Sofia's eyes widened, her brows furrowed in confusion. "W-hat position? What object-?" she asked, frowning. She can't understand what object she had in her possession that caught their attention? She didn't bring any valuables with her. What could it be... then her mind recalled her missing amethyst ring!

She looked at him angrily. "Oh, my God! You stole my amethyst ring! Give it back to me!" she demanded. ​​

Zero rolled his eyes. "I will give it back to you one day, but not now. I still need to make sure it's authentic," he said casually.

Sofia's hands formed into a fist. "Why are you interested in a simple amethyst ring!" she questioned him.

"You have no idea who is the owner of this kind of ring, my dear," Zero said.

"Where is my ring!?" she asked.

"I put it in a secret place for safekeeping. Don't worry, I won't lose it, I'll take care of it and guard it with my life," he assured her.

"Can you tell me why you are interested in my ring?" she asked curiously.

Zero cleared his throat.

"Twenty years ago, a one-year-old baby was missing, stolen from the mansion of the important family of the shapeshifters clan along with the family ring. Every member of this family was gifted an amethyst ring the moment they were born. So, on the day the baby was gifted with the ring, the baby was missing along with the ring. The nanny was also missing. And we've been tracking the whereabouts of the missing baby through the years," Zero gave a lengthy explanation.

Sofia was shaking her head. "I couldn't be that baby..." she said.

"Yeah... because you are not like us. You can't shift. You are just a human being. So, can you tell me now... how did the ring get into your position?" Zero asked.

"My adoptive parents told me that they found me outside the gate of their mansion and the ring was inside the pocket of the garment that was used to cover me. They never saw who left me there, they didn't see anyone," Sofia explained.

"Ah, okay. So, you grow up with adoptive parents?" he asked.

"Yeah. I'm interested to find out my real identity. I want to meet my real parents! But sadly, I can no longer do that because you imprisoned me here against my will!" she said indignantly.

Zero stared at her face intently. Is there a possibility that there is a baby swap? That the real granddaughter of the Helix Vanguard Clan is still out there? It's a big possibility!

They only found the amethyst ring but not the baby!

That is why it's not a reason to celebrate yet! The head of the Helix Vanguard Clan explicitly instructed him and his men to find the baby no matter what the cost! In the past, there have been other people sent all over the country to locate the missing baby - but no one succeeded in finding them.

Until now!

He finally had the lead! And deep inside... he felt triumphant to have achieved the final breakthrough in this mind-boggling case that took place many years ago!

The baby is the most important factor to find, more important than the ring itself!

Sofia was silent the whole time the handsome guy was studying her face, she fixed her gaze on the floor. Then she realized something... she wants to bargain her ring with her freedom! She must act now! She looked at him in the eyes. "My lord, you can have the amethyst ring, I no longer need it! Just let me go! I want to go home!" she pleaded.

Zero was shaking his head. "The more that I can't let you go! What if you are the baby of the one who abducted the real granddaughter of the Helix Vanguard Clan? We can use you to find them and locate the real baby!" he said.

Oh, God! Sofia groaned. "If you have no intention to kill me? So... how long do you plan to imprison me here?" she asked, wanting to know how long she will be staying in this place.

"I can't say how long, but once we found the real granddaughter, and there is no more problem arising during that time then I will set you free," Zero said.

"Are you sure? Can you promise that you will release me once the real granddaughter is found?" she asked wanting to be sure of her safety.

"Yeah...sure! I promise you that! I will even escort you outside the gate of the manor where you come from," Zero replied.

Sofia's eyes widened. "D-did you know where I came from?" she asked.

"Yeah, while I'm scouting that area, I saw you going down through the window and escape towards the woods. I followed you all the way there," he responded.

"I see... " Sofia said. She was relieved that this guy has no intention of killing or harming her. But the thing that bothered her the most is the fact that he will keep her grounded in this place for a long time until the real granddaughter is found. The question is for how long? She was impatient to leave this place already!

