As he spoke, Archie gently patted Johanna’s head. “Go to the dining room and eat first.”

Johanna blurted, “I’ll go with you.”

“Be good,” Archie said, his gaze darkening slightly, a hint of warning in his eyes.

Reluctantly, she closed her mouth and obediently went to the dining room.

Archie moved easily through the house, heading straight to Stephan’s bedroom on the third floor. His path was unobstructed, and no one noticed his right hand occasionally brushing against his pocket, where a toxic syringe was hidden.

The corridor was deserted and eerily quiet. Standing before Stephan’s bedroom door, Archie noted its black, specially designed construction. It was explosion-proof, soundproof, and highly secure; nearly impossible to breach under normal circumstances.

Fortunately, the door was ajar and unlocked.

As he reached for the door, a sudden weight landed on his shoulder. Startled, he spun around to see Stanley standing behind him, grinning mischievously.

“Well, well. What brings you here, Mr. Rosario?” Stanley asked, the title laced with teasing rather than respect.

Archie calmly withdrew his hand. “I heard Mr. Russell is still unconscious, so I came to check on him.”

Before his relationship with Imogen, the eldest Russell daughter, Archie had been a mere subordinate in the sprawling Russell family—unremarkable and overlooked, a fringe character among many skilled individuals. Everything changed when he saved Imogen from drowning. Subsequent encounters led to him capturing her heart.

With Imogen’s support, Archie rose swiftly within the family, gaining Stephan’s trust. He had, to put it bluntly, taken the express route, leveraging connections to achieve his current status. This was why he was now addressed as “Mr. Rosario.”

Maintaining a neutral expression, Archie smiled. “Stanley, don’t tease me. No need for formalities. We’re all brothers here.”

Stanley chuckled, casually slinging an arm around Archie’s neck. “You’re one lucky guy. Come on, tell me—how did you come back from the dead? And why didn’t we hear a peep from you for half a year? Don’t you know how worried Ms. Russell was? Oh, and the ship sinking—Mr. Russell personally oversaw the search. We stayed in that area for ten days, but couldn’t figure out why the ship went down. We were all worried. But now you’re back safe and sound. So, tell me exactly what happened?”

Stanley’s questions came in rapid succession, a grin plastered across his face. Imogen had also asked about his miraculous survival earlier, but she had been easier to appease and deceive.

Now, however, Stanley’s friendly, brotherly demeanor belied an oppressive intensity in his gaze that made Archie’s heart sink. He had anticipated this, prepared a story long before revealing himself.

He responded smoothly, “Our ship was intercepted. I’m not sure if it was pirates or enemies disguised as pirates, but a fight ensued. Many men didn’t survive. Eventually, another comrade and I abandoned the main ship, using a smaller boat to circle around and counterattack. Unfortunately, a thick fog rolled in, followed by a violent storm. It was pitch-black, and I was caught in a vortex. When I regained consciousness, a month had passed. I was severely injured and immobile. My rescuers were foreigners, and the language barrier prevented me from contacting anyone.”