Chapter 14: Sarah's Resolve

Kai had spent the entire day trying his best to uncover who had taken the flash drive. He interrogated anyone he could, combed through the evidence, and double-checked every detail, but every lead ended in failure. By the time he left the site, the police chief approached him, his tone sharp but not unkind.

"I will inform you once the body report is ready. If I need your presence, I will summon you," the chief said curtly. Kai nodded in acknowledgment, his heart heavy, and headed home, carrying the weight of disappointment.

It was already late when he arrived. As he stepped inside, his tired black eyes swept across the room. Sarah was dressed in comfortable clothes, her golden blonde hair tied loosely. Her bright blue eyes immediately locked onto his face, concern etched into her expression. But Kai said nothing. He walked to the sofa, sank into it, and leaned his head back against the cushion, the exhaustion of the day visible in every movement.

Sarah stood watching him, her heart twisting at the sight of her husband so defeated. In their five years of marriage, she had never seen him like this before. His failure and despair were written across his face, and it made her blood boil. She clenched her fists, her emotions bubbling to the surface. Something inside her snapped as an unfamiliar, fiery determination ignited.

"Now I have to do something," she thought furiously. "The one who did this will pay. I’m coming back. No longer living the normal life I’ve had for the last five years."

Pushing her emotions down, Sarah took a deep breath and composed herself. She walked to the kitchen, picked up the dinner she had prepared, and brought it to the sofa. She sat beside Kai, her voice soft but firm.

"Kai, don’t worry. Everything will be alright. First, have some dinner."

Kai turned his head to look at her. Her concerned blue eyes and beautiful, gentle face eased some of the tension in his chest. He managed a weak smile. "Sure," he said quietly.

Without another word, Sarah began feeding him herself. Her hands were steady, her demeanor calm, but her mind was racing.

As they ate, Kai broke the silence. "Is Lily asleep?" he asked, his voice still heavy with weariness.

Sarah nodded. "Yes, she was waiting for you, but she fell asleep. Don’t worry about it. She’s our daughter, and she’s super intelligent. She understands."

Kai smiled faintly. "Yeah, she is our daughter. A mini version of you."

Sarah smiled back, her heart softening for a moment. The tension between them eased slightly, and the atmosphere warmed.

After a pause, Sarah leaned forward slightly, her voice dropping as she asked, "Do you know who the leader of the organization is?"

Kai’s expression darkened, but he replied, "No. But when I went to see Riley earlier, she passed me a note. I’ll just share the important part. She said the leader goes by the name ‘Mr. Unknown.’"

Sarah’s eyes narrowed, her voice low and thoughtful. "Mr. Unknown, huh." She repeated the name, almost to herself, as if committing it to memory.

Breaking her train of thought, Sarah added, "I have somewhere to go tomorrow. Can you take care of Lily?"

Kai nodded, guilt flickering across his face. "Okay. I haven’t spent enough time with her lately, anyway."

They finished the meal in comfortable silence. Sarah stood, collecting the dishes. She paused and said, "Get fresh and come to the bedroom. I’m tired today, so I’ll go first."

Kai nodded again and watched as she walked to their room. He sighed, dragging himself to the bathroom for a quick shower.

Afterward, he made his way to Lily’s room. The sight before him melted his heart—her soft blonde hair spread across her pillow, her small body curled up under the blanket, and her peaceful face serene in the glow of the nightlight. Smiling, Kai bent down and gently kissed her forehead.

"Good night, princess," he whispered before quietly leaving the room.

He headed to his bedroom, his mind still heavy but his heart lightened by the sight of his daughter. When he stepped inside, he found Sarah already asleep. The moonlight illuminated her face, highlighting her delicate features. She looked just like Lily, only older and more mature.

Kai couldn’t help but smile. Leaning down, he kissed her forehead softly and whispered, "Good night, darling."

With that, he lay down beside her and drifted into an uneasy sleep, unaware that Sarah’s mind was still racing with thoughts of revenge and the life she was about to step back into.