FOURTY FIVE

SANDRA's POV

I stood outside the entrance of John's pack, my heart racing with anticipation. I had to find Ruth and convince her to come back to Michael. Maybe then, my brother would finally approve of my relationship with Edison.

I took a deep breath and stepped inside, scanning the area for any sign of John. That's when I saw him, running towards me with a look of desperation on his face.

"Sandra, thank goodness you're here," he exclaimed, grasping my arms. "I've been searching everywhere for Ruth. Do you know where she is?"

I hesitated, taken aback by his intensity. "Actually, John, I came here to talk to you about Ruth. I want to convince her to come back home."

John's face fell, his eyes clouding over with confusion. "What do you mean? She's not here. She left a few days ago, and I've been searching all over Japan for her."

My heart skipped a beat. What? That wasn't what I was expecting. "Oh no, I had no idea," I stammered. "I hope she hasn't gone to...you know...Vincent's pack."