Ch. 1061..1070

Coolest Girl in Town Chapter 1061--Owen was about to drink his tea when he heard Wendy's comment. His hand came to an abrupt halt and his smile froze.

"No matter how many fine qualities Alexander has, he's too stubborn for his own good. Even if you fancy him, he might not be interested in Triune's dealings," he remarked meaningfully as he hinted at his discontent.

Ever since Owen could remember, he had been working toward the goal of destroying humanity. He didn't let up on it for even a second, and it earned him the position he was in now.

He single-handedly planned the kidnapping of various physicists from different countries and framed others for it, which led to the conflict between the different countries and significantly halted the progress of science and technology in said countries.

It wouldn't be amiss to say that Triune wouldn't have gotten to where it was now if it hadn't been for Owen. All along, Wendy had her eye on him as her successor.

However, Alexander had only risen in fame for a few years and Wendy was already starting to express her dissatisfaction with Owen. She kept picking on his faults and drawing comparisons between him and Alexander. She was both overtly and covertly implying that she was disappointed in him for being less than Alexander.

Owen knew full well just how intelligent Alexander was, but in the same way that Owen was born to conspire against humanity, Alexander would never have anything to do with Triune.

Regardless of how much admiration Wendy had for Alexander, the only thing she would get in return from him was her ruin and destruction.

I'm the only one who can bring Triune to new heights! I'm the one who can give her the ability to sit in that position and watch as humans fight among themselves.

My dear Miss Jennings, you've grown old now and you don't even know who's your most loyal follower!

Wendy eyed Owen with an indiscernible gaze before averting her eyes and saying calmly, "If you're unconvinced, then prove to me that I didn't choose the wrong person."

Her tone was airy. It made it seem as if everything she said was perfectly reasonable.

Once she finished, she got up and left.

Owen's hand began tightening around his cup until his knuckles were stretched thin, and with a loud crack, the cup shattered in pieces.

…

Another day passed. The moment the sun came up, Danny received a text from Suella.

'The reports came back. You're the one who got in bed with me.'

She included a photo of the final page of the DNA report that said the two samples were a match.

Before Danny could absorb the shocking information, Ariel snatched the phone away from him and called Suella. "What do you want?"

"Alicia has already told you. Thirty million. I won't accept anything less," Suella replied.

"Alright. Pick a time and location. We'll sit down and discuss this in further detail," Ariel readily answered before hanging up and tossing the phone back to Danny.

Danny caught the phone as he grumbled, "Why did you agree without even asking me first? I know very well that you're the one I was holding before I lost consciousness. I wouldn't have had— I wouldn't have done anything with Suella!"

Even though a similar incident had happened in the past, Danny didn't want Ariel to think that he was such a womanizer.

Furthermore, her unbothered attitude made him feel as if she didn't care about him.

It was as if it didn't matter to Ariel whether or not he cheated on her.

Ariel shrugged and said, "Exactly. Since you didn't do anything, we can't let this scheming woman get away with it. You got a problem with that?"

"I don't get what you mean." Even though Danny felt as if his intelligence was being questioned, he was also a lot more at ease now. At least, he now knew that Ariel did trust him.

"You'll understand when the time comes." Ariel yawned and headed toward the parking lot while saying, "There was a text in the chat group. The guys from Smith Co. are back. We should go home and rest. They can cover for us. We'll crash soon if we don't get some rest."

Danny nodded and jogged over to the car to open the door for her before getting into the driver's seat and driving off.

It had been several days since they last slept properly, so they did need to take a break.

One hour later.

When Danny and the others got back to Griffith Manor, the guys from Smith Co. had just arrived as well. Apart from Johnny and Melody, the rest were regular subordinates.

Danny led Johnny and Melody into the house, leaving the others outside to rest wherever they were.

"Except for those who need to remain in their places to keep the operations going, everyone else in Smith Co. has already headed out. Half of them have masked their identities and snuck into Wegas while the other half are camping out at all the various airports and transport hubs. I'm sure we'll locate Mrs. Griffith soon," Johnny reported on the present situation.

Johnny's abilities were only second to Alexander, so Danny didn't have any objections to his decision. Danny nodded in agreement and said, "We're counting on all of you."

As soon as they finished speaking, they heard the sound of heavy footsteps marching inward. Everyone turned to look and they were greeted with the sight of Raymond helping Clement in. One of Clement's legs was wrapped up in a blood-soaked bandage. They were both covered in dirt and looked completely disheveled.

Melody frowned at once as her face morphed into a rare expression of concern.

"What happened?" Danny went forward to help out and Clement was finally able to stand straight.

"We kept heading north along the forest to find the Hellens' newest stronghold. We were passing through a valley when we got ambushed. Clement shielded me from a boulder that was coming down on us, but his leg was caught under it instead. Nearly a third of our people were injured. We suffered a heavy loss!" Raymond had a look of guilt and self-blame.

Just then, Zephyr came downstairs and Danny quickly called out to him. "Come and take a look, Doc. A leg's far too important. We can't let anything happen to him!"

Clement was one of Smith Co.'s four best fighters. Danny wouldn't know how to face Alexander if something happened to any of them!

Zephyr walked over and crouched down. He pressed a few spots along Clement's calf. Clement's face scrunched up in pain but he didn't let out a single sound.

"His bone's broken. I can try to set it back in place. If that doesn't work, I can replace it with an artificial bone instead. It's not a big deal."

Everyone exhaled in relief when they heard the verdict.

"Do you know who did it?" Johnny took command of the situation and got straight to the point.

"It's…" Raymond hesitated as he eyed Zephyr.

"It was people from Area X." Clement opened his hand to let everyone see the pentagram insignia lying on his palm. He didn't need to say what this meant.

All at once, everyone's gaze fell on Zephyr. He came from Area X, and now that this happened, it was unsurprising for him to fall under suspicion.

Raymond had considered this and was worried about Clement's leg, so that was why he hesitated and couldn't say it outright.

However, Clement didn't care about anything else other than the interests of Smith Co., so he came right out and said what he had to say.

Zephyr crossed his arms, but his expression didn't change. "What's the matter? Are you guys suspicious of me too?"

"What do you mean by 'too'?" Danny asked.

"When Matthew escaped, Narissa looked at me the same way you guys are looking at me now." Zephyr's gaze swept across all their faces.

It would've been better if he hadn't mentioned Matthew, but now that he did, it was as if he had opened Pandora's box as everyone's suspicions intensified.

Coolest Girl in Town Chapter 1062--"Yes. Miss Cuber found the same insignia on Matthew. Clement and I were there."

That confirmed that Matthew was a member of Area X, just like Zephyr. Everyone pieced the puzzle together. First, Matthew made his escape, then Area X attacked Smith Co. It wouldn't have been so smooth if they didn't have help from a spy. Naturally, Zephyr became the main suspect.

For some reason, Clement was talking a lot today. "You call yourself a doctor, and yet our boss still isn't healed yet. It's been so long. It's weird, don't you think?"

Danny wavered, and he asked, "Anything to say for yourself?"

