Ch. 381..390

Chapter 381 House Arrest

Eva didn't say a word to Michael again until they reached the hotel to rest.

Michael settled her in a hotel near the airport, saying it was nearby, but it actually took nearly half an hour by car.

Once he had arranged everything for her, Michael said to her, "Have a good rest, I will come over tonight..."

Before he could finish his sentence, the door of the hotel room closed in his face.

Michael paused for a moment, then finished his sentence, "to pick you up."

Unfortunately, there was no response at all.

"Mr. Cooper..."

David, who was beside him, hesitated and called out to him.

What was the point of all this?

Michael came back to his senses and turned his head to give his instructions, "Guard this place, don't let any suspicious people in." David nodded.

"Don't worry, Mr. Cooper. No suspicious individuals will be allowed in. You haven't rested from last night until now, so you should go and rest." Michael had not rested for 20 hours already, his eyes were bloodshot.

Although in the current situation, he might not be able to sleep even if he went back to his room, it was still good to close his eyes and relax. "Okay." Michael replied heavily and then left.

After Eva closed the door, she walked inside. Fresh food was placed on the table, just delivered by the hotel. The two little ones each ate a piece of cake and didn't touch the other food on the table. They had been eating and watching cartoons on the plane, so they were probably tired as she had expected. Sure enough, the two little ones quickly fell asleep on the sofa, each holding a blanket.

Eva went over to cover them with the blanket and then sat down on the other side, taking out her phone.

Did they think that by deleting her contacts, she wouldn't be able to contact her family?

She remembered several people's phone numbers.

Especially Adrian's; she didn't add him to her contacts initially, so whenever he called, it displayed his cellphone number, and she remembered it very clearly.

Eva quickly entered Adrian's phone number from memory and dialed it.

But as soon as the call went through, it automatically hung up.

She tried a few times without success. In the end, Eva had to change her number and tried calling her father, Emily, Lisa, and even her father's secretary came to mind. But none of the calls went through. Was it her phone that couldn't connect? Eva scrolled through her contacts and found two people, Michael and David. She skipped Michael's name and dialed David's.

This time, the call went through immediately, and David answered promptly. His tone was cautious, afraid of offending Eva.

"Ms. Hansen, is there something you need that you are calling me?"

But no matter how cautious he was, he couldn't escape from Eva's anger, and she let out a cold laugh.

"Nothing special, just checking to see if my phone is broken since I can't make any calls."

David seemed guilty on the other end and remained silent for a while. Restless, Eva hung up on him immediately. Afterward, she stared at her phone, and halfway through removing the SIM card, she had another idea. She couldn't contact the people she wanted, but she could reach David.

With unfamiliar people, she might have a chance. Thinking this, Eva reinserted her SIM card and put her phone away.

After putting away her phone, Eva stood up and walked to the window. She drew back the curtains and saw that she was on the sixteenth floor. She then walked to the door, opened it, and saw David with an anxious expression, along with two tall bodyguards guarding the hotel entrance.

Both exits were blocked tightly. Michael had essentially placed her under house arrest, which made Eva furious.

She said to David, "I want to go out."

David immediately showed a troubled expression. "Ms. Hansen, I'm afraid that's not possible. You've had a tiring journey, and Mr. Cooper instructed for you and the children to rest, so it's better not to go out for now."

"Is it because I'm tired from the flight, or is it because I'm being confined?"

Upon hearing the term "confined" David immediately denied the allegation, "Ms. Hansen, how can you say it's confinement? You haven't rested much, and Mr. Cooper is doing this for your own good."

"He just won't let me out, right?"

David remained silent.

In front of him, Eva slammed the door shut once again. Returning to the sofa, she looked at the peaceful sleeping faces of her two little ones, and slowly regained her composure. There must be a way. She couldn't give up like this, she had to find a way to seek help.

Eva took out her phone with the reinserted SIM card and dialed the hotel reception service number. As she heard the dial tone on the other end of the line... Eva was pleasantly surprised to find that the call went through.

In other words, it seems that the people she wants to contact are simply restricted. Although she doesn't know what method Michael used, if she changes her SIM card, she should be able to reach others, right?

While pondering the options now available to her, Eva heard the voice from the front desk through her phone, asking if she needed any assistance.

Eva's heart skipped a beat, and she walked to the balcony.

"Hello, I'd like to order a pizza."

She quickly glanced at the food on the table and confirmed that there was no pizza before placing the order.

"A pizza? Alright, please wait a moment. Anything else you need?"

Ordering just one item might not divert suspicion enough, so Eva quickly mentioned a few other dishes that were not on the table, and even added some cuisine that would never appear in Australia, leaving the hotel staff bewildered. "I'm sorry, Ma'am, but the things you mentioned..."

"That's what I want. If you don't have them, find a way to make them."

"Oh, and I also need a SIM card. Please bring it together with the food."

After finishing her request, Eva hung up the phone.

If her phone is being monitored, Michael and David would probably find out about what she just said, indicating that this approach won't work.

But if it hasn't been discovered, next time, she can make a call for help to the outside world.

After putting down her phone, Eva returned to the sofa and quietly waited. Her current state of mind was not much different from that of a death row inmate preparing for execution.

As long as she could get a SIM card, she would have hope.

Sure enough, after a while, her phone rang. It was David calling.

Seeing this incoming call, Eva instantly felt a sense of despair.

With a defeated expression, she answered the phone.

"Ms. Hansen, I understand that you want to have Japanese cuisine now, but the hotel only provides..."

Eva coldly tugged at her lips and said in a frigid tone, "You want to confine me, right? Well, you've already confined me. Can't I even get the food I want?"

 

Chapter 382 Obtaining

At the mention of confinement again, David on the other end of the line hesitated and couldn't find the words to say.

"Whether you get it or not, I don't care about it anymore."

After saying that, Eva hung up the phone instantly, feeling extremely frustrated.

Was her phone really being monitored?

If so, it meant that regardless of what calls she made or what requests she had, they were all useless.

She never thought Michael would go to such lengths.

She had to think again and find another way. There must be a way.

After David hung up the phone, he was also stuck in a dilemma and had to seek Michael's opinion.

Upon hearing her request, Michael pursed his thin lips and said, "Do as she requested."

"But the hotel..."

"If the hotel doesn't have it, does it mean it doesn't exist outside? Find a Japanese restaurant, drive there if necessary, or even hire a private chef; spare no expense. "Fine, I'll arrange it. Right now, I'm the only one by her side. If I can't fulfill her request, then who else can?" David reluctantly followed his instructions.

Michael clenched his fists on the table. Even though he was supposed to be taking a break, he put his glasses back on, and his icy gaze hid behind the lenses. It was just some food that she wanted to eat, and of course he would help her with that. He wanted her to know that he was no worse than Adrian.

Unable to sit still any longer, Eva got up and carried the two little ones to the bedroom. She tucked them in and closed the door, isolating them from the living room.

