All Chapters of A Bitter Marriage Contract: Chapter 221 - Chapter 230

The Walkers’ ResidenceThe morning began with crystal-clear laughter. Mary and the twins, Luke and Luize, were running through the house in a veritable uproar, chasing Emily, who babbled disjointed words as she balanced on her still-wobbly little steps. Elizabeth, with a serene but watchful smile, observed closely alongside the nannies. Anthony appeared shortly after, impeccable in his uniform, with the same serious demeanor that reminded one of his father.It was the morning rush, an everyday routine, but one that filled the mansion with life. After the children left for school and John went to work, Elizabeth also prepared for her weekly visit to the restaurant in the mountains, a habit she maintained to closely supervise the business.It was at that moment that Lily approached. Her tone of voice seemed almost childlike, docile, laden with a rehearsed melancholy.“Mrs. Walker?”Elizabeth turned, adjusting a delicate necklace around her neck.“Yes, Lily. Has something happened?”Lily

About half an hour later, Lily was walking through the mall trying to look natural. She pretended to be interested in the store windows, went into a department store, tried on a blouse, and bought an ice cream. But the constant chill at the back of her nec ed gave her away: there was a man always nearby, watching her.Her heart was pounding so hard it felt like everyone could hear it. When a group of teenagers passed by, laughing and jostling each other, Lily took advantage of the commotion to slip in among them. The man lost sight of her.She hid behind clothing racks in another store, peeking out cautiously. She saw her pursuer turn his head in all directions, frustrated, before moving on.Only then, breathing heavily, did she leave the mall through the side exit, walking quickly in the opposite direction. When she felt safe, she took the napkin out of her pocket and dialed the number Logan had given her.*****An hour later, on a tree-lined street on the outskirts of town, a plain

PamelaThat same night, Pamela entered her room with elegant steps and closed the door behind her. She took the secret cell phone from the hidden compartment in the dresser and made a call“Is she under control?” she asked, without preamble.The male voice on the other end, with a firm , replied:“Yes, ma’am. The girl is safe in the hideout.”“Great.” Pamela smiled, satisfied. “Lily will still be very useful.”“What do you intend to do, ma’am?”“Change of plans, David.” Pamela spoke softly, almost like a conspiratorial whisper. “We’re going to have to move everything up.”There was a brief silence before he muttered:— That’s dangerous. You know how much we’re risking if we act on a whim.“I know.” Pamela leaned back in her chair, relaxed, as if discussing something trivial. “But now I have a new piece on the board. Lily Wattson.”On the other end, David sounded intrigued.“Is that the girl who was with the Walkers?”“Exactly. She’s been found, and now she has nowhere left to run. She

ElizabethElizabeth was in the orphanage’s music room, surrounded by children singing in chorus. The innocent harmony filled the room, bringing her a rare moment of peace. However, the melody was interrupted by the insistent ringing of her cell phone.She frowned; she didn’t like to interrupt class, but when she saw the name of her children’s school on the screen, her heart raced. She answered immediately, already anxious.“Mrs. Elizabeth Walker?” The woman’s voice on the other end was calm, almost rehearsed.“Yes, that’s me,” she replied quickly.“This is your children’s school; I’m the supervisor. Don’t worry, it’s nothing serious.”The calm tone failed to dispel the anxiety growing in Elizabeth’s chest.“What happened? Is something wrong with my children?”“As I said, nothing serious,” the supervisor repeated. “Your daughter Mary had a minor fall during recess and sprained her ankle. We took her to the hospital just as a precaution.”“What? Mary?” Elizabeth felt her legs go weak. “

“Authorization? Who took her?”A brief pause on the other end of the line.“According to the record… it was Lily Wattson.”The floor seemed to vanish. John staggered, needing to lean on the chair. Bruce took the phone from his hand.“Thanks.” He hung up before looking at John. “What happened?”His voice came out almost as a whisper.“Lily… Lily took Mary.”A heavy silence fell over them. Adam and Bruce exchanged alarmed glances. Carlson was the first to react. He straightened up and stepped out into the hallway, already speaking into his phone.“I want a cyber expert on the line. Check if the school’s system was hacked too. Full trace of IPs, VPNs, any network nodes used. I need a digital signature now.”He turned to the agents waiting for orders.“The priority is to locate Mary Walker, who was taken from school this morning, and Elizabeth Walker, who is missing from Saint Michael’s Hospital.”*****Unknown location Elizabeth slowly regained consciousness, as if emerging from a night