Ch. 426..430: Begging For A Reconciliation Chapter 426-430

Chapter 426 Sincere and Insincere

The room suddenly fell into silence. There was only the sound of raindrops hitting the glass continuously.

Ben's words had solved Han's doubts. Han felt his heart beat heavily, but he still frowned. "If this is the fact, she is too stupid."

What can Leah do by herself?

Ben saw through Han's mind and suggested, "Why don't you ask her?"

Han instantly understood that Ben wanted him to ask Leah as Hendrik.

...

Leah had washed and dried her hair when another text from Hendrik came on her phone.

"You can trust me."

Leah frowned slightly. She almost forgot about Hendrik's text before he replied to her.

"Okay, I may need your help with a big matter in the future, but I can't tell you yet. Please believe me. It's a legal thing. Now I'm using Shawn's phone. Please don't text me if I don't contact you in the future."

After sending the last message, Leah immediately deleted all the text messages from the phone.

Just then, Lucy knocked on the door and entered. "Ms. White, I made some soup for you. Please drink it. It's cold in early winter."

While drinking the warm and sweet soup, Leah felt her whole body warm up.

After that, Leah returned the bowl to Lucy. Leah frowned and could not help but ask, "I only haven't seen you in a short period. Why have you suddenly lost weight like this? What happened?"

Getting along with Lucy these days, she could feel that Lucy treated her sincerely, but she could not understand Lucy's behavior of betraying her many times.

As if restraining her emotions, Lucy lowered her head so that Leah could not see her expression.

"I'm fine. Ms. White. I'm just not in good health. You'll marry Mr. Shawn, so don't think about other things. Ms. White, please don't use Mr. Shawn's phone to contact Mr. Hendrik anymore. Mr. Shawn asked someone to monitor the phone, but luckily, the person in charge today went to the toilet. I saw your texts with Mr. Hendrik, so I came here to remind you..."

Lucy's words made Leah startled, and she felt her blood freeze.

Shawn did monitor this phone! Is my plan about to fail like this?

Leah clenched her hands and looked at Lucy with a frown. "Why did you come to tell me? Shouldn't

you tell Shawn about this?"

Lucy saw Leah's vigilance. She felt a little sad, and her tears were about to flow out.

"Ms. White, you have to believe me. No matter why you stay with Mr. Shawn, you must never say those words to anyone around you. You can't imagine how many people Mr. Shawn has arranged to spy on you. And about you were not in Dream Designs last night, I believe Mr. Shawn will know soon. If you want to contact the outside world, you must have your phone again as soon as possible."

Lucy's warning made Leah feel complicated. She sighed and rubbed her forehead. "Is it okay for you to tell me these things?"

Leah had gradually confused about the truth and the person she could believe.

Lucy did not speak anymore and left the room after reminding Leah.

It took a while for Leah to react, and she felt terrified.

Ben had already made arrangements properly and perfectly yesterday. I didn't expect Shawn to notice it. I have to find an excuse. I must not make Shawn think I still have an affair with Han! What would I suffer in the future without Lucy's reminder?

Leah felt moved in her heart. She guessed that Lucy had unspeakable difficulties betraying her back then.

In the middle of the night, the rain had stopped. The air had moisture from the tide.

Anna came to Shawn's company office and angrily opened the door.

Looking at the slender figure sitting in the office, she roared, "Are you happy now? You can finally marry that b*tch! How about me? Ethan completely abandoned me! Just because I almost poisoned that d*mn Sarah, he didn't hesitate to turn against me! You're so useless! Why did your woman need my man's protection? You..."

Bang! Before Anna could finish her last words, Shawn threw a file folder at her to interrupt her forcibly.

Shawn gradually approached her gloomily. "Didn't I warn you not to attack Sarah again?"

Shawn's words revealed a majestic murderous aura. Anna was immediately frightened and stunned on the spot. But after all, she was the princess of a country. Although she was temporarily intimidated by Shawn, she quickly regained her momentum.

Anna sneered and stared at Shawn. "You only dare to lose your temper with me. Do you dare to kill me?"

Compared with her beloved Han, Shawn was not good.

Anna looked down on Shawn, who was crazy about Leah. But if she wanted to be with Han, she had to cooperate with Shawn.

