Ch. 401..410

Chapter 401 Making a Determination

Eva didn't argue with him anymore because, no matter what she said, he would only respond in the gentlest tone.

Even though he was doing things that hurt her, he acted as if he was doing it for her own good.

No matter how angry or sarcastic Eva was, Michael remained unaffected.

This made Eva feel that it was pointless to argue further, so she left with the two children.

After returning to the room, Eva stood by the window and waited for about five minutes before she saw Michael drive away in a car.

Eva also noticed that most of the people who normally surrounded the villa had been reassigned elsewhere.

She was somewhat shocked. Did David know about this?

Why did so many people leave?

Has someone found her?

Eva's thoughts were interrupted by a knocking sound at the door. She quickly walked over and opened it, only to see David standing outside. "Ms. Hansen."

"You..."

Eva had only said one word when David interrupted her. "Ms. Hansen, quickly take Dylan and Ruby and come with me."

David held Ruby, Eva held Dylan, and the two left hurriedly. The road was clear. There was no one blocking their way. Eva's heart pounded as they fled. It was like a grand escape.

He brought her to a car. Eva and the two children got in, and after David entered, he fastened his seatbelt and turned his head to look at them. "Ms. Hansen, it might be troublesome, but I need you and the children to lie down under the seats."

Eva was extremely surprised. "Will that save us from being discovered?"

David pursed his lips, his expression serious. "If they don't open the car door."

Eva understood his meaning. If the person checking doesn't open the car door, they won't discover them. But if they're unlucky and their car is checked...

"I only have this one chance. Ms. Hansen, you can try. Even if it fails, Mr. Cooper won't do anything to you."

"But..." Eva bit her lower lip and looked at David in hesitation.

If she failed, Michael probably wouldn't do anything to her, but what about David? He was clearly punished earlier, and he probably thanked her because he was released only on her request. What would he do if she really ran away?

"Ms. Hansen, we don't have much time. Please make a decision quickly." David knew she was still hesitating. "Ms. Hansen, the reason I'm doing this is because I've already made up my mind. You don't need to worry about my future. I will take responsibility for my words and actions. Right now, you only need to consider yourself."

Consider herself?

If she only considered herself, of course, she would want to take her children and leave. There was no one to look after her company, and her children weren't able to attend the school. If it continued, she would become stagnant, and they wouldn't be able to live a normal life.

"Ms. Hansen, we don't have much time left."

Eva made up her mind. "Thank you. I will definitely repay your kindness one day."

After saying that, she lay down in the car with the two children.

Ruby and Dylan were well-behaved and didn't interrupt during their conversation. They now lay quietly, regardless of whether the ground was dirty or not.

"Don't worry, it'll get better soon," she reassured.

Ruby nodded gently, signaling she understood.

Seeing them all hunkered down, David knew Eva had made her decision. "Ms. Hansen, please make sure you're seated securely."

The car started moving.

David's eyes were fixed on the road. "We should reach the gate in about two minutes. They've pulled most of the guards from there, but we still need to be careful. I won't be able to force our way through. If they'll let us go, I'll drop you off somewhere before heading back. If we're unlucky and they want to inspect the car, I'll have to drive fast, so you'll need to buckle up and protect yourselves."

Eva listened to him carefully, and in the end, all she could muster was a heartfelt "thank you."

David smiled and fell silent.

Two minutes later, they arrived at the gate.

As expected, David's exit was obstructed.

As the car came to a stop, Eva's breathing tensed. She gave the two little ones a look, and they obediently lay still, not daring to move an inch.

Someone tapped on the car window, and David rolled it down. His face was expressionless as he looked at the person outside.

The guard's expression shifted slightly upon seeing David.

"David, are you heading out?"

"Yes," David replied curtly. "Mr. Cooper forgot something. I'll have to deliver it."

The guard hesitated. "But Mr. Cooper said that you would stay at the villa to protect Ms. Hansen."

"Yes, I will protect Ms. Hansen, but I also need to deliver this. Now, let me through."

The argument drew more attention, and others came over to inquire about what was happening.

David's brow furrowed slightly; it was getting difficult to handle things with a crowd.

He glanced at the open gate, hesitating whether to just make a break for it.

But such a move would easily spook them all.

If they pursued him, it would lead to a disaster. So it was best to leave peacefully.

David turned the car key and said, "Would you like to deliver it yourself then? If Mr. Cooper asks, you can tell him you were the ones who held me up and caused the delay."

Startled by his willingness to walk away from the task, everyone took a step back, well aware that Michael was not one to be trifled with.

The man at the gate hesitated for a moment before nodding. "Alright, go ahead. But remember, don't take too long."

David smirked and stepped out of the car, signaling Eva and the kids to stay put. As he walked toward the gate, the others watched with mixed expressions of curiosity and apprehension. Eva couldn't help but ask, "Is he going to be okay?"

Ruby looked at Eva with worried eyes. "I hope so. David seems confident, but who knows what might happen?"

Eva forced a reassuring smile. "Let's trust him for now. He's done so much to protect us. I believe he won't let anything happen to himself."

They waited anxiously, unable to shake off the feeling of vulnerability. Minutes felt like hours as they held their breaths, hoping that David would return safely and everything would go according to plan. The person finally said, "Okay, you can go now."

"Have you decided? Don't you want to go and deliver it yourself?" David said.

"No way, David. Mr. Cooper specifically called for you. How can we go there? We don't even know where Mr. Cooper is going."

David snorted and started the car again.

After he left, the leader scratched his head and said, "Strange. Why did Mr. Cooper ask him to deliver something at this time?" "Wait, did you check his car?"

"No. Does David's car need to be checked?"

The person was scolded harshly.

"Did you all forget about David getting punished by Mr. Cooper a few days ago? Are you just going to let his car go without inspection?"

 

Chapter 402 No Results from Forcing

"But David seemed really angry, and I'm afraid of offending him, so..."

The person's expression changed as he listened to him. "Oh no! Quickly drive and chase after him! Also, send someone to check if Ms. Hansen is still in her room." Everyone made excuses. Some ran to drive, while others went to check.

"She's not there!"

"Damn it! Chase after them and send more cars. Also, notify Mr. Cooper about this."

In an instant, the entire villa area became chaotic.

David, who had escaped successfully, drove the car at a high speed.

Eva and her children also sat up and fastened their seatbelts, considering the possible danger behind them.

David didn't dare to slow down the car. He observed the rearview mirror and said, "They'll discover it soon; worst case, they are already on the way to chase us. Ms. Hansen, if they catch up, I will find a place to drop you off. Hide there, and don't stay in the car for too long-you'll be too noticeable."

Eva nodded. "Okay."

"I probably won't come back to pick you up, so after getting off, you will have to find a way on your own."

