Ken knocked on the door of Aaron's office and opened it slowly while holding a brown folder in his other hand. He looked at Aaron, who was frowning deeply in the middle of an important conversation.
Ken approached and stood in front of the desk while Aaron's open palm lifted upward, asking for the folder, which Ken immediately handed over.
Aaron pinched his phone between his shoulder and ear, tilting his neck slightly to the side as he spun his chair and pulled out the contents of the folder. He read them quickly before smiling in satisfaction and ending the call.
Spinning back around, he looked at Ken and placed the papers in front of him.
"So, this is the information you found about Karen?"
Ken nodded proudly. "So far, this is the most detailed information about Miss Leichster. It explains that she was the top graduate in her high school before she was offered a scholarship to Harvard."
"Harvard?" Aaron echoed in surprise before asking again, "And then?"
"For some reason, she rejected it. I also went to her school, and there's no photo of her in the graduation album."
"What does that mean?" Aaron asked, intrigued, clasping his hands together.
"She… disappeared just before graduation. Right after she rejected the scholarship, Miss Leichster vanished. She wasn't even at the orphanage during that time."
Taking a slow breath, Aaron stared at the papers and tapped his index finger on the table as he seemed to think hard. "Do you know where she went?"
Ken shook his head softly. "She disappeared for half a year before returning to the orphanage."
"What did the head of the orphanage say?" he asked quietly.
"Miss Leichster didn't answer."
Looking up, Aaron stared at him dangerously before pointing a finger at Ken. "Ask Niteo. Whether Karen visited him or not during those six months. It's possible Niteo knows where she was."
"You're sure?" Ken asked, uncertain.
With a thin smile, Aaron rose from his chair, slipped both hands into the pockets of his deep purple satin pants, and turned his back on Ken. He looked out at the line of pedestrians walking past with umbrellas as the traffic light glowed red.
"Yaro said Niteo has been running this business for a long time. Karen couldn't have met that old man by coincidence. The distance between Debet's Hall and Green House is far, and Karen only worked at Tokio's place for under three months. It's impossible Niteo helped her voluntarily. Either she paid him, or he did something to her."
Sometimes Ken couldn't understand how Aaron could amaze him so much with his intelligence. The man could have become a professor, not a cunning businessman who devoured small companies. Unfortunately, his brilliance was misused, and Karen was the victim.
But Ken was only his employee. The old Aaron Tokugawa who used to laugh with him was long gone, and Ken had stopped hoping.
"I know. I'll investigate it."
Just as Ken turned around, Aaron also turned and called his name softly, making Ken freeze mid-step.
"Yes?" he asked as Aaron gave him a cold smile.
"Just have Toma handle it. You've worked too much."
Ken stared at him in disbelief. "You… what?"
Clicking his tongue in irritation, Aaron sighed and walked toward him, grabbing the coat draped over the table. Aaron folded it over his bent arm and looked at Ken.
"You need to rest. I need sleep too."
Maybe he wasn't completely gone. Maybe he just refused to show that side of himself. And Ken was wise enough not to argue. Instead, he bowed respectfully and followed Aaron out.
---
Niteo sighed as he looked at Aaron. He was sitting on one of the sofas in the VIP room of the prison while Aaron was surrounded by his bodyguards.
Ken didn't understand why Aaron wanted to question him personally. The man had clearly said Toma would take care of it. Yet somehow Aaron changed his mind at the last second.
Maybe Ken was hallucinating.
"It's true. The woman came to me and asked if I could make her a passport," the old man said when Aaron asked if Karen had ever visited him back in high school.
"And then?"
The old man grabbed the drink Aaron had ordered and tried to recall every detail, afraid to miss even the smallest memory.
"She was still in high school. I asked why she needed it and where her ID card was. She said she didn't have one. Then I asked how she could attend school, and she said the head of the orphanage took care of it."
Aaron, who had been leaning back, bent forward with his fingers interlocked as he watched Niteo closely. "And you employed her?"
"No. She worked on her own. She worked as a trash collector and gave me her wages. I made her an ID card. When she finished paying her debt, she left," he answered at length.
"So you cut ties with her?"
Niteo nodded with a faint smile. "She came back again. A year ago, she asked for a passport. I told her I'd do it if she had money. She said she had a job, so I did it."
Aaron considered Niteo's words carefully. He had only known Karen for less than two months, and the tips or salary she received from Tokio couldn't possibly be enough to pay for a fake passport. During those missing ten months… what exactly was she doing before she worked for Tokio?
Aaron would write it down later, but he had to ask again. "How did she know about you?"
