Mimi nodded, her recounting slow and deliberate: "He was raised in the underworld, starting from the bottom and painstakingly clawing his way up to where he stands now.
The price he paid wasn't just in blood and tears... A multitude of dangers to be faced, countless brushes with death, yet he emerged unscathed.
How could he possibly encounter danger now!"
Though her words bore an air of confidence, if one listened carefully, there was a tremor underlying her voice, hinting at fear.
No matter how adept at navigating the underworld one might be, no one could guarantee absolute immunity from mistakes.
Moreover, no one could ensure a life completely devoid of peril.
That included Matthew.
Yet, now, as Flora stood teetering on the brink of despair, the most comforting thing she could hold onto were reassuring words.
Just like the ones Mimi had just spoken, which offered her a measure of calm.
"How long have you known each other?"
"About a decade or so. He's been there since I was born... You know, in our organization, he's considered an unbeatable legend.
The organization is so large, yet there's only one top spot.
He was recognized as the heir to the organization when he was only fourteen..."
Though young, Mimi hadn't directly witnessed it, she'd heard the elders in the organization talk about Matthew.
Back then, all the trainees were confined to a perilous area within a dense forest.
Poisonous plants, insects, wild beasts... and the deadly struggle for survival against fellow trainees. Nothing was lacking.
After three days, only those who survived the forest had the privilege of advancing to the next round.
"But in the end, only he returned alive." A single sentence was enough to encapsulate the danger of that forest training.
Even now, after more than a decade, aside from Matthew, no one knows what really transpired in that forest.
All that was known was that his current status and position were earned with his own life.
Back then, Matthew was just a young adolescent.
Fourteen years old.
"That world... it's so cruel..." Tears welled up again in Flora's bright brown eyes.
She had grown up in a normal environment, a life that could be considered peaceful.
In her wildest dreams, she could not have imagined her man having been raised in such a brutal and dangerous world.
"Yes, ma'am." Mimi nodded, continuing her narrative: "After becoming the heir, he faced numerous dangers.
Car accidents, plane crashes... numerous attempts on his life by enemies.
But after everything, he survived, like a living miracle.
Once, his plane was shot down over the ocean, everyone thought he was dead.
But he survived, drifting on the sea for more than ten days, clinging onto a piece of debris."
Surviving in such a world required not just exceptional abilities and good fortune, but also unyielding determination and effort.
Ultimately, Matthew was a ruthless man, even towards himself.
"Perhaps due to growing up in the underworld, he was forced to become strong and ruthless from a young age, which made him nearly emotionless compared to ordinary people.
In my memory, since I've known him, he hardly ever smiles." Even if he did, it was a mere lift of the corner of his lips.
"But after he met you, he changed." After encountering Flora, the once icy, heartless Matthew transformed into an average man, capable of love and hate, of speaking and laughing.
His affection for Flora was certainly genuine.
Living in the cold, desolate shadow of darkness, he had forever craved the warmth of a family.
Fortunately, he found Flora, the only one capable of warming his heart.
"She is the woman he cherishes.
For her, for their child, no matter what the cost, he would surely not hesitate to agree.
And also for her, for their child, he will undoubtedly return."
Flora let out a sigh.
Her hands knotted together, her mind a whirlwind of thoughts.
After a pause, she asked: "What about Ethelbert?"
She still remembered, before Matthew left, he mentioned Ethelbert more than a few times.
She didn't quite understand their relationship, just that Ethelbert wanted to persuade Matthew to cooperate on something, but he didn't agree.
"Do you think... his disappearance might have something to do with that guy?"
"I don't know." Mimi shook her head: "But if it involves Ethelbert, then things will get complicated.
He has always tried to make trouble for us, and Matthew towards him is..."
Flora furrowed her brows.
Suddenly she stood upright: "No, I must meet that man!"
"No!" The two girls cried out in unison, each extending an arm to hold Flora tight, preventing her from running outside.
Flora's lips were pressed tight, her worry and confusion seemed to drown her.
At this moment, wherever she needed to go, whatever she had to do, as long as it gave her a hint about Matthew's whereabouts, she would rush there without hesitation.
Emma looked pleadingly at her young mistress: "That's very dangerous! Miss, Ethelbert is a madman! You cannot go meet him alone!"
Mimi echoed the sentiment: "If anything happens to you, he would be devastated upon his return!"
"But I am his wife!" Flora raised her voice.
It was only today that she found out Matthew always considered her as his one and only wife.
His sudden disappearance, as his wife, how could she remain idle.
Flora might seem gentle and easygoing on the surface, but she was in fact, stubborn.
Once she made up her mind, she rarely changed it due to the opinions of others.
Including meeting Ethelbert.
More than anyone, she understood that presenting herself to him was a risky move.
But as long as there was a glimmer of hope to find Matthew, she was determined to go.