"You can always switch me out for someone else if you suspect foul play," said Zephyr calmly. He wasn't panicking at all.

That put everyone in a dilemma.

Johnny then came up with a compromise. "Coincidentally, I have a doctor with me. Next time Dr. Lorwhal writes a prescription, he can check it for us. Is that alright?"

Zephyr chortled. "A coincidence? That's a convenient excuse," he said sarcastically. Then he turned around and stopped beside Clement. "Now get back to surgery if you don't want to lose your leg." After spending some time with Clement, Zephyr knew what he was like and he wasn't angry at Clement for suspecting him.

"We should let Smith Co.'s doctors do it," said Raymond. Zephyr could be the spy. If he tried anything funny during the surgery, Clement would be done for. He didn't want to risk anything, since Clement only got hurt because of him.

"Fine, your call. I won't force you guys." Zephyr didn't even argue. He was happy to leave.

"Take me to the operating theater," said Clement hoarsely. "He's a b*stard, but he never attacks his patient."

Raymond nodded. Very well, then. He held Clement up and hobbled over to Zephyr.

Everyone saw them off, and Danny said, "We don't know if he's really our ally. You made the right call, Johnny."

"Yeah. We should see Mr. Griffith now."

"I'm coming with you."

They all went to Alexander's room. Danny lamented, "Ever since Elise went missing, Alexander's health has been getting worse. He might not hold out for much longer at this rate. I—"

His sentence was cut off by the sound of curtains closing. Not a moment later, Melody had drawn all the curtains.

"Why did you do that? It's daytime."

Danny was flabbergasted. Before Melody could say anything, Alexia cheered, "Daddy, you're alright!"

He turned around and saw Alexander holding Alexia. He was using one arm. It seemed like he was holding the child up easily, yet his face was pale.

Thinking Alexander was putting on a show, Danny tried to take Alexia away. "What are you doing, Lexi? Your father is still ill, so come down."

However, the moment he touched Alexia, someone held his wrist. Danny froze and stared at Alexander's hand in confusion. It's a strong grip. Doesn't feel like he's weak. Wait a minute… He looked up and saw Alexander looking refreshed, unlike what he looked like a moment ago. His lips were still pale, but the air around him felt tense. Danny was even starting to suffocate a little.

"Alexander… It can't be…" Filled with excitement, Danny couldn't even form a coherent sentence.

Alexander patted Danny's shoulder and nodded, confirming Danny's guess. Everything was just an act. He wasn't poisoned at all. "Wait, so the thing with Zephyr was a ploy?" Danny smacked his legs. That was a perfect act. I didn't notice it at all.

Alexander smiled and turned to Melody. "Did you bring it?"

Melody nodded and placed the large suitcase on the coffee table. Alexander put Alexia down and unlocked the suitcase after entering a password. A realistic-looking mask made in the image of Johnny was lying in the case.

Johnny arched his eyebrow. "No wonder you wouldn't let me see it. I see I've been kicked out of the main team."

He noticed the suitcase on his way there, and he asked Melody what was inside, but she wouldn't reveal anything. I should have known. Back then, Kenneth's mask was packed in a similar suitcase.

Everyone said nothing as Alexander wore the mask. It was a new experience for them. Not a moment later, Alexander had changed into the mask, and he styled his hair a little. Then, he turned around and looked at Johnny. "I have an important mission for you."

Johnny puffed out his chest, looking solemn. "I'm ready for anything. Let's go."

Alexander turned around and peeled off the protective layer of the first mask that was still in the suitcase, revealing what was underneath. It was another mask, though it was made in the image of Alexander.

"What is this?" Johnny had a bad feeling about this.

"As you can see, this is your mission. You're taking my place. The enemy needs to think I'm still healing up," said Alexander.

"We're going to war with Triune soon, and you expect me to do this? I refuse." Johnny refused to do it. He wanted to battle alongside his comrades.

"Refusal denied," said Alexander. "Staying back is the biggest challenge for a guy like you. Enjoy your vacation."

Johnny heaved a sigh and reluctantly took his coat off.

Alexander took his coat and put it on before approaching his kids. "Stay with Johnny. I'll bring your mommy and sister back."

The children nodded.

Alexander hugged the kids and left the room.

Danny sent him off, but before Alexander left, Danny realized Jamie and everyone else knew nothing about this. He said, "Should we tell Jamie and Narissa? They're worried about this."

"No. Narissa can't keep a secret, and Jamie is a lousy liar. If we tell them, this act is done for." We need some members to be kept in the dark for this to go on.

Coolest Girl in Town Chapter 1063--The sun was setting, and the surgery for Clement came to an end. Zephyr had injected just enough anesthetic for Clement to wake up half an hour after the surgery ended.

Raymond had been staying by Clement's side all this time, and he asked anxiously, "So, how do you feel?"

"Nothing." Clement shook his head. His wound was excruciating before he fainted, and now he felt a lot better.

"What do you mean, nothing?" Raymond stared at Clement's leg, frowning. "Did you lose feeling in your whole leg?" He immediately pinched Clement's leg.

Clement inhaled sharply and shot Raymond a glare. "Now I feel something." He gritted his teeth.

"Really?"

"Yeah, I feel I shouldn't have saved you."

Huh.

Zephyr shook his head. "I just administered some painkillers. What do you want him to feel? Agony?"

Raymond shut up. He was worried about Clement largely because he suspected Zephyr, but now Zephyr proved that he was at least an ethical doctor. He won't mind our attitude. "Thank you," said Raymond seriously.

Zephyr changed the subject. "I'll hand over the meds he needs to your doctors. All they have to do is keep an eye on him. Both of you may go now."

"Thank you, Dr. Lorwhal. We'll be going now." Raymond apologized and carried Clement away on his shoulder like he was a sack of potatoes.

When they were finally gone, Zephyr heaved a sigh of relief and cleaned the place up, but a short while later, Zephyr heard soft footsteps from behind him. He immediately picked up a used scalpel and flung it in the direction of the intruder.

The scalpel hit a rack and was buried deep in the door.

Someone clapped. In came a Caucasian man wearing a two-piece suit and a dark green top hat. His beard was gray, yet his skin was as smooth as a young man's. It was difficult to tell just how old he was. "I expected no less from Area X's best doctor. You've improved a lot ever since we last met. Soon you'll be the perfect doctor."

Zephyr narrowed his eyes, a dark light glinting within them. "How did you get in?" He wasn't surprised to see the intruder. He was Area X's person in charge and his ex-boss—Yosef.

Back when he was in Area X, Yosef promised to lend his services to a group of bloodthirsty b*stards the moment he showed his talent, and he did so without asking for any permission. Thinking that Yosef was a sc*m who would do anything for profit, they got into a fight and went their own ways.

Zephyr was one inch from death when he left Area X, but he held on by sheer determination. Once he was all healed up, he ran around different countries helping those who needed it. Thanks to that, he gained great fame, and Yosef told everyone he was working for Area X as if their separation had never happened.

Zephyr never cleared things up. He didn't want to, nor was there a need to.

