I Became His Sweetheart

Upon hearing that, the bodyguards hesitated. After all, that scenario did seem a little off. However, if they did not keep an eye on him and he managed to escape, it would surely be difficult to explain it to Sheena.

Elijah smirked and continued, “All the windows in this mansion’s bathrooms were sealed to prevent unforeseen incidents. If you don’t believe me, you can check.”

As he spoke, he walked into the bathroom. In front of the bodyguards, he tested the window. The bodyguards tried to open the window themselves, confirming it was indeed sealed. They inspected the entire bathroom but found nothing suspicious except for a small ventilation duct in the ceiling, but the duct was too small to accommodate an adult male.

Seeing that they were somewhat persuaded, Elijah added, “My stomach is not feeling well, and | might take about fifteen minutes. Please wait for a moment.”

The bodyguards agreed. “You have fifteen minutes. If you don’t come out by then, we’ll barge in no matter what you’re doing.”

Elijah nodded, and the bodyguards left, standing guard at the door. Then, he locked the door behind them, quickly climbed onto the sink, and opened the ventilation duct on the ceiling.

The ventilation duct had actually been designed with an emergency escape route in mind. From the outside, it appeared small, but when opened, it revealed a hidden mechanism that was attached to the iron mesh, not easily noticeable. Inside were two paths, one leading to the mansion’s rooftop and the other to the back door.This belongs © NôvelDra/ma.Org.

Upon entering the Freeman mansion, Elijah heard the unusual bird calls from Lionel. Since the sound came from above, he chose the route to the rooftop. Although the duct could accommodate him, it was a tight fit. With his height, he had to bend his knees and move forward, sweating profusely and feeling the strain on his injured waist.

Nonetheless, Elijah only had fifteen minutes, so he endured the pain and sped up.

Opening the rooftop ventilation, Lionel, who was hiding in the shadows, rushed over to assist him. Lionel found it strange when he saw Elijah covered in cold sweat, trembling hands, and visibly exhausted after only a short climb.

“Mr. Freeman, you don’t look so good. Even if your waist injury isn’t fully healed, you shouldn't be this exhausted, right?” “| was injected with a modified version of the 023 serum.”

“What?” Lionel’s heart skipped a beat. “Ms. Sheena administered it to you? She’s so... ruthless.

11

Elijah remained silent, his eyes revealing a complicated expression. Though Sheena had not disclosed the name of the drug, Elijah had used a 023 serum before while dealing with prisoners of war. However, the one Sheena injected him with was a diluted version, reducing its potency.

Lionel was visibly agitated. “Mr. Freeman, now that you’re out, let's go! Don’t endure this nonsense under her anymore. The guys are all outside, just waiting for your command.”

Elijah appeared determined, saying, “She has secrets, and they’re possibly related to the Freeman family. I'm staying by her side to gather clues. Time is running out, so let me get straight to the point.”

Lionel nodded.

Elijah continued, recounting his suspicions to Lionel. “Contact Jonah. | suspect Sheena might have connections with the four major families in Svelton. Given Colin and Howard’s attention to her, we can rule out the Lawson and Upton families. The Jenkins family is impossible. So, focus on investigating the Nicholls family. Report any girls who went missing or disappeared six years ago and share a timeline with Sheena.”

“Got it, Mr. Freeman.” Then, he recalled something and asked, “What about Mr. Wilfred’s claim that Ms. Sheena killed Old Man Freeman? Do you believe it?”

Elijah’s eyes narrowed slightly, and a hint of danger flickered in his eyes.