David looked at her seriously through the rearview mirror.

"Ms. Hansen, this place is too unfamiliar to you. Are you sure? You are a woman traveling with two children. It could be much more dangerous than staying in the villa. If you regret it now, we can still go back."

"No, I won't go back, and I don't regret it." Eva bit her lip. "I have lived alone with my children before. Don't worry, you just need to find a place to drop us off when the time comes."

David nodded. "Okay, I understand, Ms. Hansen."

David probably took detours to avoid surveillance cameras. He himself didn't know where he was.

Which road was it?

After a while, they finally found a place to hide.

David stopped the car and looked into the distance. "There is a farmhouse ahead where you can hide for a while."

Eva got out of the car with the two children.

Before leaving, David took out his wallet and gave all the money inside to Eva.

"I didn't bring much with me. I only have this. And I can't give you the phone. They'll track it."

Eva looked at the stack of money but didn't reach out to take it.

"David..." Eva's voice sounded tearful. "I'm sorry, I might be causing trouble for you."

Hearing this, David smiled brightly and tugged at his lips.

"Ms. Hansen, I've been helping to take care of Ruby and Dylan for the past five years. They're lovely, and you're a good person, I..."

He didn't finish his sentence. He just forcefully stuffed the money into her hands. "Go quickly. Every second you spend here is an additional risk of exposure."

After saying that, David got back into the car with no intention of speaking to her again.

Eva clenched her lower lip. She had already come out, so saying anything else now would seem melodramatic. She could only thank him deeply with her eyes and leave with the two children quickly. David sat in his original seat and watched their figures move further away until he was sure they had hidden in the farmhouse before starting the car again.

As there was no one in the car now, David drove slower. He had no idea what awaited him.

As for whether he regretted it or not, some things, once done, were done. Whether he regretted it or not didn't matter at all.

He was caught an hour later.

He and the car were brought before Michael. His face already wore an expression of defeat, as if he had already foreseen his own fate, and he had no intention of pleading for mercy. "Where are they?" Michael's voice was still very soft.

But David knew that this was probably the calm before the storm.

He smiled and raised his head to meet Michael's eyes. "I don't know where they went. I separated from them halfway."

Upon hearing this, a vein twitched in the corner of Michael's eye. "Why?"

David pursed his lips. "No reason. I wanted to do it, so I did it."

"Is it because I punished you?" Michael pushed his glasses up. "You let them escape to seek revenge on me, right?"

"No." David shook his head. "You have been very kind to me, so even if you punish me, I'll never seek revenge on you."

David looked seriously at Michael. "However, I must tell you that the fruit has not ripened yet. It's still bitter, Mr. Cooper. Please stop."

Michael stared at him. His gentle face was devoid of a smile. "Stop?"

"Do you know why Ms. Hansen didn't report to the police when she obtained the SIM card last time, Mr. Cooper?"

Michael pursed his thin lips and remained silent.

"If Ms. Hansen had reported it right away, things would have been different now. Mr. Cooper, she still has a glimmer of hope for you. She doesn't want to harm you. You and Ms. Hansen can still be friends." "Friends?" The word made Michael laugh, initially with a disdainful chuckle. His laughter grew louder, as if he had stumbled upon something extremely amusing.

David stood there, quietly watching him with a pitiful gaze.

When Michael finally stopped laughing, his face changed to a different expression. His eyes were now staring at David ominously.

"I cannot watch her become my friend, nor do I need any friends."

"Mr. Cooper, forcing it won't yield any results."

"Is that so?" Michael scoffed, twisting his lips. "Whether it yields results or not, I'll be the one to decide. Take him away."

Those who were following David hesitated upon hearing this. "Mr. Cooper, how should we deal with David?"

"How to deal with him?" Michael drawled. "That's something I really need to think about. Let's start by locking him up."

David was taken away and locked up. Someone stepped forward and said, "Mr. Cooper, David has committed a big mistake. Is locking him up the only thing you plan to do?" Michael glanced at him and smirked, without confirming or denying anything.

"Mr. Cooper? What do you think?"

 

Chapter 403 Hiding

When he received no reply, the person persisted.

This was a good opportunity. It was his chance to rise to power.

Many had wanted to take David's position a long time ago, but David always operated with utmost secrecy, making it difficult for them to find an opportunity. Now that they finally caught him, shouldn't they suppress him quickly?

"Go find her first," Michael replied with only this sentence.

The person was unwilling. "But what about David?"

"And who are you?" Michael's tone suddenly changed. His gaze turned cold, and a chilling aura emanated from his body.

The person was terrified and dared not say more. He could only lower his head and say, "I'll go find Ms. Hansen first."

After the person left, Michael took out a pack of cigarettes from his pocket and lit one.

He didn't smoke, but recent events had made him frustrated. Eva... Why didn't she want to stay by his side?

Compared to Adrian, he didn't know where he had lost.

There was only one person by his side, and besides her, there would never be another woman.

He had spent five years thinking he could warm her heart, but he hadn't expected it to turn out like this.

With these thoughts, Michael took a harsh puff of smoke and almost choked.

*Cough*

He coughed twice. The person standing outside the room came in and asked, "Mr. Cooper, are you alright?"

Michael didn't answer. He just stared at the flickering flame of the cigarette and said, "Keep David locked up for now, and give him food." "Alright."

"As for Eva, she has two children with her. They shouldn't have gone far. Search the nearby farms and hotels in the city."

"Understood, I'll pass on the instructions."

At night, Eva checked into a cheap hotel with her two children.

The hotel's environment was dirty and messy, and the air had a musty smell. Eva pushed open the window and took a look. There was a stinky drain behind.

She closed the window tightly, locked it, and pulled the curtains.

Then she turned around, looked at the two kids sitting uncomfortably on the sofa, and walked over.

"My babies, you'll have to endure it."

The money given by David wasn't much. She didn't know when she could go back, so she didn't dare to spend the money recklessly. Most importantly, she didn't dare to take them to an expensive hotel. If Michael were to look for her, he would certainly search the hotels as well.

Fortunately, the two little darlings were well-behaved. They had no objections to staying in a place like this. In fact, they even tried to cheer Eva up when they saw her feeling gloomy.

After running around all day, Eva was tired as well. But she didn't dare to go out casually, so she paid the hotel manager to bring them some food.

The manager brought some cheese and ham and, knowing she had two children, also brought fresh goat's milk.

"Our place isn't great, but the food is homemade. The goat's milk was just milked. Give it to the children," the manager said.

Eva took the milk that was still warm and glanced at the manager. "Thank you."

The manager looked at her and said, "No problem. It's not easy for someone to be away from home alone. Are you here to look for a job?" Because of the circumstances, Eva couldn't say much. She could only nod.