The overly friendly Yosef sat on the only couch in the room and shrugged. "Smith Co. is nothing once Alexander is taken out. Nobody even saw me coming in."

"You wish to kill Alexander?" Zephyr saw through Yosef easily.

Yosef's smile disappeared and was replaced by a solemn look. "It's a dog-eat-dog world out there. You either eat or be eaten. I'm doing this for the greater good. If we can take Smith Co. down, then Area X will have an easier time."

"I'm not interested in your scheme." Zephyr narrowed his eyes, staring at Yosef dangerously. "Matthew took someone I care about away. Do you know that?"

"Is that so?" Yosef pretended to be surprised. "I had no idea. Is it her? Damn him. How could he do that to someone so adorable?"

"You know how important she is to me. Matthew had better give her back to me, or I will destroy Area X and everyone in it. That is a promise." Zephyr spoke calmly, but it was bone-chilling for some reason.

When Yosef met his eyes, he quickly looked away as he felt a bit guilty. Then, he rubbed his chin and said, "Matthew's just doing this to get back at Alexander. Now that he's sick, all you have to do is take him down, and I'm sure Matthew will give her back to you safe and sound."

Good. Now he admits that he sanctioned Matthew's actions. Yosef came here today to warn him that he must kill Alexander soon if he wanted to see that girl alive. Using someone else to do his dirty work was what Yosef was great at.

"I know what I'm doing. I don't need you to lecture me." Zephyr wasn't bowing down and retorted, "Don't forget that Smith Co. isn't as weak as you think. The lieutenants and Alexander's brothers aren't as simple as you think they are. Working with Matthew might be your downfall."

Yosef laughed maniacally. He then got up and patted Zephyr's shoulder. "Oh, I'm sure I'll still stand tall. After all, I have you helping me."

Zephyr was the one who poisoned Alexander, while Matthew was the one who was threatening them. Even if they could get to Yosef, all he had to do was make up an excuse, and he would get away easily. There's nothing to fear.

Zephyr gritted his teeth. "You had better wish she's fine, or else."

…

Alicia came to Suella's home early the next day. She was going with Suella to take the report, but when she got there, Suella told her she already had the report, and it proved that Danny was the one who violated her. Now all they had to do was negotiate.

Alicia went with her. I've come this far.

Ariel and Danny were already waiting for them when they arrived. They took their seats, and Suella pushed the report over to Danny. "Take a look."

Ariel placed her hand on the report. "No need for that. Thirty million, I take it?"

"Yes. Dollars, of course. Not any other currency," Suella emphasized. She then looked Ariel in the eye. "I'm sure."

Ariel nodded and flipped through the report, then she looked at Alicia. "Miss Heidelberg, you heard her. She claims that Danny violated her and demands thirty million from us. Is that your idea?"

Alicia nodded, but then she denied it, "I said she could demand compensation, but I didn't expect it to be this much. I know it's a lot of money, so there's space to negotiate." Thirty million is indeed a bit too much.

Coolest Girl in Town Chapter 1064--Danny might be Alexander's brother, but they had their own business. Taking this much money out of their account might affect their cash flow. Both of them were drugged that night, and part of the responsibility was on Suella as well. Alicia thought she shouldn't ask for that much money.

Suella didn't care. This was her only chance to get into upper society. She wanted as much money as possible, and she even did a background check when she was deciding on the amount. Danny's company is worth sixty million. I'm only taking less than half of that away. He has a lot to work with. I won't compromise.

"Why are you taking their side? Thirty million isn't much compared to my innocence. He took my innocence away, so he should pay for it. All of my exes are millionaires. If I'm still a virgin, I might be able to marry someone even more successful than he is. I could've gotten a lot more than thirty million. I'm only asking for thirty million because he's your friend. You can't force me to take an even lower offer. Am I that worthless to you?"

Alicia was a little offended by that. She came here because she saw Suella as her friend, yet she never thought Suella would think she was a traitor. She wanted Suella to make a better offer so she could have a better future. She had a long life ahead of her, but taking too much money might shorten her life.

She has no idea how hard it is to stay rich. There are a lot of cases of people getting rich in a short amount of time only for their wealth to disappear as fast as they attained it. If Suella were to take this one step too far, the Griffiths will make sure she lives in hell. If she backs off now, they might just let her live. Can't she see that?

"How could you say that? I'm doing this for you. The fact that you're all here means you want to deal with this amicably. Taking thirty million dollars from Danny might ruin his company, and…"

Alicia wanted to explain the complexity of the case to Suella, but Suella didn't give her a chance and had a full-blown meltdown. "So what? So what if his company is ruined? He still has his brother and his family. He will never fall, but what about me? He ruined my happiness. Why should I care for him? You're rich, so, of course, you care about other rich people. You will never understand me. I know what I want, so stay out of this!"

Alicia froze. So, she never thought of me as a friend. A moment of silence later, she decided to stay out of the matter. Any lingering pity she had for Suella was gone. "Very well. Proceed, then."

Alicia froze. So, she never thought of me as a friend. A moment of silence later, she decided to stay out of the matter. Any lingering pity she had for Suella was gone. "Very well. Proceed, then."

Suella wanted to explain herself, but then she realized this might be the last time she ever talked to Alicia. I'm going to be rich, and then I'm going to live the best life abroad. I don't have to lick her boots anymore. She sat up straighter and faced Danny. "Danny, you still have Alexander, the Griffiths, and Camren helping you out. Thirty million is frankly a good price for your future. If you're a man, just pay up."

"I see you've looked into my background," Danny sneered and leaned back in his seat. He then crossed his legs and shot Suella with a look of disdain. "But I never said I did it. Just because you're scamming me doesn't mean I'll go with it."

"You're denying it?" Suella froze for a moment, then she looked at the report Ariel was holding down and smiled. "Do you think I only have one copy of that report?"

She mimicked Danny and leaned back in her seat, then she crossed her arms. "I'm no idiot. I've made a dozen copies of it. And killing me won't work. If I die, then this report shows up on social media and the web pages of police departments all over the country by tomorrow. Now, what will you do?"

No longer able to contain her amusement, Ariel laughed. "You have an active imagination. You think you're worth the risk?"

Suella rolled her eyes. "Either you pay up, or I'll make your life hell."

Ariel said nothing. Instead, she looked at Alicia. "I trust you see her real colors now, Miss Heidelberg. It's time to make a decision. Sometimes you have to say goodbye."

Alicia got the message. Ariel hinted at it last time, and now she knew what to do. She nodded solemnly.

I have a bad feeling about this. "You're going to pit us against each other just because you won't pay? You're evil!"

Did she just call my wife evil? Danny slammed his fist on the table. "What did you just say to my wife, you wench?"

Shocked, Suella gulped and stammered, "S-She tried to pit me against Alicia in a fight. We're old friends. She can't do that to us." Yeah, we might not be friends anymore after today, but I'm still clinging to her until I don't need her anymore.

"Oh, I'm sure Miss Heidelberg knows who you really are just fine. Don't need to fan the flames." Good, the time is right. Ariel took her phone. "Come in now."

