Chapter 61: Tailing

"I do have a way," Diaz said. "After observing them these past few days, I found that the surveillance on those two people isn't actually very strict. Sometimes they lock the door of Mr. Nord's room and go to the room opposite to rest together. If they do the same today, I can pick the lock and take you inside."

"Good!" Villac could not conceal his excitement as he stood up from the sofa. "My time is very tight today; I must seize the moment."

"I'll go up and take a look right now." Diaz fetched a piece of iron wire to scout out the situation at Nord's room first. Before long, he returned with a look of regret. "I'm sorry, Mr. Chris. I secretly tried with the wire and found that the room's door isn't locked, so there should still be someone inside guarding Mr. Nord."

A flash of disappointment crossed Villac's face, but a smile quickly returned. "It doesn't matter. There is still time. If worse comes to worst, we'll check tomorrow or the day after. There will always be a day when I can see him."

"I will continue to monitor them during this time and figure out their routine as much as possible," Diaz said, trying to comfort Villac upon seeing that his mood was still rather low. "You don't need to be anxious. There will be plenty of opportunities like this; today was just bad timing."

"Mm, I'm fine," Villac sighed. "You must also look after your safety. I'll try to come a bit earlier tomorrow. Let's hope tomorrow will be a wonderful day."

"It will be, Mr. Chris," Diaz said sincerely.

Villac grinned, patted Diaz on the shoulder, left the Rovide Hotel, and returned to the car. "Let's go, Daniel. Hurry back."

"Understood, Mr. Chris." Daniel knew that a lot of time had already been wasted asking for directions today. If they didn't hurry, they would likely exceed six o'clock by the time they returned. Carmine left work punctually at six, and if Villac wasn't there, his cover would be blown on the spot.

The car started up quickly and drove away.

Villac looked back longingly through the car window at the Rovide Hotel. Having paid a visit to Diaz, he was now familiar with the layout. He quickly located Room 7 on the fourth floor of the Rovide Hotel—the only room on the fourth floor with its curtains still drawn in broad daylight and the windows tightly shut.

This was the closest he had ever been to Nord. Fortunately, reuniting was truly no longer a distant prospect.

The Rovide Hotel was quickly left behind. Villac did not look back again. He straightened his posture and said in his heart:

Nord, see you tomorrow.

At 5:47 PM, Daniel drove at full speed and finally managed to deliver Villac back before six o'clock. As the car stopped at the entrance of the mansion, both men involuntarily let out a sigh of relief.

"Then I'm heading in. Keep an eye on Chloe and the others, and report anything to me promptly," Villac instructed Daniel before getting out of the car and hurrying back into the mansion.

In the grand hall of the mansion, Fletcher was anxiously pacing back and forth. Seeing Villac return, the stone hanging in his heart finally dropped. He hurriedly strode up to Villac and low-voicedly snapped, "You lunatic! Didn't you say you were only going out for an hour? Two whole hours have passed! Ten more minutes and you definitely would have run into Mr. Carmine. What would you have done then?!"

"Rest assured, everything is within my calculations. I won't drag you down to hell with me," Villac said leisurely by Fletcher's ear, then went upstairs on his own.

Fletcher stared viciously at Villac's retreating back without a word.

Back in his bedroom, Villac lay on the bed with a smile blooming on his face. The previous depression was completely swept away; he knew that seeing Nord was only a matter of time.

Thinking of that very moment when they met—how a much more mature Nord would first freeze in shock and then embrace him with unbridled joy—he felt deeply moved. During this period, not only he, but Nord as well, had been facing severe challenges and fighting arduous struggles.

In just over twenty days, far too many things had happened, and their lives had undergone earth-shattering changes.

Fortunately, despite experiencing so much, Nord still believed in Villac, and Villac still believed that Nord remained the same Nord.

This friendship, exceedingly precious in Leysin, was Villac's greatest source of inner conviction and strength.

Tuesday, August 8th.

To secure more time, Villac set out after giving Fletcher a brief word the moment Carmine finished lunch and left.

"To the Rovide Hotel," Villac told Daniel once inside the car.

Already familiar with the route, Daniel drove skillfully toward the Rovide Hotel.

Villac sat in the front passenger seat with a resolute gaze.

He was determined to succeed in today's trip.

About ten minutes after the car set off, Daniel suddenly wore a serious expression. "Mr. Chris, someone is following us."

"Who?" Villac looked into the rearview mirror. Indeed, another car was trailing far behind them.

"It's your family's car," Daniel said.

"...As long as it's not government people, that's fine." If it were government agents, it would mean Villac was being targeted just like Francis and the others had been. Fortunately, since it was a vehicle belonging to the Thomas family, the only person who could be tracking him was Fletcher—evidently unwilling to remain suppressed by him and attempting to uncover his secrets. Villac naturally wouldn't let Fletcher realize his destination. He said in a deep voice, "Don't go to the Rovide Hotel yet. Make a circle and shake them off."

"Understood." Maintaining the same calm and collected demeanor, Daniel drove forward for a stretch before turning the steering wheel. The car gradually accelerated, avoiding any drastic reactions that might tip Fletcher off to the fact that they knew they were being tailed.

"No good. It's too hard to shake them off without them noticing," Villac said. After driving for ten minutes without managing to ditch Fletcher, he decided on a different approach. "Later, when the opportunity arises, I'll jump out and hide. You keep up the illusion that I'm still in the car, drive in circles, and shake them off close to four o'clock. Wait for me on the street behind the Rovide Hotel."

Daniel grunted an acknowledgement and tightened his grip on the steering wheel.

Ten seconds later, Daniel made a turn.

The opportunity had arrived!

"Slow down." Villac placed his hat on the back of the seat, opened the car door, and once the vehicle's speed dropped, he leaped out. Staggering slightly upon landing due to momentum, he managed to steady himself and immediately dashed into a cafe by the roadside.

Just as Villac stepped inside, Fletcher's car rounded the corner as well.

Panting heavily, Villac watched from inside the cafe as Fletcher's car continued following Daniel away. Only then did he return to the street, hail a carriage to head toward the Rovide Hotel, and even purchased a pedestrian's hat along the way at a high price.

Because of this mishap and the slow speed of the horse-drawn carriage, Villac—who should have arrived in half an hour—took an hour and a half to reach the front of the Rovide Hotel once again.

Taking a deep breath and gazing up at the tightly shut windows of Room 7 on the fourth floor, Villac pulled his hat brim down, turned up his collar, and strode inside.