"Yes, I'm looking for a job. I'll stay here for a few days."

"I see."

They chatted casually for a while. Then the manager said she had some things to attend to and left.

Before leaving, she asked Eva to lock the door when she went to sleep at night and not to respond to anyone knocking on the door.

Eva nodded and suddenly thought of something.

"Sorry, when I arrived here, my things were stolen, and I don't have my phone. Can I borrow yours to make a call?"

The manager paused for a moment and then nodded.

"Of course, you can. There's a public phone downstairs. You can come down and use it after you've eaten."

A public phone? Eva nodded. "Thank you, I'll go there later."

After closing the door, she served the food to the two children.

"Darlings, eat a little bit for now. When we go back, I'll cook a big meal for you."

"Thank you, mommy."

While the two children were eating, Eva was still thinking about making the phone call. However, she felt that leaving the two kids alone might not be safe. What if someone came in after she left?

After much consideration, Eva decided to wait for the two kids to finish eating before going downstairs to make the call. At least they would be with her if anything happened.

The ham tasted really good, and the two little ones ate with relish.

Although Eva didn't have much appetite, she managed to eat some to fill her stomach.

"Mommy, we're done eating."

Eva packed up the things and then stood up. "Let's go downstairs to make a phone call."

Two minutes later, Eva left with the two children.

To use the public phone downstairs, she had to go the front desk to find the manager. After going out, Eva tightened her grip on the two little ones.

"The environment here may not be very good, and it's not safe at night. You must stay close to me and not run around, understand?"

"We understand, mommy." The little ones followed her downstairs, and from a distance, Eva saw the manager sitting at the front desk, talking and laughing with the staff. The public phone was not far away. Eva was about to walk over with the two kids when she saw several men entering the hotel.

Her intuition told her something was not right. She immediately pulled the two children into a nearby corner to hide.

After she hid in the corner, she saw those men heading straight for the front desk.

However, because they were too far, Eva couldn't hear what those men were saying. She could only guess from their body language and facial expressions. After a while, the manager pointed upstairs. This was not good. Eva glanced around and pulled the children into the nearby restroom.

She could hear the manager leading the men upstairs.

"Let's go upstairs."

 

 

Chapter 404 Don't Give Me Nicknames

Eva quickly led the children to the front desk. She picked up the phone and dialed a number. She didn't wait for the other person to answer before leaving.

The receptionist intended to stop Eva, but she had already left. After muttering something, she hung up the phone and returned to her post.

Meanwhile, Emily was having a meal when her phone rang suddenly. She answered the call without even checking the caller ID. "Hello?"

There was the sound of the line disconnecting.

As soon as Emily answered the call, she heard the sound of it being hung up.

Strange.

Emily frowned and saw an unfamiliar landline number on the screen.

"Did they dial the wrong number?" She muttered to herself, catching the attention of Nathan sitting in front of her. "What's wrong?" he asked, looking up.

"I received a call from an unknown number. I don't know what happened. As soon as I answered, they hung up."

Upon hearing this, Nathan's eyebrows furrowed. "An unknown number?"

He quickly leaned over and took Emily's phone to check. "This is a local landline number."

Emily was even more puzzled. "Why would a local landline number call me?"

As she said this, she finally realized something and looked at Nathan.

Two seconds later, Nathan dialed the number back.

Emily held her breath and waited anxiously.

After the call was answered, she heard an unfamiliar woman's voice.

Nathan communicated with the other person. "This is my number. Did you just call me?"

Emily couldn't hear their conversation clearly, so she moved closer to eavesdrop.

"Sorry, it wasn't me. We had a strange guest in our hotel who suddenly came and made this call."

A strange guest?

How could a strange guest call Emily?

Nathan asked, "Where is she?"

"I'm not sure. She left after making the call. I thought she was just dialing randomly, but I didn't know that the call actually went through."

Nathan pursed his lips and squinted. "She left? Where did she go?"

"I'm not sure about that, but she is a guest at our hotel. She should come back later. If I see her, I will let you know."

"Thank you. Could you please tell me the hotel's address?"

After Nathan hung up the phone, Emily asked anxiously, "What happened?"

"It must be her. She dialed the number and left. If she left without even answering the call, it must mean that she encountered some trouble and was in a hurry to leave," Nathan explained. Emily understood everything.

"You're right. Who else would call me here? It must be her. She must be in trouble. I'll go tell Adrian about this."

Emily stood up and ran outside to find Adrian, but she was stopped by someone at his doorstep.

"What are you doing? Let go of me! I have something important to tell Adrian."

"Miss, it's not that we won't let you in. Mr. Blackwood is not here right now. He's gone out."

"Gone out?"

Emily's heart instantly sank. How could he leave at such a critical moment?

"What about Jacob?"

"Jacob left with Mr. Blackwood."

Emily immediately took out her phone and called Adrian, hoping that this time he would answer. If she couldn't find him again and missed the best time for rescue, she would hate him and curse him fiercely. Before the call could go through, Emily had already cursed Adrian hundreds of times in her heart.

But unexpectedly, he picked up the call after just one ring.

"Hello."

Hearing that cold male voice, Emily was a bit slow to react and stood still.

"Miss Emily?"

Her silence made the man on the other end of the line call her name in confusion.

Only then did Emily come to her senses. She immediately repeated what happened earlier and also gave him the address of that hotel. "I'm sure it's her. Even if it's not, we can't miss this chance. What if something happens?" "I'll be right there."

Emily heard him instructing the driver to turn around. After he finished instructing, he said to her, "Send that number to my phone." "Okay."

After hanging up the phone, Emily sent the landline number to Adrian.

At that moment, Nathan came over.

"Did you get it done?"

Emily bit her lip and nodded.

Nathan glanced at her and then asked the person at the gate, "Is there a car we can use?"

The person hesitated for a moment before nodding.

"Of course, you can. You're Mr. Blackwood's guests."

Emily looked at Nathan with curiosity and asked, "What do you need the car for?"

Nathan replied, "Don't you want to go?"

Emily finally realized what he meant. He wanted the car to take her to find Eva.

It's been several days, and it's not easy to figure out where Eva might be. How could she possibly wait at home?

But she didn't say it herself. She was afraid of hindering Adrian's efforts. But she didn't expect Nathan to bring it up.

She was both surprised and nervous. When Nathan got the keys and led her to the car, she reached out and tugged at his hem. "Mr. Powell, thank you."

Nathan paused and glanced down at the hand tugging on his clothes. His lips curled slightly, almost imperceptibly.

"Thank me? Merely saying it is not enough."

"Huh?" Emily retracted her hand upon hearing this. "Do I need to take actual action too?"