Noticing what Ariel did, Suella looked outside the room nervously, and she was met with Rylantha's dangerous glare. Rylantha came in looking angry, while Maverick followed closely behind. Both of them were upset, and Suella frowned. Why are they here? I haven't called them.

Ariel stood up and handed the report to Rylantha. "I trust you've heard everything? Now, pay up for your lover."

Everyone was confused, especially Maverick. He protested, "Hey, Danny did it. Why should we pay for his mistakes?"

"Why? Because both DNA samples belong to you," answered Ariel confidently. "My husband won't fall for the same trick twice. Only perverted sc*m like you would."

Danny was moved. He looked at Ariel with worship in his eyes. "Oh, honey. I'm touched." He would have kissed her if they were alone.

Ariel ignored him and tossed the report onto the table. "This is none of our business anymore, Miss Heidelberg. Shall we move elsewhere for tea?"

Alicia nodded and went along with Ariel, while Danny followed closely behind them.

"Don't leave me alone here, Alicia!"

"Hold it right there!"

Suella tried to chase after Alicia, but Maverick stopped her.

Coolest Girl in Town Chapter 1065--"Hey, explain yourself. I've never even touched you. There's no way the DNA samples are mine. Did you tamper with the results?" Maverick knew what he did. He didn't even manage to do anything to Danny. There was no way he could have slept with Suella. This is slander!

Rylantha looked furious. If Maverick failed to explain himself today, he would be done for.

Suella was going to scam both sides in the first place. Now that Danny saw through her trick, Maverick was the only victim left, so she wouldn't let him go. Suella grabbed his collar and quickly shouted, "You're denying it? I have proof! Now, pay up!"

"What are you doing? You madwoman! Let me go!"

They got into a tussle, and none would let go of the other. Eventually, the restaurant's customers turned their attention to them.

Embarrassed, Rylantha tried to stand in front of them to stop others from looking at them, but the crowd was getting bigger. Finally, she couldn't stand it anymore and roared, "This is an embarrassment!" She then slapped Maverick. "Don't let me see you ever again!"

Maverick's cheek swelled up, and Rylantha left without saying a word. "Wait for me, Rylantha!"

"You're not going anywhere! Help! Stop this rapist! Help!"

Maverick wanted to go after Rylantha, but he was stopped by Suella. The guards were fast approaching, so Maverick flung Suella away without holding back. He ran down the corridor, but the elevator doors had closed. Maverick stopped for a moment before running all the way down the safety exit.

The elevator reached the underground car park, and Rylantha came out looking angry. The air around her seemed to tremble. She would kick anything that crossed her way right now. Just when she was about to get in her car, her phone rang. She even didn't bother seeing who it was and just picked up the call and roared, "What the hell do you want?" She was in a bad mood.

Maverick came just in time to see her roar, so he stopped. He wanted to wait for her to calm down before he could explain everything.

"Ah, you seem angry, Miss Abbott. Things not going your way? Do you need my help with anything?"

"Ah, you seem angry, Miss Abbott. Things not going your way? Do you need my help with anything?"

"What do you want, Morgan?" Rylantha was even more frustrated now.

"Aw, don't snap at me. We're partners, remember? I always drop in to say hi."

"You never say hi for nothing. What is it this time?" Rylantha cut to the chase. She had no time for pleasantries.

"Nothing. Just heard that Alexander got sick, so I might need you to visit him."

"You just want me to confirm if he's fine. I'm not your servant, Morgan. You're the one who kidnapped Anastasia. I just got dragged into it. I can just tell Alexander what you did. He won't do anything to me, not when the old man is keeping me safe."

Maverick heard everything. A hint of surprise filled his eyes, and then malice appeared.

Owen sneered, "Do you think Alexander would believe you? He almost killed you."

That reminded her of her close brush with death. A wave of chilling sensation washed over her, dousing her fury. She tensed up, and not a word could escape her lips.

"Two days. I await your answer." Owen hung up.

Rylantha waited for a moment, then she put her phone down.

Just as she was in a daze, Maverick said, "Rylantha."

Rylantha snapped out of it. She composed herself and said impatiently, "What do you want? We're over. Come near me again and you won't escape with just a slap."

"Oh, you're the only one who wanted to end this. I still want to go on." Maverick's eyes glinted with victory. No longer was he the subservient toy.

Rylantha looked at him with disdain in her eyes. "Do you think I care about your opinion?" You're just a toy. A toy I can throw away anytime I want. You don't get to call the shots.

"Hm, I wonder if you'd care about Alexander's opinion, then." A smile curled Maverick's lip.

"What do you mean?" Rylantha narrowed her eyes.

"Nothing." Maverick stepped ahead and pulled Rylantha into his embrace. "You know I love you. I won't hurt you, but if you hurt me, then all bets are off. I might have to tell Alexander what I heard."

A frown furrowed Rylantha's brow. "You're threatening me?"

A frown furrowed Rylantha's brow. "You're threatening me?"

"Oh no, my dear. This isn't a threat. Merely something to spice up our relationship. Don't you remember what you wanted me to say every time we f*cked? Now that we have our dirty little secret, we can be together forever. You should be happy."

Maverick tried to kiss Rylantha, but she evaded him. All she felt for this man now was disgust. Maverick didn't mind. He patted her head, staring at her like she was his prized trophy.

"F*ck off." Rylantha shoved him away. With her back facing him, she said, "I can keep you around, but clean up your mess. I will not allow you to see any other woman."

"Well, I'll need your help then. The Abbotts shouldn't find it hard to… make someone disappear here, right?"

Rylantha wanted to yell at him, but she was met with a smirk, and she realized he would use the same threat against her again. Yelling is useless. She used to be the one holding all the cards in this relationship, yet now she had to listen to Maverick. Unable to accept the change in roles, she simply got in her car and drove into the distance.

Maverick didn't go after her. Instead, he put his hands in his pockets and saw her off calmly. Now that he had dirt on her, he could make her do anything he wanted. I don't need to be her toy anymore, but I really have to get rid of Suella.

…

After a whole day of rest, Narissa set off for her mission the next afternoon. Stenson would show up in an expensive private hospital that day, and she must make it there before he did. Only then would she have a better chance of capturing him. The Hellens knew their cars, so Narissa opted for a walk so as not to expose herself.

However, the moment she came out of the house, she was met by Paul in a convertible.

"Honk honk," Paul said. "Where are you going? I can give you a ride."

Coolest Girl in Town Chapter 1066--Narissa ignored him and went around his car, but then she saw Jamie walking toward her. After a small moment of hesitation, she got in Paul's car. "Klorov Hospital."

"Got it. Buckle up." Paul let go of the clutch and drove away.

Narissa looked in the side mirror. Jamie was slowly turning into a speck. She leaned to the side and rested an elbow on the window, her head held by her hand, and she spaced out.

Paul stole a glance at her and started a conversation. "It's in a remote place, that hospital. Why do you want to go there? Is someone sick? Want me to introduce a doctor to you?"

"Please, will you shut up? I can't even hear myself think," snapped Narissa. How on earth can this guy talk so much?

