From his position at the surveillance feeds, Jaxen monitored the unfolding situation. His heart nearly stopped when he saw Alfy collapse, and every instinct in him strained toward her. Yet the weight of his responsibility kept him firmly in place — too many lives depended on his vigilance tonight. With great effort, he suppressed the feeling and kept his eyes on the monitors.

Under Samuel’s leadership, the team methodically neutralized the island’s security personnel, guided throughout by Jaxen from the command center. Everything proceeded with remarkable precision. Within a single hour, the entire island had fallen under their control.

When the doctor successfully revived Alfy, Bernie moved to approach her — but was stopped short.

The door burst open with a resounding bang as Katelyn and Vincent stormed into the room.

Bernie opened his mouth to reprimand the intrusion, but the moment he recognized Vincent, the anger on his face dissolved. “Mr. Adams,” he said, slipping back into his practiced composure, “my dear niece has finally been found.”

Vincent’s gaze turned to ice. “Are you sure you want to keep up this charade? T.”

Those few words sent a visible tremor through Bernie’s frame. Rage simmered beneath his composed exterior — he hadn’t anticipated Vincent knowing his hidden identity.

Had Vincent orchestrated Alfy’s appearance here?

“Vincent,” he said, his voice rising, “how dare you lay a hand on Alfy?”

Vincent offered no response. It was Katelyn whose lips curled into a contemptuous sneer. “You’ve committed acts devoid of conscience — sacrificing countless lives in pursuit of a mythical immortality, entangling yourself in dealings no decent man would touch. If not for your actions, how could Alfy have ever fallen into the hands of traffickers?”

Bernie’s eyes darkened as they fixed on Katelyn. “Who are you?”

’ ? .

The face before him was entirely unknown. Despite his extensive intelligence on nobles and wealthy families alike, he had never encountered this person. Yet here he stood, challenging him boldly at every turn.

Katelyn reached up and peeled away the mask concealing her features, revealing her true face.

Throughout the revelation, Sophia remained conspicuously calm — her posture almost leisurely.

Bernie stared at Katelyn’s unveiled face, his eyes widening in disbelief.

This woman was supposed to be dead. How could she possibly be standing before him now?

He wheeled on Sophia, his voice sharp with fury. “Didn’t you tell me Katelyn was dead?”

A cold sense of foreboding crept into his chest.

Sophia gave a casual nod. “The information I gathered indicated Katelyn was indeed dead. I have no explanation for the person standing here now.” Her nonchalant tone was a transparent attempt to deflect responsibility.

But Bernie was not so easily deceived. He saw through the misdirection at once. His gaze darted between Katelyn and Sophia as the pieces fell into place.

“So everything that transpired before was merely an elaborate deception — orchestrated by you two?”

Sophia shook her head quickly. “That’s not true. Katelyn never lowered her guard around me. Their ability to investigate this deeply stems entirely from their own capabilities. It has nothing to do with me.”

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