Chapter 430: Emptiness!!!
Pearl Villa.
Night had settled quietly over the estate.
Most of the family had already gone to their rooms after the celebration at The Atelier.
The laughter from the restaurant still seemed fresh in Chloe’s mind.
She sat on the bed, slowly removing her earrings while Miles stood near the window.
For a while, she simply smiled to herself.
Then she took a deep breath.
"Everyone was so happy."
Miles looked toward her.
Chloe continued,
"I feel lucky."
He raised an eyebrow.
"For what?"
She looked around the room.
"For this."
Then toward him.
"For being part of all of this."
"Part of your family."
Miles smiled.
"Me too."
Chloe watched him.
Miles looked outside.
"I just want their smiles to stay like that."
Her expression softened.
"Yes."
A quiet moment passed.
Then Chloe suddenly straightened.
"I’ve decided something."
Miles looked toward her.
"What?"
"I am going to learn Grandma’s recipes."
He blinked.
"From Mom."
Miles stared for another second.
"Are you sure?"
Chloe looked offended.
"Why?"
"Cooking can be complicated."
She narrowed her eyes.
Miles immediately added,
"Especially Mom’s cooking."
"That’s even more reason to learn."
Chloe smiled.
"One recipe at a time."
"I’ll write everything down."
"Practice."
"Mess up."
"Try again."
Then her voice softened.
"I want to keep those recipes alive."
Miles looked at her for a few seconds.
Then chuckled.
Chloe immediately pointed at him.
"Are you laughing at me?"
"No."
"You are."
Miles sat beside her.
"I’m not."
Then his expression became thoughtful.
"Actually..."
"What?"
"Today was the first time I heard Mom talk about her mother."
Chloe became quiet.
Miles looked down.
"I never really heard anything about her before."
"Not properly."
"Her childhood."
"Her mother."
"Her brother."
"That part of her life."
Chloe listened.
Miles smiled faintly.
"I think I want to know more."
Then he sighed.
"Which means..."
Chloe already knew.
"You’ll have to talk to someone."
Miles looked at her.
"An old man I hate."
She smiled.
"Grandpa Edwin?"
"Yes."
Chloe tilted her head.
"He seems nice."
Miles gave her a look.
"You are too innocent."
"What?"
"Do you even know his background?"
Chloe blinked.
"No one told me."
Then she became cautious.
"Is it something bad?"
Miles said nothing.
Chloe thought for a second.
"But Sister Monica is so sweet."
That made him smile.
"I’m glad Monica and Chase have no business with that island."
Chloe’s eyes immediately lit up.
"Island?"
Miles realized his mistake.
She moved closer.
"They are from some island?"
He leaned away.
Chloe became more excited.
"What island?"
Miles smiled.
"Let’s keep that story for another time."
"Hey."
She grabbed his sleeve.
"No fair."
Miles grinned.
"You reached the end of part one."
Chloe stared.
"You’ll need to pay if you want part two."
Her eyes narrowed.
"Pay?"
"Yes."
"What kind of payment?"
Miles leaned closer.
"Cash."
Chloe waited.
"Card."
She waited.
"Or..."
He smiled.
"A kiss."
Chloe immediately nudged him with her elbow.
"Ow."
She slipped under the blanket.
"Keep dreaming, little boy."
Miles laughed.
"That’s rude."
Chloe pulled the blanket higher.
"No payment."
"Then no story."
"Fine."
Miles smiled.
Within minutes...
The room became quiet.
...
3:00 AM.
Miles’ phone buzzed.
His eyes opened immediately.
Almost as if he had never fully fallen asleep.
He reached for the phone.
Charles.
Miles answered quietly.
"What’s the status?"
Charles’ voice came through.
"We were too late, Boss."
Miles sat up.
"What happened?"
"They burned the factory."
Miles’ expression changed instantly.
He got out of bed and quietly walked toward the balcony.
The door closed softly behind him.
"What?"
He lowered his voice.
"How the hell did that happen?"
Charles sighed.
"I’m sorry."
There was frustration in his voice.
"I feel ashamed."
Miles frowned.
"For what?"
"We failed."
"No."
Miles’ reply came immediately.
"Don’t say that."
Charles went silent.
Miles looked toward the dark grounds of Pearl Villa.
"You didn’t know they were going to burn it."
"None of us did."
He continued,
"We couldn’t go during the day because the Biohazard team was still there."
"If we had rushed blindly, we could have exposed ourselves."
Charles remained quiet.
Miles continued,
"Whoever is behind this..."
"They’re thinking ahead."
"One step ahead right now."
He paused.
"But that doesn’t mean they stay ahead."
Charles released a breath.
Miles added,
"And all our people are safe?"
"Yes."
"Then be proud of that."
Charles’ voice softened.
"Thanks, Boss."
Then immediately hardened again.
"But I promise you."
"We’ll find these bastards."
Miles leaned against the railing.
