"Blackmail?" Alice was taken aback. "What do they have against you?"Andrew held Alice's hand between both of his hands gently and spoke with glassy eyes. "Alice, do you trust me?"Alice nodded her head, looking at Andrew's face intensely."I'm holding something of immense weight, and I'm not yet ready to unveil it. Can we leave it unspoken?" Andrew's words were gentle, imbued with deep affection.Even though Alice maintained a certain stiffness and was unwilling to let it go until she had the full story, she found herself swayed by Andrew's request once more. She was convinced he had a solid reason."Very well, I won't inquire further, but don't expect forgiveness just yet. You had your reasons, yet you could have confided in me.""It's not the concealment of our marriage that bothers me, but the lack of explanation," Alice said sternly, turning her back to him once more.Andrew let out a gentle sigh, a faint smile gracing his lips. "She doesn't know how to get angry or throw a tantru
"What nonsense; how could Ronny do that?" Andrew asked in disbelief. "Yes, boss. Ronny provided assistance to the culprit. While their association was brief, he was complicit." Even Vicky felt blue to disclose this, but the fact will remain unchanged that Ronny betrayed Andrew. Andrew clutched his head, unable to comprehend. Ronny, a trusted subordinate, had turned on him. What could have driven him to betray Andrew? "How did you get to know?" Andrew asked with a stiff face. "Through the recovered texts." Andrew ran his fingers in his hair. "Where is he right now?" "I've assigned someone to tail him ever since I uncovered his deception. However, two days ago, he tried to flee the city, forcing me to detain him." Vicky said. "Hmm, I see. Two days ago, you handed me the reports. It's possible the perpetrator stole it after we exited the study. She may have given him a heads-up, leading to his attempt to be fugitive." Andrew said it with deep thoughts. "I share the same thoughts.
As the Kingston family bid their farewell, a profound quiet blanketed Alice's hospital space. "Isn't the Kingston family too nice?" Skylar said. "Certainly, they do. Grandma used to whip up nourishing meals for me even back then..." Alice's reminiscing was abruptly halted by the sound of her ringing phone. She widened her eyes, seeing 'Do Not Pick' Monica's number flashing after so long. "Yes." Alice still didn't forgive her and was not interested in her snobbish rambling. "I'm well aware, Alice, that you put good words for me before Mason's parents, leading to Mason's return to US a few days ago. I won't be offering my thanks for this." Monica said it with her usual attituduous element. "I don't even expect, so better cut chase." Alice retorted with the same temperament. Skylar frowned while listening to Alice's rude words and raised her eyebrows to ask who was on the other side. Alice showed her mobile screen to let her know the name of the caller. "I'm reaching out to tell
Alice's voice cracked with emotion as she spoke to Andrew. "Why would they do this? Just the other day, everyone found out about my mushroom allergy. It can't be a mistake. Someone added it intentionally," she said, tears rolling down her cheeks. Despite Alice being aware that a foe was manipulating Monica to harm her, Andrew understood that she remained oblivious to the fact that her life was at stake. Alice turned her gaze towards Andrew, who was deep in thought, his silence leading her to believe he was in shock. "I can imagine, Andrew; you're probably bewildered or even questioning my sanity, but I thought long and hard before coming to this conclusion," Alice rambled, wiping away her tears. "What's that?" Andrew asked in a trance. The impact of hearing the assailant's name still hung heavy on him, but seeing Alice suffer through the same ordeal was even more unbearable. "This isn't Monica spinning yarns. Sophie mom's agenda was not just to harm me but to wipe me out. All the
"You're a woman I've cherished from a distance for a long time." Andrew confessed.With a blend of surprise and a warm flush, Alice found herself in a state of disbelief."Come on, don't make up stories just to elevate my spirits."Amidst his chuckles, Andrew confessed, "However, I'd move mountains to see you smile; I'm honest about my crush.""But....Bursting with excitement, Alice was on the edge of her seat, eager to get her questions answered. She had a list of things to confirm, but Andrew intervened, putting a halt to her inquiries."Can you let me finish first?""Definitely," Alice agreed, making a zipping gesture across her lips."I mentioned before that your interview inspired me, and later I happened to watch one of your movies, which turned me into a fan of your acting.""Ever since then, in my spare moments, I've been devoted to searching for and watching your interviews. Slowly, I've made my way through each one, and my admiration for you has grown. Your journey towards
"The person she enlisted, Nick Baker, carries a criminal record, having been found guilty of the murder of Sophie Kingston's ex-husband, Clay Gilbert."Alice wondered aloud, "Wait, didn't her ex-husband meet with a car accident?"Even Andrew found himself taken aback. Despite his youth, he remembered vividly that it was that very accident that took away the person he cherished most in his life."Indeed, how does that make sense? It was a car collision, and my mom was another person involved in the accident. I remember it with such clarity.""Yes, it was indeed a car accident. However, following a thorough investigation, the police concluded that Nick Baker, coincidentally a garage worker, had tampered with Clay Gilbert's vehicle.""A car mechanic?" Andrew and Alice exclaimed simultaneously, their eyes widening as they locked gazes. "This is all so strange.""How could she employ an auto expert as a chef, especially one who's responsible for her husband's demise? This just doesn't add
"Alice, finally I got rid of you. Farewell, my dear. Rest in peace." The nurse whispered.Her joy knew no bounds, and she erupted into manic laughter. Yet, her glee was short-lived as she caught a glimpse of a subtle stir in Alice's motionless frame.Alice's hand lifted; she discarded her oxygen mask, got up, and perched on the bed. "Sophie Mom, you've got it all mixed up. I'm perfectly fine."Sophie was left in stunned silence, and then anger welled up inside her like a storm. She clutched the syringe as if it were a dagger, thrusting it toward Alice's neck. Just in the nick of time, Andrew rolled out from beneath the bed and restrained her hand."Stop right there, Sophie Kingston. Lay a finger on my wife, and you'll regret it."Andrew swiftly maneuvered, twisting Sophie's arm and securing it behind her back. He forced her into a chair, swiftly fastening her restraints. Then he yanked off her wig and glasses, exposing the disguise."Urgh." Sophie shook her head."Damn, that's one hel
Frozen in place, Alice withheld her breath as the gun remained pointed at her. After a short pause, she subtly turned her head to size up Sophie from the corner of her eyes, as Sophie continued to cry out and intimidate those around her. She capitalized on this chance, promptly clasped the hand wielding the gun, directed it upwards, then deftly twisted it, causing the weapon to drop, and restrained both of her hands behind her back. With her proficiency in martial arts, she swiftly subdued her in a matter of moments. In a swift motion, the officer advanced and handcuffed Sophie, as two lady cops quickly positioned themselves on either side, taking hold of her hands. "Alice, you bitch, I will kill you." Sophie roars like an animal. "Officer, just lead her out of here," John said. "Hold on..." Alice's sharp tone brought everyone to a standstill. She walked over to Sophie, took her stance, and questioned, "When and how did I offend you? What's the origin of this deep-seated hostilit