"What else?" Nathan glanced sideways, his gaze falling on her face. "Do you truly consider a thank you without actual action sincere?"

Emily met his eyes for a moment and hesitated before speaking. "Then, when we get back, may I treat you to a meal to express my gratitude?" "Just that?"

What else could there be?

Emily pursed her lips and said, "How about two meals?"

"Just meals and nothing else?"

Emily looked at him with confusion. She didn't understand what he meant.

Nathan saw her puzzled expression and tapped her head. "Think it through with your brain."

They got into the car, but Emily continued to ask, "Mr. Powell, can we make things clear? I can't guess if you don't tell me."

Nathan glanced at her. "Seatbelt."

"Oh." Emily fastened her seatbelt and then raised her head again.

"So, Mr. Powell, what exactly do you mean by 'thanks'?"

Her forehead was tapped again. Emily instinctively covered her forehead with her hand. At this moment, she heard Nathan say, "What I mean is, apart from the two meals, don't give me any more nicknames in the future."

 

Chapter 405 Holding On

When Nathan mentioned nicknames, Emily felt extremely embarrassed. In the past, she used to call him that privately, but for some reason, she slipped up in front of him last time and even called him by that name.

Just the thought of that scene made Emily's scalp tingle.

However, Nathan didn't hold it against her, probably because of the circumstances. Now that he brought it up, it was truly embarrassing. Emily scratched her head and said, "I understand. I won't call you a miser from now on." "And no other nicknames either," Nathan added.

"Got it. Can we leave now?" Emily said.

With that, the car drove off, and Emily finally breathed a sigh of relief.

After leaving the hotel, Eva continued walking forward with the two children, trying to head toward crowded places to avoid being caught.

Luckily, it wasn't too late, and there were still many pedestrians on the streets.

She blended in with the crowd, but it wasn't easy for them to find a place for themselves.

Eva had a serious expression. She knew that she couldn't stay at a hotel anymore.

She initially thought that avoiding luxury accommodations would be enough, but Michael didn't even spare these ordinary hotels. But it made sense. When she left, she didn't have much money, and she didn't take the phone Michael gave her. She had to rely on David's money.

As for the phone call she made, she didn't know if Emily received it. After all, it was an unknown number. Could she guess that it was her making the call?

Moreover, when she left the hotel, the receptionist was there at the front desk. What if that person reset the phone before her call went through?

If that was the case, the situation would truly be terrible.

"Mummy, where are we going next?"

Eva glanced around and didn't know how to answer the question.

They couldn't stay at the hotel, and she couldn't think of anywhere else to go with her two kids.

The more she thought, the more agitated she felt.

Coincidentally, they passed by a supermarket, and without much thought, Eva led the children inside.

Once inside the supermarket, Eva realized it was particularly large.

She finally had a plan in mind. She smiled at the children and said, "How about we go upstairs and play games?"

They couldn't go back to the hotel. She could either wait for Emily to find her or be found by Michael's people first.

If she were alone, Eva could have found a way to evade them, but it was inconvenient with two children. She couldn't afford to play this cat-and-mouse game of running away. She couldn't lead the children into danger, so she could only try to stick close to crowds and endure.

The arcade upstairs was crowded at the moment, so once they entered, the three of them quickly got lost in the crowd.

It would take some time for them to find their way here. Eva didn't know if there was a phone available at the front desk.

As the children went to play, Eva glanced toward the direction of the front desk.

At that moment, a little girl walked toward them while talking on her phone. She seemed really annoyed. "Mom, I'll be back later. I'm already a grown-up. You don't have to worry about me." "Got it, got it."

The girl hung up the call impatiently.

Seeing that she was about to walk past her, Eva suddenly reached out to stop her.

"Hello."

The little girl was startled to see Eva. Her anger had subsided, and she looked at her with confusion. "Do you need something?"

Eva smiled gently. "Can I borrow your phone to make a call?"

Upon hearing this, the little girl wrinkled her nose. "No, you all have your own phones, don't you? Are you trying to trick me?"

Indeed, it wasn't easy to borrow someone else's phone to make a call.

Eva bit her lip. She was about to explain when Ruby came forward and gently held the little girl's hand. "Hey, my mommy's phone was stolen by a thief, and we don't have any money. So we want to make a call to my daddy. He'll come pick us up."

Ruby's voice was soft, and she resembled a delicate doll. Her looks were appealing to people of all ages.

Eva had intended to speak, but seeing this scene, she stopped to observe. As expected, the little girl's eyes wavered after hearing Ruby's words. "Was your phone stolen? That's bad."

Ruby nodded tearfully. "So can you lend us your phone for a while? We'll give it back to you after making the call."

Eva watched as Ruby's tears fell like pearls, making her heart tremble. If she hadn't known that Ruby was an actress, she might have thought the little one was truly crying.

Under Ruby's persuasion, the little girl's heart softened. She looked at her phone before looking at Ruby again. "Well, alright, but you have to make the call in front of me. Don't go too far."

After saying that, the little girl handed her phone to Eva. Eva looked at the phone and quickly accepted it. "Thank you." She then dialed Emily's number.

Eva observed her surroundings as she waited for the other side to pick up. She was always on the lookout for any suspicious individuals.

The phone rang, and the other side picked up almost immediately. "Eva? Is that you?"

After several days, Emily finally heard Eva's voice again. She was so excited that her eyes welled up with tears, but Nathan signaled her to put it on speaker. Emily followed his instructions and put the call on speaker. Nathan asked Eva, "Where are you now? Do you have the coordinates?"

Eva wasn't surprised to hear Nathan's voice. She immediately stated her coordinates.

Meanwhile, Emily entered the coordinates and enlarged the map as Eva had suggested. "We're about an hour away from you." "One hour?"

"Yes, we're on our way toward you. Find a place to hide and try to hold on until we arrive."

His calm voice reassured Eva a lot. "Okay."

 

Chapter 406 Mommy Didn't Protect You Well Enough

A wave of relief washed over Eva after she hung up the phone.

One hour.

Within the hour, she'd have company-Emily, and the so-called miser. Emily would be by her side, along with the miser she spoke of. But the person she was hoping for still hadn't come.

Had Emily failed to tell him, or did he find it too bothersome to come?

A twinge of discomfort settled in Eva's heart.

However, she quickly snapped out of it and returned the phone to the young girl in front of her. "Thanks for letting us use your phone."

When the young girl gave her phone to Eva, she was worried that she might be deceived. Unexpectedly, she was able to get it back. She took her phone back and then glanced at Ruby and Dylan beside her. "Are you going to play here?" Eva looked at her. She almost nodded, then remembered they couldn't linger. "We're waiting for my husband to pick us up, so we can't stick around. We could leave any minute now. Here, let me give you some money for the games, as thanks for the phone."

