Chapter 43 Forty-three

• Elise sat restlessly on the sofa in Reiner’s room, her posture rigid while her hands clasped tightly in her lap. Her eyes looked exhausted, but she tried to stay focused.
• Reiner paced back and forth in front of Elise, gripping his phone tightly. He paused for a moment, then fixed his gaze on her. “Do you really know this person?” he asked firmly, once again showing her the photo on his phone screen.
• Elise nodded slowly, fighting off the drowsiness creeping in. “Yes, Sir. That’s Uncle Karl, my stepfather’s younger brother,” she answered softly, her voice carrying both honesty and concern.