Afterward, Eva took out her phone and opened WhatsApp. It hadn't occurred to her earlier that she could try searching for Emily's phone number with the app, and maybe even add her as a contact. Michael didn't consider this blind spot while setting up her account. But Eva had been too hasty to have thought about it.

Just as Eva was about to enter the phone number, the doorbell rang. She quickly put away her phone and sat still. She knew it was either Michael or David coming to find her. Since they had the power to confine her, they definitely had their own key cards, and she didn't feel like opening the door.

Sure enough, after the doorbell rang twice without any response, the door slid open by itself. Michael entered accompanied by a waiter with a food trolley.

Seeing Eva sitting on the couch, Michael froze momentarily, as if he didn't expect her to be there.

His face softened again as he approached Eva and said, "You wanted some food, right? These dishes are all made according to your taste."

Eva lifted her eyes and looked at him with a mocking expression. "Made according to my taste? Are you trying to tell me that you actually prepared everything I ordered?"

"Well, I had them made urgently and delivered to you." Michael replied.

Once the lid was opened, Eva immediately recognized the familiar smells. She turned her head and saw that Michael had indeed arranged for all the dishes she had ordered to be brought to her.

"So, how is it going?" Michael glanced at the untouched food with some concern. "You haven't eaten anything since earlier today, this won't do."

Eva's expression grew colder upon hearing his words. Whose fault was it that she hadn't eaten all day? If it wasn't for him, she wouldn't be confined in this foreign country and suffering from hunger? Although she was hungry, she still had no appetite at all.

The nearby waiter, observing Michael's attempts to please Eva, covered her mouth and stifled a laugh. Then, she took out the item Eva had asked her to bring from her pocket, intending to approach her. Just as Eva looked up and saw the object in the waiter's hand, her pupils shrank. She suddenly exploded in anger, shouting before the waiter could come closer, "Get out!"

Startled by her sudden outburst, the waiter froze in place, not knowing what to do.

Among them, the most surprised person must have been Michael.

Seeing Eva exploding in anger was something Michael had never witnessed in all the years he had known her.

"I will eat this food, but I don't want to see you." Eva stared at him intently, every word delivered with precision. Without hesitation, she even reached out and pushed Michael forward, urging him to leave.

As soon as Eva expressed her desire not to see him, Michael felt a pang in his chest. Before he could react, she had already pushed him out, leaving him to contemplate his heavy emotions. However, knowing that she would eat without his presence provided him some solace.

Moments later, the door slammed shut in his face, leaving Michael on the outside. David quickly rushed over and steadied Michael, anxiously asking, "Mr. Cooper, are you okay?"

"I'm fine." Michael replied, regaining his balance and pushing David's hand away.

Observing the turmoil that unfolded between the two, David couldn't help but sigh. "Mr. Cooper, do you regret it now? Not only does Ms. Hansen refuse to eat, but she's also causing a scene and clearly doesn't want to see you. If things continue like this, it might worsen."

At the mention of this, Michael let out a faint smile. "Given enough time, she will come around. This can't go on forever."

David dared not say anything further.

Once the door closed, Eva's heart raced incessantly. She quickly turned around and returned to the staff member, offering a slight smile. "Thank you for delivering these things for me."

The staff member had expected Eva's anger to be directed at her too, so she was surprised to receive a smile instead. Consequently, she felt a bit confused and embarrassed, scratching her head and awkwardly saying, "You're welcome, it's my duty."

As she finished speaking, the staff member remembered something and handed over the item in her hand. "By the way, is this what you requested from our front desk?

Eva's eyes brightened as she eagerly received it. "Yes," she replied, "thank you."

"You're welcome. Well... if there's nothing else, I won't disturb your meal. Enjoy your dining experience." the staff member said.

Eva looked at her, feeling hesitant. Would it be strange if she requested outright for her not to inform Michael? The fact that the staff member brought her a SIM card seemed to indicate that there was no actual monitoring. If that were the case, then it would be perfect.

 

 

Chapter 383 Are you threatening me?

Seeing that she misunderstood that Michael was her boyfriend, Eva didn't bother to explain at this time and simply admitted, "We had a fight, I don't want to see him, so please help me, think of it as helping me teach him a lesson, okay?" Eva approached and hugged the woman's arm, hoping she would agree to help.

The woman was very soft-hearted and, being begged like this, she could only say, "Well, let me consult with the manager, if the manager agrees..."

"Alright, if the manager doesn't agree, give me the phone, I'll talk to them."

The woman smiled at her and took out her phone to make a call.

Eva smiled, "I'll go to the restroom, let me know when I come out."

"Okay."

After entering the restroom, Eva quickly took out the SIM card and replaced it. She didn't have a needle to eject the card, but luckily, she had considered going out today and didn't wear any makeup, but she was wearing a pair of earrings to brighten her complexion.

It came in handy.

While changing the card, Eva's heart kept pounding, not knowing if they would notice that she took out the card.

Hopefully, there were no surveillance cameras installed in this restroom?

Thinking of this this possibility, Eva subconsciously looked up and glanced around. Despite trying to calm herself down, her trembling hands still gave her away.

The phone fell onto the floor, making a sound.

Eva quickly bent down to pick it up, wiping it clean and inserting the card, then turned it on again.

Just as she was about to contact Emily, a knocking sound came from outside.

"Miss, I've asked."

Eva could only stuff everything into her pockets and open the door.

"Did they agree?"

The girl nodded shyly.

"Mm, the manager said it's part of our job to help customers in difficult situations, and since you need it and are willing to tip, they let me stay so I can help you properly."

"Thank you." Eva breathed a sigh of relief and thanked her.

"Then I'll go and inform your boyfriend."

"No, no need, let's sit down and eat now."

Eva led her to the table, but she still felt a bit uneasy while eating.

She was interrupted in the restroom just now, and because she was being cautious, she didn't dare to stay in there for too long. The restroom shouldn't have any surveillance cameras, but outside... who knows? If she sent a message outside, would it be seen?

For safety reasons, she decided to find an excuse to go to the restroom halfway through.

She had just taken her first bite of food when the door swung open. Michael walked in, casting a sharp glance around the room before his gaze landed on the hotel staff member's face. Surprised to see her sitting in front of Eva, he approached.

"Eva, what's all this about?"

Eva had yet to swallow her food and upon seeing him, she simply grabbed a tissue and spit it out, retorting irritably, "I wanted someone to have a meal with me. Is that a problem?"

Hearing her words, Michael took a quick glance at the hotel staff before averting his eyes and looking back at Eva.

"If you wanted someone to eat with you, why didn't you call me? I'd be more than happy to accompany you."

As the two conversed, the woman felt too awkward to continue eating, and instead sat there watching the exchange between the two.

Eva chuckled. "You'd be happy to? Do I want you to though?"