The young girl shook her head. "It's not necessary. It was just a small favor."

Eva took out some money and handed her a bill. "Take it. Consider it a token of gratitude."

The young girl hesitated before accepting it.

"Are you here by yourself? It's getting late-be careful. Also, in the future, if you're afraid, don't lend your phone. Not everyone is like us, you know?"

Eva, worried that the young girl might fall for a scam in the future, wanted to offer a word of caution. Unexpectedly, the young girl pressed her lips together and said, "If I hadn't lent you my phone, how would you have gotten home?" These words touched Eva deeply.

"Thank you so much. You did a good thing. Now head on home and be safe."

The girl looked a bit reluctant.

Eva knew they couldn't stay any longer. She stood up, held the hands of the two little ones, and said to her, "We have to go."

"Where are you going? Will we meet again in the future?"

Eva paused for a moment. She was about to speak when Ruby said, "We'll call you once we get back home, promise."

Upon hearing this, the girl's eyes lit up. "Really? Will you come find me again?"

"Yes." Ruby nodded vigorously.

The girl turned her questioning gaze toward Eva, waiting for Eva to nod.

Eva smiled and said, "Yes, we will call you."

"Alright then, I'll go home now, but you guys must remember to give me a call." "Goodbye."

Eva took the children to a more crowded place.

One hour had passed.

She just needed to wait it out until they arrived. Not wanting to stay put alone, she wandered, keeping an eye on the crowd. while glancing at the time on the wall.

Unbeknownst to her, she had already spent 40 minutes. It seemed like she had chosen the right place, as Michael's men would probably go to other locations first. They wouldn't expect her to bring the children directly to the gaming place. Maybe she could wait here until Emily and Nathan found her.

Suddenly, Ruby stumbled beside her. Eva immediately crouched down.

"What's wrong?"

Ruby shook her head. "Mommy, I'm fine."

But Eva noticed that something wasn't right. She asked sternly, "Did you twist your ankle? Let me see."

"Mommy, I'm really okay."

At that moment, a tumult broke out near the entrance. Eva saw the group of people she had seen in the hotel earlier coming toward the gaming place. They looked fierce and ready to start trouble. Many children were scared by their appearance.

Eva's expression changed. Only 40 minutes had passed, but they still managed to find her. It was no longer possible for her to stay here. Eva looked around and realized there was only one exit. She bit her lip and immediately picked up Ruby. She grabbed Dylan's hand and ducked into a crowded nook.

"Hurry up and search!" Eva heard the men shouting loudly. They claimed they were searching for their runaway kids. They even offered to pay for everyone's entertainment today and stated how much money each person would receive if they cooperated and went out.

Initially, people found them strange and ignored them, but gradually, many children went to collect the money.

After realizing that they could actually receive money, even more people vacated the place and rushed over to get the money. The entrance became extremely crowded.

Originally, Eva wanted to leave with the crowd, but as she got closer, she saw that there were many people guarding the entrance.

It was impossible for her to slip away with her two children, as they would attract too much attention.

As she watched the crowd disperse, Dylan became so anxious that he started pulling on her collar.

"Mommy, what do we do now?"

Eva spotted a restroom nearby. She lowered her voice and said, "If we stay here any longer, we'll be exposed. Let's hide inside the restroom for now."

The three of them entered the restroom. Normally, Dylan wouldn't go into the women's restroom with Eva, but this was a different situation, so she took him with her. Thankfully, at this time, everyone had gone out to collect money, and there was no one in the restroom.

Eva thought for a moment and made a firm decision. She locked the main gate and then pulled both the kids into one of the clean compartments.

Eva put down the toilet lid and had Ruby sit on it while she took off her shoes.

She noticed that Ruby's ankle was slightly swollen and very red. It looked scary.

If it was hurt just a moment ago, it wouldn't have swollen like this. The fact that it had swollen so much indicated that she had been enduring it for a long time.

Eva's eyes immediately became misty. She reached out and tightly embraced Ruby in her arms.

Her daughter, she knows her best.

Ruby is usually the most delicate one. Even if she gets a minor injury, she will ask Eva to blow on it and use her "magic". If she doesn't blow, Ruby will throw a tantrum. In short, she is very delicate.

Right now, her foot hurt so much, but she didn't even make a sound. She even helped Eva.

Eva closed her eyes, and tears streamed down her face.

"I'm sorry, I didn't protect you well."

 

Chapter 407 Compensating You

At this moment, Eva was blaming herself for everything.

She blamed herself for not taking care of Ruby properly. She didn't even know when and how Ruby got hurt.

Seeing Eva's tears, Ruby also panicked a bit. "Mommy, don't cry. I'm not in pain."

Dylan also ran over and tiptoed to wipe Eva's tears.

Eva looked at the two little ones and tried to suppress her tears. "After we get back, I will definitely compensate you properly." "Mommy, it's alright. It's not your fault."

"Alright, let's stop talking, Ruby. I'll rub it for you."

Eva gently rubbed her ankle. Ruby felt so much pain that tears welled up in her eyes, but she held them back to avoid worrying Eva.

Seeing this, Dylan cautiously offered his own hand for Ruby to hold onto.

The three of them stayed in the restroom. They were unable to see the time since they didn't have their phones. Eva could only rub Ruby's ankle gently. Afterward, she tried to estimate and felt that about ten minutes had passed since they entered the restroom.

Emily and Nathan should be here in another ten minutes.

Or if their journey went smoothly, they might have already arrived.

At this moment, Eva could only imagine in her mind.

Suddenly, someone twisted the doorknob of the restroom.

Eva and the kids dared not make any noise, so the sound was particularly clear.

"The restroom door is locked."

"Locked? Why is the restroom locked? Something is wrong. Break the door down."

"This door is not easy to break open. The material is quite heavy."

"Then let's disable the lock."

The conversation sounded very brutal.

Eva bit her lower lip and closed her eyes.

Outside, there was a moment of silence, followed by the sound of something heavy hitting the door lock.

Bang! Bang!

The sound echoed throughout the restroom.

The sound was heavy, and the force behind it was so strong that they could feel the vibrations even while standing against the wall. Ruby tugged at Eva's clothes with fear.

Eva immediately grabbed her hand and said, "Don't be afraid. I'm here."

These words reassured the two little ones, and they huddled behind her together.

Eva's heart sank deeper and deeper as they listened to the sound of the door lock being hit repeatedly from the outside.

After a while, she squatted down and whispered to the two, "Once the door is open, we'll go back with them. Don't worry, Michael shouldn't harm us." The two little ones pressed their lips together and didn't respond.

Bang!

After a loud noise, everything was calm.

The door lock must have been broken.

