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, “Ma’am, are you okay? Were you the one who called the police?”
Wearing a calm expression, Natalie stood up and apologized, “I’m 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.”
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, “Who’s there?! Let me go!”
Allie’s 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, “Ouch! What the hell is wrong with you? Are you trying to attract the police?”
Upon closer inspection, Allie realized that the person who had brought her here was Vivian. Relieved, she sighed, “Oh, it’s just you. You scared me!”
Vivian had ensured this location was safe for them to talk. Annoyed, she asked, “What the fuck happened in there? You were about to succeed! Why did you suddenly run out?”
Grateful that Vivian had caught up with her, Allie explained, “I didn’t know Natalie would call the police! She promised to give me the money, but then she secretly called the police. If I hadn’t escaped, I would be behind bars by now!”
Surprised, Vivian responded, “That’s impossible.”
“Why do you say that? I heard the sirens,” Allie retorted, feeling unjustly treated.
Pursing her lips, Vivian grew increasingly perplexed. Would Natalie truly call the police?
“Let’s find out if she was bluffing,” Vivian suggested, grabbing Allie’s wrist and leading her back to the restaurant.
“Are you out of your mind? If I go back, I’ll be arrested!” Allie protested, terrified.
“Shut up, you idiot!” Vivian scolded impatiently. “I want to see what Natalie is up to!”
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, “She tricked you.”
Confused, Allie asked, “What do you mean?”
“She didn’t 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,” Vivian explained, rolling her eyes in frustration.
Hearing this, Allie’s anger flared up once again. She was so furious that she contemplated rushing toward Natalie to strangle her. Through gritted teeth, she declared, “I think I need to talk to her again.”
“Hasn’t she gotten what she wanted? Why do you think she’ll still talk to you?” Vivian responded, clearly annoyed. Moreover, she was frustrated that Natalie turned out to be much more cunning than anticipated.
Vivian’s frustration with Allie’s nagging grew, and she couldn’t help but think that Allie was even more foolish than Natalie. Trying to maintain her composure, Vivian reassured Allie, “Relax. You did well. Everything is going according to plan.” 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 Vivian’s plan. Allie was clueless about the details, and Vivian’s 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 Allie’s 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, “What’s on your mind? Do you think you didn’t get enough out of this?”
Caught off guard, Allie forced a smile and replied, “No, I’m 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.”
Vivian agreed, wearing a knowing smile. “I’ll inform you if anything good happens.” 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, “I don’t want to see that couple ever again.” After a brief pause, Luke suggested a decisive approach, saying, “How about we deal with this once and for all? We can invite them over, show them everything they want to see, and hopefully, they’ll stop bothering us. I don’t want to see them either, but given the Larson Group’s current strength, we can’t win.”
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 family’s businesses were now isolated and vulnerable. Catherine reluctantly agreed, feeling that many things in life had become meaningless since Charis’s death. She said, “Do whatever you have to. I don’t want to see them anymore. Every time I see them, I think of Charis.”
The food on Catherine’s plate lost its flavor, and she continued, “Luke, I’m planning to move to a quiet place, maybe the countryside. If you want a divorce, I won’t object.” Their relationship had always been rocky, with Luke’s 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 Catherine’s hand and declared, “I don’t want to divorce you, Catherine. I’ll go with you to the countryside. I want to distance myself from all of this.”
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, “No! You can’t leave!”
Catherine and Luke were taken aback by Vivian’s 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 Vivian’s face.
Vivian seemed to realize that she had gone too far. She quickly adjusted her expression, widening her eyes to feign innocence. “I was just thinking that you didn’t do anything wrong, Mr. and Mrs. Turner. Why should you have to move? Natalie should be the one to leave. She’s the one in the wrong. I don’t think Miss Turner would want to see you hiding in the countryside if she were still alive.”
Catherine smiled, but her eyes dimmed quickly. “I appreciate your concern, honey,” she said. “But I really don’t want to stay in this sorrowful place anymore.” Traces of Charis, their deceased daughter, haunted their house and the company. Moreover, Natalie continued to pester them. The pain of her daughter’s 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 Catherine’s hands and squeezed them tightly. “Don’t worry, Mrs. Turner. I’ll deal with Brandon and Natalie if they ever bother you again. I will never let them hurt you. I’m almost done with university, and when I graduate, I’ll come back here and stay with both of you. I’m an orphan, and if it weren’t for Miss Turner’s financial support for my tuition, I wouldn’t 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.”
Vivian’s 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 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.
