"I will think it through. Mr. North, this is my last chance, and I have to seize it. But I'm not reckless; I know my limits, which is why I need your help. I know you have extensive connections and resources."Steven shook his head, "Ms. Middleton, please do not place me on a pedestal. If Ms. Smith were to find out, she would be furious—she is my most important client. Nevertheless, I will help you with this, without any additional charges. Your husband, I mean Max, is truly a shitty person.""You are a true friend!""I will take care of arranging the phones and the bodyguards. If you need anything else, just let me know."After pondering for a moment, I asked Steven, "Have you ever... been involved in a kidnapping?"Steven looked shocked, "Ms. Middleton, we do not engage in illegal activities.""I am not asking you to actually kidnap anyone, just to intimidate them," I explained seriously. "Max's mother is a fierce old lady, but she's all bark and no bite. Without Max's support,

Steven said, "The elderly couple was furious. The old lady couldn't hold back and called Annie crazy, telling her to get lost. Annie pointed her finger at the old lady's face and yelled, 'Who do you think you are? My son bought this house for me!' Then she spat on the old lady's face. Just thinking about it makes me sick. They started fighting, and a neighbor called the police. The old man shielded his granddaughter while the old lady got slapped twice by Annie. The police came, and Max had to handle it. He wanted to settle it with money, but the old couple insisted on pressing charges. Max had no choice but to make a public apology in the newspaper, saying it was his fault and that his mom was a radical thinking sexist from living in the countryside. He claimed he couldn't control her but would clean up her mess."I could imagine Max pleading, just like when he used to tell me his mother would never change. Stuck with a mom like Annie, he must have felt trapped, unable to escape her

I thought to myself, this guy seems to have a clear understanding of himself, some self-awareness. However, I couldn't be so direct. I had to maintain appearances. So I responded, "You shouldn't underestimate yourself."Max smirked and scoffed.I continued, "You still haven't told me what happened between you and Luke."Max sneered, "There's not much to tell. I simply dislike him. It's like they say: two tigers can't live on the same mountain. What I want, no one else can have. It's just... anything he likes, I can like too, and I can have it."Considering Max's words, I suddenly realized that he was determined to confront me. He didn't even care about revealing his true nature anymore.At that time, I thought Max was referring to the fact that Luke had become my father's Ph.D. student.I said, "So you still haven't gotten over my dad not choosing you as his Ph.D. student. But wasn't Professor Xander good? After my dad passed away, she immediately became the dean. And didn't you

Poor facilities don't matter? Ha! His goal must be to let me waste away in misery.Honestly, I bet he doesn't want to spend a single penny. He'd probably rather dump me in the countryside. Haven't you seen those news stories where people are locked in pigsties or cellars for years until they lose their minds? But Max's family home is demolished which he doesn't have the means to keep me hidden. It's too complicated to cover it up.If I escaped, his good days would be over.Steven said, "Ms. Middleton, you need to be very careful. Since Max didn't pay the room deposit, he must have other plans. Stay alert. I've arranged the bodyguards and everything you asked for with Wendy's ex-boyfriend."I nodded, "Thank you."Steven sighed, "No need to thank me. I'm worried about you. If things go south, call the police immediately. Ms. Middleton, please remember that as long as you're alive, there's hope. Your safety is the most important thing."I felt reassured, "I will."After hanging up,

I didn't respond directly. Instead, I asked, "Darling, I have a question for you."Max glanced at me sideways, chuckling as he poured more wine. "Go ahead.""I never found out what drug you put in my milk that caused our baby to be deformed and die at birth," I said, resting my chin on my hand and looking him straight in the eyes with a faint smile. "When it comes to cruelty, Max, I can't compare to you. As the baby's father, you were heartless enough to do that. They say even a tiger doesn't eat its cubs."Max's expression faltered for a moment, but he quickly raised an eyebrow and smiled.I stopped smiling. My expression turned cold and emotionless as I stared at Max.He stood with his hands on his hips, looking at me in surprise for a few seconds before bursting into a sinister, terrifying laugh. Covering his nose with one hand, he abruptly stopped laughing, his face turning cold, his eyes filled with viciousness. "Jen, I'm realizing today that you're actually quite clever."I