Shawn showed an inexplicable smile, and his eyes were cold and frightening. "You can try to challenge me. You should know what happened to Jackson after he offended me."

His voice was so soft that it made Anna scared.

It was not long ago. Jackson provoked and hit Leah because he was dissatisfied with Shawn being with Leah, which angered Shawn.

Later, when Anna saw Jackson again, he was in a dark, dirty, and smelly basement. Shawn had tortured Jackson into being crippled and was in a trance.

Shawn deliberately brought her to see Jackson as he intended to warn her.

"Even if I don't kill Sarah, you'll never get her love. You should have heard she worked overtime at Dream Designs to catch up on the drafts, right?"

Shawn raised his eyebrows lightly. "So what?"

Seeing that he did not notice the problem at all, Anna snorted coldly. "Sarah wasn't in the studio last night but stayed with Ethan at Villa Victoria."

Shawn's eyes widened, and he was in a rage.

Shawn answered, "My people saw Sarah in Dream Designs."

Between Leah and Anna, Shawn would trust Leah.

Anna smiled even more sarcastically. "It was a scam! Ben arranged it to mislead you. It's too late for us to say anything now. It's a fact that they lied to us. We must destroy the trust between them as soon as possible. How about we start with..."

The next day. Shawn returned to the Ford mansion full of anger.

He wanted to ask Leah what was going on between her and Han. Just as he was about to enter the room, he heard a conversation.

"Sarah, what do you mean? You said you took advantage of Han?"

Chapter 427 Acting

The corridor was in silence. A maid wanted to deliver breakfast to Leah, but Shawn stopped her.

He looked at the door coldly as if he was looking at Leah inside the room through it. The conversation inside continued.

Leah answered Serena's question, "Yes, I took advantage of Han. After all, he is Carlotta's biological father. If Carlotta gets hurt again, she must rely on him to provide blood. Han had fainted after donating blood to Carlotta the night before, and Ben asked me to take him home and care for him overnight. I didn't want to offend Han too much, but Shawn might disagree with me, so I found an excuse and went to his villa. Han would be dissatisfied if I quarreled with Shawn about this matter."

Leah's soft voice seemed particularly helpless.

Serena also sighed when she heard the subtle breathing outside the door. She continued, "Wouldn't it be more suspicious to sneak past like that? There is nothing between you and Han. Won't Mr. Ford be angrier if he knows about it?"

After finishing her set lines, Serena felt frustrated.

Sarah is indeed carrying out a big plan, and the most important thing for the success of this plan is Shawn's trust in her. Sarah has endured so much, and I can only help her to cheat Shawn.

Serena was now acting with Leah for Shawn outside the door as Lucy told Leah that Shawn might have known about Leah's going to Han's villa. So, Leah and Serena had to act in a conversation to regain his trust.

Of course, Leah knew Shawn was already listening outside the door. She clenched her hands and answered Serena softly, "So I plan to confess this matter to Shawn later. Whether he believes it or not, I only take Han's advantage to protect Carlotta when she gets injured in the future..."

Shawn had heard their conversation outside the door. He was angry, but he could understand Leah's efforts as a mother.

He adjusted his mood, then entered the room with a faint smile."Sarah, I believe in you."

Leah looked at him in shock and touch. "Really?"

In fact, she was not surprised. People always believed what they overheard.

Even if Shawn was a strong businessman, he had the human essence.

Leah defused her crisis skillfully.

Fortunately, Lucy reminded her in advance, so she could call Serena early in the morning to help her.

They had breakfast together, then returned to the studio to visit Carlotta.

Since Carlotta was out of danger, she stayed on the upper floor of the studio. Leah had hired a private doctor to provide care and treatment to Carlotta.

Carlotta saw that Serena had brought Leah over. Carlotta was so happy that she wanted to jump off the

bed. "Mommy! Uncle Shawn! You're finally here!"

Seeing Carlotta's movements, Leah panicked and rushed over to pin her on the bed. "Carlotta, the wound on your leg hasn't healed yet. You can't do such a big movement!"

Meanwhile, Shawn frowned slightly because of his address but quickly controlled his expression. He came to the bed with a warm smile. "Carlotta, why do you still call me uncle?"

Carlotta, who was about to act cute, was dazed upon hearing Shawn's question.

