Olivia emerged from the restroom, drying her hands with a towel.
"Oh, Grandma... you're here. Can I help you with something?" she asked, trying to sound casual.
Christine didn't smile. Her eyes scanned the room with purpose.
"Where is Star?" she asked.
Olivia blinked. "What? Grandma... I don't know."
Christine stepped forward, her tone firm. "I'll ask again—where is Star?"
"I really don't know what you're talking about," Olivia said, keeping her voice even. "She's probably with Rudra... didn't you hear about what happened last night?"
Christine's eyes flicked downward—something metallic peeked from under the bed. She knelt, pulling out Star's phone just as a maid entered.
"Ma'am," the maid said breathlessly, "Someone named Mr. Lufus is calling you."
Christine straightened, tucking the phone into her purse.
"Lufus? I'm coming," she replied and walked out.
"No, no, no…" Olivia whispered, panic flickering in her eyes as she rushed after her.
Upstairs, Mandume came down to find Mr. Jackson admiring a drawing mounted on the wall.
"Mr. Jackson! You made it?" Mandume asked, surprised.
"This is beautiful. 'Davids City'—quite the name," Jackson said.
"Oh, that? I sketched it one day when I was bored," Mandume shrugged.
"Boredom is just passion in disguise. This isn't a sketch—it's a masterpiece," Jackson replied, eyes still fixed on the intricate design.
"It's my dream house," Mandume confessed.
"Your father would be proud," Jackson nodded. "Now... I came for a review, but this? This earns more than praise."
"You mean—?"
"You got the deal, Davids."
Mandume's face lit up. "Mr. Jackson... this is the best gift ever! Thank you, sir!"
Jackson laughed. "Anything for my best architect. But—there are a few changes."
Mandume's smile faded slightly. "Changes?"
"I want you to build this dream house—not the penthouse anymore," Jackson said.
"What? Not the penthouse?" Mandume blinked.
"No. This isn't just a design. I've lived in this place in my mind for years. I wanted the penthouse for my daughters, but now, I want this."
"Right on your doorstep, Mr. Jackson... but you know that means the budget changes."
Jackson raised an eyebrow. "From 2 million to 10 million? Don't say it. Just build it."
Mandume grinned. "Thank you. Truly."
They shook hands, sealing the deal with a solid hug.
Outside the Davids mansion, Rudra rushed to the gate. He barely stopped before pushing through, only to run into Maria.
"Rudra? Stop right there," she snapped.
"Ma'am… good morning," Rudra greeted cautiously.
"Where do you think you're going? After mocking my son with that Star girl, you have the audacity to come here?"
Rudra frowned. "I have no idea what you mean, ma'am. But I need to speak with Mandume—it's about Star."
"My son doesn't want to see you. Leave before you make a scene."
"What? Why?!" Rudra protested, but Maria coldly dismissed him, turning her back. Rudra stormed back to his car, fists clenching.
"What the hell is she talking about? I'm running out of time," he muttered and drove off.
Just as he disappeared, Tiffanie arrived at the mansion.
Christine pulled Lufus aside, her voice low but urgent.
"There's a huge problem… Star is missing."
Lufus stiffened. "What? When?"
"Since last night. I found her phone hidden in Olivia's room."
She handed the device over.
"Take this—keep it safe. And keep a close eye on Olivia."
Lufus nodded. "I'll find her, Mom. I promise."
Inside, Bonita was chatting with Daniels when she noticed Tiffanie wandering the hallway, looking lost.
"Tiffanie?" Bonita called out, rushing to her.
"Hey, can you let Star know I'm here?" Tiffanie asked, eyes darting around.
"Star?" Bonita echoed, confused.
"Yeah, she called me here."
"You two are friends now?" Bonita raised a brow.
Tiffanie frowned. "Look—I'm not here for drama. She said she needed me. That's it."
Bonita hesitated. "Star's not home right now."
"Okay. I'll just come back later," Tiffanie mumbled and turned to leave.
Bonita stood there excited, stunned. "Star... called her for...me?"
Daniels raised an eyebrow. "Why are you so happy?"
"Tiffanie came here… for me," Bonita smiled. "Star did that for me. She knew I wanted to fix things."
Daniels narrowed his eyes. "You sure you're not gay?"
Bonita rolled her eyes. "Oh, stop. Tiffanie's my childhood friend. That kind of bond doesn't die over misunderstandings." She leaned over and kissed Daniels on the lips.
"There. Satisfied?"
Daniels wiped his mouth, speechless.
"Star, Star, Star... everyone's talking about her. And she was my roommate," he muttered. "Maybe she's my girl too."
Meanwhile, Olivia was frantically searching for her mother. She spotted Maria outside, deep in a phone conversation.
"I appreciate your work, but you have to find the man before he ruins everything," Maria said into the phone before noticing Olivia.
"I'll call you back," she said, cutting the line.
"Olivia? What now? Did you meet your father?"
"This isn't about Dad… Grandma found Star's phone," Olivia confessed, panic in her voice.
Maria's face darkened. "What? How?"
"I don't know! She came into my room asking about Star… then she saw it under the bed."
"You were supposed to be careful! Christine already suspects us!" Maria hissed. "You need to retrieve that phone and make sure she doesn't get to Mandume."
"Too late... she already went to—he's called Lufus."
"Lufus is here?" Maria paled. "What did they talk about?"
"I don't know. I couldn't hear them."
Maria pressed her fingers to her temples. "This changes everything. Stay close to Mandume. Be responsible. Win him over while Star's gone. Don't waste this chance."
Tiffanie, hidden nearby, listened in horror.
"She's... holding Star captive? That girl, Olivia… I know her face. This is worse than I thought."
She turned back toward the house, heart racing.
"Star tried to fix things for Bonita, and Bonita's backstabbing her. I have to expose everything on her birthday. And this Maria woman... she's planning to kill Star. I won't let that happen."
Elsewhere, Rudra arrived at Tomas' workplace, but before he could enter, a black SUV skidded in front of his car. Two men jumped out.
Rudra slammed his doors shut and activated his protective shield. Bullets ricocheted against the reinforced windows as he accelerated forward, smashing past the men and speeding off.
"Follow him!" one of them shouted.
Rudra took sharp corners, losing them in traffic. Breath heavy, hands trembling, he whispered:
"What did Star do that's got everyone trying to erase her? Who is she really? And why won't Maria even listen to me?"