43. "Vivienne's Car Accident Incident Investigation."

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...

...

Hours turned into days, and days turned into weeks as Vivienne slowly recovered.

Simran remained by her side every step of the way, tending to her needs and making sure that she was comfortable.

Lucien, too, was a constant presence in the room, holding her hand and offering words of encouragement.

As the days passed, Simran noticed a change in Lucien's demeanor.

He looked more tired and haggard than ever before, his once bright eyes now sunken and dull. Simran knew that he was neglecting his own health in his efforts to take care of Vivienne.

One day, as she entered the room to check on Vivienne, she found Lucien slumped in a chair, fast asleep.

His breathing was labored, and he looked as if he had not slept in days.

Simran felt a pang of concern in her chest as she approached him. "Master Sterling, please wake up," she said, shaking his shoulder gently.

Lucien stirred and opened his eyes, looking at her with a mix of confusion and exhaustion. "Simran?" he mumbled, rubbing his eyes.

"You need to take care of yourself, Master Sterling," Simran said, her voice firm but gentle. "You can't keep neglecting your own health like this. You won't be able to take care of Mistress if you fall ill yourself."

Lucien sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "I know, Simran. But I can't help it. I need to be here for her."

"I understand, Master Sterling," Simran said. "But you won't be able to help her if you don't take care of yourself first. Please, eat something and get some rest."

Lucien nodded, his eyes closing once again. Simran watched him for a moment, making sure that he was really asleep before quietly leaving the room.

As she walked down the hallway, she couldn't help but feel a sense of worry in her chest.

She knew that the road ahead would be long but she was determined to do everything in her power to help the Sterling family.

As Simran exited the room, Butler James slipped in with silent grace, careful not to disturb the occupants inside. "Master Sterling, do you have a moment?" he whispered softly, his eyes trained on the bed where Lucien sat beside Vivienne. She lay there silently, her breathing normal, while Lucien's hand was intertwined with hers.

Lucien stirred at the sound of his voice, his eyes flickering open as he lifted his head from the pillow. "Hmm, let's go out," he replied, sitting up and gesturing for his butler to follow him.

With a nod, Butler James fell in step behind his master, the pair moving quietly down the hallway until they reached a pair of chairs that had been set up in a quiet corner.

Seating themselves, Lucien fixed Butler James with a sharp gaze. "So, what do you have to report?" he asked, his voice heavy with the weight of his anger.

Butler James took a deep breath before launching into his report. "After investigating the scene of the incident, we initially believed it to be a simple accident or a possible attempt at kidnapping for ransom, as there were no clear pieces of evidence that suggested foul play. However, a week later, we discovered a trace of a bullet on one of the car's tires, which likely caused the vehicle to flip and slide on the road."

Lucien's eyes narrowed as he processed the information. "So, what you're saying is that this was no accident. Someone deliberately caused the car to crash and knew who was inside?" he demanded, the anger in his voice rising with each word.

Butler James nodded gravely. "That seems to be the case, sir."

Lucien leaned back in his chair, his expression darkening as he mulled over the news. He knew that he had enemies, but to think that they would stoop so low as to attack his family was beyond the pale.

"Find out everything you can about this," he said finally, his voice cold and resolute. "I want to know who did this and why. And when I find them, they will regret the day they ever crossed me."

Lucien's mind was racing as he contemplated who could have orchestrated such a vicious attack on his wife.

The first suspects that came to mind were his business rivals - he had made many enemies in the cutthroat world of high finance. Perhaps one of them had finally decided to strike back, targeting Vivienne in the hopes of hurting him.

But as he considered the situation further, Lucien began to have doubts.

None of his rivals had ever shown such willingness to resort to violence before. And why would they go after Vivienne, who had nothing to do with his business dealings?

No, something didn't add up. Lucien realized that he had been too quick to jump to conclusions. He couldn't assume that this attack had anything to do with his business rivals without more evidence.

"Keep investigating," he told Butler James firmly. "But don't assume that it's one of my rivals behind this. It could be someone else entirely. We need to keep an open mind."

Butler James nodded, understanding his master's wishes. "Of course, sir. We will leave no stone unturned in our pursuit of the truth."

Lucien leaned back in his chair, his mind still racing. He couldn't let his guard down until he knew for certain who was responsible for this attack on his family.

And once he did find out, he would make them pay dearly for their actions.

...

As soon as Butler James returned to Sterling Mansion, he wasted no time in calling Olivia Windsor. He could feel the tension in the air, and it was evident that something was amiss.

"Hello, Ms. Olivia!" he began, his voice tinged with urgency. "I think you need to work extra hard as Master Sterling isn't very happy with the results!"

Olivia grimaced on the other end of the line, the weight of Butler James's words pressing down on her. She knew that she had not acquired satisfactory answers in the investigation, but hearing it spoken aloud made it all the more real.

"Arg...Yeah, I figure as much," she muttered under her breath, frustration etched into every syllable. "Why wouldn't he be unhappy when we can't even find the purpose of the culprit, much less the culprit themselves?"

With each passing moment, Olivia could feel the pressure mounting. Her mind raced as she tried to piece together the puzzle that was the investigation, her thoughts a blur of images and theories.

She knew that she had to work harder, dig deeper, and push herself to the limit to solve this case.

As she hung up the phone, Olivia took a deep breath, steeling herself for what was to come.

...

...

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