Flora’s Guide to a Second Chance at Love and Life

Flora and Henrik were caught off guard for a moment; it was clear that the "he" Karter referred to was Karter himself.

Raul went on, "If he hadn't pushed me away, that bullet would have been mine."

That bullet was meant for him, but Karter stepped in. Raul's emotions were a tangled mess. He never thought that in such a dire moment, Bryce would be the one standing in front of him. The last thing Bryce said to him was that if anything happened to him, Flora would be heartbroken.

Flora listened quietly, her serene eyes now reflecting a storm of emotions.

...

Once Raul was asleep, Flora slipped out of the hospital room, her eyes turning cold and steely.

Raul was safe.

Now, it was time to settle some scores.

Connor was waiting at the door, and as she stepped out, he filled her in on Abbey's disappearance.

"Just vanished into thin air?"

Flora frowned, puzzled. How could someone just disappear like that?

Especially Abbey, who was bedridden and paralyzed. How did she manage to escape so silently, slipping through even Connor's investigation?

"I've had Moss check the waterways and other hidden routes, but still no leads."

Connor rarely showed frustration, but this situation was a real puzzle. It seemed Abbey had some powerful help. He had some inklings but wasn't certain. Flora called Crimson for help, then pulled out her laptop to start tracking.

As the legendary hacker, known simply as F, there wasn't anyone she couldn't find.

She settled into a chair in the hospital corridor, laptop perched on her knees.

The corridor was quiet, the only sound the relentless tapping of her keyboard.

Connor stood nearby, watching silently.

Lines of code flashed rapidly on the screen. At first, Flora was calm, but as time ticked by, her expression darkened.

Every time she got close to pinpointing the target's location, she was blocked at the last second. She hadn't expected the opponent to be this cunning.

...

Somewhere on an island.

In a shadowy basement.

A young man sat against the wall, one leg bent, the computer screen's glow casting sharp contrasts on his perfectly sculpted features, adding a tinge of eerie patience.

The young man watched the screen, a spark of intrigue in his grey-brown eyes, like a hunter spotting prey. Interesting.

It was his first time facing someone who matched his skills.

A chilly smile crept across his face.

It had been ages since someone

piqued

S interest. He thought, i et

would be fun to capture and toy with

her

swnolet

But.

Now wasn't the time for games.

If he kept playing, she'd track him down here.

In the hospital, Flora stayed focused, her eyes glued to the screen, just a step away!

Just one more step and she'd have the location!

But then-

Her screen went dark!

At the same time, red text flashed boldly in the center.

Looking for me, sis? Come to the medical base. "Damn."

Flora, rarely one to curse, snapped the laptop shut, her chest rising with the frustration and agitation churning within, with no outlet in sight.

This was the first time she'd felt so stumped.

Who was this person?

Calling her "sis," just to get under her skin?

And what was this medical base about...