Chapter 202

I nodded, "I just wanted to check on you. You're working too hard. Take off your jacket."

Royce shook his head, "Nah, it's better if I keep it on in case something comes up."

I stepped forward and started to take off his suit jacket.

"Didn't you always tell me that nothing is more important than health?"

Royce paused for a moment, then let me continue. After I took off his jacket, I grabbed a blanket from the closet.

I pulled the curtains tight, blocking out all the light from outside.

The room plunged into darkness, but to my surprise, I could still see Royce's eyes.

I told him, "Get some good sleep, Royce."

He looked at me with concern, "Don't worry, I'll do everything I can to find the kid. I know where Paula and Shirley's hometown is, and I've already sent people to check it out."

I shook my head and put a finger to his lips, "No more talking, just sleep."

I gently pushed him onto the bed and covered him with the blanket.

Royce must have been exhausted because he quickly fell into a deep sleep. Once he was out, I quietly left the room and closed the door softly behind me.

Simon looked at me and asked, "Is Royce asleep?"

I nodded, "Let him rest. I want to go to Shirley's hometown myself."

But Simon frowned and disagreed, "I don't think that's a good idea. If Shirley sees you, she might get emotional and do something to Aria."

"The best plan is for people who Shirley doesn't know to go."

"And you're not in the best shape for a long trip. It's better if you stay home and wait for news," Savannah added, siding with Simon.

I couldn't argue with them, so I nodded and let Savannah and Simon prepare to leave that night.

When Royce woke up, I told him about the plan. He nodded, "I get it. My team is already set up over there and will support Simon and Savannah."

Royce stayed behind to handle the company's bankruptcy proceedings and kept a close watch on any updates, promising to inform me immediately if anything came up.

I spent the next two days anxiously waiting. It had been seventy-two hours since Aria went missing, and I couldn't sleep at night.

Royce had to use some tough love to keep me in the room so I could get some rest.

Finally, we got good news. Simon told me they had spotted Paula in Shirley's hometown.

I felt a surge of excitement. This confirmed my suspicion that Paula was after Shirley.

Paula hated Shirley so much that she wouldn't let her off easily. The two of them were likely to clash, and if we followed Paula, Shirley wouldn't be able to escape.

Simon said, "We've managed to get access to Paula's phone and installed tracking and monitoring software. As soon as she contacts Shirley, we'll know the kid's exact location and whether Paula is working for EarlRenee."

I nodded eagerly, "That's great. With you guys on this, I feel much more at ease."