"What about the Biohazard team, we can get something from them right, they must have seen something?"
There was a pause.
Charles replied,
"That’s the strange part."
Miles straightened.
"What?"
"They never left."
"What do you mean?"
"They set up a temporary camp at the site."
"Stayed after dark."
Miles frowned.
"Fire?"
"They were trapped."
His expression hardened.
"All of them?"
"Yes."
Charles continued,
"The fire spread from multiple points."
"But our team reached them in time."
Miles’ grip on the phone tightened.
"Casualties?"
"None."
Miles finally breathed out.
"Good."
"Where are they now?"
"With our agents."
"Safe."
Miles thought quickly.
Then a faint smile appeared.
"Bring them in."
Charles understood.
"You want them kept hidden?"
"Yes."
Miles looked toward the darkness.
"The people who burned that factory probably believe the Biohazard team died with it."
"Let them keep believing that."
Charles’ voice sharpened.
"Right."
Miles continued,
"Those people spent hours inside."
"They might have noticed something even if they didn’t know it mattered."
Charles nodded on the other end.
"We can question them separately."
"Exactly."
Miles smiled faintly.
"Great work, Charles."
"Seriously."
"You saved the one thing they probably didn’t expect to survive."
Charles exhaled.
"I’ll bring them in."
Miles’ expression became thoughtful.
Then another question appeared.
"Why were they still there at night?"
Charles had been waiting for that.
"That’s the suspicious part."
"According to the team leader..."
"They were ordered to submit a complete status report by morning."
Miles’ eyes narrowed.
"So they were ordered to stay?"
"Yes."
"Overnight?"
"Yes."
Miles became quiet.
That wasn’t procedure.
Not for a site already considered hazardous enough to restrict entry.
Not unless someone specifically wanted them there.
Miles slowly smirked.
"My hands are telling me something."
Charles almost laughed.
"What?"
"It’s been too long since I punched someone."
Charles went silent for half a second.
Then,
"What are you thinking, Boss?"
Miles looked back toward the bedroom.
Chloe was still sleeping.
He lowered his voice.
"I thought after retirement..."
"I’d keep things simple."
"Break as few laws as possible."
Charles immediately understood the tone.
"Charles."
"Waiting for orders, boss."
Miles’ voice became calm.
"Bring me the superior who ordered that Biohazard team to stay overnight."
Charles paused.
"You want him here?"
"In Star Harbor."
"Morning."
Charles didn’t hesitate.
"Understood."
Miles added,
"Male or female?"
Charles sounded confused.
"What?"
"The superior."
"Man or woman?"
"A man."
Miles smiled.
"Good."
Charles laughed quietly.
"Why good?"
"Because now I don’t have to think too much."
He continued,
"Take that bastard from his residence."
"Quietly."
"I want him here by morning."
Charles replied,
"Of course, Boss."
Miles nodded.
Then Charles asked,
"I wonder what you would’ve said if it was a woman."
Miles chuckled.
"Don’t ask questions you don’t want answered."
Charles laughed.
Miles’ voice softened.
"Get some rest too."
"You’ve been awake too long."
"I’ll manage."
"I won’t rush to the base at sunrise."
Miles continued,
"Call me once you’re there."
"Understood."
"Good night."
"Good night, Boss."
The call ended.
Miles remained on the balcony.
𝑓𝑟ℯ𝘦𝓌𝘦𝘣𝑛𝑜𝓋𝑒𝓁.𝑐ℴ𝓂
The night had become colder.
He stared toward the horizon.
Someone had burned down the Lincoln Ice Factory.
Someone had ordered innocent inspectors to remain inside it overnight.
Someone had expected them to die with whatever secrets were buried there.
And now...
Those people were alive.
Miles smiled faintly.
For the first time since Adam’s death...
The enemy had made a mistake.
...
Olivia’s apartment.
The city outside was quiet.
But Thea wasn’t sleeping.
She stood alone on the balcony.
Both hands rested against the railing.
No phone.
No reports.
No WEB communication.
No coded messages.
No fear that someone might be monitoring every word.
Only silence.
And somehow...
That silence made everything worse.
Thea looked toward the sky.
"What is this feeling?"
Her voice was barely a whisper.
She should have been happy.
Ivy was safe.
She was free.
She had a place to live.
People around her who genuinely cared.
And yet...
Her mind felt empty.
Unsettled.
A knock came from behind.
Thea didn’t turn.
"It’s open."
The door opened.
Olivia stepped inside.
She immediately noticed the balcony.
Then Thea.
"I knew you weren’t sleeping."
Thea finally looked back.
"What’s wrong?"
Olivia walked closer.
"I was going to ask you that."
Thea smiled weakly.
"Nothing."
Olivia didn’t believe her.
She stepped onto the balcony.
For a few seconds...
She didn’t speak.
She simply stood beside Thea.
Eventually Thea sighed.