"Sure, no problem." However, two seconds later, he said, "I know the breakup is weighing down on you, but you really need to vent things out. The best way to forget a relationship is to get into another one. I think I can be a good replacement."

Narissa shot him a glare and mocked, "Your whole R&D department got headhunted, and your company's share prices are plummeting. You should spend more time dealing with business instead of flirting."

"Aw, I know you care about me, but you don't have to worry." Paul grinned, not feeling angered at all. "I've thought about it. I'm no businessman, and this whole business thing is crazy. It exhausts me a lot. Someone in the company can take over. They're better at this than I am. I'll just split the wealth with Alicia fifty-fifty and live our lives to the fullest."

"I don't care what you want to do. Just stay away from me," warned Narissa.

Paul was a bit annoyed and amused at the same time. "Why do you hate me so much? I really like you. I truly do. I only neglected you because I wanted to see if I could run a business. And now that I know I can't, I'm back for you. I'm serious."

"I know you are, but I just don't feel it. Do you get me?" Oh my god, talking with him is a chore. It's like we're not even on the same wavelength.

"Why don't you feel it? I can change."

"Really? I don't like the fact that you like me, then."

"Really? I don't like the fact that you like me, then."

Paul shut up for a moment. "Sorry, can't change that. You're just prejudiced. I bet there are times you don't think I'm annoying."

"Yeah. When I don't have to see you."

That wiped Paul's smile away before he could even start to feel delighted. "Alright, I'm mad. Don't talk to me. I don't want to talk to you."

Good. Now I can hear myself think. Narissa rolled her eyes and rested her head on the side, then she closed her eyes.

Two hours later, they arrived at Klorov. It was a hospital in the southwest part of the city.

Narissa wanted to barge right in, but Paul took her to the reception. "You can't just run around like a headless chicken. Watch me. Excuse me, do you have any patient called Stenson here? We're his colleagues. Here for a visit."

"A minute, please."

Paul lied as easily as he breathed, and he kept winking at Narissa.

Narissa looked around, and then the doors to an elevator opened. A group of suited thugs came out, forcing the other patients to make way for them. Then, Narissa saw Stenson in the middle of that group. He was still wearing the same slacks and aloha shirt she saw him in last time. He had a bandage over one eye, while malice glinted in the other.

"Hold it right there, Stenson!" Narissa yelled and chased after him right away.

The shout took all the strength out of Stenson, and his legs buckled, but he quickly stood back up. "Charge! Stop her!" He sent his lackeys to fight with Narissa while he tried to escape through the emergency exit.

Alas, his lackeys were weak. Narissa easily took them out and kept going after Stenson. She caught up to him the moment he got to the roof. Left with no choice, he climbed up the wall and crouched a little. With a trembling voice, he said, "Don't come any closer, o-or I'll jump!"

Narissa was speechless. You call yourself a gang lord? Honestly, not even high school kids would let you sit with them at lunch.

"Jump, then." Ignoring his threat, Narissa approached him. "But you'd better do it headfirst. Don't want you to be paralyzed now. In fact, I can help with that."

Panicked, Stenson looked down, which made his legs wobble even more. He crouched even lower.

Panicked, Stenson looked down, which made his legs wobble even more. He crouched even lower.

Narissa seized the chance and darted ahead to grab him by the nape. Then, she turned one arm behind him, hanging him over the building. "Where are you hiding Anastasia?"

"How should I know? You busted her out." Stenson held on tightly to the wall with his remaining arm. "I'm sorry. I won't do it again. Please, have mercy."

"You're still not telling?" Narissa loosened her grip a little.

"No, please, no!" Terrified, Stenson said, "I don't know where she is. She blinded me and knocked me out before I could do anything. When I woke up, my men told me you've fought your way in and exploded the bunker. I thought you busted her out."

"If you aren't hiding her, then why did you run?" Narissa squeezed his neck.

"Ow, ow, ow. Lady, you looked like you wanted to kill me. Of course, I had to run."

Oh. Um…

A gust of breeze blew across them, and the air got awkward.

Just then, Narissa felt an intent of murder coming from behind. She saw the knife glinting as it came straight at her, and she moved to the side to dodge it. At the same time, she let go of Stenson, and he fell. Narissa never wanted to kill him, so she quickly went back and held onto him. However, she was only able to grab his belt, yet Stenson was too heavy, and the belt unraveled right away. She then grabbed his pants, but he kept sliding down. In the end, she had to hold him by his legs.

Terrified, Stenson turned around and yelled, "Don't let me go, please!" It was then he realized that he had no pants on. To his embarrassment, he also saw a group of people taking photos of him below. Tears streamed down his cheeks, and he cried. "It's over. It's all over."

"It's not. I'm holding you, damn it!" cursed Narissa.

"No. My reputation. It's gone!" Stenson cried.

Ponicked, Stenson looked down, which mode his legs wobble even more. He crouched even lower.

Coolest Girl in Town Chapter 1067--Hit That

No, my reputation. It's all gone.

Narissa rolled her eyes. "Fine. Die, then. You won't feel embarrassed anymore. In fact, you won't feel anything." She loosened her grip even more, and Stenson fell further. Shocked, he screamed, and the people underneath got a bit excited.

As she spoke, the ambusher came charging at her again. Narissa quickly slammed him with a kick and sent him flying back. She tried to see who it was, but the man was wearing a cap and a mask. Damn it. I don't know who he is. And he's not even fazed by that kick.

The man was about to launch another attack, so Narissa did her best to pull Stenson back up. However, Stenson was a little too big, and she wasn't in the best position to use all her strength. She managed to pull him a little, but even that alone proved to be arduous.

The man strangled Narissa from behind and pointed his knife at her heart. "Die."

The glint from the knife almost blinded Narissa. She freed one hand and held the man's arm, trying to suplex him, but that was a dangerous move. One false move and she might let go of Stenson.

Just when she was about to throw caution to the wind, Paul came. "Get away from her!" Noticing the precarious situation Narissa was in, he charged ahead and grabbed the man's hand. He pounced at the man and they started to brawl.

Alas, Paul was no match for the stranger. After they rolled around for a while, the man pinned Paul down easily and stabbed Paul right in the stomach.

Worried about Paul, Narissa quickly pulled Stenson up with all her might and ran toward the ambusher without catching a break. She sent the killer flying away with a kick and slammed her foot into his chest once more before he could even react. He skidded back and slammed into the wall. The man fell to the ground and clutched his chest, coughing violently. He could no longer get back up. Calmly, Narissa approached him and took off his disguise. "Gale? Why did you do this?"

"Why? If it weren't for you and your father helping Paul, none of this would have happened. You and your father are the reasons I fell from grace. I'll kill you!" Gale's eyes were filled with menace. He felt no remorse for his actions at all.

Narissa was forlorn to see her erstwhile childhood friend turning into her enemy, and she shook her head. "You're a brilliant man. You could've had your own success, but greed pushed you over the edge."

Gale scoffed. "You're born with everything. Makes sense that you think you can take the high ground. If you were born into a family like mine, you'd have been my accomplice, not a self-proclaimed ally of justice."

