Isabella, not having driven too far, suddenly began to hear the sporadic sound of shooting, like an unsettling symphony of distant thunderclaps, which seemed to be coming from Ethan Mark’s mansion. Immediately upon hearing this, she pressed her foot on the brake pedal and brought the car to a halt like a vigilant guardian abruptly stopping to shield its charge from an unseen danger. She then asked,"Alexa, is that what I think it is?""I'm sorry, Isabella; I am not a god and certainly do not possess any kind of divine power to read your thoughts. Is there something you're thinking about that you want me to know? Please speak up.""The shooting? Can you hear it? Isabella asked promptly, still in disbelief over what she heard."Yes, I heard the shooting. It's as loud as fireworks being shot into the sky. I would be deaf not to have heard that." Alexa answered."Good! Can you trace where that sound is coming from? Isabella asked again.Upon hearing Isabella's question, Alexa remembered t
Inside Ethan Mark’s compound, every security guard, under the command of Guard 3 as per Mr. Smith's instructions, assumed strategic positions, reminiscent of a well-orchestrated dance of readiness. At this moment, Mr. Smith was also present in the compound with his two pistols right in his hands as he stretched them forward, ready to shoot any ninjas he saw advancing at him.In this manner, three of the ninjas had been shot right in the arm and ankle and were kneeling on the ground helplessly and in agony by Mr. Smith. He had given a perfect instruction to the guards, ordering them to disable the men in dark clothing's movement rather than killing them, with the expectation that the police would arrive to arrest them in due time.Having delivered six well-placed shots to critical points on each of the three men's bodies, Mr. Smith advanced towards them and kicked their firearms out of reach, as if ridding the scene of potential danger with swift efficiency.In this manner, he removed
Hearing their thoughts on the news about her, Isabella didn't express surprise. She merely chuckled briefly and said to herself,"I couldn't have masterminded something this stupid. Ethan Mark, you just wait and see how I will bounce on you. Trust me, you won't see it coming."Immediately after uttering that, she immersed herself in the phone screen again and listened to what the two journalists were saying live."I don't think it's Ethan Mark's ex-wife, Mrs. Isabella Rosewood, who masterminded this. I mean, she was only angry at the media for showing her family matters on the news, so she spoke to the reporters rudely. She doesn't seem like a person capable of murder. Or rather, we'll have to wait to find out.""You're right, Mrs. Jacob. Let's find out what's happening on the streets of Ethan Mark. Henry, any further developments?"At that moment, Isabella observed how the screen divided again, and the same man she had seen earlier when she started watching this live video reappeared
Making his way through the entrance door of the mansion, Mr. Smith's eyes peered at Guard 2, who was standing alert, ready to fire at any unwelcome guest in dark clothing approaching like a vigilant sentinel on duty.When Guard 2 saw that it was Mr. Smith who had walked through the entrance door, he lowered his pistol from the position from which it had been aimed at the door. However, if that gesture suggested any relaxation in his state of alertness for potential intruders into the mansion, it was a blatant lie.Mr. Smith gave him a nod like a silent affirmation passing between comrades in the heat of battle, and in response, Guard 2 nodded back. Thus, Guard 2 raised his pistol again and pointed it at the mansion door. Similarly, he kneeled in a strategic position that would protect his head from potential gunfire entering the house. Thereafter, suddenly, he shot. A ninja was attempting entrance and had just been hit in the ankle and another in the arm, disabling any further movement
"Take a look at this, Isabella. The 'Ninjas of Assassination Mission' can't reveal who sent them. Instead of revealing their source, they used to be trained soldiers, and they believe in the concept of dying an honorable death rather than succumbing to defeat. They understand very well that if one of them is captured, the rest of them are in jeopardy. Therefore, they resort to taking their own lives using a type of Eastern poison that no one can explain the workings of. So, if this is their modus operandi, you can simply become a whistleblower," Alexa explained.However, to Isabella, Alexa still spoke in parables, as she found everything Alexa said to be complicated. Hence, she immediately said, "Help me understand, Alexa. What do you mean?""Come on, Isabella, don't be clueless for goodness' sake.""Language, Alexa!" Isabella quickly cautioned"I apologize, Isabella. I just wanted to ensure you grasped what I was telling you. If you think deeply, it's as simple as ABC. After you've o
Mr. Smith was on the verge of leaving the glassy room when the wail of police sirens reached his ears, announcing the approach of police cars toward their gate. Similarly, Ethan, Sophia, and Guard 1 were also alerted by the sound of the police cars.However, what took each of them by surprise was the sudden disappearance of the ninjas from the compound. There was no sign of them running out through the gate, nor did they leap over the fence as they had when entering. In the blink of an eye, they were all gone, as if they had disappeared into thin air.In response, Sophia sprang from her seat like a gazelle in full flight and dashed towards Ethan, her eagerness radiating like a beacon. She then placed her tiny hands in Ethan's larger palm, and she looked up at him as though he were as tall as Mount Everest."Dad, where did they go?" she inquired, her tiny voice brimming with curiosity and fear as her gaze remained fixed on her dad, conveying her desire for a quick answer.However, Etha
Arriving at the car park adjacent to the children's playground, Isabella noticed that the playground, which had been bustling during her previous visit, now resembled nothing more than a ghost town infected by lots of dusty cars by the car park.However, it didn't give off an abandoned playground vibe. Instead, it seemed like the playground was frozen in a moment of absent footsteps. However, if Isabella took this as a big concern, it was a lie, as she simply pulled the door handle and stepped out of the car.At that moment, when she was out of her fancy car, she held her fancy bag in her hand, and her phone was connected to her earpiece, which she had plugged into her ear. Then, as she remained standing by the car door, she took a sudden, deep sigh."So, why do you sigh like that, Isabella? Are you nervous?" Alexa asked immediately. However, the only response she received from Isabella was fervent silence. To which, in a short moment, Isabella took another sigh before finally saying,
After Ethan had spoken to Mr. Smith, he said once more, "Let's go out to the compound and hear what the police have to say about this."As soon as he said this, he let out a gentle smile, akin to a sunrise illuminating the sky. Consequently, he fastened a button that seemed to have come loose from its hole to its proper place and began walking slowly toward the exit of the glassy room, leaving the mansion as the wealthy tycoon he was.Following closely behind him, Mr. Smith walked, ensuring to open each door as Ethan passed through with gentleness, like a guardian guiding a cherished ward.Finally, outside the compound, a police officer approached them. The officer was in uniform, donning a neatly pressed blue shirt, black trousers, and polished shoes. In his shirt pocket rested a pair of sunglasses, ready for use when needed.In the same manner, his hair was neatly combed and slicked back, framing a face that exuded authority and experience. A strong jawline and a chiseled chin gave