“Since you put it that way, maybe we were overly concerned.”
While he talks to Cameron Hunter at a normal volume, the napkin reads.
— Was it noticed by Marisa Miller?
Cameron Hunter gives him a meaningful look, the tip of his pen pausing for a few seconds on the napkin, dipping into circular ink, but eventually shaking his head, “Yes, I misunderstood Olivia , nearly got her wronged, and I’m sure I’ll have to go back and buy quite a few gifts to make amends.”
The paper towel was pushed back in front of him, Alex Roberts dropped his eyes and saw only one word.
–No.
Cameron Hunter covered up for Marisa Miller and must have been threatened by Olivia Bush. Alex Roberts knew it would be difficult to persuade him to continue working with him, so he had to say goodbye and prepare to think of other ways.
But as soon as he gets home, Randall Harrah sends a video session.
After suspecting Olivia Bush’s identity, Alex Roberts knew that he was too obvious and his every move would easily attract attention, so he asked Randall Harrah to help him investigate the matter secretly.
Randall Harrah, who has maintained the appearance of a playboy since his serious injury, is in fact more careful and secure than before.
Knowing that Marisa Miller did coerce Cameron Hunter to work for her, and even got some of the authority of the Walter Group, Alex Roberts’ internal alarm bells suddenly ring.
The kidnapping of Emma Richard and the threat to him and the Wright family is enough for Marisa Miller to get back at her former enemy, but she still has Cameron Hunter in her grasp, and even has her hands on Walter.
Is she simply greedy for money and wants to save the Miller family, or is there another plan?
After thinking about it, Alex Roberts’ feeling of alienation became more and more obvious, so he asked Ivy Smith to try to contact Paul Johnson, hoping to understand the situation through the people around Marisa Miller.
After years of not knowing if Paul Johnson had changed his number, the first call went unanswered, and when he tried again, the phone was turned off.
At the same time, Paul Johnson was having the most heated argument with Marisa Miller since their reunion, which started with Emma Richard, who was very ill.
“She’s already taken a box of fever reducers, she’s got a poor resistance, what does it have to do with me?
“But she needs treatment, she’ll die if she keeps going like this!”
“So what if she dies? Big deal, I’ll kidnap Alex Roberts again, and Keira Wright, Joe Wright … as long as I want!”
“It’s already wrong, do you have to make one mistake after another? How many cops are out there looking for you, you can hide for a while, do you want to hide in the shadows for the rest of your life and not see the sun again?”
“See the sunshine? You’re forcing me to die!”
Paul Johnson did lie to Emma Richard and helped Marisa Miller along with her kidnapping, but he didn’t lie to Emma Richard either, because he really tried many times to persuade Marisa Miller to turn herself in. Unfortunately, every time he just mentioned it, he was greeted with frantic shouting and cursing.
Smashing everything within reach, Marisa Miller left in a rage, with Paul Johnson sitting on a stool in a daze with an iron face.
On the floor, Emma Richard was still shivering in pain. Earlier, he had taken a blanket to keep her warm, which Marisa Miller had found and thrown outside to burn to ashes.
It couldn’t go on, couldn’t let Marisa Miller carry another human life …
Paul Johnson closed his eyes and seemed to make some kind of decision before turning his phone on, staring at the missed call for a moment, and calling back.
“Prepare a million dollars in cash, I will inform you separately of the time and place, if you want Emma Richard to live safely, don’t be nosy and call the police.”
Paul Johnson was familiar with the procedures of assassination and kidnapping from his previous work under Matthew Miller, and was extremely calm when he said these words, without even having to think.
Ivy Smith understood that his phone call must be hidden from Marisa Miller, the reason for the ransom demand, but also in order to take the responsibility to him, so that even if the police learned in the future, but also to protect Marisa Miller.
But Ivy Smith did not break it down and agreed to give the money.
The story of the disappearance of Emma Richard, Alex Roberts vomited blood once and fainted several times, but still worked around the clock, just to do their best to find traces. She wants to finish the deal alone, get Emma Richard back and give him peace of mind, and then they can cut off all contact.
However, Alex Roberts is very smart, see her look different, and from the maid that she received a phone call, mysteriously said “one million” and “pay with one hand, pay with the other”, immediately guessed the general.
When pressed, it was as expected.
“I’m doing this just afraid you worry, and …” see lex Roberts turn around and go, Ivy Smith rushed to catch up, eager to explain: “and I have promised Paul Johnson, and ready for me to pay to save her, what exactly do you have to be angry about?”
Alex Roberts walked into the bedroom, was reluctant to pay attention to her, but when the door was blocked, he reminded in a quiet voice: “Paul Johnson is true or false, how can you tell, if it is another plot by Marisa Miller? And don’t forget, he once offered to work with Emma, and what happened?”
“At the end of the day, you still don’t trust me!” Ivy Smith huffed.
