Chapter Sixty-Five: The Family's Truth

Chapter Sixty-Five: The Family's Truth

In Julian Reed's clear, dark eyes, there was a steadfast resolve, and his deep, melodious voice was as soothing as a spring breeze, calming Lydia Moore's anxious heart. Meeting his reassuring smile, she felt a sense of peace wash over her, and the tension in her brow eased slightly. "Yes, Julian, I believe Jenny Lin will be okay. But we've searched everywhere… where could she have gone? Could it be…" A terrible thought suddenly crossed her mind, and Lydia's face turned pale as fear gripped her, causing her to tremble uncontrollably. Could it be that Jenny Lin still hadn't truly come to terms with her father's death?

Noticing her pallor, Julian Reed immediately understood what she was implying—Jenny Lin might have gone to the beach. His grip tightened on the steering wheel as a wave of fear washed over him, making his blood run cold. Three years ago, he had almost lost his beloved sister at the beach; he couldn't let that tragedy happen again. Julian pressed down hard on the gas pedal, and the white Mercedes sped away, disappearing into the bustling chaos of the highway.

Meanwhile, in the heart of the city, on the tenth floor of a prestigious building, in a VIP audition room, Aaron King stood by the floor-to-ceiling window, gazing at the vibrant nightscape. The city's towering skyscrapers glittered with lights, exuding an aura of urban sophistication. The glow illuminated Aaron's deep, dark eyes, reflecting the city's brilliance.

He was dressed in a black casual suit with subtle wave patterns, paired with a white shirt casually unbuttoned at the collar, revealing a glimpse of his fair skin. The look was both relaxed and sensual, yet his princely bearing and refined handsomeness were unmistakable. The dazzling lights streamed through the glass window, casting a glow on his chiseled profile, his sharp eyebrows slightly furrowed.

At that moment, a complex mix of emotions filled his heart. He didn't need to be here for today's audition, yet he couldn't help but show up, arriving even thirty minutes early. Was it to see Lydia Moore fail? No! If that were the case, he wouldn't have gone to the trouble of hiring Agnes to help transform her image. Was it out of concern for her? Not entirely. He knew that with her determination and Agnes's guidance, she would put in her best effort and had made significant progress. She should be able to pass today's audition without much trouble.

So why was he here? Aaron King struggled to find an answer that would satisfy him, but nothing seemed to fit. Over the past few days, in an attempt to shake off the strange feelings that had been plaguing him, he had tried to distract himself with a new girlfriend. But no matter how beautiful or seductive they were, he couldn't muster any interest. Instead, his thoughts kept drifting back to Lydia Moore.

D*mn it! Could this really be just a habit? Aaron didn't want to overthink it anymore. He tried to pull his thoughts back to the present and glanced at the clock on the wall. It was 7:45 PM, fifteen minutes before the audition was set to begin. She should be arriving any moment now.

Just then, the door to the audition room opened, and James Taylor, tall and composed, walked in, followed by several senior executives from Delar's head office. Seeing Aaron King by the window, James Taylor's eyes briefly flickered with surprise, but he quickly seemed to understand something and nodded in acknowledgment before heading to his seat to review the audition materials.

The other distinguished-looking executives also took their seats, ready to meet the auditioning actress.

Aaron King turned his gaze back to the window, a faint, almost imperceptible smile playing on his lips.

The hazy moonlight reflected off the rolling waves of the sea, the turbulent waves crashing onto the shore with relentless force, whistling as they swept across the beach. In the distance, a lighthouse cast its pale yellow beam over the water. A white Mercedes sped toward the beach, coming to a halt on the sand. Lydia Moore and Julian Reed quickly got out of the car and began searching the vast beach for any sign of Jenny Lin.

"Jenny Lin… Jenny Lin…" Lydia called out her name loudly as she ran, ignoring the biting cold that seeped into her bones. She kicked off her two-inch heels and ran barefoot across the sand, the icy touch and sharp pain underfoot making her skin prickle uncomfortably, but she didn't stop. On the other side of the beach, Julian Reed was also searching frantically. Not finding Jenny Lin there brought him a small sense of relief, but it also made him worry even more for her safety. They had searched everywhere, so where could Jenny Lin be? Staring out at the undulating waves, Julian felt a suffocating sense of dread.

The sea breeze howled as it whipped across the ocean, stirring up silver-white waves. The air at the beach grew colder by the minute.

Unable to find Jenny Lin anywhere, Lydia Moore ran toward Julian Reed, only to see that he had come up empty as well. Seeing the worry etched on his refined and handsome face, Lydia quickly put on a brave smile to comfort him. "Don't worry too much, Julian. Jenny Lin will be alright. We just have to keep… cough! Cough! Cough!" Lydia suddenly started coughing violently, her whole body shivering, her face pale as a sheet. She looked so fragile that it seemed the next gust of wind might carry her away.

Julian Reed quickly took off his jacket and wrapped it around her, the warmth of his body enveloping her small frame. He gently brushed a strand of hair away from her cheek, only then noticing how cold her face was, like ice, and how dry and pale her lips had become. Why hadn't she told him she was sick? Didn't she realize that pushing herself like this would only make her condition worse? Julian tightened the jacket around her, his heart aching for her.

Not wanting him to worry, Lydia Moore tried her best to suppress the discomfort in her body and forced a faint smile. "Thank you, Julian. I'm fine. What's most important now is finding Jenny Lin as quickly as possible. By the way, do you know why Jenny Lin suddenly disappeared?" Lydia realized that in their frantic search, she had overlooked this crucial question. Perhaps they could find some clue from it.

"I'm not sure," Julian replied, sighing softly. "I was supposed to pick Jenny Lin up from school today, but she never came out, and I couldn't find her in the classroom either. So I asked her teacher, who said that Jenny had some kind of argument with a classmate during gym class, but she didn't know where Jenny went afterward." Julian's voice trailed off as he sighed again. Jenny Lin was usually very introverted and didn't interact much with others at school. After what happened three years ago, she had closed herself off even more, so it was surprising to hear that she had argued with someone. Could it be because of… Uncle Luo? Julian suddenly froze, the thought hitting him hard.

Hearing his answer, Lydia Moore had the same thought. If Jenny Lin had indeed argued with her classmate about her father, she must have felt utterly helpless and terrified. So maybe… Lydia's eyes suddenly lit up with a bright flash of realization, and she exclaimed excitedly, "Julian, I know where Jenny Lin is!" The spark in her eyes ignited a flicker of hope in Julian's heart.

Time ticked away, and in the white Mercedes, Lydia Moore's phone screen flashed with a soft green glow inside her bag, but no one picked up.