Chapter 430



Jake stood, wrapping her securely in a blanket before fetching a hair dryer. “Lie down on your stomach, and I’ll dry your hair,” he instructed, his tone gentle yet firm.

Kallie complied, settling down as he had directed. Jake gently ran his fingers through her hair. The room filled with the soft hum of the hair dryer.

Despite regaining consciousness, Kallie still felt slightly dizzy. Soon, she drifted off to sleep right before Jake’s eyes. Jake didn’t say anything. Before leaving the room, he instructed the servant to keep a vigilant watch, and that should Kallie feel unwell or require assistance, her needs must be attended to immediately.

The servants couldn’t help but sigh. “Sir, your care for Miss Nixon is extraordinary. If I were her, I’d surely have fallen for you by now. She may seem reserved, but her heart is warm. We all look forward to hearing good news soon.”

Jake offered a wry smile and responded, “Please, don’t mention this again. And certainly not in front of Kallie.” He paused and then added quietly, “She wouldn’t appreciate such talks.”

In another country, juggling between meeting her needs for accommodation and food daily while dodging Jake’s search team, Joanna reached her limit. She was acutely aware of the risks her presence could bring. Yet, she devised a plan. Joanna reached out to Sarah discreetly.

Sarah was skeptical, doubting that the one reaching out to her was Joanna. She couldn’t fathom Joanna’s sudden trip abroad. Impatiently, Joanna retorted, “Do you want to remain overshadowed by Kallie forever?”

Three days later, news of Kallie’s supposed involvement in a murder began circulating online. It started with a single video.

In the footage, Kallie stood next to Charlee, who was drenched in blood. The video had been deliberately edited to obscure Kallie’s expression, making it appear as though she had returned to the scene of a crime she committed.

Charlee’s status made the news go viral instantly, forcing the temporary closure of Kallie’s auction house. To add fuel to the fire, Joanna took to social media, expressing her grief.

She claimed she’d been traveling abroad to clear her mind and hadn’t spoken to Charlee for several days, assuming Charlee was busy with work. Unexpectedly, she received the devastating news of Charlee’s death.

Appearing on camera, Joanna wept bitterly, her face pale and her body trembling as though she might collapse at any moment. No one would have suspected that the woman sobbing so heartbreakingly had been the one to kill her own mother.

It wasn’t long before the police arrived to question Kallie. Jake explained the situation clearly, but the police remained skeptical; the circumstances were too suspicious to ignore. “Why didn’t you call the police? Even if Kallie was held captive, why didn’t you report it as soon as she was freed?”

Jake felt a headache coming on. The last thing he wanted was to involve the authorities or reveal his true identity. His focus had been entirely on Kallie; reporting the incident hadn’t crossed his mind.

The police reprimanded them and informed them they would be under surveillance until the truth was uncovered. This would severely limit Jake’s movements, no matter his intentions.

Kallie’s headache mirrored Jake’s as she spoke with regret. “If I hadn’t been so careless, I wouldn’t have fallen into the trap, and you wouldn’t have been stuck here.

The police will eventually uncover the truth and clear my name, but until then, my reputation is tarnished, and I am unable to work. But for you, if your real identity comes to light, all those years of hiding will have been for nothing.”

Jake smiled, his eyes warm as he looked at her. “Are you worried about me?”

Suppressing the urge to roll her eyes, Kallie responded, “Call it whatever you want. I just want to repay you. If it weren’t for you, I would have been in a much worse state right now. I need to get some sleep.” Kallie stood and headed back to her room.

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