With that, Eva looked up and gave Michael a cold stare. Her voice turned icy, "Do you not realise what you've done? Do you really think I can calmly have a meal with you? Let me make this clear, if you don't take me back now, I'll find other people to dine with, even if it means finding strangers on the street, I won't choose you."

Her words pierced through Michael's heart like a sword.

Once her words trailed off, Michael remained silent, but he remained rooted to the spot, seemingly concerned.

Eva sneered, "Or is it that you're not willing to let me find someone to eat with?"

"Alright." Putting down the fork in her hand, she stood up, declaring, "You take her and all this food away, and then lock me up in a small room, preferably where no one can see me. Is that what you want?"

"Eva." Michael's voice still carried a hint of helplessness. "You know I don't want to treat you like this. You know that by not eating, you're only harming your own body, but in reality, it hurts my heart as well."

He slowly approached and picked up the fork she had laid down, placing it back in her hand.

"It's just having a meal with someone, why would I disagree? However, she had better not do anything I wouldn't approve of for you, or else I won't let it go easily."

Upon hearing this, Eva suddenly lifted her head to look at him.

Her eyes were filled with disbelief. "What do you mean by that?"

Michael's expression remained gentle. "It doesn't mean anything, but Eva, you should know I'll never get angry with you, nor will I vent my frustration on you, no matter what you do."

Though it sounded like a heartfelt confession, in reality, he was telling her that she should simply have a normal meal with this woman, without any ulterior motives. If the woman helped her with anything, he wouldn't harm Eva, but he would take action against the staff member.

If, after hearing his words, she still insisted on doing something, she would be endangering the woman.

She hadn't expected him to go to such lengths.

 

Chapter 384 Cry for Help

Eva's eyes flashed with anger. "Are you threatening me?" she asked.

Michael adjusted her collar gently, his movements tender. "Eva, how could this be a threat? I'm just advising you. After all, I can't let bad people get close to you. I brought you out here, so I have to be responsible for your safety and keep others with ill intentions from harming you."

Although his words were clearly threatening, he spoke them with such affection. Eva couldn't help but feel a chill spreading down her back.

Being close to him felt like being close to an ice cellar.

"I never expected you to be this kind of person." she said, dropping her voice as she said those words. Eva spoke decisively, "Fine, if you're so worried about my intentions, then let her go. That way, I won't drag anyone else down in the future." Michael stood still and looked at her intently.

"It's not necessary, Eva. You can still have a meal together." he said.

"No, I've lost my appetite." Eva replied.

Next, Eva left the table and instead went to lay down on the sofa and closed her eyes, showing no intention of further communication.

The woman also stood up.

"I won't disturb you anymore. You two can talk."

After saying that, the woman turned to leave.

"Wait..." Michael called out to her.

Then Michael walked up to Eva and softly said as he looked at her closed eyes, "I'm sorry. I was too suspicious and shouldn't have doubted you. I was wrong about what happened earlier. Can you get up and eat with me?"

No matter how much he said or how gentle his tone was, Eva remained lying there like a corpse, refusing to pay him any attention.

"Eva?" he called again.

Eva continued to lie there motionless.

"Alternatively, should I carry you to the dining area?" he suggested.

Suddenly, Eva opened her eyes and met Michael's gaze, which was so close to hers. She was initially startled by his proximity, but she quickly calmed down.

"Is this the only trick you know?" she asked coldly.

Michael smirked. "It's not about quantity, but effectiveness."

Eva pushed him away with a cold face and sat up.

"I just want some peace and quiet. Since you're afraid of others getting close to me, take her away now and that way she can't cause any trouble." Eva demanded.

"I know she won't cause any trouble. Let her stay and have a meal with you. It's been a long time since you've eaten anything." Michael insisted.

"I'm not in the mood to eat now." Eva replied.

They repeated this exchange a few more times, with Eva refusing to compromise or even look at him. Frustrated, Michael had no choice but to leave with the female staff member.

Outside, perhaps because he looked so dejected, the female staff member took the initiative to comfort him. "Sir, don't be too upset about this. Your girlfriend probably just wants someone to accompany her for a meal. If you want to try make her happy, why not send her flowers and chocolates?"

Surprised by her suggestion, Michael forced a smile. "Hmm, thank you. I'll consider it."

As they had just walked out together, he didn't rush to go back inside straight away.

Feeling unsettled by her comment, Michael didn't inquire further. The woman could tell that he was upset and chose to leave without saying more.

After they all left, Eva quickly entered the restroom to try make a phone call.

If Michael decided to question the woman, it would take some time. Eva could only try to seek help within this limited time. As for the consequences... that wasn't something she could consider right now. Hesitating for two seconds, Eva dialed Adrian's number.

Eva was getting anxious. Why wasn't he picking up? There's a time difference between the two locations, with it being daytime here and nighttime there. Adrian wouldn't have put his phone on silent, right?

If it was on silent, she probably wouldn't be able to reach him.

Eva couldn't wait too long and miss her opportunity.

The first person who Eva contacted after Adrian was Emily.

When Emily received the unfamiliar call, she was extremely shocked to hear her best friend's voice on the other end.

"Eva? Did you change your phone? And why does your location seem different? Didn't you go back to America?"

It indeed was her best friend, and Emily quickly realized that something was wrong.

Eva interrupted her.

"Listen carefully to what I'm about to say and don't interrupt me."

Eva rarely spoke in such a serious tone to her, and Emily immediately understood the severity of the situation, nodding seriously.

At the same time, she turned on the voice recording function on her phone, to ensure she wouldn't miss or forget any of Eva's words.

"Listen carefully. My current coordinates are in Australia, near the capital airport, at a high-end hotel that's about a twenty-minute drive away. There are two 24-hour convenience stores near the entrance, and I'm on the sixteenth floor. But I won't be staying here for long. There are two to three people guarding the entrance who might relocate at night, but I'll find a way to stay here a bit longer. If I lose my ability to resist and get taken away, I'll find another opportunity to contact you."

Upon hearing this, Emily was dumbfounded. Had she been kidnapped?

Coincidentally, her superior came over to find her at this moment, but seeing her on the phone, he turned and decided to come back later.

Emily immediately called him over.

Nathan saw her gesture urgently and walked over, asking, "What's wrong?"

Emily immediately put it on speakerphone and said to Eva, "Eva, I have the stingy... Mr. Powell here too. His mind works faster than mine, he'll probably be more helpful."

Nathan heard the word "stingy" from her, and based on the context, the phrase she almost said was probably "stingy person".

In fact, he had heard Emily refer to him as a stingy person more than once. The last time he heard it was when she complained to her best friend about being constantly called in to work, which led to her being single.

But he didn't expect her to accidentally blurt it out in front of him today.

Just as Nathan was about to correct her, another interruption startled them.

When called, Eva on the other end quickly repeated what she had said earlier.

Nathan's eyes narrowed as he listened, and he directly asked Eva, "Can you send your location?"

Although Eva had just received the number, registering an account was time-consuming if she wanted to add it.

