Inside, Violeta and Jennifer were deep in discussion.
Without hesitation, Lucinda inquired about Grahamâs whereabouts.
âHeâs been trying to reach out through his old contacts to secure your release after learning of your detention,â Violeta explained, relief evident in her tone that Lucinda was safely released.
Lucinda, maintaining a composed demeanor, shifted the topic to Nalaâs situation.
âNalaâs been taken.
Violeta, do you know where she might be?â
Violeta revealed that after Nala was taken away by the police, Graham discovered she had been transferred into Daniloâs care shortly thereafter.
Realizing the urgency of the situation as evening approached, Lucinda quickly verified the next flight from Stastleâs airport to Zephyria, pinpointing it at eleven oâclock that night.
It dawned on her that Nala, unable to conceal her identity any longer, would likely depart Cadiered at the earliest opportunity.
If Danilo were escorting Nala to the airport in anticipation of their flight back to Zephyria, reclaiming Nala once within Daniloâs domain would pose a greater challenge.
After a momentâs contemplation, Lucinda sought to confront Graham directly.
âWhich room can I find Graham in?â she asked.
Violeta responded without hesitation, âHeâs in the master bedroom.
â
Lucinda made her way upstairs, where she found the door to the master bedroom closed.
She knocked twice before entering.
Graham, seated on the bedâs edge and deep in conversation on the phone, paused to assess Lucinda from head to toe.
His visible sigh of relief upon confirming her safety was palpable as he told the person on the other end, âCancel the alert.
Sheâs here.
â
Ending the call, he approached Lucinda with a concerned look.
âWhatâs up?â he inquired.
Lucinda was direct.
âVerify whoâs booked on the next flight from Stastleâs airport to Zephyria tonight.
If Danilo and Nala are listed, leverage your airport contacts to delay their departure,â she instructed.
Graham remained silent, absorbing her request.
Lucinda, without waiting for his response, retrieved the paternity test results from her bag and handed them to him.
His skepticism was evident as he unfolded the document, but the revelation of âhalf sibling kinshipâ visibly shook him.
Though his expression was unreadable, the brief flicker in his eyes spoke volumes.
Regardless of Grahamâs thoughts or his previous ignorance of Nalaâs true identity, Lucinda made her stance clear, articulating each word with precision.
âNala is, without a doubt, Valerie.
Whether or not you were aware of her identity, this is your crossroads.
If you choose to support your illegitimate sister over me, your biological sister.
.
â
She left her sentence hanging, the sarcasm in her gaze underscored her point.
Graham, clutching the report, met her gaze steadfastly and said with a determined rasp, âThereâs nothing to consider.
Your wish is my command.
â