The room was filled with a suffocating tension, broken only by the ticking of the clock on the wall. Before long, Edgar strode in with his usual commanding presence, prompting everyone inside to instinctively stand straighter.
His gaze landed on Livia first. He scrutinized her carefully, ensuring she was unharmed. Aside from her slightly pale complexion, she appeared fine. Only then did he exhale an almost imperceptible sigh of relief. Yet, he betrayed no emotion as he turned his attention to Marcellus, his voice deep and heavy:
"When I reached Emma's residence, she was already gone."
"What?!" Marcellus's face darkened instantly, his voice tinged with shock and fury. "So it really was Emma! I was still holding out hope it was a misunderstanding, or that Allen was lying again."
Edgar let out a cold snort, his brows furrowing as his anger simmered beneath the surface. "Hmph. You've really outdone yourselves—allowing someone to infiltrate your home without a clue. If my daughter hadn't been rescued in time, I wouldn't have spared either of you!"
His words struck Marcellus and Elias like a hammer, both lowering their heads in silence under the weight of his reproach.
"I summoned my men the moment you called," Edgar continued, his tone rife with disappointment and anger. "On the way to Emma's residence, her people tried to stop us, but we forced our way through. By the time we reached her bedroom, she was already gone. We searched the entire house but found no trace of her. She fled cleanly—clearly, this had been planned for some time."
Livia listened quietly, her lowered lashes trembling slightly as her mind raced. After a moment's thought, she spoke up:
"I don't know much about Emma's background. Dad, how did she rise to the position of General of the Seventh Army Group? Shouldn't her authority be too limited to orchestrate something like this? If I recall correctly, a Seventh Army Group General doesn't have such broad powers."
Edgar turned to his daughter, his gaze softening slightly, though it was still tinged with a trace of helplessness and complexity. He sighed and said,
"Emma… she is indeed a unique case. As a woman, she's both brave and brilliant—one of the most promising commanders in the military. If not for today's events, her future would have been limitless."
He paused, his tone growing heavier.
"However, her background is surprisingly simple. She didn't rely on any powerful connections to get where she is. She entered the military entirely through her own efforts. As for her connections—"
Edgar's voice faltered, his eyes flickering with a complex emotion as his tone shifted.
"Her only connection was your mother, Celesta."
"Mom?!" Livia was stunned, her voice filled with disbelief. "You mean her?"
Marcellus and Elias were equally shocked, their expressions reflecting their surprise at the revelation.
Edgar nodded, as if lost in a distant memory. Slowly, he began,
"It was more than ten years ago. At the time, Lianna had just been born. Your mother and I were returning from an errand when we saw a young girl, maybe in her early teens, standing by the roadside. She was clutching a moldy piece of bread, her clothes in tatters, and her eyes full of fear and defiance."
His expression softened slightly as he recounted the scene.
"Celesta had just given birth to Lianna, and her maternal instincts were strong. She was heartbroken by the sight of the girl and stopped to ask about her situation. We learned she was homeless and barely surviving on scraps. Celesta took pity on her and brought her home, eventually placing her in the First Army Group to work alongside her."
"Over time, Emma displayed remarkable talent. Celesta believed she deserved better and began grooming her, providing her with opportunities and responsibilities. Emma earned her position step by step through her own efforts."
The room fell into silence as everyone processed the revelation.
After a moment, Elias frowned and asked,
"If she had such deep feelings for Celesta, why would she target Livia? It doesn't make sense."
Edgar narrowed his eyes, his gaze deep as though he were piecing together a puzzle. In a low voice, he replied,
"I don't know."
Livia lowered her eyes, her mind flooded with memories of her mother. That familiar yet distant name now seemed to be the epicenter of a web of mysteries. She bit her lip, a growing suspicion taking root—Emma's actions, and even Eryx's involvement, might all be tied to her mother's past in ways she could not yet comprehend.
Edgar broke the silence with a sigh.
"You should all rest. I've already ordered a full-scale pursuit of Emma. There's no need for you to worry about it any further. It's been a long day, and you're all exhausted."
He paused, his sharp gaze locking onto Marcellus.
"And as for you, reflect carefully on Livia's security arrangements. I don't want anything like this happening again."
With that, he turned and strode out of the room, leaving behind a heavy silence filled with unanswered questions.