"It's too soon. I had the SIM card brought to me by a server. I don't know when the other party will find out."

Upon hearing this, Emily asked subconsciously, "The other party? Who is it?"

Eva pursed her lips.

"Here's what we'll do." Nathan calmly explained, "You plug in your earphones, or turn on the speaker."

Emily, shocked, widened her eyes and exclaimed, "You stingy person! Are you crazy? Eva is clearly being kidnapped, and at a time like this, you want her to put it on speaker."

"Her voice is loud, so she should be temporarily safe." Nathan replied calmly, pretending not to hear that clear insult.

"That's true. Then do what the stingy person says."

Since she didn't have her earphones, she could only turn on the speaker.

"Now I'll ask you questions and you just answer. Register a new account while you're at it, and it would be best to send your location directly."

"Okay." Eva's mind was clear, and she quickly turned on the showerhead and faucet in the bathroom, locked the bathroom door, and then stood in a corner away from the door to start the process.

Nathan, as the founder of a self-made company, remained calm and rational. None of the questions he asked her were pointless. He took note of her movements from the place she departed to where she lost consciousness, including when she woke up, and instructed her on how to respond if she was discovered.

 

 

Chapter 385 A Path Back

The whole process lasted nearly six minutes, and Eva finally set up the account.

At this moment, there was a knock on the door.

"Eva."

A familiar male voice resounded.

After recognizing who the voice belonged to, Emily almost cried out in surprise, but Nathan immediately covered her mouth with his large hand.

Emily widened her eyes and tried to push him away, but Nathan held her shoulder and then whispered into her ear, "Don't speak."

Emily furrowed her brows but didn't struggle anymore.

Then Eva's voice came from the other end.

"Didn't I say I wanted some time alone? You interfere when I find someone to eat with, and now you want to interfere when I'm taking a shower?"

As she spoke, Eva placed her phone on a nearby shelf, loosened her clothes, and stood under the showerhead.

There was a moment of silence outside, followed by the response, "Alright, then you continue your shower. I'll wait outside for you."

Eva glanced at the shelf and said, "I forgot to bring my clothes. Go to my luggage and find my clothes for me."

"Okay, I'll get them."

Afterward, Eva turned off the showerhead and listened to his footsteps growing distant. She then turned the showerhead back on and retrieved her phone, switching off the speaker. "Now I'll send the location."

"Send it over; no need to say more."

"I need to switch back my SIM card. As for this SIM card, I probably won't use it again." Eva said.

"Mhmm." Nathan continued holding his hand over Emily's mouth and calmly said, "We will find a way to save you. Protect yourself and try not to antagonize him."

"Thank you."

"You're welcome."

After much hesitation, Eva finally said, "Emily, please relay this to Adrian for me."

Upon hearing Emily's name, Nathan let go of the hand covering her mouth. Emily immediately asked, "Why don't you tell him yourself?"

"I tried, but maybe because of the time difference, he didn't pick up the call."

Emily replied, "Alright, but how could the person who kidnapped you be...?"

While Eva calculated the time, knowing that Michael would be returning soon and she still needed to finish sorting out the situation, she interrupted Emily, saying, "Let's stop here. He'll be coming back soon." Emily hesitated, "Okay then, take good care of yourself and don't provoke him. We will contact the police to find you."

The police...

Eva bit her lip, thinking about his kindness towards her over the past five years. She softened her tone and said, "Don't involve the police. Just pass the message to Adrian. He should figure out a way." Even if he didn't save her, he would want to save his children.

"Don't involve the police? How can we find you then?"

Emily wanted to continue, but Nathan urged her on the phone, "Time is running out. You go and finish sorting things out and clean up, we will pass on your message."

After speaking, Nathan hung up the call immediately.

Seeing this, Emily couldn't help but grumble, "What's with that, Stingy Guy? I still have things to say." Nathan glanced at her.

"You don't know the situation on her end. What else do you want to say? We'll wait until we find her." Upon hearing his words, Emily nodded, "Right, you're right. We need to find her first."

After saying that, Emily took out her phone to book a ticket for a flight.

Seeing this, Nathan frowned involuntarily, "What are you doing?"

"I'm booking a flight. She sent me her location."

"You're going to go find her yourself?"

"Of course, in her current situation, I have to go find her." Emily realized something and looked up, meeting Nathan's gaze. "You're not going to stop me, are you? Do you think I'll delay my work? Well, let me make it clear, when I go on blind dates, you always make me work overtime, which is fine because blind dates are not a big deal. But now, this involves my best friend. If you still don't agree to me taking leave, then I'll just quit. Wait for it, once I finish buying the ticket, I'll write my resignation letter."

Seeing that she was really about to purchase the ticket, Nathan speechlessly held her hand and said, "Can't you calm down and use your brain instead of being impulsive?"

Emily was a bit annoyed by his words.

"You're calling me impulsive, how am I supposed to calm down in this situation then?"

Nathan didn't argue with her and went straight to handle the matter.

"Don't buy tickets, call the police."

Call the police?

"No! Don't call the police!" Emily held down his hand reaching for the phone.

Nathan eyed her.

"Didn't you hear what Eva said? She doesn't want us to call the police."

"But she's been kidnapped, Emily, that's illegal."

"I know." Emily bit her lip. "Who doesn't know it's illegal? But for the past five years, it's been Michael who has been helping her, taking care of her. Now that Michael has done this, there must be some misunderstanding that hasn't been resolved. She doesn't want me to call the police, she must have her reasons."

Nathan silently watched her.

Emily continued, "Sometimes people have to show a little compassion, give others a chance to turn things around, don't they?"

After a long moment of eye contact, Nathan gave in.

"Indeed, you're right. Sometimes compassion is necessary."

He paused for a moment and then added, "I'll go with you."

Emily thought she must have misheard, and she looked at him in disbelief.

"You... what did you say? You'll come with me?"

"It's about showing compassion, as you've mentioned. And since I now know about this matter, and you have been a valuable employee of my company for so many years, considering your dedication to the company, I'll lend a hand this time." At first, Emily couldn't believe it, but then she thought having Nathan with her would be better. To reach his current position, there weren't many people who could rival his intelligence. With his help, things will surely go smoother. "Alright, then I'll pay for our plane tickets."

"Hold on a second."

"What now?"

Nathan replied, "Didn't your friend ask you to notify someone?"

Emily suddenly remembered, "Oh right, she told me to inform Adrian, but I don't have his contact information."

Upon realizing this, Emily immediately turned to Nathan. "Mr. Powell, do you have a way?"

Nathan glanced at her but didn't say anything.

Emily quickly pressed her hands together and pleaded, "Please, help me."

Ten minutes later, with Nathan's assistance, Emily successfully obtained Adrian's contact information and also booked the plane tickets.

But for some reason, even though she had the contact information, whenever Emily dialed Adrian's phone number, it always went unanswered.

