Chapter 128 Living Clue

Chapter 128 Living Clue

The air went quiet for two seconds.

Clara blinked.

Ethan had barely closed the door when Mia popped her head up from the other end of the couch.

She'd been hugging a throw pillow watching a movie, but the moment she saw this, she sat straight up.

"Wait, wait." Mia's eyes went wide. "Am I still half asleep? He steps out for a bit and comes back carrying a girl?"

Grace poked her head out from the other bedroom door, and when she spotted Elowen, she froze too.

"Ethan, you're not even going through the motions anymore? Just showing up and hauling people away?"

Hailey and Leah came out from the guest room. Neither said a word—they just stood there watching Ethan.

Evelyn got up from the couch, clutching her pillow, looking back and forth between Ethan and Elowen. Her voice jumped up a notch. "What the hell, Ethan—did you go to a gala tonight or a trafficking operation?"

The whole living room erupted.

Ethan set Elowen down on the couch and reached over to undo the tablecloth tied around her hands.

The second she was free, Elowen sat up straight and smoothed out her dress, her face like stone.

Clara walked over with a glass of water, gave Elowen a once-over, then turned back to Ethan. "Honestly, Ethan, I knew you were turning into more of a menace by the day. But I didn't think you'd actually start dragging women home."

Grace leaned against the doorframe and raised an eyebrow at Mia. "You'd better have a decent explanation. Because nobody in this room is letting you off the hook tonight."

Leah didn't say anything. She just gave Ethan a look—the kind that said everything.

Listening to all of this, Elowen's expression darkened. She gritted her teeth. "I am not his woman."

Ethan rubbed the back of his head. "Thanks for the creative interpretations, everyone. But it's not what you think."

He gestured toward Elowen. "Elowen. She's with the Valentine family. I was trying to dig up leads on The Aeterna Causality, and it turns out she doesn't know anything about it."

Elowen cut in, her voice flat. "I still have no idea what you're talking about."

"Right. And that's exactly what's interesting." Ethan leaned against the table. "The Valentine family almost certainly has deep ties to The Aeterna Causality, but Elowen's been completely kept out of the loop. That makes her worth talking to."

Clara swirled her glass slowly, a smile pulling at her lips. "Got it. You went out looking for leads and came back with a live one."

Elowen sat on the couch, swept her gaze across the room, and spoke, her voice cold and sharp. "You're celebrating too soon."

She lifted her chin and looked straight at Ethan. "The Valentine family will notice I'm gone soon enough. Once they figure out you took me, this building will be surrounded. Armed security, private contractors, even the people at the precinct who work for us—they'll all show up."

Her eyes carried a clear warning. "You took me. None of you are walking away from this."

Ethan stood under the light, listened to all of it, then just lowered his head and lit a cigarette. He looked up at Elowen, and the corner of his mouth lifted slightly.

"Not necessarily."

The living room went quiet for a few seconds.

Elowen sat with her arms crossed, watching Ethan with cold eyes. "You'll regret this."

Ethan exhaled a slow breath of smoke and walked to the bar, pouring himself a glass of ice water. "I hear that every day. Lost its punch a long time ago."

Clara leaned against the bar, her gaze settling on Elowen, a hint of amusement in her voice.

"Elowen, you might as well accept the situation. Nobody here is going to hurt you—as long as you don't throw a glass at anyone's face."

Elowen looked at her. "You drag me here and expect me to say thank you?"

Mia sat on the other end of the couch, hugging her pillow, blinking. "By basic social standards, you probably should. He didn't stuff you in a trunk."

"Mia." Clara looked over at her.

Mia raised both hands immediately. "Okay, I'm done."

Elowen took a slow breath and turned back to Ethan. "My family will find this place."

Ethan took a sip of water. "They'd better hurry. I haven't eaten dinner yet."

Elowen stared at him.

She was certain the Valentine family was already moving. Her father would deploy security. The family lawyers would call the precinct. The private contractors would lock down the block. Even the city councilmen who always hovered around the Valentines would be burning up their phones within the next half hour.

Ethan walked over and set a cup of hot coffee on the table in front of her. "Drink something. You look like you're about to combust."

Elowen didn't touch it. "Don't pretend to be nice."

"I'm not pretending." Ethan looked down at her. "If you die in here, I have to deal with the body. That's a hassle."

Elowen looked up at him. "You are the biggest asshole I have ever met."

Ethan smiled slightly. "Where do I rank?"

"First."

"Honored."

Elowen picked up the coffee and took a sip. It burned, and her brow pinched—but she didn't spit it out.

Ethan watched her force through it and turned toward the hallway.

"Guest room's on the left. Don't bother trying to leave. The elevator needs a keycard, and Noah's people are on the stairs. You're welcome to try the window. Thirty-seventh floor. Good luck."

Elowen watched his back as he walked away and muttered under her breath. "Asshole."

Ethan didn't turn around. "Heard that."

---

The next day.

The Valentine family made no move.

Third day, morning.

Noah brought in a new report. "Boss. The Valentine family has put out a public statement. Elowen is attending a private art restoration program in Europe. Details are confidential."

Elowen heard this and her fork stopped mid-air. She was sitting at the dining table, the breakfast Mia had ordered in front of her. She stared at the tablet in Noah's hand, and something in her face fell. "They said I went to Europe?"

Noah nodded. "The statement went out twenty minutes ago."

Elowen was quiet for a long time.

Mia sat beside her, chewing on her straw, her voice dropping a little. "That sounds really bad."

Susan came out of the kitchen carrying a plate, saw that no one was talking, and couldn't help herself. "Is that how it works in families like that? Your daughter goes missing and you put out a press release? If my daughter disappeared, I'd tear the front of that police station apart."

Evelyn immediately covered her face. "Mom, please, not right now."

Susan shot her a look. "Am I wrong?"

Elowen glanced at Susan. Her expression was hard to read. "You're not wrong."

Ethan set down his coffee cup and stood. "Noah, keep eyes on Mike. Don't push too hard on the Valentine side. Have Hunter increase patrol frequency around the building."

"Got it."

Elowen looked at Ethan. "How long are you planning to keep me here?"

"Until someone in your family makes a mistake."

"I'm not your prisoner."

Ethan picked up his keys on the way to the door. "Of course not. Prisoners don't get to choose their breakfast."

Elowen's expression went cold.

Clara sat back in her chair, red lips curving. "Ethan, don't push her too far. Elowen's having a rough enough time already."

"She won't cry." Ethan glanced at Elowen. "She kills with her eyes."

Elowen said flatly, "If looks could actually kill, you'd already be dead eight times over."

"Only eight? You've been going easy on me."

Elowen turned away and said nothing more.