Meanwhile, at the entrance of a lane on the second ring road in the north of the city, Ella hung up the phone after transferring money to the shop owner. Just as she did, her phone rang again. The shop owner looked at her in shock and confusion, wondering why she would use a commercial phone when she had a perfectly good mobile phone. Ella ignored him and checked the caller ID before walking out of the shop. She walked to a quiet street corner before answering the call. "Hello?""Lila! Where are you?!" A voice that sounded like it was on the verge of madness came from the phone. "You better not play any tricks on me, or you'll never find out the truth about the fire six years ago!"Ella sneered at the threat. "Don't worry, Miss Amy. I was just stuck in traffic for a bit."Amy coldly snorted. "So how much longer do I have to wait?""About ten minutes."Ella wasn't sure what Amy wanted from her. She probably didn't know that she was actually Ella. With her current hysterical state,
Amy saw a few figures walking outside the door.Through the limited field of vision provided by the cat’s eyes in the door, she couldn’t see their faces clearly. However, judging by their attire, it was evident that these weren’t people sent by Leo. Instead, they seemed more like officials inspecting something.Sure enough, she overheard their conversation outside the door.“Have all the residents of this building moved out?”“They’ve been completely relocated.”“That’s good. When can we start the demolition?”“Tomorrow should be fine.”“The demolition must proceed quickly, but make sure to avoid disturbing the nearby residents.”The group ascended a few steps, but perhaps due to the instability of the stairs, they decided to turn back before reaching the third floor.Only then did Amy let out a sigh of relief.Even though these people came to inspect, if they had gone upstairs and discovered someone still inside, she wouldn’t have been able to explain herself.Amy turned back to the
Amy didn’t notice the shock in Gordon's eyes.Although she was a host, she had also taken a course in dubbing during college, so it wasn’t difficult for her to change her voice to imitate Lila’s.Sure enough, Leo on the other end of the phone didn’t notice anything wrong. His voice was gentle, with a hint of temptation, “Lila, where are you going?”“I’m going out to see a friend,” Amy replied, keeping up the pretense.“A friend?” Leo’s voice raised slightly. “Which friend? Why didn’t you tell me?”Amy, perfectly imitating Lila’s tone, said lightly, “Aren’t you at work? Do I have to report to you every time I step out for a little while?”Leo on the other end of the phone was stunned.Lila… is she angry with me?This was somewhat new to him.After all, he had known Lila for so many years, and she had always been respectful toward him. Even if he sometimes interfered too much in her life and made her feel uncomfortable, she would at most distance herself slightly.But this… this was som
Leo couldn’t help but think of the words he heard outside the ward last night, and his eyes softened.He gently tucked her hair behind her ear, but his finger paused for a moment.Amy didn’t notice anything wrong and said, “Since you see that I’m fine, why don’t you go out and wait for me? I still have to talk to my friend for a bit.”Amy didn’t want to spend too much time with Leo. Although she was now wearing Lila’s face and had a similar demeanor to Lila, she didn’t have Lila’s memories.Originally, Amy had planned to cause a car accident on the road after replacing Lila, and then pretend to be unconscious and have amnesia. But she never expected Leo to arrive so quickly.With Leo’s intelligence, she could fool him for a few minutes, but if they spent more time together, he would definitely notice something was off. So, she had to get rid of Leo first.Fortunately, Leo didn’t hesitate this time and said, “Okay, I’ll wait for you downstairs.”After Leo left, Amy patted her chest, fe
