Just moments after Allie climbed out of the window, the police forcefully kicked open the door to the room. One of the officers approached Natalie, puzzled, and asked, âMaâam, are you okay? Were you the one who called the police?â
Wearing a calm expression, Natalie stood up and apologized, âIâm sorry, officer. It was all a huge misunderstanding. When I went to the bathroom just now, I thought somebody had stolen my wallet, but it turned out a girl had picked it up when I dropped it. She just left.â
Awkwardly, Allie managed to climb out of the window. Without hesitation, she hurriedly ran down the street, determined not to let the police catch her.
She knew that if she were apprehended, her fate would be sealed.
As Allie slowed down to catch her breath, someone suddenly grabbed her from behind and dragged her into a quiet nearby alley. Panicking, she exclaimed, âWhoâs there?! Let me go!â
Allieâs face turned pale with fear as she used her computer bag as a makeshift weapon, striking the stranger. The woman, crossing her arms impatiently, scolded, âOuch! What the hell is wrong with you? Are you trying to attract the police?â
Upon closer inspection, Allie realized that the person who had brought her here was Vivian. Relieved, she sighed, âOh, itâs just you. You scared me!â
Vivian had ensured this location was safe for them to talk. Annoyed, she asked, âWhat the fuck happened in there? You were about to succeed! Why did you suddenly run out?â
Grateful that Vivian had caught up with her, Allie explained, âI didnât know Natalie would call the police! She promised to give me the money, but then she secretly called the police. If I hadnât escaped, I would be behind bars by now!â
Surprised, Vivian responded, âThatâs impossible.â
âWhy do you say that? I heard the sirens,â Allie retorted, feeling unjustly treated.
Pursing her lips, Vivian grew increasingly perplexed. Would Natalie truly call the police?
âLetâs find out if she was bluffing,â Vivian suggested, grabbing Allieâs wrist and leading her back to the restaurant.
âAre you out of your mind? If I go back, Iâll be arrested!â Allie protested, terrified.
âShut up, you idiot!â Vivian scolded impatiently. âI want to see what Natalie is up to!â
Returning to the restaurant, the two women hid in the shadows and observed as several police officers exited the establishment. Natalie expressed her gratitude to them and even bought them coffee as a token of appreciation.
Vivian immediately understood what had transpired. She glared back at Allie and said, âShe tricked you.â
Confused, Allie asked, âWhat do you mean?â
âShe didnât want to pay the remaining money, so she called the police to scare you away. Look at her calm face. She was certain you would run,â
Vivian explained, rolling her eyes in frustration.
Hearing this, Allieâs anger flared up once again. She was so furious that she contemplated rushing toward Natalie to strangle her. Through gritted teeth, she declared, âI think I need to talk to her again.â
âHasnât she gotten what she wanted? Why do you think sheâll still talk to you?â Vivian responded, clearly annoyed. Moreover, she was frustrated that Natalie turned out to be much more cunning than anticipated.
Vivianâs frustration with Allieâs nagging grew, and she couldnât help but think that Allie was even more foolish than Natalie. Trying to maintain her composure, Vivian reassured Allie, âRelax. You did well. Everything is going according to plan.â She wore a confident smile, knowing that their scheme was unfolding slowly.
Even if Allie failed to extort a large sum of money from Natalie, the documents she had copied contained a virus. Once Natalie clicked on one of those files, the damage would be done, setting the stage for the next phase of Vivianâs plan. Allie was clueless about the details, and Vivianâs cryptic response only fueled her annoyance. Allie regretted not demanding more money from Natalie, settling for a mere five hundred thousand dollars.
Vivian felt disgusted by Allieâs greed, as she had already received a substantial amount from Natalie and the Turner family. Five hundred thousand dollars, combined with the funds provided by the Turners, would have been enough for Allie to live a stable life. Vivian confronted Allie, asking with a meaningful smile, âWhatâs on your mind? Do you think you didnât get enough out of this?â
Caught off guard, Allie forced a smile and replied, âNo, Iâm just wondering where I should go next. Brandon oversees both Seacisco and Barnes. I need to stay away from that man. If anything happens to Natalie, let me know. I want to witness when she gets what she deserves.â
Vivian agreed, wearing a knowing smile. âIâll inform you if anything good happens.â After parting ways with Allie, Vivian returned to the Turner family home, where she had become practically the second daughter due to her ability to please Catherine. The entire Turner family treated her with respect.