"I don't deal with hypotheticals, and you think too highly of yourself, thus you fail." Refusing to waste any more time with Gale, she turned to Paul only to see Stenson hiding along the walls, slowly moving toward the staircase while pulling his pants up. He didn't even look at Narissa, as if that would stop her from seeing him. Narissa pursed her lips. She ran ahead and leaped into the air, landing in the path where Stenson was taking. "Trying to run?"

Stenson froze. Before he could do anything, Narissa kicked him down again and stomped his chest. He couldn't move at all. "Call your men and tell them to bring Anastasia to me, or else."

"Yes, ma'am. Of course, ma'am." Stenson scrambled around to find his phone, and then he realized that everything important was in his pants, but they had fallen out of his pockets when he was hanging upside down earlier. He then looked at Narissa pitifully. "I lost my phone."

"What a pain," complained Narissa, but she tossed him her phone anyway. The call made it through a moment later, and Narissa told Stenson to turn the speaker on.

"It's me," said Stenson. And then, as per Narissa's orders, he said, "Get someone to bring Anastasia to the hospital."

"Are you okay, boss? Anastasia has escaped." The lackey sounded genuinely befuddled.

Stenson gave Narissa a look that said, 'Can I hang up now?'

"No." Worried that this might be a lie, Narissa slitted her throat with her hand, threatening Stenson to keep asking.

Stenson was so scared, he was already on the verge of tears, but he still yelled, "Then find her! If you don't show up with her in an hour, I'll kill you!"

The lackey said nothing. Stenson and Narissa exchanged a look, wondering what had happened. A while later, the lackey said, "Sorry, boss. I have a family to feed. I can't do something impossible for you. If that's how you're going to treat me, then I have to run. Sorry. Bye."

"Hey, what are you—" His sentence was cut short. Stenson's lackey had hung up, and things got a little awkward. So not loyal.

Narissa was finally forced to believe that Elise wasn't in the Hellens' hands, but still, she kicked Stenson. "I don't care. She was at your place, and then she went missing. This is still your fault. You're dead!"

"No, wait, I get it now!" Realization struck Stenson. "Owen Morgan. I bet he's the one who took her away. My men and you guys aside, he was the one who showed up the other day." He saw Owen leave without taking anyone, but his life was at stake, so he blamed everything on him.

"You should have started with that!" Narissa raised her fist, pretending that she was going to beat him up. "You just had to take the hard way."

Stenson curled up a little, but when he realized she wasn't really going to punch him, he heaved a sigh of relief.

When Narissa went back to Paul, Gale was already nowhere to be found. Paul was clutching his wound, sitting in a pool of his own blood. Narissa pointed at Stenson and yelled, "Hey you. Take him to the doctor's office!"

Stenson held up his pants and stood there like a petrified statue, looking upset. Narissa shot him a glare, and only then did Stenson take Paul downstairs. His belt and buckle were all ruined, and his pants were trailing behind him, revealing his underpants for everyone to see.

After Paul was sent to the emergency room, Narissa dismissed Stenson. "You can leave now."

Stenson pulled his pants up and ran away.

Paul suffered a deep wound, but it didn't harm his innards. The doctor stitched him up and sent him to a regular ward after that.

Coolest Girl in Town Chapter 1068-- No Compromise

The moment Paul woke up, he started blabbering again. "We just got out of a dangerous situation together, Narissa. You should feel something for me now. I'd still do it again if I were given the choice. If you promise to date me, I'll train myself once I get out of the hospital. I promise I can protect you. Um, Narissa? Hello? Earth to Narissa? Can you say something?"

Narissa grunted.

"Just a grunt?" Paul was miffed. "I'm a patient. Can't you at least be nicer to me?"

"No." Narissa was worried about Elise. She had no time to chat with Paul. "You should talk less and rest more, Mr. Patient."

"Might as well tell me to kill myself." Paul was a little hurt.

"I'll pick your sister up," Narissa excused herself.

"Hey, don't leave me alone!"

Narissa ignored Paul's howls and left the room, but then she bumped into Alicia who had come to see her brother. It was their first meeting after the resort, and both of them looked fidgety. Things were awkward for a moment.

He broke the silence. "Well, don't just stand there. Come in."

Alicia snapped out of it and went around Narissa to see her brother. "So, are you alright? Does it hurt?"

"I'm alright." Paul patted his wound like it was some symbol of pride. "This is a badge of honor. Proof that I defended the woman I love."

"I'll leave him in your hands, then. I have something else to do. Goodbye." Unwilling to stay any longer, Narissa left.

Alicia hesitated for a moment, then she went after Narissa. "A minute, please," she called out.

Narissa stopped, but she didn't look back. Coolly, she said, "I owe Paul one. Call me if you need anything, but don't stop me now. I have someone to save."

"It's not that." I can't let Paul hear this. She approached Narissa and mustered up her courage to say, "You might not believe me, but I never wanted to ruin your relationship with Jamie. You're the one he loves. Always. He thought I was you, so…"

"None of my business," interrupted Narissa. She refused to hear any details. "We've broken up."

Alicia wanted to ask why, but she realized why before she could even speak, and she frowned guiltily. "He loves you. He wouldn't have even given me a moment of his time if not for the drug. Everyone makes mistakes. Please, give him a chance. Give both of you a chance."

"You think too lowly of yourself. You're not as unimportant to him as you think, and I don't need this chance. If he can't stay loyal to me, then that's not the love I want. There's no need to be together if that's the case." There was nothing but cold fury in Narissa's eyes, yet her heart hurt. This was a regret of hers. Life was filled with it, and she ran into one of the worst ones life had to offer.

"Everyone wants perfect love, but not everyone gets it. What if you never meet a guy like him ever again?" Alicia was conflicted. She thought she was a sinner. She was the one who destroyed a loving couple.

"Then I'll just live my whole life without a partner." Narissa smiled bitterly, then resolve filled her eyes. "I will not settle." She said that as if she was reminding herself, and then she strode off.

Alicia stood around for a while, then she went back to the ward. Standing in front of the ward, she took a deep breath to calm herself, then she entered the ward with a smile. "What do you want for dinner? I'm cooking."

"I'm fine with whatever." Paul craned his neck, but Narissa was nowhere to be found. "Where's Narissa? Is she gone?"

"Yeah." Alicia nodded. "She had something to do, didn't you hear?"

Paul looked down. "I did. I just wanted to stay with her for a bit longer. Ten minutes would've been nice. You could've helped me out."

Alicia froze. "Wait. She's the one you love? You know she's engaged to Jamie, don't you?"

"Yeah, but so what? I snooped around. They broke up a few days ago. She's single. I have the right to woo her."

"You can't be serious."

"You bet I am."

Alright. This complicates things. She kept quiet about the relationship problem.

He thought she had nothing more to say, so he lay back down and rested his head on one arm and took a photo with his other hand. Then he posted it to the wall with a caption that read, 'Love wins.' He tagged Narissa, but instead of getting Narissa's attention, he got Suella's instead.