Alex Roberts nodded, not denying it.
With Emma Richard’s safety at stake, one wrong step could end her life, and he had to be careful. What’s more, he knew exactly why Ivy Smith was hiding this.
The door was closed, and the two people inside and outside the door seemed to be in two worlds.
Ivy Smith felt lonely and aggrieved, but she could not help but laugh at herself. It has always been like this. Whenever Emma Richard is involved, Alex Roberts turns into a hedgehog, treating everyone as an enemy, as if the whole world is plotting to harm his beloved!
But knowing this, what else could she do but put up with it?
The warehouse.
Emma Richard huddled in a dark corner, cold sweat has long subsided, the exposed skin is cold, coupled with the blue face and gradually faint breathing, from a distance, like a dead person.
Paul Johnson has made up his mind to send her back, see her such a look, it seems not to last the day of the deal, he had to find another quilt, half spread under the body half used to cover, and then boil a pot of hot water, personally wash towels to help her face, hoping to let her body warm up.
As he was working, the door to the warehouse was kicked in and Marisa Miller came in red-faced, stumbling and smelling of alcohol before she even got close.
Seeing Paul Johnson’s movements, as if some mechanism had been triggered, she instantly became furious and slammed her bag over: “What the fuck is wrong with you? I told you to leave this bitch alone, you go around her … and babysit her, you’re in love with her too, huh?”
Paul Johnson, not wanting to argue any more, frowned and got up to wash the towels.
As he passed Marisa Miller, the towel was suddenly jerked out of his hand and thrown to the ground, then Marisa Miller stomped and kicked it like crazy until it was covered in dirt and could not be seen in its original color.
“I’m warning you!” Marisa Miller staggered up to Paul Johnson, pointing at his nose and screaming, “If you like that bitch, go sleep with her while she’s still breathing, don’t wait … until she’s dead and playing with the body, it’s fucking disgusting to think about! ”
Marisa Miller does not understand why Paul Johnson is no longer as obedient as before, not even interested in her unsolicited love, but inadvertently will show concern for Emma Richard.
Now that she was drunk, she couldn’t control her outburst.
Paul Johnson sniffed and finally couldn’t hold back his scolding, “You’re just crazy!”
“Don’t be like that …, aren’t you men all like that? Anyway, the bitch is dead, I have plenty of … ways to …” voice is getting lower and lower, before the words are finished, Marisa Miller can not support, dizzy and fall down.
Paul Johnson held her, but looked at the woman in his arms, only to feel strange.
The Wright Family.
Since Joe Wright found out that Emma Richard’s disappearance was related to Marisa Miller, and confirmed it from Alex Roberts, the investigation has stalled again.
Master Wright is getting more and more depressed, no more light in his old eyes, Joe Wright is busy all day long, rarely appearing at home, even the housekeeper and maids work gently, as if the Wright Family has become a fragile glass shell, the slightest movement, will be torn apart.
Keira is the only one who is kept in the dark.
Hope always pretended to play with her after school, telling her that her mom was just on a business trip and would be back when she was done, but Keira had already noticed the difference in everyone’s behavior.
“That day when I came home, I heard my great-grandfather and Joe’s father talking about Mom’s disappearance.
Keira holds the last piece of the puzzle for a moment, then suddenly waves her hand and breaks up the completed puzzle.
She knew that everyone was doing it for her own good, and she was trying very hard to pretend so that her elders wouldn’t worry, but now she really couldn’t hold it together.
“I always hurt here.” She clenched her little fist and pounded her chest, “And I have nightmares at night, and my mom keeps telling me goodbye, and her hair and eyebrows are covered in ice, and her body is extra cold, and I want to hug her, but … but when I reach out, she’s gone!”
Keira jumped into Hope’s arms, clutching her clothes, desperate and repressed sobs: “Will mommy die? Alex dad and Joe dad will both marry other aunts and have younger children, and mommy doesn’t want me anymore … I’m so scared! … sister, will you stay with me forever? Don’t abandon me …”
Hope firmly protect Keira, heart can’t help but throb, bite the lips to force not cry, open the mouth when the voice is light trembling: “sister will not leave you, Keira good, no matter how others, in the future we live together as sisters.”
Tired of crying, Keira snuggled into Hope’s arms and fell into a deep sleep.
Emma Richard is still missing, not knowing whether she is safe or not, and not knowing when she will return. Joe Wright is searching for her day and night, and perhaps looking after his fiancée’s emotions at the same time, neither of which can be disturbed.
To give Keira peace of mind, Hope has to go to Alex Roberts in private.
Alex Roberts had always lived in a villa in the city center, Hope had never been there, but once when she accompanied Keira to buy a cake nearby, she had heard Keira mention it, so after wasting some time and taking some detours, she still managed to find her destination.
It was already dark, the villa door was closed, the main building was dark, only the maid’s room next to the house was lit, and there were occasional people walking around.