"What's going on? Why isn't he answering his phone?"

Nathan calmly reasoned, "He might be resting, who knows?"

Upon hearing this possibility, Emily grew frustrated immediately, "It's already so late, and he still has time to rest? Doesn't he know that Eva has been kidnapped? Doesn't he have any sense of urgency? How can someone be like this?" Seeing her agitated and unable to calm down, Nathan grabbed her hand.

"Take a deep breath, pack your things, we'll go to the airport now."

In his presence, Emily felt a sense of calm and she listened to him.

Under his guidance, Emily calmed down and put her phone away. "Okay, then I'll try call him later."

 

Chapter 386 Unreliable

Until she boarded the plane, Emily had not been able to reach Adrian on the phone.

"This is unbelievable. How could Eva like such a man? And he even made me tell him that I saw her with Michael. At least Michael would answer the phone." Emily lamented. In this dangerous situation, Emily's mood became even more volatile. During the unsuccessful phone calls with Adrian, since he didn't answer, Emily could only curse him and even feel sorry for Eva.

Nathan, who had worked with her for many years, had never seen her in such a state.

"Can you calm down? There might be a reason why he didn't answer the call." Nathan said.

"What reason? The phone has been ringing so many times, and nobody picked up. Even if he's busy, he should at least answer a phone call. This kind of man is unreliable. No matter what his reasons are, I must advise Eva when I see her." Emily replied.

Nathan's thin lips twitched, wanting to say something, but he refrained.

At this moment, anything he said seemed futile. After all, it was her close friend who was in danger, and he couldn't truly understand her feelings, no matter how empathetic he was. Deep down, he agreed with what Emily said. When someone you want to ask for help in a critical moment is unable to assist you at all, one would naturally feel disappointed, especially in such an important moment.

Before the plane took off, a flight attendant walked by and reminded everyone to turn off their phones.

Emily, still unwilling to give up, made another call, but Adrian still didn't answer. However, thinking about what Eva asked her to do, Emily finally typed up a text message and sent it to him.

After confirming that the message had been sent, Emily turned off her phone.

Nathan glanced at her. "Still no answer?"

"Yeah, nothing." Emily replied expressionlessly. "I've sent a message, and the flight will take a long time. When we land, he should be awake by then."

Although she was very dissatisfied with Adrian, this was something Eva had asked her to do, and since she had promised, she had to follow through.

After hanging up the phone, Eva quickly removed the SIM card and flushed it down the toilet, then switched back to her original SIM card. She had originally intended to log back into WhatsApp, but after some consideration, she decided against it.

Logging back in would trigger a notification, and it would be too suspicious. It was better to leave it as it is.

After completing everything, Eva placed her phone on the shelf and took a serious shower.

Her top priority now was to prolong her stay here and delay the move for others to be able to find and rescue her.

How could she discreetly delay time without arousing Michael's suspicion?

Eva looked around and her gaze fell on the bathtub next to her.

Michael had given her quite a bit of time to shower.

He took a little longer to get the clothes. By the time he came and knocked on the door, Eva had already filled the bathtub halfway and she went straight in to soak. Then she said from inside, "I'm taking a bath, it's inconvenient for me to get it, can you hang it outside the door for me?"

There was a brief silence at the door, then a voice came.

"Okay, I'll find a bag to hang it in."

Michael walked away again, and later he hung the clothes on the door for Eva and added, "Eva, the water temperature should not be too hot, and you shouldn't be in for too long, otherwise it may make you ill."

Hearing this, Eva sneered, "Wouldn't you be happy if I suffocate from soaking? Finally, you can have some peace."

Silence fell at the door, and Michael didn't speak again. He left.

Eva finally breathed a sigh of relief after he left.

There are now two possibilities.

One is that Michael still doesn't know about the SIM card issue, probably thinking that she is deliberately making things difficult for him, until he sends her back to her country.

The other is that Michael already knows about the SIM card issue, but he hesitates to enter the bathroom directly since she's in there. After all, he is outside and even if he doesn't believe her or what she said about taking a bath, he doesn't dare to rush in.

Although he had pursued her for five years, he had never crossed any boundaries. In that regard, Michael had respected her a lot.

Two people who had always respected each other, why did it end up like this?

At this thought, Eva couldn't help but bury her face in the water, trying to clear her mind.

She had been extremely tense all day until she contacted Emily, and only then was her heart finally at ease.

Next, there might be a tough battle ahead.

To buy some time, Eva stayed in the bath until the water temperature eventually turned cold, and still, she didn't get up.

There was still no sound outside, and she didn't know where Michael had gone after leaving the other side of the bathroom door. Did he go outside the room, or...?

Suddenly, Eva's expression changed as she remembered something.

She had forgotten that while she was busy with all these operations, the two children were still asleep in the room.

Thinking of this, Eva didn't linger any longer. She got up, wiped off the water droplets on her body with a towel, and then opened the door to bring in the bag at the door.

When she saw the intimate clothes in the bag, Eva felt a little awkward.

But then she thought, it's already gotten to this point, why should she feel embarrassed?

He had already imprisoned her, and she had no idea what would happen if this continued. Although he had always respected her in the past, Eva couldn't have predicted that he would do something like this, but he did. Therefore, anything could happen from now on.

After dressing, Eva opened the door and saw Michael standing not far from the bathroom.

Hearing the sound, he turned and walked up to Eva.

"Why are you still here?" Eva stared at him and asked somewhat displeased.

"I was afraid you... You've been soaking for so long, it could cause oxygen deficiency. I was worried." he said as he handed her a towel. "Dry your hair, otherwise you'll catch a cold."

Eva glanced at the towel in his hand and walked past him without a word. Michael furrowed his brows and followed her.

Seeing her heading towards the room, he asked, "What are you going to do?"

"I'm tired. Can't I sleep?"

"Eva, dry your hair."

Eva opened the door and abruptly blocked Michael from entering, and then she shut it with a bang. The two children inside the room continued sleeping undisturbed by the noise. Despite Eva's commotion, the two children were sound asleep. Eva looked at their peaceful faces and felt a bit angry.

Although these two little ones usually had good sleep, it was rare for them to be so deep in their slumber. It was all because Michael had given them something to make them sleep.

How could he be so thoughtless? They were still so young, wasn't he afraid he might accidentally hurt them?

The more she thought about it, the angrier Eva became. But there was nothing she could do at the moment, so she gently touched the children's cheeks and whispered, "Don't worry, my darlings. I will definitely take you back to our home country safely."

 

Chapter 387 Madness

After drying her hair, Eva lay down to rest. The effects of the medicine hadn't completely worn off, so she quickly fell asleep. When she woke up, she heard faint voices coming from outside.

"Mr. Cooper, has Ms. Hansen not woken up yet? Our car is ready. We need to leave."

Michael glanced at the closed door and pursed his thin lips. "She's tired. Let her sleep."

"But Mr. Cooper..." David seemed hesitant.

