LOGINKen could only smile awkwardly when Eric showed up.Before he could say anything, Rosalyn spoke first. "I'm sorry for dragging you into this.""Mrs. Hammond, you're slapping me in the face by saying that," Ken said and glanced at Eric. "Thank you, Mr. Hammond."He knew he wouldn't have been released this quickly without Eric stepping in."Mr. Ken, you must be scared," Eric said in a teasing tone that left Ken speechless. Having taken Rosalyn's money, he felt ashamed for failing to deliver. "They detained you because you found something, didn't you?" Eric asked directly.Ken nodded lightly without looking at them. "Not much, but they took whatever I found." "Oh? They took it?" Eric's brow lifted slightly.Ken remained silent, and Rosalyn could sense his embarrassment. "I'm glad that you're safe, Ken. I would never forgive myself if something happened to you."Ken's eyes glimmered with unease and gratitude. "As long as I'm alive, you guys can ask me for anything anytime."
It was two in the morning, and Sean's eyelids were already drooping. "Eric, I'm gonna nap for a bit. Wake me if he comes out.""He's out," Eric said.Sean tilted his head against the window. "Shut up. I only need ten minutes." Eric's voice was rough from staying up all night. "I'm not kidding." Sean didn't believe a word until he heard the sharp slam of a car door. He reluctantly opened his eyes and saw Eric's long legs cutting through the headlights as he walked forward."Dammit! He finally shows up the moment I'm about to sleep!" Sean yawned and cursed as he climbed out of the car.The moment his feet hit the ground, an irritated voice barked from ahead, "Who the hell is blocking the road at this hour?"Eric tucked his hands into his pockets, his white pants dazzling under the car lights."Mr. Grix."The man turned, and the moment he saw Eric's face, he started to sober up. "M-Mr. Hammond?" "Yeah." Eric shot a glance at the two scantily dressed women clinging to
"Sorry, the number you've dialed is currently unavailable."The same thing played three times in a row. Rosalyn's hand trembled as it slowly dropped from her ear.Ken's phone was always on, twenty-four hours a day. If she couldn't reach him now, she knew that something had definitely happened to him.Ken had made plenty of enemies over the years, yet he was still sound and safe. He had his own ways of protecting himself. But this time, he failed.What was going on behind Laura was way scarier than she thought, and the person behind it all was insanely powerful.A chill ran down Rosalyn's spine. She had been reckless and had underestimated everything.Regret and guilt wouldn't help now. The only thing that mattered was tracking Ken down and making sure he was alright. Rosalyn forced herself to calm down. She took a deep breath and called Eric. "Ken's in trouble."Eric, lounging lazily on the couch, caught the shakiness in her voice immediately and shot upright."Where are yo
Since Eric didn't answer Rosalyn, she never did find out the truth.Likewise, Laura's medical condition remained equally unsolvable. Since returning to the country, Laura's situation no longer looked as optimistic as it had abroad."Dr. Locke, can we do nothing but wait?" Rosalyn asked anxiously.Even if she didn't expect Laura to wake up to prove anything for her, she still hoped Laura would get better and live like a normal person."At this stage, yes. Unless there's a stimulus that can trigger a response," Peter said helplessly.Laura's recovery was part of his experimental project, and if she remained like this, it would mark his failure. That was a prospect he couldn't accept.Moreover, he had an agreement with Eric. If Laura's condition didn't improve, the experiment would end, and Laura would be left to follow the natural course of death.Rosalyn thought of Fiona. Perhaps she could still try once more.Since the last time she had dinner at Fiona's home, Rosalyn hadn't se
"Do you want to be with him?" Eric asked casually.Rosalyn let out a soft chuckle. "What do you take me for?""And what do you take me for?" Eric's voice carried a sharp edge this time, and Rosalyn's fingers trembled a little on her lap.She looked up at him. His handsome profile seemed even more intense. "Eric, I mean no harm. I'm only doing this for Julia, I–""If you married me for Julia, why do you want to split up with me now?" Eric cut her off.The lie had been exposed, and continuing any further would only deepen the awkwardness. A small voice in her heart was already telling her to stop.She didn't know why exactly, but she wanted to end things, to distance herself, and to pretend he had never been part of her life."Rosalyn, do you enjoy lying to people?" Eric suddenly asked.She blinked in confusion. "Huh?""You lied to Zac for ten years, made him fall for you completely, married someone else and didn't even think of him. You just tossed him aside when you felt like
The truth was already clear as day. Rosalyn decided she might as well just make a clean break.Eric tapped his fingers on the steering wheel. "I thought you'd never say it.""I didn't want to make things awkward for everyone," Rosalyn admitted, and the weight in her chest eased a little. "Besides, you knew all along and never brought it up."Eric chuckled. "Are you blaming me?"She shook her head. Thinking about how he had dealt with Zac, and about all this mess stemming from some old WhatsApp account, Rosalyn asked directly, "Eric, now that we've cleared the air, may I ask how you first messaged me on WhatsApp? Was it your brother's doing?"Eric twisted the steering wheel suddenly and stopped the car on the side of the road. He didn't turn off the engine. He just switched on the hazard lights. "Don't you remember?""Not at all," Rosalyn answered honestly.Eric tugged at his half-open collar. Displeasure flickered across his face. "Then how did you become friends with him?""Do







