Lauren Howell thought long and hard and decided she should visit the hospital. She wanted to see how the caregiver was doing, whether Ava Sterling was being taken care of diligently, and if not, her presence might still be needed. So, regardless of Ava’s request for her to make a choice, she grabbed her bag and phone and left without hesitation. Just as she reached the hotel entrance, her phone rang. Lauren Howell stopped in her tracks, took out her phone, and was surprised to see it was Jace Kingsley calling. She instantly smiled and answered, "Young Master Kingsley." Jace Kingsley stood by the huge floor-to-ceiling window on the thirty-sixth floor, gazing into the thick night outside. With one hand in his pocket, he listened to the beeping tones on the phone, exuding a deeply serene aura. When Lauren Howell’s voice came through, his gaze flickered, a smile appeared on his face: "Miss Halloway, how is Ava? Has she woken up?" At this moment, his serene energy dissipated, replaced by warmth and courtesy radiating from him. "She’s awake, eating and sleeping well, in great spirits. Apart from not being able to move, everything’s fine. Young Master Kingsley, you don’t need to worry." Regarding Jace Kingsley, Lauren Howell was completely satisfied. She didn’t mind sharing any details about Ava with Jace Kingsley. Jace Kingsley’s smile deepened: "Really? Is she by your side now?" "No, Ava asked me to return to the hotel and rest. There are caregivers in the hospital looking after her. I’m just about to check on her, unsure if the caregiver is doing a proper job." Jace Kingsley’s eyes flickered slightly: "Ava asked you to return to the hotel?" "Yes, I don’t understand why. She insisted I go back to rest at the hotel; I said there was no need, but she was adamant. She never used to be ." Lauren Howell frowned as she spoke: "She’s not the type to enjoy being served by others. When she was sick before, I was the one taking care of her. This time, she’s insisting I don’t look after her, it’s puzzling." The more Lauren Howell talked, the stranger it seemed. Indeed, Ava Sterling wasn’t before; why such a drastic change this time? Previously, she didn’t think much of it, merely felt something was odd. But now, the more she thought about it, the more something felt amiss. Lauren Howell kept talking to herself, oblivious to the absence of Jace Kingsley’s voice on the line. Only after she finished speaking did she realize the phone had become extremely quiet, puzzled if the call had disconnected? Lauren Howell checked her phone; the call hadn’t dropped, it was still ongoing. So why was it silent? Lauren Howell was about to call out to Jace Kingsley, but then his voice returned: "Then don’t go to the hospital." "Trust Ava; she’s just trying not to tire you out." Lauren Howell was very surprised. She expected Jace Kingsley to suggest she stay with Ava, but instead, he advised her to follow Ava’s wishes. Upon reflection, it was reasonable. Jace Kingsley cared deeply for Ava; whatever she said, he’d agree with. "Haha, I’m at the hotel entrance now, worrying if I should go to the hospital, but Young Master Kingsley, your words make me feel there’s no need." Jace Kingsley had a smile on his face, although it didn’t reach his eyes: "Ava can be childish at times, but she’s always clearheaded, knowing what to do and not do." His words suggested a deep understanding of her, making Lauren Howell even happier: "Young Master Kingsley, honestly, Ava meeting you is truly her good fortune." "No, meeting Ava is my good fortune." "Alright then, Young Master Kingsley, I’ll listen to you and not visit the hospital until tomorrow." "Ava is awake; if you miss her, you can call her. It’s okay." The call ended, and Lauren Howell felt relieved, no longer worried. Young Master Kingsley made a good point; Ava may have a childlike temperament at times, but her mind is genuinely clear; she’s never muddled. Finally at ease, she turned and returned to the hotel. The busy signal sounded, and Jace Kingsley put down his phone, with the smile on his face fading away. That person came, so she made Lauren Howell leave. She didn’t want people to know she had a connection with that person, and her relationship with that person... what was it exactly? Jace Kingsley’s fingers clenched tight, his usually gentle eyes now extremely icy and cold. In the past, he would’ve found her on the cruise that night, but seeing that person take her away with his own eyes, he knew she must be alright. However, he wanted to know her situation, so he had Ethan Ainsworth send people to search. But after a long search, they still couldn’t find her. He roughly guessed the reason, so he said he had something urgent to attend to and needed to leave, telling Ethan Ainsworth to inform him when they found her. Ethan Ainsworth was very surprised by his words at the time, because he loved her; how could he leave her for anything? But only he knew, if he didn’t leave and truly allowed Ethan Ainsworth to find her, even find her with that person, he would lose his place by her side. Thus, he chose to leave, avoiding knowing about her time with that person, not knowing their relationship, so he could continue to be rightfully by her side, step by step drawing closer to her, step by step entering her heart. Yet, his heart felt like ants were gnawing at it, leaving wound after wound. He wanted to know the nature of her relationship with that person, when they started being involved. He sent people to investigate, only finding their encounter at Sylvanus Bay that one night, beyond that he couldn’t find anything else. He understood; it wasn’t that he couldn’t find it, but that person hid it. Poe Vaughn, what are you thinking? You’ve always kept a distance from women, yet now you’re involved with one, what are your intentions? The night outside grew deeper, the lights spread across it, unable to pierce through the endless darkness. Jace Kingsley looked at the night sky, the depth in his eyes gradually turning dark. Read full story at novel※fire.net Suddenly, the phone vibrated, breaking the heavy atmosphere within. He picked up the phone: "Hello." "Mr. Kingsley, Carl has suddenly disappeared." Jace Kingsley’s eyes instantly narrowed slightly: "Are you certain?" "Yes, after leaving the cruise, he returned to the island. Our people followed him closely, but upon arriving at the island, he vanished." The call ended, Jace Kingsley’s eyes brimmed with murderous intent. He was determined to make the person pay the price for touching her. As for... Poe Vaughn, regardless of his intentions, Jace wouldn’t give up on Ava. Let’s just see how things unfold. In the hospital room, Ava Sterling yawned for the hundred and first time. Her eyes filled with tears from the continuous yawning, now appearing teary and pitiable. Yet, the person opposite her seemed oblivious, continuing to play chess. Ava Sterling weakly picked up a white chess piece from the jar, randomly placing it somewhere on the board. She really didn’t want to continue. It was so tedious and complicated, thinking so much gave her a headache. Yet, this person was exceptionally patient. When she made a mistake, he corrected her move, placing her piece in the right spot, telling her this was the correct way to play. Like now, he picked up her misplaced white piece and rearranged it to another location. Ava Sterling felt she wasn’t playing chess, she was watching him play chess with himself. With her cheek resting on her hand, her teary eyes unfocused, she resembled a wilting eggplant as she weakly said, "Poe Vaughn, we’ve been playing for so long, can we stop now?"