The door was finally kicked open.

They're here.

They had been in this restroom for more than fifteen minutes. Why hadn't Emily and Nathan arrived yet?

Were they stuck in traffic or intercepted by Michael's people?

The restroom doors were being opened one by one.

Eva stood in the last cubicle, listening as the sound drew closer. The two little ones hugged her tighter, burying their faces in her embrace.

Eva bit her lower lip.

She was unwilling.

She truly was unwilling.

They had already made contact with Emily. They could have escaped!

It was her mistake to stay here. She should have relocated after some time. Perhaps then she would still have a chance.

Finally, Eva saw a pair of shoes walk into the last cubicle.

Worried about being hit by the door, she had already hidden in a corner with the children.

She held her breath and watched the shoes approach the door.

She had expected the person to barge in, but instead, he stopped at the doorway and said, "Ms. Hansen, I know you and the children are inside. Mr. Cooper's intention is only to find you, so we don't want to hurt you. If you don't want to be harmed, please cooperate and come out on your own. Otherwise, I have the strength to kick this door down, and I can't guarantee that you won't be hurt."

Eva listened to these words silently.

After a few seconds, her lips moved, and she was about to speak when another loud bang came from outside.

Eva and the children were startled.

Subconsciously, she held the two little ones in her arms tightly.

She initially thought it was the impatient person kicking the door directly, but the door was still intact. Instead, she heard the sounds of a fight.

What is happening again?

Eva couldn't see anything, but she could hear the sound of fists hitting flesh outside. Ruby instinctively opened her mouth, but Eva promptly pressed her mouth shut with her index finger, gesturing for her not to speak. Although the person was prevented from entering, Eva still couldn't feel relieved. Emily and the others didn't possess this kind of strength. Did she call the police?

But if she had reported it, there should have been warning sounds from the police, instructing them to raise their hands rather than engaging in a direct brawl like this.

She didn't know which force the intruders belonged to. She didn't know whether they were good or bad, which made her even more uneasy.

How would she, Ruby, and Dylan escape now?

With these thoughts in mind, Eva held the kids even more tightly in her arms.

"Don't make a sound."

When the fight outside finally stopped, the surroundings returned to silence.

However, Eva still hadn't heard anyone speaking, so she couldn't analyze the strength of these people.

She just hoped that if they weren't here to rescue her, they wouldn't discover her presence and quickly leave.

But no, Eva heard the steady sound of footsteps that stopped in front of her compartment.

Eva instantly felt like she wanted to die.

The door was pushed, but it didn't open.

Then came a strange male voice.

"Jason, open the door."

It was an unfamiliar tone.

The person was going to open the door.

Eva was afraid that he would force his way in and harm the children, so she had to stand up and retort. "Don't do it. I'll open the door myself." Eva looked at the locked door, took a deep breath, and then turned the knob.

 

Chapter 408 Are You Sure You Want to Go with Him?

The two children held tightly onto the hem of her clothes, crowding behind her.

Eva was mentally prepared. After unlatching, she flung open the door and began with the words she had anticipated saying. "I'll go with you, just don't hurt me or the children..."

However, before she could finish her sentence, her vision darkened and she found herself enveloped in an embrace.

"Let go..."

Once Eva regained her senses, she instinctively tried to push away, but was met with a familiar scent that invaded her breath, causing her to pause.

The person hugged her more tightly, with a force that seemed intent on merging her into his bones and blood.

Yet, Eva felt no pain. Her vision shimmered, and in an instant blurred into obscurity, while from behind came the astonished cries of the two children.

"Uncle NightA!"

It was indeed him.

Eva had not considered the person finding their way here would be Adrian.

When she had called Emily earlier, she hadn't mentioned this, perhaps due to the urgency of the situation. Or perhaps Eva hadn't heard her, leaving her oblivious to whether Emily ever informed Adrian. Eva had assumed Adrian was unaware of her plight.

And so, without any anticipation of rescue by Adrian, Eva's heart was devoid of hope.

Yet, Adrian appeared before her without warning.

Her hand pressed gently against Adrian's chest, nudging him back just slightly, a delicate motion that seemingly agitated him, prompting him to embrace her tightly once more.

Eva hadn't expected him to jerk with such force again; startled, she found herself leaning her chin on Adrian's shoulder.

Jacob, standing nearby, saw this and coughed lightly into his hand, "Mr. Blackwood, it would be best for us to leave this place for now. If we run into their people again, it might complicate things."

Hearing this, the strong hands that had been holding her finally relaxed, then slowly let go.

After stepping back, Adrian looked down at Eva, visibly thinner now, his thin lips pressed into a nearly displeased line. He touched her head, then his hand moved to cover her cheek, uttering only three words: "You've lost weight." Eva, who had just managed to stop her tears, felt them well up again at Adrian's words.

Adrian tenderly wiped away her tears and gently kissed her face, his voice hoarse, "Let's go home."

He then took Eva by the hand, leading her out of the restroom, and the two little ones rushed to him, "Uncle NightA."

A gentle smile curved Adrian's lips as he patted their heads, "You've been such good children."

When they were back in their own country, it was already clear that Eva and Uncle NightA were thawing in their relationship. Now, in the midst of their escape, his sudden appearance seemed almost superhero-like. So, at that moment, the two little ones' fondness for him surged.

Jacob came over and took the children's hands, gently guiding them away from Eva and Adrian, "Let's go, I'll take you out of here for now."

"Wait," Eva said, remembering something and stopping Jacob. "Ruby hurt her foot."

Eva moved to pick Ruby up, But before she could crouch down, Adrian stopped her, "I've got her."

Adrian bent down and effortlessly picked up Ruby, who wrapped her arms around his neck appreciatively, "Thank you, Uncle NightA."

"Let's go." said Eva, taking Dylan by the hand and moving forward with everyone to leave the place.

Unexpectedly, as they approached the door, a group of people surrounded them, blocking their way out.

Seeing them, Eva felt a chill, "They're his people."

Adrian instinctively pulled her close to his side, "I'm here."

At his words, Eva instinctually leaned into him.

She pursed her lips, then asked, "You didn't call the police, did you?"

Adrian paused for a moment, then looked down at her.

"What's the matter, afraid I called the cops on him? Worried?"

Facing his dark eyes, Eva lowered hers, "He helped me a lot in the past, I don't want to hurt him."

"He's hurting you now."

"He just took me away, he didn't harm me." Eva stressed. "He has not hurt me or the children."

Adrian's brows knitted slightly in concern. He hadn't called the police, but seeing Eva defend him so vigorously in his presence, speaking on his behalf, a wave of jealousy inevitably rose in his heart.

At this moment, Michael emerged from the crowd, conveniently interrupting their conversation.

