Aurelia leaned forward, her eyes locked on Shawn's with a mix of curiosity and concern.

"His daughter claims he went back home, but he never left Elysium. And now, he's just vanished into thin air.

Doesn't that strike you as odd?" She paused for a moment, then continued, "If it were a kidnapping, why is Ramona unscathed? Normally, they would kidnap the child to extort the parents, not the other way around, right?" Leopold's eyes narrowed slightly, reflecting the light in a mysterious glimmer that seemed to delve into the unknown.

"It all depends on what the kidnapper's after," he mused.

A chill ran down Aurelia's spine as an ominous premonition began to spread quietly through her thoughts.

"I'll talk to his daughter on Monday, and see if I can get a read on her." The next day at noon, Aurelia made her way to the prestigious Pinnacle Ivy League School.

She booked a private dining room at the school's Western-style bistro.

Soon after, Skyler arrived with the kids in tow.

Aurelia gave Skyler a playful smile as he entered, "Skyler, you look handsin a suit." William chuckled, "Skyler's officially the coolest teacher at our school." Ramona nodded in agreement, "Yeah, Skyler is the number one heartthrob at Pinnacle Ivy League." Aurelia poured Ramona a glass of juice, "You know, Ramona, your dad and Leopold were classmates. Just the other day, he sent a message to Leopold, asking us to take good care of you." At this, Ramona's eyes widened with urgency, "My dad messaged Leopold? When was this?" Aurelia kept her tone casual, "Just a few days ago. I can't recall the exact time, but I heard it from Leopold himself. That's why I'm here today, to treat you all to a meal." Ramona stared at her, disbelief mingling with curiosity, "My daddy really messaged Leopold?" Aurelia caught a flash of surprise on Ramona's face. Despite being a prodigy, Ramona was still a child, her emotions too raw to mask completely.

"Yes," Aurelia nodded affirmatively.

Waves of panic crashed over Ramona, "Could the kidnappers have forced Dad to send the message?" If her parents didn't return for a long time, friends would surely get suspicious. Maybe the kidnappers made Shawn send the message to create the illusion he was all right.

"Did my daddy say anything else?" "He said if you ever find yourself in trouble, you should cto us, not to bear it alone," Aurelia stroked her hair gently, "You might be smart, but you're still a kid, and there's only so much you can do. Don't keep it to yourself.

Leopold is one of the most capable men in Elysium. There's nothing he can't handle. Whatever happens, he'll do his best to help you." Tears welled up in Ramona's eyes, but she quickly took a sip of her juice to hide them.

"Is Leopold really that powerful?" "Absolutely," William boasted with a smug raise of his eyebrows, "The Stirling family is the top lineage. In Elysium, there's nothing we can't fix." Ramona bit her lip, "But didn't you say your family has a powerful enemy?" William replied confidently, "They've never been able to stand against us. They resort to dirty tricks because they always get beaten badly. But their days are numbered. Once Uncle Leopold is out of the hospital, he'll wipe them out." Aurelia observed Ramona's expressions closely throughout the conversation.

She was now certain something had indeed happened to Shawn and his wife.

"If you kids ever run into trouble, seek help immediately. Don't be afraid. The bad guys are often paper tigers.

You stand up to them, and they'll back down," she encouraged.

Wrapping an arm around William, she added, "You four are friends now, right? Friends help each other out. If anything goes wrong, go straight to the adults for help." Skyler beat his chest confidently, "If anyone messes with you, givea shout. I'll handle it."

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