When Carlotta spent time with Han, she accepted him as her father. Now if she had to call Shawn daddy again, she felt weird calling Shawn like that.

Carlotta carefully glanced at Leah and found no reaction from Leah. Soon, Carlotta remembered what Serena had taught her. She smiled and answered Shawn, "After you marry Mommy, I'll call you Daddy again!"

Aunt Serena is thoughtful! She told me how to deal with these problems!

Shawn naturally did not speculate much about a child's mind but helplessly rubbed her soft hair. "You clever girl!"

Everyone stayed with Carlotta until noon, and Shawn received a text message from Anna.

"I've investigated Ethan's itinerary. Bring them here when you're ready. This plan is related to our happiness. I hope you can act well then!"

Seeing Anna's rude attitude, Shawn looked dissatisfied. But even so, he could not displease Anna. After all, Ford Group had relied on the news of Leah, and the stock market had only recovered.

As Shawn had not completed his plan, Ford Group could not dominate Linkville yet. It was not suitable for him to have many enemies, especially the princess of a country. It was enough to teach Anna a lesson once in a while.

Serena glanced at the time and was about to cook. "Sarah, you can continue to stay with Carlotta. After I prepare the meals, I'll ask you to eat together..."

"No, please eat by yourself. Remember to take care of Carlotta. Sarah is going out to eat with me." Shawn interrupted Serena. He walked up to Leah and held her hand.

Leah endured shaking his hand away and asked puzzledly, "Why? We're already here. Why don't we eat together here?"

Shawn smiled slightly. "Did you forget? We have to choose the wedding dress after dinner. Didn't we haven't choose one last time?"

Leah was silent for a moment, and Serena also frowned slightly. After a while, Leah nodded in agreement. "Okay."

Leah broke free from Shawn's hand when bidding farewell to Carlotta.

Although Carlotta was very reluctant for Leah to leave so early, she also knew that Leah was an adult with a busy schedule, so she agreed sensibly. "Okay, Mommy. You can go out to eat with Uncle Shawn. Aunt Serena will care for me. It doesn't matter."

Carlotta's overly sensible always made Leah's heart pain, and her eyes were full of tears.

She hugged Carlotta's small and soft body and kissed her soft cheek. "Good girl, we can live together after I finish my work."

"Okay!"

Dark clouds blocked the sun, and the sky darkened again. The dry cold wind constantly blew across the city and took away the last vitality.

Leah opened the car window. She let the cold wind blow on her body to decrease her body temperature bit by bit.

Her eyes showed sadness. When she felt the biting coldness, the guilt toward Carlotta and Serena seemed to have eased in her heart.

The next second, Shawn closed the car window. He hugged Leah and made her lean into his arms.

"Sarah, you're not in good health. If you're exposed to the wind, you may catch a cold again." Shawn's embrace was not like Han's. It did not make her feel comfortable and at ease.

"I'm fine. By the way, don't you have to go to the laboratory today?" Leah got out of his arms and changed the topic.

When mentioning this matter, Shawn seemed to be in a good mood. "The experiment is going well, so there is nothing I need to be busy with. If you're curious, I can take you to visit there in two days."

Chapter 428 In Less Than a Month

It was so quiet in the car that Leah could only hear the sound of her heartbeat and the sound of cars honking in the distance.

She could feel her heart beat faster and louder upon hearing that question from Shawn. She even thought that her heart might leap out of her chest the next instant.

It's the moment that I've been waiting for all this time.

I finally see a sliver of hope after so many days of hard work and effort.

Leah managed to keep her emotions and expression under control even though she was caught slightly off-guard. She did not want to alarm Shawn in any way.

She appeared a little puzzled as she asked, "Didn't you say that there was some sort of virus at the laboratory? You wouldn't bring me there before this. Have they gotten rid of all the virus already?"

Shawn reached out and caressed Leah's cheek. "Of course. The viruses are all packed and sealed securely. There won't be any sudden leakage this time."

I must make sure that the virus at the laboratory has been properly taken care of if I'm bringing Leah to the place.

Leah felt a little uneasy as she noted some crucial hints in his words. Still, she asked in a confused voice, "What do you mean the viruses are all packed? How do you pack viruses?"

