Following the incident, Patrick and Peter diligently completed the sale of the remaining firewood while Patricia remained seated in a corner, hesitant to make a move.

As the day drew to a close, the trio concluded their business in town and prepared to depart.

During the journey home, Patricia braced herself for a scolding from her brother, anticipating his disapproval of her actions. However, to her surprise, Patrick remained silent, leaving her feeling increasingly anxious.

"Why isn't he saying anything?" she wondered, her nerves on edge. "He should be reprimanding me and declaring that he'll never bring me to town again after my reckless behavior."

The weight of the silence hung heavily, prompting Peter to attempt to lighten the mood with a question directed at Patricia.

"So, Patricia, did you enjoy visiting the town?" he asked, hoping to shift the atmosphere.

However, instead of responding, Patrick interjected with a cold tone. "I'm sure that she did," he remarked tersely.

Seizing the opportunity, Patricia spoke up, her voice tinged with remorse. "I'm sorry... I... I didn't mean for all of that to happen. I thought that I was helping a little kid get back to his house... How could I have known that he was working with a gang that kidnaps women?"

Patrick's glare intensified as he responded to his sister's explanation. "None of that would have happened if you had listened to my words," he admonished, his frustration evident. "I warned you not to leave your spot, yet you sneaked out the moment you found an opportunity."

Feeling defensive, Patricia attempted to justify her actions. "I was only trying to help," she insisted.

Unable to contain his emotions any longer, Patrick's temper flared as he lashed out at his sister. "WHY DIDN'T YOU INFORM ME?" he demanded, his voice rising with concern. "DO YOU KNOW HOW MUCH I WORRIED WHEN I COULDN'T FIND YOU? I WAS ABOUT TO USE MY... MY..." He stopped himself before revealing too much in front of Peter, opting for restraint in his choice of words.

Patricia's expression fell as she lowered her head, acknowledging her mistake. "I know that I was wrong, but everything went okay," she repeated softly.

Patrick's smile turned ironic as he countered, "Okay? Do you mean interfering directly with the inspector is okay?"

Confused, Patricia defended her actions. "What do you mean? He's a nice guy, and he helped us catch the gang and save the kid! He even thanked me!"

Leaning in close, Patrick whispered urgently in her ear, his tone serious. "You are so naive, my dear sister. Do you think it's normal for a girl to knock out three criminals on her own? He will surely suspect something, and then he will dig in more until he discovers our secret."

Patricia's eyes welled up with tears as she spoke, "I...I didn't mean for that to happen... I will never let that happen... I will protect you and my family till my last breath."

Patrick sighed, feeling the weight of his sister's remorse. "I think I'm being too harsh on her," he thought to himself. "Due to her boldness, a lot of women were saved. I can't praise her for that to not think of doing it again. Instead, I will just let it go this time."

In a gesture of comfort, he offered her a piece of cake, knowing how much she loved it. "Eat it. You must be hungry."

Patricia wiped her tears and accepted the cake. Her eyes lit up at the sight of it, and her mood lifted with the first bite she took.

"It is so delicious!" she exclaimed, trying to mask her earlier sadness with enthusiasm.

Peter chuckled at her reaction, and Patrick couldn't help but smile at his sister's childlike joy. He knew she had been sheltered from the outside world and was unaware of how cunning people could be.

"I hope the inspector won't suspect anything," Patrick thought to himself. "Though he seems nice, I don't trust him."

Meanwhile, Inspector Derrick was interrogating the badly beaten and tied-up criminals. He dropped his fake smile and gentle demeanor, revealing his true nature.

"PLEASE, HAVE SOME MERCY!" one of the criminals pleaded.

"SHUT UP!" Derrick snapped back. "You better tell me everything about the gang's activities and its customers... But before that, I'm quite curious to know how exactly a frail lady could defeat the three of you. Did someone else help her?"

The criminal stuttered, "W...We don't remember much... That lady is not as frail as she looks...She... She caught us off guard and had some unexpected moves. We didn't stand a chance against her."

Derrick raised an eyebrow skeptically.

"Is that so?" he questioned, his tone laced with doubt. "Sounds like you're making excuses for your failure."

"NO, WE'RE NOT LYING. SHE'S VERY SKILLED. WE DIDN'T EXPECT HER TO BE SO STRONG," one of the criminals insisted.

Derrick was surprised by the admission but maintained his composed expression.

"Interesting..." he remarked. "Tell me everything that happened and don't miss any details. Is that clear?"

"Al...Alright..." the criminal stuttered in response.

After sunset, the three siblings arrived home, relieved to have enough money for the family. Despite her lingering guilt over the incident in town, Patricia found solace in knowing she had helped save many women. Her little sister, Paige, rushed over and enveloped her in a hug.

"SISTER, WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN? I MISSED YOU SO MUCH!" Paige exclaimed.

"I missed you too, dear. How was your day?" Patricia inquired.

"It was sooo boring. Next time, I want to go with you," Paige declared eagerly.

Patricia sighed, feeling conflicted. "I don't think there will be a next time..." she murmured, then offered her sister a piece of cake. "Here, eat it."

As the little girl savored the last bites of cake, Patricia couldn't help but feel a pang in her heart. "Even a small piece of cake made her this happy. I hope, someday, I will be able to provide everything for her."

After dinner, the twins convened in their secret spot atop a towering tree.

Patrick remained silent, gazing at the sky while puffing on a cigarette. Patricia attempted to engage him in conversation:

"Is there another mission?" she asked.

"No," he replied curtly.

"Don't shut me out," Patricia persisted. "I've apologized countless times. Won't you forgive me?"

"I have forgiven you," Patrick replied. "Otherwise, I wouldn't be here. I'm just contemplating what we should do if that inspector summons you again."

"Don't worry," Patricia reassured him. "I'll simply tell him I'm skilled in combat. There's nothing wrong with that, right? I'll ensure he doesn't suspect our activities."

"I hope so," Patrick said, his tone tinged with uncertainty.

Two days later, in the early morning, Patricia was startled by a knock on the door, an uncommon occurrence at such an hour.

"This is odd. Who could it be?" she wondered aloud. "Maybe Paola. I hope so."

Rushing to answer the door, her hopes were quickly dashed as she saw Inspector Derrick standing before her.

"Damn! What's he doing here?" she muttered to herself.

Inspector Derrick tipped his hat respectfully upon seeing her.

"Nice to meet you again, Lady Patricia," he greeted her.