/p>

The police quickly spread out, checking every passenger.

“You! The woman in the white shirt!” Bradshaw yelled. “Step out and raise your hands!”

Initially, Ryan felt relieved—until she turned around.

It wasn’t Miss Pearson.

The search continued for hours, yet Miss Pearson had vanished. Ryan was back at the beginning again. But deep down, he believed his father was still alive.

He remembered the missing figurines and felt sure Arnold had taken them. So Ryan looked up the collector who owned the third figurine and paid him a visit.

“So…how much do you want for it?” he asked, pointing at the figurine.

“$750,000,” the collector, Mr. Frederick, said firmly.

“That’s way more than what this artist’s work usually sells for,” Ryan replied.

“Then don’t buy it.

The price isn’t up for discussion,” Mr. Frederick snapped.

Ryan thought he needed the figurine, so he asked for time to get the money. Back in his car, he called Mr.

Stevens and said he wanted to sell $750,000 worth of his company shares.

“But if you do that, you’ll lose control of the company,” Mr. Stevens warned.

“I understand, but this is urgent,” Ryan said. “If I’m right, I’ll be able to buy them back within a week.”

Mr.

Stevens replied, “As your legal advisor, I probably shouldn’t ask why you need so much cash so quickly.”

Then he added, “But as a family friend, I need to ask—does this have anything to do with Miss Pearson and what I mentioned before?”

“In a way, yes,” Ryan said.

Mr. Stevens sighed. “She’s vanished, too.

Didn’t show up at work, and her number’s disconnected. I’ll get you the money. Just don’t ask how.

I’ll transfer it right away.”

As Ryan got confirmation that the money had arrived, he went back inside to see Mr. Frederick. The old man grumbled that the figurine was worth even more, since it was the only one left to complete the set, but Ryan cut him off.

“You asked for $750,000, and I’m paying it now.

Are you not a man of your word?”

Mr. Frederick finally agreed, and the figurine was Ryan’s. Ready for his next move, Ryan made a few calls and a quick stop before heading back to his mother’s house.

“Where have you been, Ryan?” his mother asked when he returned.

“I got back from the hospital to an empty house. Bella’s been bored and misses you. I can’t keep up with her.

And I haven’t seen much of you since the funeral…”

“I’m sorry, Mom,” Ryan said softly. “Please just trust me—it’s important. It’ll all be over soon.”

Then, Ryan stood behind a pillar at the auction house, watching the crowd.

The figurine he had just bought was about to be auctioned. He looked at the stage as they brought it up.

When the bidding went up, only two people were still in—an overweight man with a large nose, and a tall man with white hair in a navy suit. Neither of them was his father.

Ryan had made sure to stay anonymous and had placed ads to make sure that, if his father was out there, he would know the figurine was being auctioned today.

“$600,000 going once,” the auctioneer announced.

Ryan felt hopeless.

He was afraid he would lose both the chance to find his father and a lot of money on the figurine.

“…going twice…”

“$1 million!”

Ryan froze—he recognized the voice. It was his father. He looked up and saw Arnold standing at the back of the room, taking off his wide-brimmed hat.

“$1 million going once… going twice… sold to the man in the beige coat!” the auctioneer announced, hitting the gavel.

Arnold quickly put his hat back on and walked toward the exit, but Ryan ran around and blocked his way.

Then Detective Bradshaw stepped in and put handcuffs on Arnold.

“Ryan?” Arnold looked surprised. “You tricked me! This was all a setup!”

“Don’t make it sound like I betrayed you, Dad!” Ryan snapped.

“You’re the one who cheated on Mom and faked your death so you could run away with your girlfriend! How could you do that to us?”

Arnold looked down and admitted he was tired of his old life and wanted to start over with Miss Pearson.

“So you got a big life insurance policy, paid off the coroner to fake your death, and let your family and friends cry over an empty casket?” Ryan said angrily.

“You always told me, ‘A man should do what’s right, not just what benefits him.’ I’m sad you didn’t live by your own words. But now, you’re facing the consequences.”

Detective Bradshaw said to Ryan that Miss Pearson would be found soon.

Then the police took Arnold away.