Chapter 13

For convenience, Sebastian and Ronald had forgone the school dorms. Their fathers, Lawrence Gale and Jude Lowe, had arranged off-campus apartments for them, even purchasing the unit next door for Tessa. They decided to visit her, hoping to discreetly feel out whether she knew anything about Bella's disappearance. The lights in Tessa's apartment were on, but no one answered their knock. Concerned, they used their spare key to let themselves in. The bedroom door was slightly ajar, and Tessa's sharp, piercing voice carried through clearly into the living room. "I hired you to deal with Bella, and you failed. Yet here you are, constantly demanding more money. Do you ever stop? You heard that call—you know how much Sebastian and Ronald adore me, don't you? "They come from Utopia's most powerful families, yet around me, they're like obedient dogs. They come and go at my command. We decide who they chase, and they follow. Even if you told them everything, what then? "Do you really thin