As he spoke, Archie patted Johanna’s head gently. “Go to the dining room and eat first.”
Joharma blurted, “I’ll go with you.”
“Be good.” Archie’s gaze darkened slightly, carrying a hint of warning.
Reluctantly, she closed her mouth and obediently headed to the dining room.
Archie navigated the house with ease, heading straight to the third floor where Stephan’s bedroom was located. His path was unhindered, and no one noticed as his right hand occasionally brushed against his pocket, where a toxic syringe lay hidden.
The corridor was deserted and eerily quiet.
Standing at the door to Stephan’s bedroom, Archie noted the black, specially designed door. It was explosion proof, soundproof, and highly secure. Under normal circumstances, it was nearly impossible to breach.
Fortunately, the door was ajar and unlocked.
As he reached out to push the door open, a sudden weight landed on his shoulder. Startled, he turned around sharply, only to see Stanley standing behind him, gninning mischievously.
“Well, well. What brings you here, Mr. Rosario?” Stanley asked, the title more of a tease than a show of respect.
Archie calmly withdrew his hand and replied, “I heard Mr. Russell is still unconscious, so I came to check on him.”
Before becoming linked to Imogen, the eldest daughter of the Russell family, Archie had just been one of many subordinates in the Russell family. In a family brimming with skilled and capable individuals, he had been an unremarkable and overlooked figure. He was nothing more than a fringe character.
Everything changed when he saved Imogen from drowning. Over subsequent encounters, he captured her heart completely.
With Imogen’s endorsement, Archie gradually stepped into the family’s spotlight and camed Stephan’s trust.
To put it bluntly, he had taken the express route, leveraging connections to achieve his current status. It was only thanks to this that he was now addressed as “Mr. Rosario“.
Keeping his expression neutral, Archie smiled and said, “Stanley, don’t tease me. There’s no need for formalities. We’re all brothers here.”
Stanley chuckled, then slung an arm around Archie’s neck in a casual manner. “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 about you? Oh, and by the way, when the ship sank, Mr. Russell personally oversaw the search effort. We stayed in that stretch of sea for ten days, but we couldn’t figure out why the ship went down.
“We were all worried about you. But now, you’re back safe and sound. So, tell me what exactly happened back then?”
Stanley grinned, firing off questions in quick succession.
Earlier, Imogen had also asked about his miraculous survival, but she had been easier to placate and to deceive.
Now, standing before him, Stanley appeared friendly, his demeanor that of a brotherly comrade, yet his gaze bore an oppressive intensity that made Archie’s heart
sink
He had anticipated this scenario long before revealing himself and had already prepared a story.
He responded smoothly, “Our ship was intercepted back then. I’m not sure if it was pirates or enemies posing as pirates, but we ended up in a fight. Many of our men didn’t make it. Eventually, another comrade and I decided to abandon the main ship and use a smaller out to circle around and counter–attack
“Unfortunately, a thick fog rolled in over the sea, followed by a violent storm. It was pitch–black, and I got caught in a vortex caused by the storm. When I regained consciousness, a month had passed. I was severely injured and unable to move. The people who saved me were two foreigners, and we couldn’t communicate due to the language barrier. There was no way to send word back.”