An hour later, Suella arrived at the ward bearing flowers and fruits. The Heidelberg siblings frowned, and they asked in unison, "Why are you here?"

Suella grinned. "I saw your post and I'm here to visit you, Paul. Are you alright?"

Paul had seen Suella a few times before, but for some reason, he just didn't like her. Still, she was Alicia's friend, so he said, "Yes. Sit."

"Sure. You guys go ahead. I'll just sit around." Suella placed the gifts down and tried to take a seat.

However, Alicia pulled her up and gave her back the presents. "Thanks for your concern, but if nothing else, we should never see each other again."

Paul was trying to kill some time with a mobile game, but now he sensed drama.

"Are you still mad because of what I said? I'm sorry. You know how straightforward I can be. I didn't mean it. I just hated myself for being so useless."

"That has nothing to do with this. I was going to cut ties with you after the meteor shower anyway, but then that episode happened. Just go home. And don't come to my place ever again." She pushed Suella out of the ward.

"Please, Alicia, no…"

Suella wanted to resist, but Alicia was too strong. She did train a lot, after all. In the end, Suella turned her attention to him. "You have to help me, Paul. Alicia doesn't have many friends, to begin with. Do you really want her to push everyone away and live without any friends?"

Paul shrugged. "Honestly, I think you're the reason she doesn't have any friends. Know The Grim? From Harry Potter? Yeah, you're like that, except The Grim means death, while you mean misfortune."

"But The Grim is fictional. You can't be serious, Paul—"

Alicia cut off that sentence by pushing Suella out and locking the door.

Coolest Girl in Town Chapter 1069--’ve Mistaken You

Suella only grew angrier the more she thought about it. Thus, she stopped at the steps after exiting the hospital's main entrance to text Maverick, 'Is the money ready? I will publicize the report and destroy you if I don't see it! Get ready for a life in jail!'

After sending off the message, the young woman hailed a cab. She believed Maverick wouldn't answer her calls, nor would he respond to her text so quickly. But right after entering the cab, she received the man's reply. 'Thirty million isn't a small figure. Give me one week.'

'Okay,' replied Suella, and her mood instantly brightened up.

At that, she looked up in the direction of Paul's ward through the window and scoffed. "Pfft, how dare you despise me just because I'm unlucky? Well, I have a problem with you two, you cursed b*stards! I've had enough of you both! Just wait for your lonely deaths!"

…

After deliberating at home for two days, Rylantha ultimately decided to help Owen sniff around at the thought that she had nearly died in Alexander's hands.

She deliberately chose to visit in the afternoon as she would be able to avoid most of the residents in Griffith Manor, and just as she assumed, Only Camren and Rebecca were in the house.

The two were in the living room, with Camren scrolling the tablet on the armchair while Rebecca fed him fruits. The two were behaving so affectionately that Rylantha thought she was going to be sick. However, to stay alive, she held back her emotions and went in.

"Dad." Rylantha put the gifts she got for them on the table and proactively greeted the two. "How has it been staying here?"

"Perfectly fine when you're not around to piss me off." Camren instantly turned grim and grew increasingly disappointed at Rylantha after learning the young woman had provoked Anastasia at the resort.

Rylantha felt incredibly humiliated, but she found it too embarrassing to go soft in front of Rebecca. As such, she merely let out a sigh.

"You guys talk. I'll check on the soup." Rebecca quick-wittedly made an excuse to leave, giving the father and daughter some space alone.

Meanwhile, Rylantha's gaze followed the woman, and it was when the kitchen door closed that she humbled herself, apologizing to Camren. "I'm sorry, Dad. I did all of that because I was worried you wouldn't love me anymore with your other daughter around. You have to put yourself in my shoes too, you know."

"What do you keep in that head of yours? You're both my daughters. How can I favor one and not the other?! You can manage an empire, yet you're stumped by such a trifle matter," exasperated Camren with disappointment.

"It's on me. But I've come to apologize now, haven't I? You're not going to keep being mad at me, are you?" Rylantha probed. If Camren decided to put the issue behind them, it would mean that he still cared about her. By then, even if Alexander found out she was involved in the kidnapping, she wouldn't need to worry about not having protection.

"And why would I do that? Do you think I'm petty like you women?" Camren had loved his dear daughter all his life, after all. Naturally, he wasn't going to leave her defenseless. "How about this? Apologize to your sister in front of everyone when she comes back later. I'll mediate the situation, and we'll put the issue behind us."

"Anything you say," Rylantha agreed nicely, then hurriedly asked Camren while Rebecca was still away, "Dad, where is Alexander's room?"

"Why do you want to know about that?"

"I heard he's sick. We'll become in-laws once Ariel marries his brother. As Ariel's sister, I should at least see how he's doing, no?"

"Very good of you to consider that." Camren nodded in reassurance, then said solemnly, "Alex's sickness is pretty serious. He hasn't come around after so many days. Who knows if he'll even make it? A patient needs to bask in the sun more often, as they say, so they put him in the first room to the left on the second floor. If you care about him, you should ask your business partners to look around; see if there are any reliable doctors they'd recommend."

"Got it. I'll ask around." Rylantha acknowledged it perfunctorily, then helped him up. "It's time for your afternoon nap. Here, I'll help you to your room."

Pleased with her change, Camren said, "Looks like it was a good decision that we searched for your sister. You're now behaving much better than you used to."

To that, Rylantha didn't answer him but only forced a barely noticeable smile. Oh, so I was good enough for you before Ariel showed up, and now that she's back, I'm problematic no matter what. Huh, just admit you like Ariel more.

Since she had long figured it out, she wasn't upset by it. She just found it ironic.

After gently putting Camren to bed, she tiptoed to Alexander's room.

At that, she leaned against the door to listen for movements inside the room. After she was certain there wasn't anyone, she twisted the doorknob and snuck in.

It was a small suite, so one would find a living room the moment they stepped in. The bedroom would be to the left.

When Rylantha arrived at the doorway connecting the living room and bedroom, she could already see Alexander lying in bed from afar.

The man was sleeping peacefully with shut eyes, but his face was bloodless. If it weren't that the ECG machine was still doing its thing, one would think he was a corpse.

That said, Rylantha still felt inexplicably fearful even though the man was motionless.

As she dared not hang around too long, she pulled her phone out and snapped pictures of Alexander.

"What are you doing?" A faint voice came from behind her just then, startling her. At that, she hurriedly turned around while hiding her phone behind her back.

Seeing it was Irvin, she subtly sighed in relief. A child was much less threatening. However, when she looked back up, the boy had already stood before her.

He extended his palm toward her expressionlessly and ordered, "Hand it over. I saw it."

Rylantha gulped nervously in response. He was just a child, but for some reason, she felt intimidation coming from his eyes, and it wasn't after a few seconds of standing off that she finally handed him her phone.

The first thing Irvin checked was her album. Seeing that he didn't find what he was looking for, he took a gander at her before looking back at the phone and continuing his search.

It seemed that he couldn't find anything. About two minutes later, he returned the phone to Rylantha. "Sorry, Miss Abbott. I've mistaken you."

