In the end, Alice laid it all out, and nobody expected Hannah, whoâs always been so tough, to break down crying like that.
Ryan took a couple of steps back, putting more distance between himself and Hannah. He thought she was acting pretty off.
âSo it was just a massage? Why didnât you clear that up sooner?â
While wiping her tears, Hannah glared at Ryan resentfully, as if it was all his fault.
Come on, wasnât it Miss Alice who messed up the explanation just now?
If Ryan hadnât gradually gotten used to Aliceâs scatterbrained ways, he might have thought she did it on purpose.
But honestly, itâd be better to have fewer of these misunderstandings in the future.
If Alice doesnât catch it next time, Hannah might just take him out for good.
Hannah had already cleared the outside threats, and now their best move was to make a run for it. Once they got back to the villa, theyâd be safe.
Ryan quickly escorted Alice to the car, but this time Hannah insisted on staying between them, adamant that Alice and Ryan shouldnât be alone together.
Ryan also felt that things between him and Alice were getting a bit complicated,keeping his distance for now seemed wise.
Even later, when Hannah made Ryan move to the passenger seat, he just shrugged slightly, not making a big deal out of it.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om
If he said he wasnât nervous, heâd be lying.
All the way, he was hyper-alert, watching the scenery outside, on guard for any unknown dangers.
The black luxury sedan sped away from the hotel entrance in seconds, and unnoticed by all, a figure in a black hoodie emerged from a store across the street.
Lifting her hood slightly, she watched the departing car and quickly pulled out her phone to snap a photo of the license plate.
Her expression hidden behind a mask, only her eyes, shimmering with excitement, revealed her emotions.
She couldnât contain her excitement anymore, sure now that she hadnât been mistaken,the man in the passenger seat was indeed Ryan.
âRyan, I finally found you.â
Muttering to herself, she dashed out of the store and hailed a taxi to chase after the black sedan.
This girl was none other than Anna, who had been searching for Ryan.
She had spotted Ryan passing by in the car earlier and wasnât sure if her eyes were deceiving her.
But even the slightest hope was too precious to lose,she didnât end up buying the ketchup sheâd planned to, dropping everything to follow him.
Unfortunately, by the time she arrived, Ryan had already gone inside, and Miss Aliceâs people stopped her at the door,the hotel was closed for the day.
So, she waited outside for hours, foolishly hoping for an uncertain outcome, even feeling a bit foolish herself.
Why did she care so much about Ryan? Even Anna didnât know.
But she craved that warm feeling, even just watching Ryan from a distance brought her peace.
Luckily, fate hadnât played a cruel joke on her,after her warmth had faded, it gave her another chance to bring Ryan back into her life.
This time, she was determined to seize the opportunity, to walk up to Ryan and lay her feelings bare. Surely, he would understand.
The taxi driver, a seasoned man with a balding patch, turned into Dominic Toretto when he heard, âFollow that car ahead.â The gas pedal hit the floor, making the old Ford Crown Victoria roar as if it could catch a Ferrari.
âAre you a cop, young lady?â
Chatting away, the driver seemed unfazed by Annaâs lack of response, chuckling to himself.
âAh, the world these days⦠Youâre the third one Iâve seen this month.â
Anna just gave the driver a look, unsure what to say.
Seeing three cases in a month, she wondered if this driver had some sort of bizarre knack for catching cheaters?
Anna stayed silent, her expression anxious and a bit gloomy.
Seeing her like this, the driver sighed, convinced of his own assumptions.
Though the driverâs comments were odd, they struck a chord with Anna.
She didnât know who the pretty young girl with Ryan was, and Ryan seemed to treat her with respect, which made Anna feel uneasy.
Could that girl be Ryanâs girlfriend?
There was no denying Alice was beautiful, so beautiful that Anna felt a twinge of insecurity. If she really was his girlfriend, it made sense for Ryan to choose someone like her.
The thought spread like wildfire through Annaâs mind, and she couldnât quench it.
Back in school, Anna had done some digging on Ryan. He was supposed to be single, just like her. How could it beâ¦
Suppressing her rising anxiety, Anna focused on the taillights of the car ahead, though she couldnât really see what Ryan was up to.
âWow, that woman must be loaded, living in a villa area, huh?â
About fifteen minutes later, as they drove into the suburbs, the taxi driver remarked, looking around at the surroundings.
The property prices here are beyond just being âhigh.â Even if I sold myself, I couldnât afford a single square foot in this area.
Anna clenched her teeth, a thought emerging in her mind.
If Ryan was living here now, it made sense that he wouldnât return to his old home. After all, this place was leagues better.
So, what was the point of what she was doing? She had taken over Ryanâs house hoping that one day he would return.
But Ryan wouldnât know what she had done, and it seemed he wasnât planning to go back.
Finally, the car stopped smoothly in front of a three-story duplex villa, a rarity even in suburban villa areas, reminiscent of the mansions owned by big businessmen in the last century.
In front of the villa was a large garden, with people in black occasionally patrolling back and forth. This clearly wasnât an ordinary place.
âJeez, girl, I think your boyfriend might have gotten himself involved with some pretty serious people.â
The taxi driver widened his eyes at the scene, his hands sweating slightly on the steering wheel.
The guards looked like they were well-trained, ready to apprehend any suspicious individuals without hesitation.
Anna didnât need him to tell her,she looked at the villa, her doubts growing. What kind of place was this?
Would a regular rich personâs villa have patrols?
She knew Ryanâs family wasnât wealthy,this clearly couldnât be his property.
Was Ryan being forced? Had he been brought here against his will?
Was that look on his face not respect, but fear?
Anna suddenly thought of a plausible explanation, and this idea grew in her mind.
To her, Ryan was always warm and dependable, definitely not someone who would abandon everything and run away alone.
Not just her, but almost everyone who knew Ryan said the same thing: he had disappeared suddenly without explaining anything to anyone.
So, he definitely hadnât disappeared voluntarily. Even in a hurry, he would have left some explanation.
Now suddenly missing, appearing alongside strangers, he must be under duress.
The taxi driver, who had just been part of a thrilling car chase, suddenly lost his nerve when he saw the patrolling guards in the villa, pulling over and refusing to go any further.
Anna glanced at him helplessly, dropped a hundred-dollar bill, and walked towards the direction the black luxury sedan had taken into the villa.
âRyan, I will definitely get you out.â
Anna adjusted her mask, silently making a vow in her heart.
She was close now, the villa just in front of her, but as she approached the gate, she froze.
At the villaâs entrance, a woman was leaning against the gate, waiting for her.