Morning light filtered through the tall windows of the investigation division. The office was quieter than usual, the air still heavy with the memory of the murder at the restaurant.
Albert stood at the center of the room, holding a thin file.
"The victim has a wife and a daughter," he reported. "But both of them have disappeared without a trace. I'm afraid they might have become victims as well."
Sebastian crossed his arms, his expression dark.
"Then we don't have a choice," he said. "We need to find the truth. Start by tracking down their whereabouts."
Julian leaned back in his chair and stretched lazily.
"What a tiring day already… Oh, Seb, let's bring Wendy along. I bet she'd love to write an article based on what she sees with her own eyes."
Wendy raised a brow.
"Are you inviting me to witness danger, or are you just bored?
"Both," Julian replied with a grin.
Sebastian let out a quiet sigh.
"…Fine. But stay close to us."
A moment later they arrived at the victim's house .
The victim's house stood at the end of a narrow street. It looked almost untouched, as if no tragedy had ever reached its walls.
Julian pushed the front door open.
Inside, everything was neat.
The furniture was in place and the curtains were tied properly. Not a single sign of struggle or blood could be found.
Sebastian walked slowly through the living room, scanning every corner.
"No broken furniture. No signs of resistance," he muttered. "If something happened here… it was quiet."
Wendy took notes, her eyes carefully observing the space.
"It doesn't feel like a crime scene," she said softly. "It feels like someone left in a hurry… but made sure everything looked normal first."
After a while, they stepped back outside.
Julian exhaled.
"Well, that was pointless. Not even a single clue."
Just then, a small boy passed in front of the house. He stopped and looked at them curiously.
"Are you looking for Lucy?" he asked.
The three of them exchanged glances.
"You know her?" Sebastian asked.
The boy nodded.
"She's at that house."
He pointed down the street. "The empty one at the corner."
The house he pointed to looked abandoned. The paint was peeling, and the windows were dusty.
Wendy stepped forward and gently pushed the door.
It creaked open.
She took one step inside—
A flash of steel lunged toward her throat.
Before she could react, Sebastian grabbed the blade with his bare hand and shoved it aside.
The knife cut into his palm.
"Sebastian!" Julian shouted.
Blood dripped from Sebastian's fingers, staining the wooden floor.
He glanced at his hand and clicked his tongue.
"Geez… that's not how the training center taught us to shove away a knife," Julian muttered. "Look at your hand."
In front of them stood a woman, trembling. Tears streamed down her face as she held the knife weakly.
"I'm guilty…" she sobbed. "I've committed a sin. Please… don't disturb my child."
Behind her, a little girl clung to her dress, hiding her face.
Julian slowly raised his hands.
"Hey, easy there," he said. "We're not here to hurt you."
The woman shook her head violently.
"You don't understand. If you take her away… she'll end up like him. Like her father."
Sebastian pressed his wounded hand against his coat, his voice calm despite the pain.
"No one is taking your child," he said. "But we need the truth."
The woman's eyes wavered.
"The truth…?" she whispered.
"…Will anyone even care about the truth of someone like us?"
Silence filled the room.
Dust floated in the faint light from the broken window. The little girl peeked out, her eyes wide with fear.
Wendy slowly stepped forward, her voice gentle.
"I'm a journalist," she said. "You can tell me what happened. I'll make sure people know the truth through my article."
The woman stared at her, uncertain.
Wendy took another step closer.
"I'll try my best to help you."
Hope flickered in the woman's tired eyes.
Wendy hesitated for a moment before finishing her sentence.
"But… I can't promise anything."
The room fell silent.
Sebastian stood still, blood dripping quietly from his hand. Julian looked at him, then back at the woman and her child.
For the first time since they entered the house, the woman's grip on the knife loosened completely.