"Don't worry about it." Rylantha smiled with ease.

Fortunately, she had come well-prepared. It didn't matter if the pictures were deleted, for she'd be able to fish them back out from the cloud. She wasn't worried about being searched at all.

"You keep your dad company, alright? I have to go now."

"See you."

Worried that she'd bump into someone else, she ran away as if her life depended on it.

As soon as the door closed, Johnny, who was pretending to be Alexander, sat up right away. "We should install an alarm at the staircase. Thank goodness that woman didn't scrutinize. I didn't even have time to put this on," said the man while flinging the IV line.

"To be on the safe side, I believe we should administer an IV drip for you, Mr. Johnny. It'll look more believable," Irvin suggested.

"Can't you pretend you didn't hear anything?"

"I'll make the preparations."

The poor man was rendered speechless.

Coolest Girl in Town Chapter 1070--A Perfect Match

Rylantha retrieved the deleted pictures from the cloud after arriving home, sent them to Owen, then gave him a call. "You see that? Griffith's dying. Happy now? How do you plan on threatening me to do your dirty work next?"

"Kill him," said Owen gravely, and Rylantha turned grim at once. However, before the young woman could come to herself, Owen chuckled. "Relax. I'm just kidding. I know you can't do that."

"Not funny!" Rylantha hung up at once, feeling like she had been toyed with.

Moments later, a message from Owen came in. 'Relax, this is the last time. You will receive a handsome reward after I take over Smith Co.'

The message calmed Rylantha's anger. If Owen can defeat Alexander, and Ariel is without the Griffiths' support, then I might be able to come to my own. But if Owen's plan goes down, I'll be dragged into it as well. Still, I should expect the worst.

Sure, that was the idea, but Rylantha was more inclined to believe the former. She read the message in seventh heaven, looking as though she had already crushed Ariel beneath her feet.

Suddenly, her hands and ears felt itchy, probably due to her overexcitement. After giving them a casual scratch, she put the phone down and headed into the bathroom.

Half an hour later, she came out in a bathrobe and a glass of red wine.

Rylantha checked herself out in the mirror after taking a couple of sips of the red wine, and an indescribable joy rose within her as she appreciated her beauty in front of the mirror. "Such a beautiful face; even I can't help but fall in love with it. However, why does every man apart from Maverick, that wuss, stay away from me like I'm some curse?! Is my body not to die for?"

While mumbling, the itchiness returned. It wasn't intense, but she felt inexplicably warm under the bathrobe.

Then, she casually placed the wine glass on the shelf and mumbled to herself while untying the bathrobe strap. After that, she pulled the robe back and fixed her gaze on her perfect curves, admiring them. She didn't even realize the robe had slipped to the floor.

Moments later, she suddenly tiptoed and danced around the room like a ballerina in her birthday suit.

She was so comfortable doing it that it was clear this wasn't her first rodeo. However, what she didn't know was unlike any other time, her 'recital' was being broadcast live on the internet as someone had gained access to her computer's camera.

Just like that, over a hundred thousand viewers flooded the channel in mere minutes. Though the internet police banned the account quickly, the content aired had been screen recorded and reposted online.

Some managed to identify Rylantha, and for a while, the topic 'Live stream clip of Camren Abbott's daughter' went viral and hit the number one spot on the trending page.

While the young woman was oblivious, her secretary was freaking out. Worse, the latter couldn't reach Rylantha at all, no matter how many phone calls she made.

Finally, the episode came to a close when Maverick barged in twenty minutes later. Rylantha's first reaction upon seeing him was to frown in despise before she put her bathrobe back on unhurriedly.

Meanwhile, Maverick scanned the room with furrowed brows. His gaze landed on the laptop, where the standby button was flashing. At that, he ran to it and closed it with a thunderous smack.

"Are you nuts, Maverick? What the heck are you doing here?!" Rylantha hit the roof. No one knew if she was startled by the thunderous smack or if she just didn't want to see Maverick.

As grim as Maverick was, he patiently pulled out his phone, searched for the clip, then chucked the phone to her. "Take a look at it yourself. Whatever you were doing earlier had been secretly taped and released online!"

Stupefied, Rylantha checked the phone, and just as Maverick said, nearly everyone was talking about the live stream on Mesdra's largest social media.

'Mr. Abbott's daughter sure has a fine body!'

'My, what a lady. That ballet sure got this tent erected very quickly! I just finished. What about you guys?'

'Man, that was a good one!'

'It's alright. I mean, it's free, so I have nothing to complain about.'

While some commented on her body, others escalated it to a racial issue.

'Cittadelians sure are sl*ts!'

'Shameless Cittadelians! Sl*ts like her should get the f*ck out of Mesdra!'

'She works for Mesdra but disgraces Cittadel. I swear to God! Never come back to Cittadel, you Mesdran!'

Rylantha couldn't do anything but watch as the comments came in one after another, and she threw the phone to the floor in a meltdown, smashing it to bits. "Ah! Who did it?! Who?! I'm going to kill him!"

Meanwhile, in a building miles away called Griffith Manor, Irvin sneezed out of the blue.

"What's wrong? Down with a cold?" Danny asked casually, then spat the water in his mouth in shock. Pfft!

He took a couple of glances at his phone with widened eyes, shoved it into his arms like he just saw a ghost, then closed his eyes and mumbled, "Father, Jesus, Mother Mary, goodness me. I didn't mean to see it. Oh, Father Lord, please don't turn me blind…"

"What are you mumbling about? What did you see?" Ariel asked.

"Ry—" Danny paused abruptly, then ultimately shoved his phone into her hands. "See for yourself."

Ariel's emotions turned somewhat complicated after scrolling for a while. Sure, she and Rylantha didn't get along, but they were both women. Seeing that someone had secretly taped her and put the clip online, she still felt bad for Rylantha.

"Man, you can't judge a book by its cover. Rylantha's usually pretty prim and proper, but to think she's actually so liberal. Well, now she and Maverick are a perfect match."

Since Danny had a bitter resentment toward Rylantha, he thought the young woman deserved the humiliation.

Meanwhile, Irvin glanced at the couple, then turned back to his laptop the next second. "It's called having a taste of your own medicine. She should've known it would eventually happen to her when she snapped pictures of others in secret."

Danny looked toward the boy at that. He remembered Johnny telling him how Irvin had caught Rylantha in the act. Believing the two incidents were connected, he decided to verify it with Irvin, but Narissa came stomping in just then.

The second she entered, she reported gravely, "Everyone, Stenson Hellen has yielded to my fists! He admitted that Owen was the one who took El away. I doubt he'd dare lie to me, so our next search target will be on Triune."

At that, Danny and Ariel exchanged a glance. It was already old news to them, and Alexander was already on his way to rescue Elise. However, since Alexander instructed that no one tell Jamie or Narissa the truth, Danny and Ariel couldn't say anything explicitly.

"Don't worry, Narissa. It doesn't matter if the Hellens or Triune took Elise away, for we'll make sure she returns safely." At that, Danny changed the subject. "However, there's an even more pressing issue at hand. We might have a mole among us!"