"Leo shouted, 'Ella!' instead of 'Lila' at that moment."As expected, the woman couldn’t keep up the act anymore. Even when pretending to be unconscious with her eyes closed, her eyeballs couldn’t help but move around. So, Leo immediately gave her a sedative injection and had the driver take her to his own home. He would naturally go back and meet her properly when he had time in the evening.However, after confirming that the woman was a fake, Leo’s nervousness actually increased because he wasn’t sure if his Ella was okay.Leo looked around the room and didn’t find anything unusual. He was about to take out his phone and call the people waiting at the entrance of the alley to catch the man who had just left.But at this moment, a faint sound came from under the broken bed of the small room:“Mmm...”Leo’s body shook, and he turned and walked into the bedroom.“Ella?”He lifted the bedsheet and saw a girl under the bed holding her chest in pain. Who else could it be if not his Ella
Ella Montgomery stared at the two pink lines on the pregnancy test, her heart hammering as a dozen emotions rushed through her. Pregnant? How on earth? She and Lucas had only been married for half a year, and they’d only been…intimate once. And that one time didn’t even count; he’d been as drunk as a sailor on shore leave. So, how could she possibly be pregnant? Just then, a voice came from outside the bathroom door, making her jump. “Mrs. Montgomery, sir is back.” Ella's heart skipped another beat. She quickly tossed the pregnancy test into the trash, feeling absurdly guilty—like a thief hiding evidence. But why should she feel guilty? She was Lucas Montgomery’s legally wedded wife, and she was carrying his child. If anyone had explaining to do, it was him. After a deep breath to steady herself, Ella stepped out of the bathroom, determined to share the news, but as soon as she saw him, her courage faltered. Lucas was by the door, kicking off his shoes, looking like he h
Ella woke up suddenly, gasping. The air around her felt thick and hot, as if someone had cranked up the heat to unbearable levels. Squinting her eyes open, she was met with the eerie orange glow of flames licking up the walls, smoke filling every corner of the room. She couldn’t breathe. Her throat scratched with every gasp, her lungs screaming for relief. Instinctively, she covered her mouth with her sleeve and tried to rise. That’s when she stumbled, her feet catching on something soft yet unyielding. She glanced down and froze. “Dad…” The word came out as a broken whisper. Her father lay still beside her, his face peaceful yet hauntingly lifeless. He had no visible injuries, nothing to suggest he’d been hurt—yet here he was, lying motionless. Panic clawed at her chest, but amid the terror, a strange familiarity washed over her. She recognized this place: her father’s factory workshop, his beloved pharmaceutical lab. Her mind raced, piecing together fragments of memory
Everyone in the cabin went silent, their eyes fixed on Lucas. He gave a mocking sneer, putting down the newspaper he’d been holding. His icy gaze turned to Ella, and he took slow, deliberate steps toward her. "Miss Kane," he drawled, his voice dripping with sarcasm, "you really live up to your name as the ‘Rose of the Battlefield.’” Suddenly, his hand shot out, grabbing her by the neck, his grip cold and unyielding. He lifted her toward the window with a dark glint in his eyes. “Do you honestly believe I couldn’t open this window right now and toss you out as fertilizer for the flowers?” The threat hung in the air, his voice low and venomous. Just then, Ella stumbled forward, her balance lost as the plane gave a sudden jolt. She fell against him, her heart pounding as his arms closed around her for a brief second, enveloped in his scent. Lucas froze, momentarily taken aback by her closeness, a flicker of something like surprise crossing his face before he hardened again.
