Chapter 1663
He strode into the house to find his grandparents, Dean and Alyssa Howard, sitting in the living room, their faces creased with worry.
“Grandma, Grandpa! Has there been any news about my dad?”
Dean and Alyssa looked up at their grandson, and their faces lit up at his appearance, but they soon fell back into despair as they shook their heads.
“No.” Alyssa sighed. “We still haven’t been able to contact him.”
Bryan furrowed his brow. “Did you call the police?”
Dean replied, “They’ve just left. They said they can’t file a report until he’s been missing for 48 hours.”
Bryan was visibly anxious. “And where’s my brother, Balfour?”
Alyssa sighed at the mention of their older grandson. “Balfour’s upstairs. Go ask him if he’s found anything.”
Without waiting for a response, Bryan dashed up the stairs.
After knocking on his brother’s door, he was soon granted entry.
“Balfour, any updates? Did your contacts find anything about Dad?”
Balfour was sprawled on the couch. There was a cloud of smoke surrounding him from the cigarette he was puffing on. The room was thick with the smell of tobacco.
Bryan coughed, unused to the strong scent. “Balfour, you hardly ever smoke. What’s going on? Why aren’t you answering me? Did they find Dad?”
Balfour looked up at his younger brother. “I didn’t send anyone to look for him.”
Bryan was taken aback. “What? Why not? The staff have searched every corner of the house. Dad’s definitely not here. We need to find him!”
Balfour took a long drag from his cigarette, blowing out a cloud of smoke before coldly responding, “Go to his room. There’s a hidden door in the bookcase. Move the seventh book on the third shelf, and it’ll open. Check if he’s in there.”
Bryan was shocked. He’d never known about any secret doors in the house.
Without any further questions, he went to check.
Left alone, Balfour continued to smoke in silence with a tired look in his eyes.
A few minutes later, Bryan’s voice could be heard from the hallway. “Someone come! I found Dad! He’s here!”
Balfour remained unmoved by the commotion. His gaze was fixed on the drawing hanging on his wall. It was a sketch his mother had drawn before she left.
The house staff, hearing Bryan’s shouts, rushed upstairs.
Dean and Alyssa, shaking with relief and excitement, managed to stand with the help of their attendants and made their way upstairs.
In the hidden room in McNeil Howard’s bedroom, they found him sprawled on the floor, surrounded by empty liquor bottles, completely unconscious.
Upon seeing their son, Dean and Alyssa let out a sigh of relief before quickly attending to him.
“Quick! Someone make him a cup of strong coffee!”
“Bryan, carry your father out of here and lay him on the bed. This room is too small. It’s not well ventilated, so he might suffocate.”
Bryan nodded. “Yes, Grandma, Grandpa.”
He hoisted his father up and quickly laid him down on the large bed outside the room.
Once his father was settled, Bryan turned to his grandparents with confusion written all over his face. “Grandma, Grandpa, why does my dad’s room have a secret room? I’ve never known about it. Did you?”