Michael's voice suddenly turned cold. "I said let her sleep. Don't you understand? Do I need to repeat myself?"

He erupted in anger unexpectedly, taking David by surprise. David didn't dare speak any further and could only nod. "Understood."

David exchanged a few words with the people outside and stayed there to keep watch.

In fact, he wanted to remind Michael that they had been in this place for too long and that Ms. Hansen had already met other people. Those people didn't belong to them, making it difficult to control the situation. If things escalated, it wouldn't end well.

He thought Michael had gone insane, but since they had come this far with the plan, as his assistant, he could only stick with him till the end.

Well, let Eva sleep a little longer. Perhaps, in half an hour, she would wake up on her own.

Eva listened to their conversation, and her heart skipped a beat. She was relieved that she heard them.

"If they find out I've woken up, will I have to go with them?" she thought.

Eva closed her eyes and continued pretending to be asleep.

However, the door opened, and someone entered the room.

Eva furrowed her brow. Was it Michael?

A faint sound of footsteps echoed, finally stopping by her bedside.

Michael silently gazed at the sleeping Eva.

Compared to when she was awake, Eva appeared particularly calm while asleep. Her features were beautiful, especially her eyes, which were vibrant and seemed to hold all the beauty in the world.

He had liked her since adolescence. He loved seeing Eva smile because her eyes curved like a crescent moon hanging high in the sky.

But now, that crescent moon no longer smiled at him. When she saw him, her eyes were filled with caution and wariness.

Their relationship had become worse than that of strangers.

If she could keep smiling at him like before, it would be wonderful.

Michael raised his hand and gently touched her cheek.

Eva, who was pretending to be asleep, had to endure it silently.

This touch made her feel uncomfortable. If she weren't pretending to be asleep, she would have pushed his hand away. Fortunately, Michael's fingers did not linger on her face for long.

After he left, Eva sighed in relief, opened her eyes, and dragged out the time as much as she could.

At first, it was quiet outside, but as time passed, faint footsteps could be heard again.

The sound was low, as if deliberately suppressed.

She even heard the sound of the neighboring room's door opening.

Had she heard it wrong?

The two little ones were sleeping in that room.

What were they doing next door?

Eva immediately got out of bed and opened the door.

She saw David and another person holding the kids and heading outside.

Just as Eva opened the door, the two men stopped and turned around.

Eva lost her composure. She rushed forward and questioned, "What are you doing to my children?"

David hadn't expected Eva to catch him in the act. He had waited for nearly two hours, and she still hadn't woken up.

So he came up with a plan to take the two children away while she was still asleep. Even if she didn't want to leave, she would have to follow them obediently for the sake of her children. But he didn't expect her to wake up.

"Ms. Hansen, this is a misunderstanding. Please let me explain," he said.

"What kind of misunderstanding would cause you to sneak in and take my children away?" Eva retorted.

She stepped forward, took one of the children from David, and walked to the other person. "Put my child back where he was!"

The person hesitated and glanced at David. Then he reluctantly put Dylan, whom he was holding, back on the bed in the room.

David looked at Eva and said, "Ms. Hansen, since you're awake now, let's go."

"Go? Where?"

"This was just a temporary resting place. We're headed to our next destination," he explained.

Hearing this, Eva pursed her lips. "David, you're not Michael. He doesn't know what he's doing, but you do. Don't you realize that some responsibilities are shared?"

How could David not understand the meaning behind Eva's words?

He forced a bitter smile and said, "What can I do, Ms. Hansen? I've been working with Mr. Cooper for years. I have to go along with his wishes. There's no reason to escape now."

Eva understood what he was thinking.

"It's not good for him." Eva felt dejected. "If you truly have his best interests at heart, then you should be advising him instead of enabling his wrongdoings."

"Ms. Hansen, do you think I haven't advised him? You've known Mr. Cooper for such a long time. Don't you think you understand him better than I do?"

Eva remained silent. She pursed her lips and told David to leave. "You should leave."

David hesitated, glancing at her before finally leaving with his companion.

Outside the room, they ran into Michael. David immediately briefed him on what had happened.

Michael furrowed his brows, looking displeased. "When will you start being reliable, David?"

"Apologies, Mr. Cooper. There won't be a next time." David thought for a moment before speaking up again. "Mr. Cooper, forgive me for butting in, but you either turn back now or put an end to this. We must leave. Further delay will not be advantageous for us."

"I understand. I'll go in and try to persuade her."

"Mr. Cooper, you've already done enough throughout this journey. You have always accommodated Ms. Hansen. But was it helpful? Either send her back or leave now."

He thought Michael was really crazy. After arriving in this country, Mr. Cooper became somewhat indecisive when it came to Ms. Hansen.

 

 

Chapter 388 Give Ruby back to me

After got the kids settled to the room, Eva locked the door.

She knew she wouldn't be able to stay there for much longer.

Based on David's actions just now, it seemed that the issue with the SIM card had been discovered, though none of them had brought it up explicitly. After the commotion earlier, the two little ones had also woken up, rubbing their eyes as they looked at her.

"Mama, what were you and David talking about just now?"

Eva gently stroked their heads. "Awake? Are you hungry? When Michael comes, we can ask him to help us find your favorite ice cream, okay?"

The two children hadn't thought about ice cream before, but when Eva mentioned it, their cravings for it suddenly arose.

"Okay."

Soon, there was a knock at the door.

"Eva," Michael's voice echoed from outside the door, followed by him turning the doorknob and walking in.

"Uncle Michael!"

Due to the lingering thoughts of ice cream, Ruby was especially delighted. She immediately opened her arms to ask for a hug when she saw Michael. Michael approached and embraced her.

"Uncle Michael, I want to have ice cream." Ruby began to acted playfully and made her request.

"Ice cream? We can get some."

Ruby nodded gently. "Yeah, I'm really hungry."

"Then let's go downstairs and find a different place to stay. I'll buy you something on the way, okay?"

Eva was surprised that Michael would pull this kind of move.

At this moment, perhaps due to their close relationship, Dylan, who was sitting beside them, stood up and tugged at Michael's pants.

"Uncle Michael, can we buy it and eat it at home?"

Hearing this, Eva was taken aback. She didn't reveal anything to Dylan. So was this just a coincidence?

Michael unconsciously glanced at Eva.

After a moment, he nodded and said, "Sure. You stay here with your mommy, and I'll take Ruby out to buy it. Ruby wanted to eat it first, right?"

Ruby nodded immediately. "Okay, I'll go with you."

Eva glanced at Michael. It was a move he knew how to use. He always used such subtle methods that no one noticed.

If anyone came looking for her during this time, would he use Ruby to hold her back?

Thinking this, Eva frowned and said, "Forget it, it's too cold. Let's not have any ice cream."

Michael paused. "Okay, since we're not having it, let's go then. Let's go to the next place."

Michael wanted to take Ruby away, but Eva said, "We won't go with you."