As he appeared, Michael's gaze honed in on Eva through the throng of people, unwavering, as if Adrian was invisible to him.

After his gaze locked onto her, Eva pursed her lips, subconsciously attempting to avert his stare, but was embraced by Adrian.

It was as if a possessiveness erupted within him, an urge to declare her as his. He pulled her tightly into his arms, his eyes defiantly meeting Michael's.

It was only when Michael's eyes caught sight of the large hands resting on her soft waist that his gaze shifted, finally making eye contact with Adrian. After a brief pause, Michael lifted the corners of his lips, "Long time no see."

Adrian's gaze was icy as he met Michael's eyes, offering no response.

"Adrian, even though it's been a while, trying to take my woman away as soon as you arrive, isn't that a bit rude?"

"Your woman?" Adrian laughed with a scoff, "Since when did she become your woman? I must've missed that memo."

Tension crackled between the two men, their subordinates also tense, prepared and waiting for an order.

The one who previously spoke ill of David, seeing the situation, whispered to Mr. Cooper, "Why waste words with him? Just go and take Ms. Hansen."

At his words, a shift flickered across Michael's expression, "No."

This place wasn't just inhabited by their groups, there was Eva, Ruby, and Dylan. If a fight broke out, he didn't care if he got hurt, but what if Eva and the children were injured?

Thus, Michael could only grimly watch Eva, shielded by Adrian. If he'd known David was going to betray them so suddenly, he would have kept one of the children by his side. That way, she would have hesitated to leave.

"Eva." Michael looked at her, softly calling her name before saying, "Are you sure you want to go with him?" Eva was silent.

"Have you forgotten what he did to you five years ago?"

"What he did five years ago is none of your business." Eva said firmly. "And I don't like being confined."

She glanced at Dylan and Ruby next to her, "Even if I don't go back to Adrian, I won't go back with you."

 

 

Chapter 409 Don't Hesitate

She did not return to her country with the intention of reconciling with Adrian.

The turn of events had been entirely unforeseen.

She hadn't foreseen Michael's drastic actions, including taking her captive or harming David.

Concerned for David, who had aided her escape, Eva asked, "Where's David?"

Hearing this, the corners of Michael's lips slightly curled upwards. "David? Eva, if you want to know how he is, then come back with me."

Eva's lips pressed into a thin line.

Before she could answer, Adrian's hand on her waist tightened, and he said in a cold voice, "You want to take her away? Don't even think about it."

However, Michael looked at Eva with a smile, "Eva, I don't listen to others, I only listen to you. Tell me, do you want to come back with me? I promise, as long as you come back, David will be safe and sound."

Eva replied, "Are you threatening me? He's your assistant, Michael, not mine."

"Hmm," Michael nodded, "Of course, I know that he's my assistant. But as my assistant, he let my captive escape. Eva, tell me, if such a person is not punished, won't the others working under me think they can do the same?"

Eva realized he was leveraging David to coerce her return.

He was banking on her compassion and fear of causing harm. Now, he had nothing else to use against her, only this one bargaining chip.

But if he wanted to use David to control her, then David had to be safe, or else he would lose this leverage.

Understanding his ploy, Eva responded coldly, "Do you think I'd come back with you just because I'm afraid David would get hurt? If that were the case, I wouldn't have chosen to leave with him in the first place. He's prepared himself mentally, and I won't let down his intentions."

Upon hearing this, Michael remained silent for a while, his lips curving into a slight smile.

"Is that so?" His voice was light, void of emotion. "It seems he's no longer of use to me then."

At that comment, a sense of foreboding sank into Eva's heart.

Logically, he shouldn't be too harsh on his own assistant, but remembering his childhood experiences, and the pale look on David's face a few days ago...

When she got out of the car, she noticed David was sweating profusely, a clear sign he wasn't feeling well.

He had indeed been quite ruthless with David, despite him being his own subordinate.

At this realization, Eva bit her lower lip, her resolve wavering slightly.

"Don't be fooled."

In her moment of hesitation, the hand that had been resting on her waist suddenly gripped her wrist and a voice lowered to speak to her.

Eva abruptly lifted her head to look at him.

"He's laying a trap. The more concern you show, the more you play into his hands."

At these words, Eva bit her lower lip unconsciously and murmured, "I understand I mustn't fall prey to his schemes, but without David's help, we truly wouldn't have stood a chance to escape." Hearing this, Adrian raised an eyebrow. "So David saved me, too?"

Eva looked at him, puzzled. "Your savior?"

"What's yours is also mine."

She was a bit speechless, glancing subconsciously at Ruby and Dylan, who sensibly averted their gazes.

"Don't worry, if David's the man you describe, I'll help him."

"How will you help him?"

Adrian gave her a look. "You don't need to worry about that. Our main priority is your safety. So, don't believe his words, no matter what he says."

Michael, observing their quiet exchange from a distance, clenched his hands into fists without realizing it.

When was she ever so soft-spoken with him?

Jealousy took root in his heart, growing at an astonishing speed into a towering tree as if fueled by some magical nourishment.

His subordinate, noticing this scene, had a glint in his eye.

"Mr. Cooper, you've refrained from acting rashly because you fear harming Ms. Hansen and her children, am I right? But in reality, neither our side nor theirs wants to hurt Ms. Hansen. So even if things escalate, the three of them should remain unharmed. However, if we don't take action, we're either stuck at an impasse, or we just watch as they take Ms. Hansen and her children away."

Michael remained silent, apparently in turmoil.

Seeing his resolve wavering, the henchman fanned the flames.

"Mr. Cooper, if you let them take Ms. Hansen away, will you ever have another chance to have her back? The critical point is, this is our only shot, the last chance. If we don't seize it, there may never be a 'next time'."

The words 'the last chance' reminded Michael of the importance of the situation.

He quietly observed Eva, led by the hand by Adrian, his lips almost pressed into a straight line.

Indeed, this could be the last opportunity.

If Adrian took her away, would he ever have another chance?

"Mr. Cooper, we're all gathered here. With just one word from you, I'd be willing to risk my life to bring Ms. Hansen and her children back."

To take them back...

"Mr. Cooper, with so many of us here, we are sure to succeed. Don't hesitate any longer."

With Adrian's hand clasped in hers, Michael's gaze remained fixed on their intertwined fingers. His mind wandered to the thought, "What if it were me standing beside her now? Would she consent to hold my hand if I wished to?" Throughout all the time he had spent by her side, he had never once held her hand tightly or kissed her even fleetingly. Occasionally, when she was unguarded, he would steal a chance to hold her softly. But he never dared more than these fleeting moments of closeness.

Yet, those delicate hands, with their fine skin and distinct joints, must have felt wonderful to hold.