Shawn merely thought that she was asking a cute, funny question as he looked at her bright eyes. He gave her a peck on the cheek. "It's a bit hard to explain everything to you right now. I'll tell you all about it once we're done with the wedding."

Goosebumps rose all over Leah's body as she felt Shawn's lips on her skin. She fought back the urge to shrink away.

Then, she smiled slightly and changed the topic. "What about the plan to bring down Han that you've told me about? Are you going to do it soon?"

"What if Han makes a move before you do? The Ford Group is also facing some problems with The Kendrick Group owned by Mr. Hendrik."

Shawn thought that Leah was expressing genuine concern for him and the company. He beamed a smile at her and replied, "The experiments are going at a much faster and smoother pace than what I expected. In less than a month, I'll be able to execute my plan."

"I was planning on preparing a huge, grand wedding ceremony for us, but I just can't wait any longer."

I'm also worried that Han might take Sarah away from me again if I put off the wedding until later.

Leah was inwardly shocked to hear that.

It's happening too soon!

I've found nothing concrete other than this plan that he's told me about.

"Aren't you worried that Han and the others might somehow find the location of the laboratory? What about Hendrik? He seems to be quite an influential man. What if he tries to sabotage your plan?"

Shawn let out a soft chuckle. He had a triumphant look in his eyes. "I'm the only person who knows the exact location of the laboratory. Even the people inside it have no knowledge of this piece of information. It's at a place where no one would ever be able to find it!"

"No one would be able to stop my plan this time!"

At long last, I'll be able to know what it feels like to have Han crushed underneath my feet!

Soon afterward, their car pulled up outside a French cuisine restaurant.

Leah trembled a little as she exited the car and felt the chilly breeze blowing at her face.

Still, it was nothing compared to the shock and horror she was feeling inside.

Shawn was so confident that no one would be able to find his laboratory. Where on earth could the location be?

I don't think I could wait until he brings me there two days later…

"Sarah, what would you like to eat?" Shawn's voice interrupted Leah's train of thought.

She took the menu and was about to browse through the list. Suddenly, she spotted a familiar figure out of the corner of her eye.

"Lucy?"

She watched as the woman ran out of the restaurant with a terrified expression on her face. Then, she hurriedly got up and went after her.

An enigmatic smile played on Shawn's lips as he stared at Leah's receding figure.

"The plan has been set in motion. I wish you luck, Han Howard."

This time, there's no way Sarah would trust your words!

"Lucy, wait! What's the matter? You can tell me if you're in any trouble!" Leah called after Lucy.

She had a foreboding feeling about this.

What's happened to Lucy? Why does she look so scared and distressed?

Upon hearing Leah's voice, Lucy stopped and turned around. It seemed like she had something to say at first. However, Lucy just shook her head and smiled sadly at Leah.

"Don't come any closer, Ms. White. Don't follow me…"

Leah did not hear her soft murmurs as the wind picked up speed at that moment.

Just then, two men dressed in black suits rushed past Leah and headed toward Lucy. They were carrying guns with them.

"Stop right there! Mr. Howard wants you dead! There's no point running away!"

Leah couldn't believe her ears. She shook her head slowly as she stared at those men.

Han has sent those men to kill Lucy?

No! That's impossible!

Even though Han could be cold and frigid at times, he would never order his men to do something like this.

Leah tried to run after Lucy and those men. However, she ran out of strength a few minutes later. She stopped to catch her breath eventually, coughing a little due to the cold air.

"Sarah, why did you run so hard? Get in. We'll be able to catch up with them if I drive you there."

Shawn arrived there in his car, and he quickly called out to Leah.

Leah got into the car and hurriedly pointed the way for him. "They went that way! You need to turn right at the end of the road…"

"Alright. I'll get there right away. Don't worry." Then, Shawn stepped on the accelerator right away.

As Leah was staring straight ahead nervously, she did not notice the faint smile on Shawn's lips.

I know very well where Lucy has headed to. However, I can't let it show now.

Soon enough, they found Lucy.

The woman, who was still alive just a few minutes ago, was lying motionless on the ground in a pool of blood.

Leah had lost all color in her face as she took in the scene before her.

She could see Han's car next to Lucy's body. There were even bloodstains on the hood of the car.

