Zhou Yanran breathed a sigh of relief after watching them leave, yet a nagging suspicion lingered. Yue Linze seemed utterly unconcerned about Tao Yu's well-being.

"Was that Tao Yu who went in?" Yue Linying asked anxiously. That woman truly was a traitor.

"Yes, but don't worry, I've had her locked up. Yue Linze will never find her," Zhou Yanran said with a smile. This time, she would teach Tao Yu a lesson she wouldn't soon forget.

"And the item? Did she find it?" Yue Linying inquired.

Zhou Yanran was about to answer when a servant approached. She cleared her throat and said, "It was found, but she couldn't take it. I confiscated her phone; she has no way to contact anyone."

"Good. Yanran, we owe you a great deal for this," Yue Linying finally relaxed, rewarding her with a kiss on the cheek. "After tonight, I'll take you to choose some jewelry."

Zhou Yanran nodded shyly, a feeling of satisfaction washing over her. She had initially intended to say the item was broken, but then reconsidered. Since it held damaging secrets, wouldn't it be better if it were destroyed? It wasn't the right time to discuss it now; she would wait until things calmed down.

Yue Linying wanted to go inside and check, but the servant approached again, saying Gu Yansheng was angry about his abrupt departure and demanded his immediate return. Yue Linying hesitated. With the servant present, he decided against checking and instead accompanied Zhou Yanran to the main hall.

Meanwhile, the housekeeper pushed Yue Linze outside. Once they reached a secluded area, Yue Linze extended his hand. The housekeeper immediately brought up a listening device app on his phone. Yue Linze entered a complex series of codes, and soon the sound of ringing filled the air.

Tao Yu stared at the confining walls around her, feeling utterly helpless. Suddenly, she felt a vibration against her chest. Looking down, she saw the pale blue gem at the center of her brooch flicker. Curious, she pressed it. Then, she heard Yue Linze's voice, "Tao Yu."

She froze, then, after Yue Linze called her name again, quickly removed the brooch. "Boss, how did you know for sure it was me with this thing?" she asked, bewildered. And wasn't this supposed to be jewelry? Why could it function as a phone?!

"Who's the boss?" Yue Linze's lips curved slightly, relieved to hear she seemed unharmed.

"Nothing, nothing. I was just kidding," Tao Yu chuckled nervously, quickly getting to the point. "Sir, I found the item, but Zhou Yanran and her people came in. I couldn't retrieve it safely."

The housekeeper tensed, glancing at Yue Linze. Yue Linze, however, remained unfazed. "It doesn't matter. Where are you?"

Tao Yu was taken aback. This item was connected to his deepest trauma; how could he say it didn't matter? She quickly recovered and added, "But didn't you say that the item couldn't be broken? That if it was damaged, the video data would be sent to the police? So, I thought it would be better to break it rather than let Zhou Yanran take it. That way, you could still retrieve the data."

"Brilliant!" the housekeeper exclaimed, then, catching Yue Linze's eye, quickly composed himself. "The police have been investigating the car accident, sir. Now that the video data has been transferred, they should be arriving soon. I'll go wait at the entrance."

With that, he promptly left.

Yue Linze finally looked at the phone and calmly repeated, "Where are you?"

Judging by the housekeeper's words, the matter seemed close to being resolved. Tao Yu rubbed the goosebumps on her arms and replied in a normal tone, "Zhou Yanran has me locked up, but it's quite peaceful. Don't worry about me right now. Focus on dealing with Yue Linying. He hurt you; I want him to pay."

Perhaps once Yue Linying was dealt with, and she saw Gu Yansheng's furious face, and finally retrieved what belonged to him, his inner turmoil would dissipate, and he wouldn't need to seek her out anymore.

"Where?" Yue Linze frowned.

Tao Yu sighed. "I'm locked in a room. I'm really fine. Go and resolve your issue. Come find me later."

Her voice was filled with genuine concern for him, as if she were willing to make any sacrifice for his happiness. This wasn't the first time he'd sensed this sincerity.

The faint wail of sirens could be heard outside. Yue Linze's face, divided by light and shadow, appeared remarkably calm. His eyes, however, glistened with emotion. His voice remained cool. "Alright, wait for me."

Tao Yu smiled gently and pressed the blue sapphire on the brooch. After confirming there was no sound, she let out a wail and began stamping her feet. Zhou Yanran was truly vicious, locking her in an empty cold storage room with the freezer on. This was attempted murder!