Fate's Dark Side Chapter 902

"Be more cautious, Liam," Justin advised firmly as we entered his room, and I nodded in agreement without hesitation.

"I know you're determined to find Sophia, but don't jeopardise our lives in the process," he cautioned, assuming that my actions were connected to Sophia's disappearance. However, I disagreed, as checking on the fire had nothing to do with her.

"Honestly, it had nothing to do with Sophia," I clarified, but he shook his head and picked up his remote control. He pointed it towards the television, turning it on, and a picture of a man wearing a ski mask appeared on the screen.

"This came in a few hours ago," he informed me, pressing play to reveal further details.

"This message is for Prince Liam. The key to freeing your girlfriend lies with the council. We have certain demands, which we will share with you soon," he conveyed, followed by an unsettling image of Josephine and me preparing to hail a cab outside. The chill down my spine confirmed that they wanted us to be aware of their surveillance.

"Your father and Lord Alexei have seen this. I haven't heard from Lord Alexei yet, but I can only imagine what's going through his mind. Please, Liam, I need you to be extremely cautious. We have no idea who these people are or what their intentions might be. It's crucial that we stay vigilant as we proceed with our investigation," he urged, and now I understood the reason behind his distress.

My father must have rattled him after witnessing that scene, and it was clear that the situation demanded heightened awareness and caution.

"I apologise, Justin. I promise it won't happen again," I said sincerely, knowing he deserved an apology. He smiled warmly and nodded in acceptance.

"What are big cousins for?" he said playfully, attempting to come closer to ruffle my hair, but I quickly stepped back, wary of his tricks. He raised his hands in mock surrender, and the moment I relaxed my guard, he seized the opportunity to ruffle my hair and swiftly stepped back to avoid retaliation. We both shared a good laugh at the playful exchange.

"Now, tell me, anything you want to share about the crime scene?" he finally inquired, and I couldn't help but beam at him, ready to share the details of what we had discovered.

"The van that caught fire was initially at Grandma's house. We noticed tire tracks leading from Grandma's gate to the burnt vehicle, and it was Josephine who spotted it. We suspect the perpetrators of the crime at Grandma's house were the ones connected to the burnt van. It's puzzling why the van would catch fire just around the corner, burning a neighbour's house," I explained, and he furrowed his brow in contemplation.

"That's indeed perplexing. They should have made a clean getaway unless someone didn't want them to escape. Perhaps someone was watching, ready to cover their tracks?" Justin speculated, not dwelling too long on the thought.

"Tomorrow, our investigation begins, Li. I'll request reports from the fire service to see what they've discovered. We can't fully trust them either, as corruption can seep into any organisation. Nevertheless, it's a starting point. Additionally, we'll question the neighbours and thoroughly search Grandma's house," he outlined, giving me a reassuring smile.

"Your idea to ask them to postpone their trip was wise. Your father wasn't too thrilled when Grandma called him, but with the update, he should have a better understanding of the situation," he added, and I chuckled.

"Thank you, Liam. You've had a long night, so have a good night," he said, indicating it was time for me to leave his room. I expressed my gratitude and left to attend to my own matters.

I hurried towards my wing, hopeful that Josephine hadn't fallen asleep yet. As I reached my destination, I pondered whether I should knock on her door to check on her before retiring for the night. We had shared some special moments earlier, and I wished they had led to something more, but our encounters were continually interrupted. It was frustrating, and I felt a strong desire to resolve the situation.

Standing outside Josephine's door, I hesitated for a moment, contemplating whether or not to knock. Eventually, summoning up the courage, I gently tapped on the door, but there was no response. I tried again, but it seemed like she might have already fallen asleep. And I couldn't blame her; the day had been filled with running around and expending a lot of energy—we were both likely exhausted.

I returned to my room and headed straight to the shower. The unsettling video that Justin showed me lingered in my mind, and I couldn't help but feel relieved that Josephine and I had made it back home unharmed. The realisation hit me that we needed to be more cautious; those bastards could have posed a serious threat. We were fortunate, and I silently expressed gratitude to the moon for keeping us safe.

After finishing my shower and donning clean shorts, I prepared to lie down when I heard a soft knock on my door. Knowing it was Josephine, I hurriedly opened the door, and there she stood with her hair still damp from the shower.

"I was in the shower when you were knocking," she admitted, and I stepped aside to invite her into my room. She seemed a bit hesitant at first, but eventually, she walked in.