For a while, Leah stared unblinkingly at Han, who was inside the car. Her eyes slowly turned red as she tried to convince herself that Han did not do it.

Leah crouched down beside Lucy. Then, she gently placed her hand on Lucy's cheek. Her hands were shaking as she broke down in tears. "Lucy, you'll be alright…"

After that, she phoned the emergency services. With instructions from a medic, she had Shawn move Lucy into his car.

However, when Leah and Shawn tried to get into their seats, the men who were chasing Lucy stopped them from leaving.

"Hand over the woman. Otherwise, you guys won't be leaving here in one piece."

Leah finally snapped at that moment. She saw Han had gotten out of his car, so she rushed forward and yelled at him, "What did Lucy ever do to you? Did you have to kill her?"

Han just looked straight at her. "You didn't even witness the incident in its entirety. Are you that certain that this was my doing?"

He had a dark look in his eyes as he looked at Leah sobbing uncontrollably.

Ben tried to explain as well, "This isn't what it seems like, Ms. White. Lucy was the one who rushed toward our car…"

Ben felt extremely anxious as he spotted the look of disappointment in Leah's eyes.

It might sound very absurd, but what I've said is true!

Leah had a mocking smile on her face as she directed her gaze at Han. "Right. A person rushed toward your car of their own accord. What a perfect explanation…"

Chapter 429 This Is It for Us

Han kept a long, steady gaze at Leah. "So, you think I killed her?"

"Think about it, Leah. Would I choose such a roundabout way to kill someone? Would I even let you catch me in the act?"

Leah paused for a brief moment. There was an indecipherable look in those teary eyes of hers.

She slowly lowered her head and stood there silently for quite some time. It was hard to tell what was going through her head at that moment.

Shawn moved to stand in between Han and Leah. He snickered, "How would we know what you were trying to achieve by doing all this? What we can tell from the scene is that your car ran into Lucy, isn't that right?"

"Mr. Howard, you're a prominent figure in our city, after all. Shouldn't you at least own up to your mistakes?"

Han cast a stony glance at Shawn. "This conversation isn't going anywhere. I'll see all of you in court."

"Leah, you're still so gullible even after all these years."

Then, Han turned around and got into his car. Ben let out a small sigh and said, "Ms. White, you got it all wrong this time. It was really Ms. Lucy who rushed toward our car in the first place."

After that, Han and Ben left the place in the same car.

Shawn smirked, "See, Sarah. He ran away because he was scared. Don't worry. Lucy works for my family. I'll press charges on Han and make sure that he pays for what he's done to Lucy."

Soon, an ambulance arrived at the scene, and the paramedics carefully transferred Lucy into their vehicle.

Leah had stopped crying. She was about to follow the group into the ambulance when Shawn caught her wrist. "Sarah, I'll drive you to the hospital. It's stuffy inside the ambulance, so it won't be a comfortable ride if you go in that."

"Okay." Leah had no choice but to obediently follow his advice.

On the way to the hospital, the sky was getting darker. Leah leaned her head against the car window as she stared blankly at the passing scenery.

Shawn took a glance in Leah's direction. He started, "Sarah, don't worry. I'm sure Lucy will be alright."

There was a long silence after that.

Leah felt so drained that she could hardly find the strength in her to give a nod in response.

Though I've tried my best not to think about it, the image of Lucy lying in a pool of blood still lingers at the back of my mind.

Is someone going to die because of me again this time?

Lucy is so young. She shouldn't perish because of someone like me.

Shawn had a dark look in his eyes. After a while, he asked, "Leah, do you resent Han?"

"He might be sent to prison if the court finds him guilty of this. Still, he's the father of your child. You probably still have…"

Leah interrupted him, "Do what you must."

"I'm only trying to use him all this time."

Shawn could sense Leah's resentment toward Han through her voice.

His lips curled a little. "Alright."

My plan worked wonderfully this time. Sarah will never forgive you for this, Han!

I'll be the one to stay by her side from now on!

When they arrived at the hospital, Leah hurried off to the emergency room first. Shawn sent a text message to Anna while he was still in the car.

"My plan was a success. It's up to you now whether you could make that man yours."

On the other hand, Leah waited alone outside the emergency room. She had a somber and remorseful expression on her face.

