chapter1752

Beckett scoffed dismissively. "A love-struck fool."

Laurel ignored his taunt and asked, "Have you found any leads on Leonard and Stella's whereabouts?"

Beckett leaned back in his chair, nonchalant. "Nope."

Laurel frowned. "Brother, can you please take this seriously? Joshua is short- handed in Solmaris. We're the only ones who can help him right now."

"He tried to kill me, and I'm supposed to help him with all my might?" Beckett retorted. "Do I look like some kind of saint to you?"

"You tried to kill him too, didn't you?" Laurel shot back. "You tried to kill him once, he tried to kill you once. You screwed him over, he screwed you over. I'd say you're even."

Beckett was speechless for a moment, then glanced at Laurel.

"He's risking life and limb for another woman, and you still want to help him find her? Laurel Quinn, are you an idiot? If Stella disappeared for good, maybe you and Joshua would have a chance."

Laurel shook her head, her expression growing grave.

"If they really can't find Stella, I suspect Joshua will snap."

Beckett's eyelid twitched as he caught the deeper meaning in Laurel's words.

"What do you mean?"

"I saw Joshua today," Laurel said, her face looking grim. "His state of mind... it isn't good. I suspect... his illness has relapsed."

Beckett frowned. "Didn't you give Jake a treatment plan for him just six months ago? Even with some stress, it shouldn't have come back this quickly, right?"

Laurel looked straight at Beckett. "What if his condition never fully stabilized back then? What if he rushed back to find Stella before he was ready?"

Beckett couldn't help but curse. "Damn, what a love-struck fool. He doesn't even care about his own life."

"That's why we have to find Stella as

soon as possible and then

re-evaluate his condition," Laurel

said. "If we drag this out any longer, Joshua could have a full-blown episode. If that causes his

memories to loosen and he remembers everything, it could..."

She sighed softly and looked directly into Beckett's eyes.

"Brother, don't forget. He ended up in the enemy's hands and was missing for half a year, nearly dying, all to save us. Joshua specifically warned you not to go after that person, but you were blinded by hatred and wouldn't listen. You abandoned us to go on your own. We fell into a trap trying to find you. If we had been the ones captured we would have never made it out alive he hadn't been tortured for those six months, he never would have gotten sick in the first place!"

They had been partners, frequently risking their lives for one another. As such, there were no debts or life-saving favors between them.

But those six months Joshua was missing had taken a massive toll on him. That was why Laurel was willing to take the blame and was so determined to cure him.

Even Beckett fell silent now.

He and Joshua could try to kill each other, but they absolutely could not let Joshua lose his mind.

After a while, he spoke reluctantly. "Alright, alright, I get it. That love-struck fool is about to break down, so I guess we can't count on him for anything right now."

Laurel's expression relaxed, but she added a warning. "Although I erased the tracks from Aurora's kidnapping,

with Stella missing, people are bound to suspect Joshua and pressure him. They might even notice his abnormal state. If they figure out his condition, it's like handing them his greatest weakness. They could use Stella to

drive him completely insane."