Upon arriving, Vivian found Luke and Catherine in the midst of dinner. Luke expressed his weariness, sharing that their company had been declining lately and a foreign company had proposed a merger. Natalie had also visited earlier, causing further distress. The loss of Charis had left them disheartened, lacking the motivation to continue.
Catherine, exhausted as well, exclaimed, âI donât want to see that couple ever again.â After a brief pause, Luke suggested a decisive approach, saying, âHow about we deal with this once and for all? We can invite them over, show them everything they want to see, and hopefully, theyâll stop bothering us. I donât want to see them either, but given the Larson Groupâs current strength, we canât win.â
Luke recognized the changing times. Since Brandon established a new branch at Barnes, other companies had been cozying up to the Larson Group. The Turner familyâs businesses were now isolated and vulnerable. Catherine reluctantly agreed, feeling that many things in life had become meaningless since Charisâs death. She said, âDo whatever you have to. I donât want to see them anymore. Every time I see them, I think of Charis.â
The food on Catherineâs plate lost its flavor, and she continued, âLuke, Iâm planning to move to a quiet place, maybe the countryside. If you want a divorce, I wonât object.â Their relationship had always been rocky, with Lukeâs infidelity being a constant issue. However, after experiencing the pain of losing their daughter, Luke had remained faithful. Tears streamed down his face as he held Catherineâs hand and declared, âI donât want to divorce you, Catherine. Iâll go with you to the countryside. I want to distance myself from all of this.â
Vivian clenched her fists upon hearing their plans to move away. She stood behind them, silently listening to their conversation. If they left, who would seek justice for Charis? Unable to contain herself any longer, Vivian stepped forward with a stern voice and declared, âNo! You canât leave!â
Catherine and Luke were taken aback by Vivianâs sudden appearance and her words. Catherine expressed her surprise, her voice filled with palpable shock. It was the first time she had seen such a horrifying expression on Vivianâs face.
Vivian seemed to realize that she had gone too far. She quickly adjusted her expression, widening her eyes to feign innocence. âI was just thinking that you didnât do anything wrong, Mr. and Mrs. Turner. Why should you have to move? Natalie should be the one to leave. Sheâs the one in the wrong. I donât think Miss Turner would want to see you hiding in the countryside if she were still alive.â
Catherine smiled, but her eyes dimmed quickly. âI appreciate your concern, honey,â she said. âBut I really donât want to stay in this sorrowful place anymore.â Traces of Charis, their deceased daughter, haunted their house and the company. Moreover, Natalie continued to pester them. The pain of her daughterâs death and the memories of Charis scattered throughout the house were unbearable for Catherine. She felt too old to endure such anguish.
Vivian walked over and pulled a chair at the table. She took Catherineâs hands and squeezed them tightly. âDonât worry, Mrs. Turner. Iâll deal with Brandon and Natalie if they ever bother you again. I will never let them hurt you. Iâm almost done with university, and when I graduate, Iâll come back here and stay with both of you. Iâm an orphan, and if it werenât for Miss Turnerâs financial support for my tuition, I wouldnât be where I am today. She helped me so much. I want to dedicate myself to taking care of you because I need to repay her.â
Vivianâs speech left Catherine in a daze for a long time. Suddenly, she burst into tears, covering her face as sobs wracked through her. Luke was also deeply moved. He felt like he was seeing Charis through Vivian. When Charis was a teenager, she had expressed her desire not to take over the The Double Life of My Billionaire Husband ï¤Chatper 408 The Return Of His Unrivaled Ex-Wife (Joanna)
ï¤Chapter 1329 Meet My Brothers by Red Thirteen ï¤Chapter 1187 family business. She wanted to build her own career and become strong enough to protect Luke and Catherine. Vivian believed her plan was almost successful as she witnessed Luke and Catherine crying their hearts out.