I know Han didn't run into Lucy with his car. However, I had to react differently because Shawn wanted this response from me.

I feel terribly sorry and guilty toward Lucy, though. It seems like the people around me keep getting hurt because of me.

I want to stop this.

For now, I must do whatever it takes to find out the location of Shawn's laboratory.

My heart bleeds when I recall how Han was looking at me coldly just now.

However, I'll bear all this pain if this is what it takes to achieve my purpose.

The operation lasted for the entire night. Finally, it ended at the break of dawn, and Lucy was transferred to the intensive care unit.

Leah wanted to see Lucy in her ward, but the doctor stopped her. "Miss, you can't enter the ward in the intensive care unit. The patient is still in critical condition. You might bring in germs or pathogens harmful to the patient if we let you in."

"For now, please be patient and watch over her from outside."

After the doctor left, Leah could no longer hold back her emotions. Her cheeks were wet as tears streamed down her face.

She bit her lip hard to suppress her sobs. There was a look of agony and despair in her eyes.

When I see her lying unconsciously in the hospital bed like that, I could almost feel my heart breaking little by little.

I wish with all my heart to take Lucy's place instead.

However, there are still a lot of things that I have to do. Even death is simply an easy way out for me now.

Shawn stood in the corridor somewhere not too far away from Leah. He left a while ago to get Leah some breakfast.

He felt as if a hot knife was driven into his chest when he saw Leah break down in tears.

Is it right for me to do all of this to her?

If I didn't, Sarah would never look in my direction…

He had a cold light in his eyes at the thought of that. Then, he started walking toward Leah.

I won't regret having made this decision.

I'll do whatever it takes to keep Sarah by my side.

"Sarah, you should eat some food now."

Leah took a deep breath and slowly shook her head. Her face was pale. "I don't feel like it. You should eat first."

Shawn knitted his brows. Then, he grabbed her wrist and took her to the guest lounge.

"You'll make Carlotta worry about you. Who's going to take care of her if you happen to fall sick? What if you end up getting gastritis?"

He opened a food container as he was saying that.

The smell of meat porridge filled the air instantly. Leah picked up a spoon and started eating the porridge.

At that very moment, she recalled the porridge Han had made for her.

She curled her lips slightly. The porridge she was having had a savory taste, but inwardly she was feeling bitter.

He must think that I've had another misunderstanding about him after the incident. He's probably very disappointed with me.

I guess this is it for us.

In the end, all the people that I love and those who love me will leave me, one after another.

I'll probably have to spend the rest of my life alone by myself.

Chapter 430 Mr. Howard Is Actually Hendrik

It was cold inside the hospital, so Shawn took off his jacket and placed it over Leah's shoulders.

He had a deep frown on his forehead as he looked at Leah's woeful face. "Sarah, the doctor said that Lucy would probably still be unconscious for the next few days. I've hired professional caretakers to look after her. You should go back home to get some rest."

"I just want to stay here." Leah had finished her porridge. She gave Shawn's jacket back to him.

Her voice was croaky, and she still seemed very depressed. All of that made Shawn feel agitated. He had no idea what he could do to make Leah feel better.

"Sarah, didn't you say that you still have work to do at your studio? How about we go there now so you could relax a little?"

After a brief pause, Leah nodded. She forced a smile at him. "Alright."

I know I shouldn't waste my time wallowing in grief anymore.

If I did, I would be doing the same thing as I did back then.

Hendrik once told me that I should always move forward, no matter what happens in life.

There are things that I must do and responsibilities that I need to fulfill.

Even though I'm the studio chief, it's Serena who's been handling all the work at Dream Designs.

I've even left my daughter in her care all this time.

I can't, and I shouldn't allow the situation to go on like this any longer.

Thirty minutes later, Shawn dropped Leah off at Dream Designs studio.

He had planned to stay there with Leah for a while. However, he received a call from his assistant earlier.

"I need to take care of something urgent at the office, Sarah. Just wait for me here. I'll come and pick you up once things are settled."

Then, Shawn left with a grim expression on his face.

Leah had a feeling that the issue might be quite a serious one judging from Shawn's reaction.

"Haven't you heard? The Ford Group has been facing a lot of pressure due to the competition with the Kendrick Group," Serena explained to Leah after she heard about Shawn leaving in a hurry.

