"Anyway, don't forget to send me the information if you find any match of these two. I need to know who they are and who they worked for," Ryder said as he disconnected the call.

"Do you know how these two men brought you here?" He turned back and asked Alice.

"They jumped through the wall and forced us to do the same at gunpoint. We snuck inside," Alice replied to Ryder.

"It's not easy to sneak inside this place. To find such lax security, either they are really talented, or they had insider help," Ryder muttered, hearing her words.

He turned to Esmi and informed her, "I'll take them home. Send me the CCTV footage of your entrance. I want to know if one of your men helped them enter. If one of them is involved, it'll make it easier for us to get another trail."

Esmi nodded her head. "I will send you the footage."

He rubbed the head of Alice gently. He glanced at the other girl. "Let's go. I'll take you both home."

Alice and her friend stood up and stood behind Ryder.

The three of them left the room, and soon, they left the Mansion entirely.

Ryder didn't forget to observe the expressions of the guards as he left with Alice and her friend.

Almost all of them looked confused as if wondering when these two girls entered the house and how come they didn't know.

The incharge of security directly asked Ryder about it.

"Uh, Are these two your friends? When did they enter? I don't remember watching two girls entering with you," he asked.

"Yeah, they were invisible when they entered. Stop finding excuses and improve your security. How can two kidnappers sneak inside this Mansion with the two girls they kidnapped without you having any clue? Do better next time. Someone can sneak inside and kill your boss if security is like this," Ryder replied sarcastically before he left the place.

Ryder stepped out the entrance of the mansion.

Shu stopped his rhythmic tapping on the helicopter before he turned back.

"You're safe! I'm so glad! I'm really sorry my security failed you. I promise I'll place even more focus on it. No one shall even dare to think about getting to you from tomorrow," Shu said as he sighed a breath of relief.

"It's fine, Brother Shu. It wasn't your fault," Alice said, smiling. She didn't blame Shu. The security he provided was already at the top level.

"Come, let's go home. You went through a lot today," Shu said as he gestured for her to enter the helicopter.

Esmi and her friend entered the helicopter.

"Your brothers are very rich. They have a private helicopter. And they can kill so easily. Are they related to the military?" Alice's friend asked her as she looked at Shu and Ryder, who stood outside, talking.

"Ah, Related to the military is a right term, I guess," Alice said, nodding her head. Shu was the owner of one of the biggest weapon manufacturers for the military. That kind of made him related to the military in her eyes.

" What happened to the kidnappers?" Shu asked Ryder, looking towards the Mansion of Esmi.

"The two kidnappers are dead," Ryder answered, shaking his head.

"Did you get the answers? Why did your best friend's family kidnap Alice?" Shu inquired, confused.

"They did not kidnap her. Someone tried to frame Bastion and Esmi using my sister," Ryder replied.

" What? Did the kidnappers say it?" Shy asked, straight.

"No. He didn't say it, but I have ways of myself to know. They aren't behind it," Ryder said as he sighed.

"Are you saying it because you don't want to believe your best friend's family would do it? From the angle I see, it looks one their work. Why would someone frame them using your sister? What would they get? I think you might be wrong this time," Shu let out in full seriousness.

"I don't think I am. Anyway, let's go back. Girls must be tired. I'll find the real culprit myself," Ryder said as he walked towards the helicopter and sat inside.

Shu sighed as he also started walking towards the helicopter and stepped inside.

The helicopter started rising in the air. They first went to the house of Alice's friend and dropped her there before they went straight to Shu's estates.

Ryder took Alice to her room and stayed there with her, comforting her as he was worried that she might be in trauma. Even though it was her second time being kidnapped, it wasn't easy.

He talked to her and laughed with her. They joked around as they spoke of the old days.

"You look really beautiful when you smile. You should always keep smiling," Ryder said as he rubbed Alice's cheeks.

Alice looked into Ryder's eyes, filled with emotions.

She placed her hand on Ryder's cheeks and did the same. "You too. Always keep smiling. You don't look cute at all when you're angry."

Hearing Alice's words, Ryder started laughing. "Hahaha, wouldn't it be weird if I looked cute when I was angry? Why would the enemies take me seriously."

"Why would you even need enemies. Just stay away from such things. Also, where did you even learn to shoot like that? You killed a man without hesitating even a little, and that too with a perfect shot to the head. How did you learn it?" Alice asked.

"An army friend taught me for self-defense. I thought it was good to learn since there would be many enemies in business. It did come in handy in unexpected situations," Ryder replied, smiling innocently.

"Don't put yourself in dangerous situations even if it's for business. We can live without money like we used to live before. You don't have to put yourself in danger," Alice said as she gazed into Ryder's deep eyes with care.

"Hah, Yush! I will be more careful next time and try to stay away from conflict," Ryder said as he smiled gently.

"That's good. Now go, I am sleepy. Let me rest," Alice called out, smiling as she closed her eyes.

"Hahaha, right. I'll go now. Have a great rest," Ryder said as he stood up.

He left the room and walked back to his room.

****

Inside his room, Shu was sitting on his bed with a portrait in his hand.

The portrait seemed to be of Ryder, but the man was wearing a military uniform that Ryder never wore. The man also had red hair. Other than that, he looked precisely like Ryder.

"It'll be your twelfth death anniversary soon," Shu muttered as he gently rubbed the portrait. "Brother."