Since she couldn't delay any longer, there was no need for her to pretend.

She didn't want to expose their relationship in front of the two children. After all, for them, Michael was a reliable presence.

But now she realized that if Michael took her away today and they moved to a new place, they wouldn't be able to hide it at all. Sooner or later, the two children would find out.

Sure enough, after she spoke, both the kids looked at her.

"Mama?"

Eva looked at Michael, her expression darkening, and said, "Give up now. There's still a way back. I will keep my promise if you send us back to our home country now, I can pretend that nothing ever happened." Michael stood there silently. His thin lips tightened slightly, and his gaze at Eva was filled with helplessness. "What if I don't send you back?"

Eva's lips curled in sarcasm. "If you don't send us back, then we're no longer friends, and you will disappoint these two children as well."

Dylan, being more mature, simply listened to Eva's words without asking anything.

But Ruby, being playful and curious, was restless. Her little head was filled with confusion.

"Uncle Michael, did you have a fight with mommy? Please don't fight, I'm scared."

The little girl's soft voice was like a fluffy marshmallow, melting into Michael's heart. Deep inside, Michael's heart also softened.

"Put Ruby down and let her come to me."

Just as Michael was about to comfort the little girl, Eva made a request.

At this moment, Michael's hand was still on the little girl's back as he spoke softly, "Eva, do we really have to be so tense?"

Eva retorted, "Isn't this what you wanted?"

After saying that, she walked up, trying to snatch Ruby from Michael, but he took a step back. "I'm sorry, but you seem a bit emotionally unstable right now. I can't give Ruby to you."

Unstable? Wasn't he the one with unstable emotions?

Eva emphasized it seriously. "Ruby is my child. Do you understand?"

"Mummy..."

Although Ruby didn't know what had happened between the two adults, she seemed to sense the severity of the situation. Naturally, she was anxious to return to Eva's side and struggled to get out of Michael's arms.

"Ruby, don't move," Michael said as he held her in his arms and stepped back. "Didn't you say you wanted to have ice cream? I'll take you to buy some. We'll get some for mommy and your brother too, so mommy won't be angry anymore, okay?"

Seeing him retreat, Eva hurriedly caught up.

"Michael, give Ruby back to me!"

Michael walked out of the hotel holding Ruby, while Eva tried to catch up. However, David ran up and stopped her, and the two men guarding the door quickly caught up as well.

"You guys, get out of the way!"

Because it involved her daughter, Eva was no longer gentle at this moment. She even pushed David hard.

However, David and the other two men firmly blocked her way. Her strength couldn't match the three men, so she could only watch helplessly as Michael carried Ruby, who was crying for mommy, away.

When everything quieted down, Eva was left exhausted, panting heavily. She even raised her hand and slapped David.

David remained calm, saying, "Ms. Hansen, all I can assure you is that Mr. Cooper won't harm Ruby. Please don't worry."

Since both sides had already fallen out, Eva no longer treated David with kindness. "Let me through."

"I'm sorry, Ms. Hansen. I can't do that. You have only one option if you want to get through this door: get ready to head to our next destination."

 

Chapter 389 We're Late

Everyone stood at the door, deadlocked, for a few minutes.

David was worried that Eva would resist again. If they tried to stop her, they would be the ones getting hurt. They could only stop her, not harm her.

Fortunately Eva was not an impulsive woman.

David looked at Eva and tried to persuade her. "Ms. Hansen, it's okay to go with Michael.. You know that Mr. Cooper only has you in his heart. He won't fall for anyone else. He will be good to you for the rest of his life." "So what? Does that mean I have to choose him? What about my freedom?"

"Think about it, Eva. I know Mr. Cooper very well. He won't change his decisions easily. If you continue to make a scene, it will only agitate him further."

After speaking, he glanced at the two men beside him, then leaned close to Eva and whispered, "Just follow him for now."

Eva looked at him, and David nodded at her.

In fact, she was indeed impulsive just now, which led to Michael leaving without looking back while holding Ruby.

Michael's appearance at that time was something she had never seen before. As David had described, he looked as if he had been stimulated. "Mommy."

Her hand was tugged. Eva lowered her head and saw Dylan standing next to her looking up at her somewhat nervously.

"Dylan?"

Eva picked him up and went back into the house. David quickly closed the door when he saw this.

"Mommy, did you have a fight with Uncle Michael?" Dylan asked cautiously.

Eva shook her head.

"No, we didn't fight. The situation is complicated, but for now, Michael is doing something dangerous, and we need to stop him." Dylan nodded as if he understood. "Okay."

Then he said, "But mommy, he took Ruby away with him."

Eva furrowed her brows. Judging from the current situation, Michael wouldn't hurt Ruby..

The reason he took her was to live with her, so he wouldn't hurt any of the children.

But, as he said, he would direct his anger toward someone else.

"Mommy?"

Eva snapped back to reality and stroked Dylan's head.

"Sorry, I was just lost in thought."

"Don't worry. Michael shouldn't harm Ruby," Eva thought to herself.

For now, all she could do was wait-wait for someone to come to their rescue or wait for Michael to bring Ruby back.

Soon, David opened the door and entered the room.

"Ms. Hansen, the car is ready. Let's go downstairs," he said.

Eva checked the time on her phone. It had only been fifteen minutes.

"Do we really have to leave?" she asked.

David nodded. "Ms. Hansen, I can arrange for food to be delivered to the car. You can have your meal while we're on the road."

"What if I don't want to eat in the car?"

"In that case, you may consider having your meal after we reach our destination."

Eva sneered. "It seems like I have no choice but to leave."

David said softly, "Ms. Hansen, I have just contacted Mr. Cooper. He has bought ice cream for Miss Ruby, and he is on the way to our destination. If we leave now, we'll probably arrive there ten minutes later than them." Eva felt frustrated. They had already reached out for help, yet time seemed to slip away.

Ruby had been with her before, but due to her own carelessness, she had lost her.

Eva blamed herself deeply. Why did she even mention the ice cream?

"Ms. Hansen?" David reminded her, seeing her lost in her thoughts. "We should leave, or else we won't be able to catch up."

Eva snapped back to reality and nodded silently.

"Understood. Let me pack quickly."

"Alright, we'll wait outside. You have five minutes."

After David left, Eva took Dylan back to the room to pack their things. She took out an item from the suitcase, hung it in the closet, and stuffed something into the nearby drawer.

Once she finished organizing, Eva grabbed the suitcase and walked outside with Dylan.

"Let's go. We're going to find Ruby."

"Okay."

As soon as the door opened, David took the suitcase. Since they were under soft confinement, Eva decided to let them handle everything.

Before leaving, Eva glanced back at the hotel room door. She wondered if they would notice the things she left behind.

After checking out, she hoped they would arrive here before the room was cleaned by the staff.

As for where they would go next, Eva had no immediate solution.