She cleared her throat. "My lord, may I know where is this place?" she asked.

"We are inside the basement of the manor," he answered.

"Is this place near the manor where I live?" she asked.

Zero shook his head. "No, we are still in the same town, but the place where we are now is located at the other end of the town," he said.

"I see..." Sofia said sadly. "Can I live upstairs - instead of here? I can't even see the sun! I want to inhale the fresh air, see the plants, trees, and flowers! Please?" she pleaded.

"No. At this moment I can't allow you to be seen outside because your relatives might already be looking for you all over the town. So, you have to stay in this place hidden from everyone," Zero said.

Fresh tears immediately sprang from Sofia's eyes. "Please... take me outside! I don't like staying in this place, I can't see anything!" she whined.

Zero shook his head. "Just bear with it for a while..."

Sofia began sobbing hard trying to get the handsome man's sympathy.

"Why are you crying? I didn't even do anything to hurt you!" Zero said.

"You are merciless! How can you imprisoned an innocent girl like me in this awful place?" Sofia continues lamenting and protesting.

"Go back to your room now and continue crying there," he ordered.

"No! I will stay here in this room until you will agree to take me away from this basement!" she adamantly said.

Zero was shaking his head while looking at the crying girl, he sighed deeply and rose to his feet. "Alright, if you're not going to leave. I'll take my leave..." he said and left the room.

Sofia continues sobbing hysterically refusing to leave the room thinking that the guy will return out of pity and take her out from the basement.

A few minutes later.

The door opened...

Sofia raises her tear-stricken face expecting to see the guy but saw the old woman instead.

Hera crossed her arms in annoyance and glared at her. "Why are you still here? Go back to your room!" she ordered.

Sofia pouted, she stood up and left the room. She walked towards her room and entered.

Hera followed her inside the room. "Why are you crying?"

Sofia looked at her with her tear-filled eyes. "Granny, take me with you upstairs! I don't want to stay here in the basement. Bring me upstairs! It's suffocating here! Please, have mercy on me!" she begged.

Hera shook her head. "Sorry, I can't do that. The Lord said that you can not leave the basement, so I have to follow his order!"

"But I'm going crazy with nothing to do inside the room!" she whined.

Hera gritted her teeth in irritation. "Deal with it!" she said and left the room.

Sofia stopped crying the moment the old woman exited the room. Damn! They're so cold-hearted, they're heartless and merciless... they feel no pity towards her... grrrr... her buckets of tears were wasted!

She lay down on the bed and wrapped the blanket around her. Then she began crying again realizing how hopeless her situation is.

She had a feeling that she might grow old imprisoned in this basement all her adult life.

She complained of being holed up in the manor together with her family, and yet, her life here is worst compared to her situation back home. She suffered instant Karma for running away from home!

"Mother, Father, Sister... I hope you can hear me now. I'm truly sorry for running away. I deeply regretted my stupid decision! I hope you can forgive me! I want to go home!" she said over and over again.

She continues crying until no more tears were left for her to cry.

A few minutes later.

She had fallen asleep soundly in the bed.

Hera was standing outside the door, she has been listening to the girl's crying. She was sent here by the Lord to pacify the weeping girl but she doesn't know how to make the girl stop crying, so she exited the room and stay outside, and allowed her to cry as much as she wants.

She smiled triumphantly when she can no longer hear any crying inside the room! Time to go back upstairs and report to the lord that the girl already stopped crying.

She walked towards the end of the hallway and vanished from the basement.

A minute later.

She appeared in the garden, located at the back of the manor.

Zero was feeding the koi fishes on the fish pond. "Did she already stop crying?" he asked.

"Yes, my lord!" Hera replied.

"Good! Find out her interest and hobbies. Let's provide some interesting activity for her to occupy her mind so that she won't go crazy doing nothing in her room," Zero ordered.

"Copy, my lord! If nothing else, I'll take my leave now," Hera said.

"Ok. You may go now," Zero replied.