?Chapter 1278:


    The automated voice informed him that he had reached Tina’s voicemail.


    Where was she? Why hadn’t she answered her phone?


    A heavy knot of unease twisted in his chest.


    Tina was steady and reliable. She wouldn’t just disappear like that. Not without a reason.


    Tossing the covers aside, ine swung his legs over the edge of the bed and stood—when suddenly—Ding!


    His phone lit up. A single message.


    “Malcolm is at Nirvana…”


    From Tina. Nothing more? That was too brief and too unsettling.


    His heart skipped.


    Frowning, he tapped to call her back, but she was still unreachable.


    Something was wrong. He could feel it in his gut.


    Without another thought, ine strode to the door.


    But just as he reached for the handle, a bodyguard stepped in, blocking his path.


    “Sir, I’m sorry, but Ms. Delgado gave strict instructions. No one’s to know you’re awake. Please, you should rest…”


    But ine wasn’t about to listen.


    Grabbing the guard’s cor with a fist full of panic, he shouted, “Where the hell is Tina?”


    The bodyguard flinched at ine’s sudden action, his voice trembling. “I—I’m not sure either. I just heard Ms. Delgado went out on business with a few bodyguards.”


    ine’s fists clenched, his pulse racing. Something felt off.


    Just then, hurried footsteps echoed from the far end of the corridor.


    Another bodyguard stumbled over, his face pale and slick with sweat. “Mr. Castro, bad news!”


    ine turned sharply. His voice was low and tight. “What is it?”


    The man struggled to catch his breath. “It’s Ms. Delgado. She took a small team to Nirvana, said she needed to check something. We stayed outside on standby. She went in alone—but an hour passed, and she didn’te out. When we asked around, the staff swore she was never there. But we saw her go in.”


    ine froze. The words hit like a p, their weight sinking deep. Tina had vanished?


    No. That wasn’t possible. She wasn’t the type to make reckless moves, especially not with bodyguards nearby.


    His mind raced back to her message. Malcolm. Nirvana.


    His eyes darkened; something dangerous flickered in his gaze. “Why Nirvana? Why did she take you there?”


    The bodyguard’s face drained of color as he quickly answered, “It was Malcolm! Ms. Delgado said his presence at Nirvana was suspicious.”


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