Despite having been slapped by Eva, David maintained a respectful attitude toward her.

Once again, he helped her with her luggage and opened the car door for her. Someone even delivered food to the car.

"Ms. Hansen, you haven't eaten much all day, so I prepared something for you. If you want to eat, you can. Otherwise, the chef can prepare something you like when we reach our destination." After a long day, Eva was indeed hungry.

For now, she couldn't change the situation and could only take care of her own well-being.

After they started driving, Eva finally picked up the fork and ate a little something.

David watched her and felt quite relieved.

Little did they know that ten minutes after they left, a group of people rushed into the hotel and began investigating Eva's whereabouts.

However, the hotel was already deserted.

"Where are they?" Adrian's expression turned grim as he questioned.

Jacob followed by his side. "I think we're late."

Adrian clenched his fists tightly in frustration and murmured a name through his teeth. "Michael!"

"Mr. Blackwood, we found this." The person conducting the search brought something over.

Jacob took it and handed it to Adrian.

"Mr. Blackwood, it's a beige coat and an earring."

Adrian took the items and immediately recognized them, as Eva used to wear them often.

When they first met after her return, she was wearing these earrings.

So Adrian had a deep impression of them.

"Are they Ms. Hansen's belongings?" Jacob asked.

Adrian's face was still grim. "They're hers."

 

Chapter 390 Make Him Get Sick of You

The first half of the journey went smoothly, but as they continued, the road became rugged and winding. At first, Eva could endure it, but after ten minutes, she started feeling dizzy. Dylan leaned against her, clearly not feeling well either.

Although Eva felt uncomfortable, she took care of Dylan. She massaged his temples and asked softly, "Are you feeling better?"

But Dylan was in too much discomfort to speak.

Eva had no choice. She said to the driver, "Please slow down, my child is getting sick."

Since they were in a hurry, even though the road was rough, the driver didn't slow down much. They had wasted too much time, and David was worried about what was happening behind them.

But when David turned his head and saw the child curled up in Eva's arms, he couldn't bear it anymore. He also noticed how pale Eva looked, so he asked the driver to slow down.

After the speed was reduced, the car became more stable, and the situation improved slightly.

Eva held Dylan in her arms, suppressing the urge to vomit. She was pale, but she kept going.

Eva's heart grew heavy with worry for Ruby. She knew that the road would be uncomfortable for her too. When they left, Ruby was crying. Eva wondered how she was doing now, if she was scared and crying to the point of hiccups.

The more she thought about it, the more chaotic Eva's heart became. She closed her eyes and focused on ending this journey as soon as possible.

After what seemed like a long time, the car finally stopped at a villa nestled in the mountains.

As the door opened, Eva spotted a car parked at the entrance of the villa, with its gate wide open. Numerous bodyguards stood on either side, indicating high security. But at the same time, it meant that if she wanted to escape later, it would be nearly impossible.

"Ms. Hansen, we have arrived," said David, respectfully.

Eva carried Dylan and stepped out of the car. "Where is Ruby?"

David replied, "Miss Ruby is with Mr. Cooper. By now, they should have already entered the villa. Ms. Hansen, let's go inside now."

Eva wanted to refuse because Ruby was inside. She had no idea how much suffering she had endured throughout this journey. So she reluctantly followed David into the villa.

Throughout the walk, Eva observed her surroundings. The villa was surrounded by high walls, with dozens of bodyguards guarding the only exit.

However, David's voice distracted her.

"Ms. Hansen, if you truly dislike Mr. Cooper, my suggestion is to make him tired of you and then leave."

There was nobody around them.

Eva was confused. She furrowed her brows and asked, "Make him tired of me? Do you have a way?"

David paused briefly and then slowed down his pace. "I've been by Mr. Cooper's side for many years. He is the kind of person who wants what he can't have. You are here because Mr. Cooper has never had you."

His words were incredibly absurd. Did that mean she had to let him have her in order to safely leave Michael?

Eva responded coldly, "What you're saying is useless. I won't accept it."

David noticed her expression and guessed what she was thinking. "Ms. Hansen, please don't misunderstand. When I say 'have,' I don't mean it in the way you are thinking."

Hearing this, Eva instinctively glanced at Dylan in her arms.

Discussing such a topic in front of a child felt odd.

"What I mean is, let Mr. Cooper experience the feeling of having something, the feeling of happiness," David explained further.

"What do you mean?" Eva grew even more confused by his words.

"Do you know about Mr. Cooper's family situation?" David asked.

Eva furrowed her brows. She had heard people gossip when she was younger, saying that Michael's father was a scoundrel who neglected his children.

He always indulged himself outside and never cared for his wife. He even got involved in a scandal with a young girl.

Many people criticized this man, but there were also those who spoke up for him. "Don't all wealthy men behave like this? They have status and position. They're just seeking something new outside. Once they get tired of playing around, they naturally come back home without causing any big trouble."

But Eva knew that not everyone was like Michael's father. For example, her own father had remained single ever since her mother's passing, not because of her, but because he deeply loved her mother.

If one man can hold onto his boundaries even when his loved one isn't by his side, why can't other men do the same? It's simply because they don't want to.

She wanted to comfort Michael, but during that time, he would always talk about the interactions between Adrian and Vivian when he saw her, and she didn't like hearing those.

So she eventually stopped comforting him.

Not long after, she heard that Michael's parents were going through a divorce because the mistress came knocking at the door. She was pregnant and wanted to get married. It caused quite a commotion. People in New York gossiped about them, and Michael, who was still in school, became the most talked-about person.

During that time, Eva overheard private discussions.

"Hey, Michael is so handsome."

"But what's the use? He's just another scumbag."

"A scumbag? I've never heard any news of him being in a relationship. Do you guys have some insider information?"

"It's not him, it's his father. His father is finding mistresses outside. I heard one of them is already pregnant and making a scene at their house."

"That must be terrible for the legal wife."

"Yeah, the mistress is causing a fuss about getting married. The legal wife is older. She is not as beautiful as the younger girls. I bet she'll get divorced soon."

"But what does this have to do with Michael?"

"Are you dumb? Like father, like son. If his dad is a scumbag, he'll be one too in the future. It's better to stay away from this kind of man. And it'll be terrible if the mistress gives birth to a son."

"You're right, I never thought about that. Michael will probably turn into someone like his father in the future."

When Eva heard the last comment, she furrowed her brows. Although others were just discussing, why did their words make her so angry?

She couldn't hold back and rushed out.

"A father is a father, and a son is a son. How can you compare the two? Every person is an independent individual with their own personality. Besides, who knows what the future holds? It's not good to pass judgment and label others before anything even happens."

The group of girls was surprised to see someone speaking up for Michael, and when they noticed it was Eva, they immediately showed mocking expressions.

"Oh look, it's the one who's always with Michael. Defending him, huh?"

"It's the young lady of the Hansen family. How come your mother ran away and you still have the energy to meddle in other people's affairs?"