Leah rubbed the center of her brows whilst saying, "I haven't been paying attention to the news."

"Is Carlotta here?"

Serena's expression brightened up at the mention of her name. "She's resting upstairs. That girl is such a lovely and docile child."

"I've told her that her injuries are not fully recovered, so she can't move around too much. Since then, she just stays in bed obediently without making any fuss about it."

"At times, she would miss you a lot. Then, she'd ask me to give you a call."

Tears brimmed in Leah's eyes as she listened to all of that. She rushed out of her office and headed upstairs the next instant without hearing what Serena was saying afterward.

"Carlotta!"

Leah opened the door to find a little girl playing with her toys in a room. It pained Leah to see her playing all by herself there.

"Mommy! You're here!" Carlotta stood up in excitement upon seeing Leah.

Suddenly, the girl stopped and sat down slowly as a thought occurred to her. Then, she opened her arms wide and waited for her mother.

Leah hurried toward her and circled her arms around Carlotta. She instantly felt whole again with her daughter in her arms.

"I'm sorry that I haven't come to see you in such a long time…"

At that point, both of them were bawling their eyes out as they missed each other terribly.

"Can you take me with you, Mommy? Let's not be apart anymore…"

Leah frowned slightly and replied, albeit reluctantly, "I'm sorry. Mommy still needs a bit more time, but it'll be over soon…"

"After I've completed an important task, Carlotta and I will stay together forever, alright?"

Carlotta seemed a little disappointed. Still, she nodded firmly. "Okay."

Then, she reached out to wipe the tears off Leah's cheeks. "You should stop crying, Mommy. It'll make you ugly, and Daddy won't like that."

Her innocent words made Leah chuckle slightly.

Leah sat down on the bed and had Carlotta sit on her lap. "Alright. We should both stop crying."

Carlotta leaned against her shoulder and asked in a curious voice, "What are you up to lately, Mommy? You've been so secretive these days. Are you working as a spy now?"

Leah just smiled at Carlotta and gently pinched her nose without saying anything.

Carlotta was surprisingly right in some sense about what her mother was up to.

Serena's eyes were bright with tears as she stood by the door, watching the pair of mother and daughter. Then, she quietly went back downstairs to allow them some privacy.

In the evening, Leah finally left the room when Carlotta had gotten tired and dozed off on the bed.

She went to see Serena again and told her what happened to Lucy.

Serena had lost all amiable feelings toward Lucy since that woman had betrayed Leah's trust several times before this.

Nevertheless, she did not feel good after learning the news.

She raised her gaze and looked at Leah. "Do you believe Han's words, then?"

A deep crease formed between Leah's brows. She was about to nod, but she decided not to. "No. Lucy had an accident because of him, after all."

Though, she was very likely the person who had caused the incident in the first place.

Serena could tell what Leah was really trying to say, but she made no further comments.

"Hmm… Then, what are your plans after this? Are you really going to marry Shawn?"

Judging by what he did to me in the past, I'm sure he has something to do with Lucy's incident.

It's too dangerous for Leah to live with an obsessive and possessive man like him.

Also, Carlotta's well-being would be jeopardized as well.

"I guess so." Leah wasn't completely certain about it herself.

Shawn said that he would bring me to the laboratory soon. If I could secure the details of his plan and the location of the laboratory, I would be able to have the man arrested before the wedding.

However, would my plans work out smoothly?

Serena noticed the worried look in Leah's eyes. She said in a reassuring voice, "Sarah, we're friends, aren't we? Just let me know if you need any help from me."

Leah met her gaze. "Mhm. Then, could you help get me a phone and bring it to me the next time you come by the Ford mansion?"

"You need to get me one in the same model and color as the one that Shawn had given me."

She fished out the phone from her bag and showed it to Serena. She had turned off the phone in case it was installed with a tapping device.

Serena took a few photos of the phone and returned it to Leah. "I got it. In the meantime, I'll take good care of Carlotta. You should stay alert and focus on what you need to do."

Leah felt extremely grateful for Serena's warm and supportive words.

She was about to reply when the loud voice of a man rang out from outside her office.

"Oh my god! Look at this! The headline says that Mr. Howard is Mr. Hendrik himself!"