"I don’t know."
Olivia looked toward her.
"I genuinely don’t know what’s wrong."
Thea stared at the city.
"This new life..."
"It happened too fast."
"One day I was still inside WEB."
"Thinking about what Bjorn might do."
"Thinking about Ivy."
"Thinking about whether I’d ever escape."
She swallowed.
"Then suddenly..."
"I’m here."
"Free."
"I have my sister again."
She smiled faintly.
"I’m happy."
"I really am."
"But..."
Her smile faded.
"My mind is still a mess."
Olivia listened quietly.
Thea continued,
"Sometimes I wake up and forget where I am."
"Sometimes I hear a phone ring and think it’s an order."
"Sometimes..."
She looked down.
"I feel like I should be doing something."
"Reporting to someone."
"Watching someone."
"Lying."
"Running."
Then she laughed bitterly.
"And when there’s nothing..."
"I don’t know what to do with myself."
Olivia remained silent for a moment.
Then smiled.
"You know..."
"I always wanted a little sister."
Thea looked toward her.
Olivia rested her arms on the railing.
"Then Grandpa brought Ivy home."
Her expression became warm.
"Our family adopted her."
"And suddenly..."
"We had this little girl in the house."
Olivia smiled.
"She changed everything."
"She brought so much happiness."
"Laughter."
"Noise."
"Little arguments."
"Random questions."
"She made the house feel alive."
Thea’s expression softened.
Olivia continued,
"But we made a mistake."
"What?"
"We were so happy to have her..."
"...that we forgot to ask whether she was happy to have us."
Thea became still.
Olivia looked toward the sky.
"Ivy used to stand exactly like this."
"On the balcony."
"At night."
"Just staring."
Thea slowly turned toward her.
"Really?"
Olivia nodded.
"She barely spoke."
"She followed instructions."
"She smiled when we smiled."
"She said thank you for everything."
"But there was this emptiness in her."
"Like she was present..."
"...but part of her was still somewhere else."
Thea’s eyes lowered.
Olivia continued,
"I was so excited about becoming a big sister..."
"I forgot to actually be one."
She smiled sadly.
"At first, I kept asking her questions."
"What do you want?"
"Are you happy?"
"What happened?"
"Do you miss someone?"
"She never answered."
Olivia paused.
"So eventually..."
"I stopped asking."
Thea looked at her.
"I just sat with her."
"Sometimes for hours."
"Both of us staring from the balcony."
"No talking."
"No forcing."
"Nothing."
Olivia smiled.
"Eventually her eyes would get heavy."
"She would fall asleep beside me."
"Then one night..."
"She started talking."
Thea’s eyes became slightly wet.
"Just one small thing."
"Then another."
"Then another."
Olivia continued,
"Slowly..."
"She started trusting me."
"And one day..."
"She called me Big Sister."
Thea smiled.
Olivia looked toward her.
"That was probably one of the happiest days of my life."
Thea lowered her head.
Olivia continued gently,
"She needed time to learn how to live normally."
"And you..."
She smiled.
"You two have the same blood."
Thea laughed softly.
Olivia added,
"Looking at you now..."
"It reminds me of her."
"When she was younger."
Then she corrected herself.
"Well..."
"She’s still a kid."
Thea laughed again.
"She would be offended if she heard you."
"I know."
Olivia turned toward her properly.
"Thea."
Thea looked at her.
"We’re sisters too."
Thea’s expression changed.
Olivia continued,
"You didn’t become part of this family today."
"Or when you moved into this apartment."
"You became part of it the day Ivy did."
Thea said nothing.
Olivia reached for her hand.
"If she’s my little sister..."
"Then so are you."
Thea’s eyes filled.
"You can count on me."
"For anything."
Olivia squeezed her hand.
"And I expect the same."
"I’ll count on you too."
For several seconds...
Thea could only stare at her.
Then she smiled.
A real one.
"Thank you."
Her voice became quieter.
"Thank you so much..."
She hesitated.
Then,
"...Sister."
Olivia’s smile immediately widened.
"There."
Thea laughed softly.
Olivia gently pulled her closer.
They stood together for a moment.
No need to explain more.
Eventually Olivia stepped back.
"You should sleep."
Thea sighed.
"I’ll try."
"No trying."
Olivia pointed toward the bedroom.
"Tomorrow is your first day at work."
Thea smiled.
"Right."
Olivia continued proudly,
"And not everyone gets to say their first normal job is at Reaper Group."
Thea laughed.
"That somehow doesn’t sound very normal."
Olivia thought.
"Fair point."
Then she smiled.
"But it’s a start."
Thea looked once more toward the city.
The emptiness was still there.
It hadn’t disappeared.
But it felt a little smaller now.
Perhaps normal life wasn’t something she would understand overnight.
Perhaps she didn’t need to.
For now...
She had Ivy.
Olivia.
A family.
And tomorrow...
A place to begin again.