Hamish had resigned himself to the fact that, in Elisa’s eyes, no matter what he did, he was inherently wicked. Since she had already decided he was a villain, there was no way for him to change her perception. Besides, only by being this way… would Elisa stay briefly by his side. He didn’t care about the morality of his methods, as long as they worked. He was domineering, possessive, and… wishful thinking, daydreaming…
Hamish tidied the carpet, took the bowl, and walked out of the bedroom. He went downstairs and placed the empty bowl in the sink. He took a deep breath, unable to restrain a bitter smile that lingered on his lips, his mind filled with Elisa’s hateful gaze. He returned to the study, which was filled with many books and documents left by Elisa. There was a lot of dust on the bookshelf, except for one spot, where a photo album was placed.
Hamish skillfully took down the album, leafing through it one page at a time. He had looked at it so many times that he even remembered the order of the photos. This album was the one he had brought back from Chiwood, containing photos of Elisa at different ages, including their wedding photo. After finishing the entire album, Hamish opened the drawer under the desk, took out his phone, which had been turned off and left uncharged for a week. Hamish found the charger, turned on the phone after it had charged, and the screen kept popping up with missed calls and messages. Hamish activated the “Do Not Disturb” mode, then cleared the missed calls and checked the messages. One of the messages that appeared in front of him was from Mrs. White.
“Let’s talk in person.”
Hamish looked at those four brief words, his emotions unclear. After a long while, he made a call and arranged a time.
Early the next morning, while Elisa was still in bed, footsteps were heard outside. The sound paused at the door for a few seconds, then there was the noise of the door opening. Startled, Elisa turned her head, her eyes clear, showing no sign of drowsiness.
“I have something to do today, so stay at home.”
Elisa asked, “Are you not afraid I’ll run away if you go out?”
“You came here voluntarily, why would I worry about you running away?” Besides, if Elisa really wanted to leave, he couldn’t stop her. At this critical moment, Elisa wouldn’t leave.
“Where are you going?”
“Out to buy some things, I’ll be back soon.” Hamish kept his eyes on Elisa as he spoke, hoping to receive her response.
For a brief moment, Elisa wanted to go out with Hamish. She had been here for a week already and wanted to catch a glimpse of Louis from afar. But what would seeing him accomplish? She had already signed the divorce agreement, and who knew if she and Louis were even relevant now. She was afraid of facing Louis’s various looks, even if he appeared expressionless, she didn’t know how to respond.
After waiting for a while and not receiving a response from Elisa, Hamish said, “I’m leaving. I’ve made breakfast, remember to go downstairs and eat. I don’t want to force-feed you like yesterday.”
This time, Elisa unusually watched Hamish leave, not turning her gaze away until the door closed. It wasn’t until she heard the sound of the engine outside that she snapped back to reality.
Hamish drove to a tea house, where he had made a reservation the night before. He went in and spoke directly to the reception, and a server led him to a private room. Mrs. White had arrived early, ordered tea, and some pastries, evidently not having had breakfast yet. Upon seeing Hamish, Mrs. White stood up, even though she was the elder, she seemed awkward in front of the younger man.
“Have you had breakfast?”
“Yes, I have.” Hamish coldly replied, then pulled out a chair and sat down, cutting straight to the chase. “Speak, what’s the matter?”
Since the death of Hamish’s parents, he had been distant from the Burns family. Mrs. White had tried various methods to reconcile with him, but Hamish was unresponsive. Even when he visited her home for dinner, it was for business purposes. Now, Mrs. White looked at him, unsure of how to address him. Using his first name seemed too familiar, and calling him Mr. Burns seemed too formal.
As the sunlight gradually appeared, Hamish lowered his head and ordered Da Hong Pao tea. His voice and demeanor were cold, keeping people at bay. After the server had prepared the tea and left, Mrs. White finally spoke. She picked up a folder placed to her side and opened it, revealing a stackof documents.
“Take a look at this.”
Hamish took a glance at the papers, his expression unreadable. “What do you mean by this?”
What Mrs. White had presented was the entirety of the White family’s shares in the family’s businesses. With Hamish’s signature, the White Group would change hands immediately. Mrs. White said calmly, “You previously suppressed the White Group, aiming to force a choice between our family business and Elisa. After discussing as a family, we have decided to use all of the White family’s assets to bring Elisa back. I know she has been missing and that you have the means to keep us all from finding her.”
Hamish’s narrow eyes lifted slightly as he stared at Mrs. White. “Are you really willing to trade decades of the White family’s assets, worth eight billion, for someone insignificant?”
“She’s not insignificant. Elisa is our kin. For the sake of family, what are these funds worth?”