Felicia lost her motivation to continue reading. She stared at the pile of books, a surge of frustration rising. Forget the research! It didn't matter who was using the bronze bell; if someone was behind it, they would reveal themselves eventually. When that happened, she would know who was scheming against her.
The thought of giving up brought on a wave of aches. The exhaustion and sleep deprivation of the past two days finally caught up with her. Forget it. It was time to sleep.
Felicia lay on the couch, wrapped herself in a blanket, and fell asleep. The maid moved quietly, careful not to disturb her. The occasional clinking from the kitchen mingled with the aroma of food, creating a peaceful atmosphere. It was a peaceful weekend.
But Felicia had a dream. She saw Stephan standing at the edge of a cliff, bathed in the golden light of the rising sun. Though she couldn't see him clearly, she sensed a teasing smile. His eyes likely held a playful glint, and he might even mock her, "Are you dreaming about me? And you still say you don't miss me?"
She blushed. The sheer beauty of the moment stunned her. Stephan chuckled and began walking toward her, but with each step, a new wound appeared on his body. The injuries were gruesome; by the time he drew near, he had left a trail of bloody footprints.
Felicia's eyes widened in shock. However, Stephan covered her eyes with his hand, whispering softly, "Don't look." His cool fingers felt calloused against her eyelids.
"You're hurt. Let me see," Felicia said, nervously pushing his hand away. Stephan's figure turned transparent and vanished. "Stephan!" She reached out, grasping only empty air. In her frantic struggle, she felt weightless for a moment, then woke up, realizing she had fallen off the couch.
The maid rushed to help. "Are you okay, Ms. Fuller? Did you have a nightmare?" Felicia noticed she was drenched in cold sweat. The dream felt surreal, as if she'd witnessed Stephan disappear before her eyes.
Felicia took a shaky breath and pushed herself up. Thankfully, the carpet softened her fall. She called Stephan, but as for the past two days, the call wouldn't connect. It had been nearly a week since his last call.
Felicia frowned and quickly found Stanley, asking for updates on Stephan or any way to contact him.
Stanley admitted, "Not yet. But don't worry, Mrs. Russell. Mr. Russell has a team relaying updates. They'll let us know immediately if anything changes."
Felicia was about to nod when Stanley's phone rang. He chuckled, "Speak of the devil. Look, there's news already." He answered, but after listening to the message, he paled.