"Flora, long time no see." Ethelbert's gaze was venomous, burrowing into the woman standing before him: "Should I call you a fool, or should I applaud your courage?"
The stare from Ethelbert made anyone extremely uncomfortable.
No one would like to be watched by a venomous snake.
Flora was no exception.
Had it not been for the possibility that Matthew might be in his hands, she would never have willingly put herself in front of him like this.
Looking at the woman who tried to appear calm but couldn't hide her tension, Ethelbert smirked: "You fooled me once, now what...are you planning again?"
A shiver ran down Flora's spine, sweat gathering in her palms.
She lowered her gaze, tightly pursing her lips, when she looked up again, her face was completely calm and composed.
A spark of interest ignited in the dangerous depths of Ethelbert's eyes.
This woman, after some time apart, appeared far more intriguing than before.
"Your memory seems poor, Ethelbert. You remember that I used a fake map to trick you, but you seem to have forgotten you used a counterfeit father to deceive me." She deliberately emphasized "counterfeit father": "Are you... throwing stones while living in a glass house? Or is it a case of selective amnesia?"
"Has anyone ever told you your tongue grows ever more venomous each day?"
"No one has, but I believe... I should learn to protect myself. Otherwise, wouldn't I unknowingly fall prey to you all?" Flora gave a light chuckle: "I won't waste your time any longer. I just have a simple question. I heard you met with Matthew a while ago. Would you care to share...what it is you two discussed?" As far as Flora was concerned, it was best to be succinct with the likes of Ethelbert, lest his deceitful nature gains the upper hand.
The man fiddled with an ashtray on the table and nodded: "Yes, I met your man, but why should I tell you why I saw him?"
Flora's brown eyes sparkled with a chilling glint. She leaned a hand on the table, smirking: "Do not call Matthew 'my man'."
Ethelbert flashed a knowing smile, awaiting her next words, his grin grew even more inscrutable.
"Matthew is married now, surely you know, and his wife isn't me. Given this, what right does he have to be called 'my man'? For a man who toys with a woman's heart...I certainly won't let that slide!"
"Having regrets, are we? If you'd known this would happen, wouldn't it have been better to have chosen me?" Ethelbert flicked away an ash, lightly brushing Flora's hand.
Unfazed, she withdrew her hand, avoiding his nauseating touch: "He used to frequent my place, but recently he seems to have vanished. I can't seem to locate him no matter what..."
"So, you want me to help you find Matthew, for revenge?" Ethelbert inferred.
Flora nodded definitively: "Exactly, revenge. I must find Matthew! He toyed with me like this, hurt me like this, I must exact vengeance!" She paused briefly, then continued: "I need your help to find Matthew. In return, the real map will be yours."
Her gaze was earnest as she looked at Ethelbert, as if she genuinely planned to use the map to trace Matthew's whereabouts. Only God knew how repulsive she found the man in front of her. However, when dealing with such men, it was vital to never show any sign of vulnerability.
"Against Matthew? That's not an easy task... But perhaps you might pull it off after all." Ethelbert shrugged: "Alright, I agree to your terms, but... absolutely no tricking me like last time! If I catch you playing games, you'll be the one I'll deal with."
"Naturally." Flora smiled wryly. As she had suspected, the map was of utmost importance to Ethelbert. To acquire it, he was willing to trust her once more.
Standing upright, she said: "I look forward to a fruitful partnership and hearing from you soon."
"I'll send people to investigate Matthew's whereabouts, you can go now. And make sure to bring me the map soon! No more tricks!"
The door slammed shut behind her.
Flora let out a deep sigh, quickly wiping her sweaty palms on her dress. From Ethelbert's reaction, she surmised he had no connection to Matthew's disappearance. More accurately, he had no idea where Matthew was now.
Her phone buzzed softly in her purse, a message from Mimi: "Auntie, come back quickly. One of his guys is here."
Taking a deep breath, Flora rushed back to her apartment. Matthew's associate coming all the way here likely meant there was some news about him.
"Ms. Flora, you're back?" A man with a very ordinary appearance, easy to blend in with a crowd, yet Flora recognized him.
Seeing her, he was relieved: "I heard you went to see Ethelbert, he didn't harm you, did he?"
"No harm done. Your coming all the way here... do you have news of Matthew?"
The other party shook their head: "It's not news about the boss, but the test results from the blood found on the vehicle involved in that shootout. Upon examination, we can confirm it's the boss's blood."
"The boss's blood?" Flora froze, murmuring under her breath: "His blood... could it be... he's..." She shook her head vigorously, banishing the disquieting thoughts: "Regardless, I must find him! If he's alive, he must return to me unscathed! Otherwise... even if it's just a corpse, I must bring it back!"
In life, she needed to see him; in death, she needed to see his body. She absolutely couldn't accept the term "missing."