Would she be as compliant in letting him lead her by the hand as she was with Adrian? No, she would resist, surely. Then she would furrow her brows and stare at him, eventually withdrawing her hand.

Five years had gone by. In all this time, he hadn't warmed her heart, nor had she developed even the slightest affection for him.

So, Michael could already envisage, if he tried to hold her hand, her displeasure would be undeniable. Just thinking about it brought an ache to his heart, as if a rusty knife was being twisted slowly through his chest, refusing to deliver a swift end to the pain.

Meanwhile, fueled by jealousy and urged by those around him to take action, Michael's gaze darkened with complexity, light fading from his eyes. The calm before the storm was coming to an end.

Gazing upon the slight figure and the two adorable children, Michael finally spoke, "Proceed, but don't harm them. If they are injured, don't you dare show your face around me again."

 

Chapter 410 Fear and Apprehension

With Michael's order given, the subordinate smirked with the satisfaction of success.

He looked towards Eva, then suddenly, with an arm raised high, he shouted, "Charge! Retrieve Ms. Hansen and the children!"

As his hand lifted, Eva sensed something was amiss. Before she could speak, Adrian had pulled her close by her waist.

"Let's go." In a frantic state, Eva tugged at Dylan to turn around.

"Stop them!" Jacob bellowed, then swiftly followed in their tracks.

Before they had come, they had planned for such a confrontation. Their priority was to guide Eva to safety first. Someone would have to have stayed behind to deal with the aftermath.

Eva understood their intentions as she saw the others rush forward. But before she could react further, she was pushed into a car. Before she had even settled in, Ruby and Dylan were also shoved in, and Jacob hurriedly took his place in the passenger seat.

Eva, who initially thought Adrian would leave with them, was startled to find that after he had put them in the car, he remained standing there, not joining them.

Her gaze fell upon his face, showing a touch of concern as she asked, "Aren't you coming with us?"

"Jacob will take you to a safe place."

Eva's eyebrows knitted together. "And what about you?"

"I'll join you after I've taken care of things here."

Eva bit her lower lip, unable to utter a single word. What should she say? Ask him to leave with her?

"You..."

Eva's lips moved slightly, but before she could speak, Adrian suddenly bent down, cupping the back of her head, and sealed her slightly parted red lips with a kiss.

Caught off guard by his kiss, it took a moment for her to react. Just as she instinctively thought to push him away, Adrian had already pulled back.

However, he didn't leave her side. Instead, he rested his forehead against hers, his voice husky, "Wait for me to return."

With those words, he let go of the back of her head and instructed Jacob.

"Keep her and my children safe."

Jacob nodded. "Don't worry, Mr. Blackwood. I'd lay down my life to protect them."

Then, with Eva watching, Adrian closed the car door.

Eva leaned against the window, watching Adrian's face fade into the distance.

Until she could no longer see his face.

"Don't worry, Ms. Hansen, Mr. Blackwood will be alright." Jacob's voice came from the front, trying to comfort her.

Eva bit her lower lip, feeling as if Adrian's kiss still lingered on them.

How could she not worry? With the scene erupting into violence as it did, what if someone had brought a gun?

She thought she would be relieved after being rescued, but now she found herself still fearful.

"Mummy."

Perhaps due to their blood connection, both little ones seemed to sense her anxiety and grabbed her hands together. However, in that moment, Eva could only muster an ugly smile that was harder than crying. "I'm alright. We're safe now." she said, embracing them in her arms.

Closing her eyes, Eva knew that saying they were okay was just to comfort them. In reality, she was extremely worried.

Her facing Michael was one thing, but Adrian was in much greater danger.

Michael wouldn't hurt her, but Adrian? She couldn't bear to think about it and could only hope that he would return safely.

After a while, Jacob's phone rang.

"Hello, yes, Ms. Hansen has been picked up, she's in the car now."

Hearing her name, Eva looked up at Jacob.

"Who is it?"

Jacob passed the phone to her. "Ms. Hansen, it's your good friend Miss Jones."

Upon hearing it was Emily, Eva immediately answered the phone.

"Emily!"

"Eva!" Emily sounded even more excited. "Adrian finally found you, I'm sorry, we had a breakdown on the way and were unable to rescue you, but thankfully Adrian found you." A breakdown?

She wondered why she hadn't seen Emily and the others.

"Where are you now?"

"It's okay, Scrooge is here, he'll handle it. I'm just glad that I got through to Jacob's phone." Emily sighed with relief.

"That's good. I'll come to find you after I get back." Eva felt at ease.

They talked a bit more before hanging up. Emily's car had broken down, and Eva had her own troubles right now.

After handing the phone back to Jacob, Eva asked, "How did you find me?"

Jacob put away the cell phone and softly explained, "Actually, it was Miss Jones who kept sending us messages. After receiving the information about your stay at the hotel, we rushed over. But when we arrived, we did not know your specific location. It was Miss Jones who continued to call and inform us."

"I see." Having heard that, Eva understood. Adrian had indeed come earlier, it was just that she hadn't contacted him.

She had thought he didn't show up, as she had tried to reach him before but he did not answer. So, Eva didn't rely on contacting him, fearing that any chance of getting help from outside might be wasted.

As she thought about this, Jacob seemed to read her mind and directly asked, "Why didn't Ms. Hansen contact Mr. Blackwood?"

"I did try, but he didn't answer at that time. I didn't want to waste the limited opportunity I had. My situation wasn't good then and I had to be quick and discreet."

Hearing this, Jacob awkwardly reached up and touched his nose.

"This is indeed true, Mr. Blackwood is at fault for not answering your call. However, Ms. Hansen, I have to say on behalf of Mr. Blackwood that he didn't answer your call because, guessing that Ms. Hansen might be in trouble, he immediately left the country."

"Is that so?"

Since they were here now, there was no need for him to deceive her.

"So, when I was calling you guys, you were on the..." Eva started.

"On the plane." Jacob quickly finished her sentence.

Hearing this, the last of Eva's doubts disappeared.

She had been bothered that when she called Adrian, he hadn't answered right away and there had been no news from him afterwards.

When she needed him, he was nowhere to be found, not even a shadow.

But now, being told that he was unreachable because he was on the plane, Eva felt a great sense of relief.

"Mr. Blackwood has been very worried about you. As soon as we landed, we went out to look for you, so we missed Miss Jones' calls too. That was thoughtless of us. But Miss Jones did speak to Mr. Blackwood later, ensuring that from now on, he'll answer calls immediately."

"Emily spoke to him?" Eva felt a touch of amusement upon hearing this. She hadn't expected Emily to be so bold, and the thought of her friend confronting him warmed her heart. Indeed, her friends were the ones who truly cared for her.