ログインNot long after Meryl left, a waiter entered the private room with drinks on a tray.
“Sir, these are complimentary drinks from the restaurant.”
Hearing the familiar voice, Soren looked up.
Surprise
Once the footage exposed them, Zofia and Rebecca had no chance of talking their way out.People were already pointing and whispering.Zofia could not let anyone know she had planned the whole thing with her daughter, so she turned on Rebecca first.“Rebecca, how could you do something like that?”Rebecca stood beneath the flood of accusing looks, her face burning.“I did not mean to.”Calder’s reply came without pause.“You did not mean to?”His gaze sharpened.“Then you did it deliberately.”The voices around them grew louder.Orlan had to protect what remained of the Avery family’s reputation, even if that meant sacrificing his daughter.He raised a hand and slapped Rebecca across the face.“You foolish girl. Look at what you have done.”His voice carried across the room.“Do you even know where
Nola’s fingers tightened around the little cake fork.She lifted her eyes.“Who stole your bracelet?”Zofia came toward her, face hard.“You think saying you did not take it proves anything?”Her voice rose enough for the people nearby to hear.“You bumped into me on purpose. My bracelet is worth a fortune. Rubies, diamonds, the whole thing. I showed it to everyone only a moment ago, and now it is gone.”She folded her arms.“If you did not take it, who did?”Several wealthy women nearby turned their attention to Nola.Their eyes moved over her clothes with open disdain.“Where did she come from?”“She looks like some broke student. How did she even get in?”“This is a private reception. Guests are expected to wear evening dress.”Another woman gave a thin smile.“A girl like tha
The taxi driver glanced at Nola through the rearview mirror and changed gears at an unhurried pace.“Young lady, it is late. Why are we chasing another car? Safety first.”Nola’s palms were damp.The taillights ahead were already nearing the next intersection.“That is my husband.”The lie came out before she could think twice.“He is sneaking around with another woman. Please help me catch him.”The driver’s whole manner changed.His face turned serious.“Say no more. Hold on.”He hit the accelerator.The taxi shot forward.A private car pulled away almost at the same time. Several guards Calder had assigned to Nola were inside.“Keep up. Miss Nola is in that taxi.”None of them noticed the black SUV joining the pursuit.Wilson drove with one hand on the wheel and spoke through his earpiece.&ld
“Xian, stop messing around. Look who is here.”Nola lowered her voice.Xian turned, took one look, and nearly jumped.“What the hell? Why is Grandpa here?”Samuel was coming down the street with Quill and several guards.Running into him near campus in broad daylight felt almost like seeing a ghost.Xian hurried over and offered his arm.“Grandpa, what brings you here?”“I was passing by.”Samuel answered without much conviction.His attention had already moved to Nola.Then to the little roadside tables and the food spread across them.His brows drew together.This place looked filthy.Why were they eating here?He approached with his cane.“Hello, sir.”Sierra stood and greeted him politely, then glanced at Nola.Nola did not even look up.She kept eating with obvious enjoyment.
“Most likely a professional hitman. Fast, ruthless, and almost impossible to guard against.”Wayne gave Calder the full report.“Richard was shot and fell into the sea. His head struck a reef. We managed to save him, but he is still unconscious. The doctors cannot say when he will wake.”Richard had become their most important lead.As long as he regained consciousness, there was still a chance he could tell them something useful.“Keep him protected,” Calder said. “Contact Baltasar and have him treated in secret.”
Blythe only smiled and rolled the beads between her fingers.Melissa gave Brina a sidelong glance.“After all this time, you still have not noticed?”“Noticed what?”Unease rose inside Brina.Her thoughts tangled.She needed to know who Calder had fallen for.Had he been hiding a woman outside the Rook family all along?Melissa sighed.“You have always been too kind, too restrained. That is how someone else found an opening.”She paused before continuing.“Have you truly never noticed how differently he treats Miss Nola?”“Nola?”Brina went rigid.“You mean Nola?”For a moment, she could not move.Then everything she had refused to understand began falling into place.The woman beside Calder had never been her sister.It was Nola.She thought back to the beginning of the marr







