Chapter: 2528
Realizing the gravity of the situation, Erick snapped into action, though his heart ached to leave. He bellowed throughout the underground chamber, “Everyone, evacuate the villa now! There are bombs. Move immediately!"
The team exchanged nervous glances, awaiting Erick to lead the way out.
Erick directed, "You all go first. That's an order. I'll follow."
With hesitation, the team complied and evacuated. Erick then approached the bed to turn over the figure lying there.
A chilling sound followed, and a severed head rolled to his feet, causing a ghastly taste to rise in his throat, nearly making him retch.
Initially, Erick feared it was his mother.
However, a detailed look revealed it wasn't her. The body showed signs of decomposition, particularly around the neck, though the facial features remained eerily preserved, likely an effect of Aurora's cold climate.
Erick's heart sank as he realized the set-up was a trap.
Filled with dread but determined not to succumb without finding his mother, he sprinted out of the room.
Running, it dawned on him why the face seemed familiar. It was Jimena, the family doctor they had been searching for, who Davey had evidently murdered some time ago.
With no time to spare, Erick exited the villa just as a massive explosion erupted, catapulting a fireball into the sky.
The blast lifted him off his feet, hurling him back to the ground with a thud.
Meanwhile, Mitchel, deeply concerned, was en route to Davey's villa.
He had been the first to realize Raegan's absence at the banquet, and despite knowing he might not be welcome, his concern for her well-being propelled him to attend the celebration.
Mitchel, unable to reach Raegan and learning she was supposedly resting, wheeled himself toward her room with increasing unease.
As he approached, he noticed the door slightly open, an unusual occurrence for Raegan, who was meticulous about her privacy.
Upon entering, a strange scent filled the air, and it quickly became apparent that the room was empty.
Concerned, Mitchel triggered an immediate alert and got in touch with Stefan, who proceeded to secure the entire venue.
However, their extensive search for Raegan proved fruitless. Stefan then decided to inspect the room where they believed they had detained "Davey." Instead, they found the servant who had led Davey to the room, dressed in Davey's white suit and deceased for some time.
Reviewing the security footage, Stefan spotted anomalies post their emergence from a blind spot. Notably, the way the figure supposedly to be Davey walked was peculiar.