Hope exhaled deeply with a slight sense of helplessness, squatting against the stone pillars on either side of the gate, her arms wrapped around her knees, looking at the flickering stars in the canopy, and waiting quietly.
The car lights flickered, the girl’s thin figure was nowhere to be seen, after the driver reminded, Alex Roberts looked out the window, recognized Hope and ordered to stop.
Although he did not know what Hope was waiting for so late, but sleeping outside is easy to catch a cold, he wanted to carry her to the guest room first, just before taking a step forward, but thought about it and felt that it was not right, but finally found a strong maid to come over and gently carry her in.
It was not until the chaotic footsteps and deliberately subdued arguments came from the corridor that she was gradually awakened from her slumber.
The room was suitably cool, with a soft blanket on her body, and the surrounding layout was unfamiliar, so it was probably Uncle Alex’s house.
She rubbed her eyes, wondering how she had fallen asleep.
Her shoes were neatly arranged by the bed, she put them on and opened the door, the corridor was quiet, no one was there, only the sound of arguing downstairs was more clear. Following the sound, she found Alex Roberts and Ivy Smith in the living room in an angry confrontation.
“The girl is sleeping, keep your voice down!” Alex Roberts scolded with a frown, his tense jawline showing that he was on the verge of anger, but trying to restrain himself because he didn’t want to wake Hope up.
Ivy Smith hated it when he looked tense, especially when the tense object was related to Emma Richard.
“You’re even afraid of her adopted daughter? What a disgrace!”
“Hope is just a child, how can you take out your frustration with Emma on a child?”
“What about you?” Ivy Smith’s eyes were red with anger mixed with aggression and jealousy: “You were worried about Emma Richard, and I wanted to save her, so why do you keep blaming me?”
“You’re stealing the concept!”
Alex Roberts understood that Ivy Smith was referring to the fact that she had agreed to make a deal with Paul Johnson without permission, but the most important thing now was to save Emma Richard, so he didn’t want to waste any more time arguing and tried to leave.
Ivy Smith was not convinced and went after her: “Why are you afraid to answer me? Because you have no right to blame me, right? In the past two years, I have done a lot of things for you, creating fake deaths, arranging operations, fighting for the family business and eliminating dissidents, and even fake memory loss, I have cooperated with you to lie to Emma Richard … what else do I have to do to satisfy you!”
Fake memory loss?
Hope was suddenly startled, her body swayed, her elbow accidentally knocked over the potted plant on the decorative shelf, she scrambled to catch the potted plant and set it back in place, the two people in the living room had already found her.
Ivy Smith’s eyes darted around her face, gave Alex Roberts a long look, and went back to her room, where Alex Roberts quickly adjusted his mood and even smiled, inviting her to sit on the sofa.
In fact, Ivy Smith was right in saying that Alex Roberts would subconsciously show kindness to anyone Emma Richard liked or valued, especially Hope, her adopted daughter. So when Hope talks about Keira’s concerns and asks him not to abandon her even if he has a new life, he thinks for a moment and then patiently explains.
“Your mother will come back, I’ve already found her. In a week’s time, I’ll have her at the Wright Family unharmed.”
Tomorrow is Paul Johnson’s scheduled trading day, if there is no accident, Ivy Smith brought the people back safely, but also need to stay Emma Richard here for a few days, because the video from Marisa Miller earlier, she is very sick, if Master Wright and Keira see, they may not be able to bear.
Hope was not sure what Alex Roberts was thinking, but when she saw that he had a plan, she put her mind at ease and nodded gratefully.
There were no words for a long time, until the maid came in with the fruit and left, then Alex Roberts broke the silence: “Did you hear what Auntie and I were talking about just now?”
Hope nodded again, “I’m sorry uncle, I didn’t mean to do that.”
“I know, I don’t mean to blame you, it’s just that …” Alex Roberts folded his hands and leaned forward against his knees, the atmosphere suddenly turned serious: “About my memory loss, Hope, you can hide it in your heart Don’t tell anyone. Think of it as, for the safety of the Wright Family and your mother.”
The reason why Alex Roberts pretended to have memory loss is naturally a choice that had to be made, the whole picture is at stake, even if you explain to Hope, she will not understand.
Hope knows that she is not as experienced as Alex Roberts, and does not have the curiosity to explore the adult world. From Ivy Smith’s loss of temper just now, she can also see that Alex Roberts is sincere to Emma Richard and will not harm her, so she simply agrees.
After the conversation, it was already one o’clock in the morning, and Hope continued to sleep in the guest room because it was inconvenient for her to go home at this time.
A wall away, Ivy Smith’s bedroom is a mess, pillows and quilts on the floor, the table and chairs have been moved, papers and other miscellaneous items thrown everywhere, and even the drawers have been pulled open, and the contents are not safe from the fate.