Anna Rivera's best friend was well-informed about James's history.
When she heard Anna Rivera say she was only $50,000 away from getting 20 million,
she got excited.
After all, James's past behavior as a lovesick puppy was deeply ingrained in everyone's minds.
Now that he legitimately had money, it was only right that he wouldn't abandon his first love.
Anna Rivera promised her a million dollars if she got the 20 million.
Turning 50,000 into a million, who wouldn't take that deal?
She immediately took out 50,000 from her credit card and gave it to Anna Rivera.
Anna Rivera, thrilled, transferred the money,
noting that it was the gift money James had given her over the past four years and that she was cutting ties with the past.
James replied with an "OK" gesture.
He then told her that he was in Miami for a few days, hanging out with friends, and might be back in two days, telling her to wait obediently at home.
Without hesitation, Anna Rivera messaged back that she wouldn't go anywhere and would wait for him at home.
After receiving a flying kiss emoji from James,
she excitedly hugged her friend in celebration, fantasizing about how to spend the 20 million.
She planned to first call up some handsome KTV guys, sing, drink, and party all night.
Then, she'd buy designer bags, fly first class, and become a real socialite among the fake ones.
She'd buy a house for retirement.
And buy some nice clothes for her parents, who always dressed so shabbily, it was embarrassing...
Just as she was getting carried away in her thoughts, the doorbell rang.
Anna Rivera thought it was a surprise from James.
Her heart leaped with joy.
He had said he'd be back in two days, but as soon as he heard she was willing to have his child, he couldn't wait to rush over.
Anna Rivera was very satisfied with James's reaction and decided to avoid him as much as possible when she was out having fun in the future.
Smiling, she ran to open the door.
"You jerk~ You lied about coming back in two..."
She started in aå²å² voice but couldn't finish.
Standing outside were two men and a woman, all in uniform.
The uniforms were identical: blue shirts on top, black trousers on the bottom,
complete with the national emblem on their hats, and shoulder badges, police numbers, and armbands.
Each carried a briefcase and asked sternly,
"Are you Ms. Anna Rivera?"
"I... I..." Anna Rivera was dumbfounded, unsure whether to admit it.
But the police didn't wait for her answer. They said directly,
"Ms. Anna Rivera, you are suspected of multiple counts of fraud and engaging in group lewd activities. You are now under mandatory summons. Please put on these handcuffs..."
Boom!!
A bolt of lightning exploded in Anna Rivera's mind.
As if struck by actual lightning, Anna stood frozen at the door, replaying everything she had done in the past few years.
"I... I didn't. It was all consensual," she stammered, her face ashen.
"Multiple people make it illegal. Please cooperate," the officer said coldly.
Stiffly, Anna Rivera was handcuffed by the female officer.
In an instant, her scalp tingled, and her mind was in chaos.
At the thought of possibly going to jail,
she wanted to cry, beg, argue, and throw a tantrum to avoid being taken away.
But faced with three stern-faced officers, she dared not do so.
Then, a desperate thought struck her, and she shouted,
"I wasn't willing. They forced me..."
The officers' expressions grew even more serious.
If what she said was true, the situation was much graver.
...
James hung up the phone.
Looking at the hundred thousand dollars in his account, he shook his head with a smile.
Having money made even deceiving people easier.
This was something he hadn't anticipated.
He planned to visit this woman in jail in a few days.
Should he tell her then that she was the one who got tricked?
Or give her a glimmer of hope, telling her he'd wait for her outside, so she could serve her time in peace?
And then slap her across the face when she got out?
Which was crueler?
Pondering this, he returned to the restaurant.
Having dealt with his ex, he was in high spirits.
Seeing the untouched food on the table, he apologized,
"Sorry, the call took longer than expected. I held up your meal."
"No, no, Brother James, sit down."
Asa pointed to the seat between her and Shirley Taylor, beckoning James over.
After seeing the Rolls-Royce, her smile had become noticeably more ingratiating.
"Hmph, jerk,"
Bella muttered. She sat opposite them, one leg propped on another chair, showing off her fair thigh, looking quite defiant.
Shirley Taylor kept her head down, silent, looking a bit dejected.
After Bella came back, she kept talking about James breaking up with his ex.
She even mimicked James's tone, saying, "How much money have I spent on you all these years..."
Shirley Taylor was worried that James would one day say the same to her.
If James was the type to just use her and then kick her to the curb,
she really didn't know what she would do.
Seeing Bella's casual posture, James felt an inexplicable urge to discipline her.
"A young lady shouldn't sit like that. Will you ever find a husband that way?"
"Whether I find a husband or not is none of your business," Bella retorted, glaring at him.
"And whether I'm a jerk or not is none of your business either."
James, right in front of her, kissed Shirley Taylor on the cheek and cockily tilted his head.
Bella's temper flared. She picked up her phone, dialed 110, and said,
"I'm calling the police right now to report you for indecent assault."
James's expression turned cold.
They were a legitimate couple; what could the police do?
But calling the police over such a trivial matter was just being dramatic.
He stood up and strode menacingly toward Bella.
"What do you think you're doing?"
Bella, seeing him approach, showed no fear.
James stood before her, raising his hand high.
"Try and touch me, I dare you," Bella challenged, sticking out her pretty face.
She didn't believe James would hit her, especially in front of Shirley Taylor.
But as she saw the hand coming down hard, she couldn't help but close her eyes and scream.
Then, she felt a breeze across her face, but the expected pain never came.
Instead, her hand felt empty; her phone was gone.
Bella opened her eyes to see the man fiddling with her phone...
"Damn it, you bastard, give me back my phone!!" Bella scrambled to get it back.
But at only 1.65 meters tall and wearing flip-flops,
she was like a child compared to James in his platform shoes.
James had only meant to take her phone to stop her from calling the police.
But once he had it, he couldn't resist the urge to snoop.
"I don't think it's illegal to look at someone's chat history, is it?"
James smiled and opened her recent contacts.
The top one looked like a guy's name, and he tapped on it without hesitation.
The chat log showed a conversation:
Ah Jie: "Boss, we've tied up that senior you were eyeing. He's in the classroom. Go get him."
Bella: "???"
Bella: "When was I eyeing him? How come I don't know?"
Ah Jie: "Don't play dumb, boss. At the welcome party, you said that guy sings really well, and his Adam's apple is so sexy. We all heard you."
Bella: "Screw off. Untie him right now."
Bella: "Don't mess around."
James skimmed through it quickly, not even getting to the second contact,
when Bella jumped onto the chair and pounced on him.
James felt like a monkey had jumped on his face.
Ignoring the fact that he was a man, she clung to him, trying to pry his arm open to get her phone back, yelling,
"I command you to return my phone immediately!"
With her all over him, blocking his vision, James mumbled,
"Get off me, or I'll report you for assaulting a man."
"Jerk, you're dead meat!"