The Bond Between Us (Anastasia and Herman)

Anastasia finally opening up was a huge relief for Herman. He sat beside her, wrapping an arm around her, gently caressing her belly, and said, "Us being together and happy, that's all that matters." With Pattie back and Flynn's situation somewhat resolved, Herman could now focus his energy on tracking down Julie. "Why don't you take a bath, relax a bit," Anastasia suggested with a smile, brushing his forehead gently. "Don't overwork yourself. As long as we have enough to get by, we're good."

Money can be an endless chase, and desires only grow if you let them. The real sweetness in life comes from keeping those desires in check and finding contentment in what you have. "Okay," Herman agreed, kissing her forehead. "I'll take that bath. You get some sleep."

"Mhm," Anastasia felt at peace, her smile genuine and warm.

The next day was less hectic for Herman. He spent the morning having breakfast with Anastasia and playing with Pattie, only heading into the office later.

On the drive over, the steady hands of his driver made the ride smooth while Nelson briefed him on work matters. Herman multitasked, going through documents and making decisions. After wrapping up, he mentioned to Nelson, "Find a sign language tutor, someone patient and with good character. Credentials come second."

"Understood," Nelson knew this was for Pattie, assuring, "I'll have a list for Mr. Salstrom first thing tomorrow."

"Perfect."

Choosing the right tutor for Pattie was something Herman wanted to oversee personally.

Meanwhile, Jason, following leads, had narrowed down Julie's location to a specific villa complex.

The area had four such complexes, and while Jason had a rough idea, he hadn't pinpointed the exact one yet.

Armed with Julie's photo, Jason and his colleague, Liu, started their inquiries, beginning with places like supermarkets where Julie might shop if she lived nearby.

Entering a local market, Jason showed his badge before handing over the photo to a cashier, "Seen her around?"

After a close look, the cashier shook her head, "Nope."noveldrama

Just then, a woman approached the checkout with some toiletries, "Ready to pay."

The woman was Julie, post-surgery and unrecognizable.

Jason, about to leave, glanced at her out of habit. Despite her altered voice and appearance, he didn't recognize her. Professionally, he showed her the photo, "Excuse me, have you seen this person?"

Julie, seeing the photo and then Jason, panicked.

Struggling for composure, she stuttered, "No, no I haven't seen her."

Noticing her reaction, Jason's instincts were triggered.

Liu joked, "Man, you scared her. Lighten up next time."

"Did I?" Jason wondered, half-joking about checking his reflection.

Julie hurried off, her heart racing with the close encounter. Jason, watching her leave, mused, "No guilt, no fear."

"Jason, we've checked the supermarkets, stores, everything around. With thousands living here, finding Julie's like searching for a needle in a haystack. Plus, being on the run, she wouldn't just waltz around shopping, right?"

"She walked out of that hospital; she can blend in anywhere," Jason argued. "Julie's cunning. The most dangerous places can be the safest for her. Maybe she's been under our noses the whole time. Let's check the complex across the street." Julie had indeed just entered the complex Jason pointed towards, blending into the crowd.