"She didn't answer. She chose to stay silent. And I don't care as long as I get my money." Niteo chuckled, showing his teeth—many of which were beginning to decay—as he drank calmly.
"She couldn't have paid you with just her earnings as a trash collector. What else was she doing?" Aaron pushed.
The old man hesitated for a moment before sighing slowly.
"My men said they once saw Karen entering a very wealthy house."
"A house?"
"Yes," the old man snapped his fingers as his eyes brightened. "Ah, and there was one time she gave me far more money than usual."
Aaron raised an eyebrow, interested. "Only once?"
"Yes. Only once. I remember because it was a lot, and she left the same day."
---
Aaron closed his eyes briefly while sitting in the car seat. His legs were bent, and his arms crossed on his lap. His head seemed deep in thought as he absorbed Niteo's information.
In high school she disappeared for half a year. She only paid Niteo large money once. Then she returned last year with more money.
Opening his eyes slowly, Aaron lifted his fingers and the car window rolled down. Ken immediately turned and bowed as he faced Aaron.
"Ken, find out about the house Karen entered."
Ken looked confused. "Why?"
Aaron answered confidently, "There's a possibility Karen robbed that house."
"What? Robbed?"
"Exactly. That's the only explanation I can think of."
"She could've been rich," Ken offered uncertainly.
Aaron nodded. He had considered that possibility too. But it seemed unlikely. Because if Karen really came from a wealthy family, she wouldn't need fake documents.
And Oka wouldn't need to investigate her identity.
"Even if she was, there would be information about her. And she wouldn't sell herself. Her pride is too high."
"But stealing…"
"Six or seven years ago, check the house she entered. Check if it was robbed." Aaron gestured with his fingers, motioning Ken to lean closer as he whispered, "If Niteo's men didn't see her, start sorting."
Ken gaped, nearly screaming. "But that's a lot! How do we even start?"
Sometimes Aaron wondered whether he truly hired one of Oxford's top graduates or not. Because most of the time, Aaron did the thinking while Ken simply reacted in shock.
"It's easy. Look for elite houses and check pawn shops nearby."
"Pawn shops?"
"Exactly. After stealing, she would have gone to the nearest pawn shop. She couldn't keep stolen goods too long or people would notice. Bring her photo. They'll recognize her."
Ken considered the logic, though it still felt absurd. How could a child steal that easily and alone? It seemed impossible. And as far as he knew, Karen had no criminal record.
Was Aaron truly convinced Karen was a thief?
But realistically, it was the only explanation that made sense given how little they could learn about her. Ken looked slowly at Aaron and whispered:
"What if we investigate her school records? Didn't Niteo say the orphanage head handled them?"
Aaron raised an eyebrow sharply. "I forgot to tell you. Oka already checked. Karen's school burned down in a severe fire. They had to rebuild it from scratch."
"So we really can't learn anything about her."
"Not exactly. I had the detective track down her homeroom teacher. We'll get something."
"Then why don't you just wait?" Ken asked, baffled.
Aaron smirked as he put on his sunglasses.
"Where's the fun in waiting when I can get it sooner?"
"You really want Karen," Ken sighed.
"I want to trap her by my side," Aaron corrected casually.
---
Karen finally received a visit on the seventh day after entering prison. A female guard opened her cell door and stared at her coldly.
"Inmate No. 5208, you have a visitor."
"Who?"
Karen usually didn't ask many questions, but something told her that the visitor was Aaron. And she was right. When the guard said it was Aaron Tokugawa, Karen refused to see him.
The guard shut the door again while Karen stood and stretched her muscles. Seven days in prison, and Karen felt nothing. No loneliness, no fear.
Maybe because of her childhood experiences, she was numb. She had to admit that after the orphanage fire, she often had nightmares—she felt nauseous when she saw a whip or even a plastic rope.
But it didn't last long. Somehow she would fall asleep and wake up fine. Karen was born a robot without expression.
She felt no regret. She viewed life in her own way. Love was nothing but a troublesome illusion. There was no such thing as eternity in love. When people die and reincarnate, they forget their past lives.
Words or declarations of love were nothing but useless fantasies. Saying "I love you" while cheating. Saying "I love you" while neglecting. It was all just lies made for pleasure.
And Karen knew that. She realized it. Whether her parents—biological or adoptive—were together because of feelings, she didn't know. Whether they liked each other or even loved each other.
Karen once wondered if her mother had been a victim of sexual violence, but she wasn't sure. Because if that were true, why give birth to her? Why carry Karen to term only to abandon her?
She heard noises outside again. Karen turned and saw the guard open the door, stepping aside to reveal Aaron standing there with a triumphant smirk.
The devil has come.