"We have to play it by ear." He said, " I believe this notebook must be crucial, not just to your father but also to the ones who want it. There must be secrets involved. Even if we have this, we can't let them have their way."

As soon as Atlas said this, everything clicked for me.

Indeed, they knew my father better than I did. How did they know about this mysterious notebook? What exactly was in it that led them to resort to kidnapping?

"So, are we heading there now? But the person on the phone is after the notebook. If we don't give it to them, then...?"

I was a bit unsettled, especially since it involved my dad's well-being.

"All the clues lead to the small town, so we must make a trip there to understand the whole story," Atlas asserted.

Just as we were about to leave the lobby, I heard my mom calling me from behind. "Chlo..."

I turned around to see her quickly descending the stairs.

We both stood in place, watching her approach. Though her expression remained composed, he