he trusted Elliot's findings, Nathaniel wanted to test the reliability of the information he got from the dark web.
The person who sold him the information described Sheena's situation in great detail.
It was simply… hard to ignore.
He wanted to take a chance for himself.
He wanted to… be the one to save her for once.
Nathaniel's mind was filled with images of Sheena's beautiful smile as he drove.
Even if this attempt led to his ruin, he had to give it a try!
Nathaniel's heart raced, and he felt an inexplicable sense of nervousness.
While he was on high alert, his phone rang.
It was Mavis calling from home.
Due to Sheena's disappearance, he had not been back to the Nicholls residence for days.
Mavis had been texting and calling him every day, but he had not responded to any of them.
The ringtone continued until it stopped, and Nathaniel's muddled thoughts relaxed, firming his resolve to find Sheena.
Immediately after, Gabrielle called him.
He ignored this call as well.
After the ringtone ended, the car's Bluetooth system played her voicemail.
"Nate, where have you been? You're a newlywed couple, yet you've abandoned Mae at home and always stayed out. This isn't how a husband should act…"
Gabrielle began, her tone reprimanding.
Nathaniel felt impatient and was about to press the button to stop the message when Gabrielle continued, "Mae is sick. Last night, she had a severe gastric. She was in unbearable pain, so Marius and I had to rush her to the ER. She's still in the hospital today, getting IV treatments. Are you really not going to come see her?"
Mavis was sick?
Nathaniel could not understand how she could fall ill while staying comfortably at the Nicholls residence.
Though he kept his eyes fixed on the road ahead, Gabrielle's words echoed in his mind, causing him to waver slightly.
Given her illness, it was the right thing to do as her husband.
The setting sun bathed the sky in a fiery red, reflecting his conflicted emotions in his blue eyes.
Time was running out, and night would fall if he continued to hesitate.
Nathaniel clenched and unclenched the steering wheel repeatedly.
Finally, he took a deep breath, slammed his foot on the gas pedal, and drove forward with determination.
His gaze betrayed the obsession he had for Sheena, and he was never going to look back.
…
In Oakridge Town, the National Investigation Bureau launched another extensive search, conducting a door-to-door census and registering identities.
Elliot headed to the creek where he had previously encountered the old fisherman.
However, he noticed something different about the old man.
Although he still appeared hunched over and walked with a limp, his appearance and demeanor had changed.
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