Tristan Grayson woke up after that day. Perhaps Tiana and Mae Lynch’s words had done the trick, or maybe it was just as Caleb Grayson had said—they had simply woken Tristan up by being too loud.

While Tristan Grayson was in a coma, Archie Summers—no, that should be Archie Lockwood—had undergone a complete transformation. Ever since Archie Lockwood returned to the Lockwood Family, it was as if he had become a different person entirely.

He was even more ruthless than Jason Lockwood had been.

In just a few short months since returning to the Lockwood Family, he had already devoured more than half of the businesses in Tridell, creating the IS Group—an entity powerful enough to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with the LK Group.

The once-unyielding Tristan Grayson, who never accepted defeat in the business world, showed little interest after hearing Henry Archer’s report.

"Boss, the IS Group has been targeting us relentlessly. They’re competing with us for every industry we touch and every potential partner we set our sights on."

"Henry Archer, I’m not interested in any of this right now. Get Ian Shaw in here."

"Yes, Boss!"

「Half an hour later, in the hospital room.」

Tristan Grayson’s thin lips parted. "So, there’s still no news of her?"

"Yes. The Lockwood Family is also searching with all their might, but they can’t find her." It was as if she had simply vanished from the face of the earth.

"But in her condition back then, how could she have possibly gotten far?" 𝒇𝒓𝒆𝒆𝙬𝒆𝒃𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝙡.𝒄𝓸𝒎

"Tristan, you have to understand, if someone truly wants to hide and not be found by you, it’s very easy."

"If she were really hiding because she didn’t want me to find her, I would actually be happy." What he feared was that something had really happened to her.

The memory of what happened that day still made him tremble with fear.

She had rushed out so decisively, charging toward the large truck and into the middle of the road. She hadn’t shown the slightest regard for her own life. How could he possibly rest easy knowing she was capable of that?

Even though both the Lockwood and Grayson Families had dispatched numerous people to find Mika Summers, it was like searching for a needle in a haystack. She was nowhere to be found.

...

「Two years passed.」

Tristan Grayson never gave up his search for Mika Summers, not even for a single day.

He always held onto the belief that no news was good news. ’Good news means Mika Summers is still alive. As long as she’s alive, that’s all that matters.’

"Boss!" Henry Archer called out again, noticing his boss’s vacant expression.

Tristan Grayson looked up and responded coolly, "Hm?"

"Tonight at 8:30, you have the Joyce family’s daughter’s birthday banquet. Boss, shall I have Lily Shaw accompany you?"

"The Joyce family?"

"Yes, Boss."

After a moment’s thought, Tristan Grayson said coldly, "That won’t be necessary. Tiana should be attending as well. I’ll just go with her."

"Yes, Boss!"

After work, Tristan Grayson left the office, got into his car, and pulled out his phone to call Tiana.

"Tiana, where are you? I’ll come pick you up, and we can head to the Joyce family’s party together."

Tiana stammered on the other end of the line, "Ah, Brother, I’m sorry... Leo and I... we already arrived early."

"Okay, I understand." After hanging up, Tristan Grayson stared blankly at his phone screen.

His phone’s wallpaper was the only photo he had of them together—their wedding photo.

His gaze grew heavy and complex once more. BEEP— Just then, his phone rang. Seeing the little boy in the caller’s profile picture, a faint smile touched his lips as he swiped to answer. "Hello?"

"Daddy, when are you coming home?"

"I’ll be home soon."