Anxiety gripped Andrea as she tightly clutched the phone, her discomfort growing with each silent moment that followed her hesitant "Hello? Is everything alright?"
No response came from the other end, leaving Andrea's face creased with worry as she waited in tense anticipation.
"Mrs. Anderson, are you there?" Andrea's voice quivered as she hazarded a guess at the caller's identity, but the silence persisted.
"Mother-in-law, can you hear me?" Andrea pressed on, her nerves fraying with each unanswered call.
With a heavy heart, she finally ended the call and furrowed her brow in deep contemplation before turning on the television.
A female broadcaster appeared on the screen, delivering the chilling news of a terrorist attack in Vegas City. Andrea's heart sank as she recoiled from the screen, her thoughts immediately turning to Valentine.
Dialing Valentine's number frantically, she was met with the frustration of the call not going through.
Racing to Val. Corp, Andrea rushed to Valentine's office only to find his secretary waiting there.
"Chairman Singers, President Valentine hasn't shown up today. One of our factories was targeted in the attack. He might be there," Valentine's secretary informed her grimly, unwittingly confirming Andrea's worst fears as Valentine was among the victims of the tragic event.
Andrea's face drained of color upon realizing Valentine's absence, her concern deepening as her phone began to ring—it was Tony on the line.
"Hello?" Andrea answered, her voice tense with apprehension.
"Andrea, the organization has made their move. We couldn't stop them. It seems they have powerful political and security backing. You need to bolster security at the mansion," Tony's urgent voice conveyed a sense of impending danger.
"I'll take care of it," Andrea responded swiftly before ending the call, her mind racing with worry for Valentine's safety.
Drawing a deep breath to steady herself, Andrea whispered reassurances, "Stay calm, Valentine will be safe."
Leaving Val. Corp., she headed straight to the factory that had fallen victim to the terrorist attack.
Upon arrival, a bustling crowd had already gathered, with emergency buses and mobile medical units scattered around to provide immediate aid to the survivors.
"Mrs. Andrea!" a voice called out, prompting a surge of journalists to rush in with their questions. Despite their persistence, Andrea's vigilant bodyguards formed a protective barrier, keeping them at bay.
"Was Valentine Anderson in the factory during the explosion, Mrs. Andrea?"
"Can you shed light on the identity and motives of the terrorists responsible for this attack?"
"Is the wedding between you and Valentine still on, or has it been called off?"
In response to the last question, Andrea halted in her tracks, facing the journalist directly. "The wedding will proceed as planned, and my husband will be unharmed," she declared firmly.
With that, Andrea turned away and began to walk off, leaving the journalists eager for more. Despite their enthusiasm, her vigilant bodyguards skillfully shielded her from the onslaught of questions, ensuring her privacy and safety.
Andrea entered the restricted area and came face to face with the Sheriff amidst the excavation of ruins and recovery of numerous corpses.
"Mrs. Singers," the sheriff exclaimed in surprise as Andrea approached him.
After exchanging greetings, Andrea inquired, "What's the survival rate?"
Regrettably, the sheriff replied, "We haven't found any survivors yet. Most of the recovered bodies are charred. We've reached out to Val. Corp. for the employee lists to notify the victims' families for identification."
Andrea's eyes filled with tears, but she held back her emotions, saying firmly, "Sheriff, if there's anything I can do, please let me know."
With a solemn nod, the sheriff remained silent as Andrea observed the grim scene of charred corpses and dismembered body parts being removed from the ruins.
Noticing Andrea's prolonged presence, her assistant, with a concerned expression, offered her a bottle of water. Andrea declined, stating, "I'm not thirsty."
Her assistant sighed and retreated, leaving Andrea to approach the sheriff once more, who, upon seeing her, dismissed his officers to attend to her.
"Any leads in the investigation, Sheriff?" Andrea inquired.
Shaking his head, the sheriff replied, "Ma'am Andrea, the surveillance cameras in the area were blacked out for an hour. The forensic team confirmed the attack involved four suicide bombers, but we have no further leads."
Andrea felt a shiver down her spine, realizing the severity of the situation as she processed the organization's capability to coordinate such a devastating attack.
"Thank you, Sheriff," Andrea expressed her gratitude before stepping away.
As a car pulled up, Tony emerged, his expression crestfallen upon seeing Andrea. Taking a deep breath, he approached her, "Andrea."
Turning to face Tony, Andrea remained silent, her gaze reflecting her inner turmoil, causing Tony's heart to ache for her.
"You need to prepare yourself mentally," Tony advised, knowing the gravity of the situation, including Valentine Anderson's presence during the explosion.
Pushing back, Andrea asserted, "Tony, don't look at me like that. Val will be okay, our wedding will proceed, and I promised Pete he would meet his father. I must inform Housekeeper Win."
Overwhelmed by emotions, Tony embraced Andrea, patting her back soothingly.