Chapter 995 Gone

She trailed off, but our eyes met, and we both understood. We had witnessed Lucas's agony over the past few days. Yaron had said that kicking his habit was about toughing it out, so Lucas must have hit rock bottom and sneaked off in search of a fix. The thought made me furrow my brow, a sour taste in my mouth. Astoria had spent enough time in Tully City to know its ins and outs, thanks to Andy and Anders showing her the ropes at all the underground gambling joints and shady spots. With the thought that Lucas was out hunting for drugs, we made a beeline for the gambling dens and their secret trade spots, usually tucked away in some forgotten corner. Places like that were a jumble of the good, the bad, and the downright ugly. With us being women, the moment we walked into the casinos, we drew the attention of some unsavory characters. "Ms. Scott, maybe we should..." Astoria began, her grip tightening on my arm as she glanced nervously at the onlookers. I bit my lip, taking in the haze of smoke and the din of the casinos that lay before us. I had barely set foot inside when I froze. It was too risky. Minerva had already been dragged into danger before because of me. I could not risk Astoria's safety too. I tugged on Astoria's arm. "Let's head back," I decided. "Huh?" Astoria was caught off-guard by my abrupt change of heart, her voice tinged with surprise. Without another moment's hesitation, I led her away. Thankfully, we made a quick exit without any fuss. Once we were safely in the car and away from the casinos, Astoria's confusion was written all over her face. "Ms. Scott, aren't we going to keep looking for him?" I inhaled deeply, trying to steady my nerves. "We'll find him, but we're not the ones who'll continue the search." "Then who will? I hardly know anyone in Tully City, let alone in those casinos." Her worry was evident as she let out a heavy sigh. "After all the trouble to find him, if he slips away again, I don't know how I'll face Mr. Fowell." "He left voluntarily," I replied, my tone calmer than I felt. "You've done more than enough." Astoria paused, absorbing my words, then fell silent. My mood was far from bright as I returned to the yard. After making sure Astoria was inside, I readied myself to leave. "Ms. Scott," Astoria called out, her voice laced with concern, "are we really going to stop searching for him?" "We'll find him," I reassured her with a firm look. "Go back inside. I'll figure something out." She lingered, uncertain, but at last, she nodded. Back at the hotel, I was wiped out. The day's troubles had taken their toll, and I barely had the energy to lift a finger. However, I managed to call Emily. She picked up almost immediately, her voice cutting through the loud background noise. "Yvette, are you back in Lake City?" How's your friend who needed the doctor?" "Emily, I need a favor," I said, bypassing her inquiry and diving right in. There was a brief silence on her end, a moment of confusion before she asked, "What's up? Are you in some kind of trouble?" "Nothing major. Do you know anyone in Tully City who knows their way around the casinos?" I had considered reaching out to Sally, but ultimately, Emily seemed like the safer bet. "Yeah, I do. Wait, Yvette, what's up? You're mixed up with the casinos now?" Concern laced her voice. I inhaled sharply and spilled the beans about Lucas. It took her a moment to digest it all before she finally said, "So, the private doctor you were looking for... it was for him?" I nodded, forgetting for a second she could not see me, and then added, "Emily, I can't just ignore this, so..." "And his past? You had no clue?" Emily's tone intensified. "Yvette, if the cops find out he's alive, you're going down too. You get that, right?" I was well aware. With a heavy sigh, I pleaded, "I know, Emily. Please, find someone who knows the casino scene. I need them to check on him. His leg's messed up, he's still hurt, and now he's got a drug problem. I'm worried..." "Okay, I get it," Emily said, her voice laced with a touch of helplessness. "I'll reach out to my dad and see what he can do. Yvette, I understand that he's been good to you and you want to help out of kindness. That's fine, but some things just can't be ignored, you know?"