"Leo shouted, 'Ella!' instead of 'Lila' at that moment."As expected, the woman couldn’t keep up the act anymore. Even when pretending to be unconscious with her eyes closed, her eyeballs couldn’t help but move around. So, Leo immediately gave her a sedative injection and had the driver take her to his own home. He would naturally go back and meet her properly when he had time in the evening.However, after confirming that the woman was a fake, Leo’s nervousness actually increased because he wasn’t sure if his Ella was okay.Leo looked around the room and didn’t find anything unusual. He was about to take out his phone and call the people waiting at the entrance of the alley to catch the man who had just left.But at this moment, a faint sound came from under the broken bed of the small room:“Mmm...”Leo’s body shook, and he turned and walked into the bedroom.“Ella?”He lifted the bedsheet and saw a girl under the bed holding her chest in pain. Who else could it be if not his Ella
Leo couldn’t help but think of the words he heard outside the ward last night, and his eyes softened.He gently tucked her hair behind her ear, but his finger paused for a moment.Amy didn’t notice anything wrong and said, “Since you see that I’m fine, why don’t you go out and wait for me? I still have to talk to my friend for a bit.”Amy didn’t want to spend too much time with Leo. Although she was now wearing Lila’s face and had a similar demeanor to Lila, she didn’t have Lila’s memories.Originally, Amy had planned to cause a car accident on the road after replacing Lila, and then pretend to be unconscious and have amnesia. But she never expected Leo to arrive so quickly.With Leo’s intelligence, she could fool him for a few minutes, but if they spent more time together, he would definitely notice something was off. So, she had to get rid of Leo first.Fortunately, Leo didn’t hesitate this time and said, “Okay, I’ll wait for you downstairs.”After Leo left, Amy patted her chest, fe
Amy didn’t notice the shock in Gordon's eyes.Although she was a host, she had also taken a course in dubbing during college, so it wasn’t difficult for her to change her voice to imitate Lila’s.Sure enough, Leo on the other end of the phone didn’t notice anything wrong. His voice was gentle, with a hint of temptation, “Lila, where are you going?”“I’m going out to see a friend,” Amy replied, keeping up the pretense.“A friend?” Leo’s voice raised slightly. “Which friend? Why didn’t you tell me?”Amy, perfectly imitating Lila’s tone, said lightly, “Aren’t you at work? Do I have to report to you every time I step out for a little while?”Leo on the other end of the phone was stunned.Lila… is she angry with me?This was somewhat new to him.After all, he had known Lila for so many years, and she had always been respectful toward him. Even if he sometimes interfered too much in her life and made her feel uncomfortable, she would at most distance herself slightly.But this… this was som
Amy saw a few figures walking outside the door.Through the limited field of vision provided by the cat’s eyes in the door, she couldn’t see their faces clearly. However, judging by their attire, it was evident that these weren’t people sent by Leo. Instead, they seemed more like officials inspecting something.Sure enough, she overheard their conversation outside the door.“Have all the residents of this building moved out?”“They’ve been completely relocated.”“That’s good. When can we start the demolition?”“Tomorrow should be fine.”“The demolition must proceed quickly, but make sure to avoid disturbing the nearby residents.”The group ascended a few steps, but perhaps due to the instability of the stairs, they decided to turn back before reaching the third floor.Only then did Amy let out a sigh of relief.Even though these people came to inspect, if they had gone upstairs and discovered someone still inside, she wouldn’t have been able to explain herself.Amy turned back to the
Meanwhile, at the entrance of a lane on the second ring road in the north of the city, Ella hung up the phone after transferring money to the shop owner. Just as she did, her phone rang again. The shop owner looked at her in shock and confusion, wondering why she would use a commercial phone when she had a perfectly good mobile phone. Ella ignored him and checked the caller ID before walking out of the shop. She walked to a quiet street corner before answering the call. "Hello?""Lila! Where are you?!" A voice that sounded like it was on the verge of madness came from the phone. "You better not play any tricks on me, or you'll never find out the truth about the fire six years ago!"Ella sneered at the threat. "Don't worry, Miss Amy. I was just stuck in traffic for a bit."Amy coldly snorted. "So how much longer do I have to wait?""About ten minutes."Ella wasn't sure what Amy wanted from her. She probably didn't know that she was actually Ella. With her current hysterical state,
If by the end of tomorrow's trial, Kings Lopez still insists that he acted alone and has nothing to do with Leo, things will become complicated.Because Kings Lopez is still in custody and Philip can still have access to him, but once the trial is over, according to the speed of this case, the judgment will come immediately, and Kings Lopez will be sent to prison. It will be difficult to see him again once he is in prison. It will be even harder to reopen the case. After all, this is already a retrial of an old case. If it is retried again, it will probably shake the public's confidence. The higher-ups will not make such a decision easily."I’ll go see Kings Lopez tonight and try to make a breakthrough from him," Philip said, thinking about how to break through Kings Lopez's defenses and make him confess Leo's involvement.Unexpectedly, Ella shook her head. "No need.""Hmm?" Philip looked up and saw Ella's firm and resolute eyes. He seemed to understand what she meant. "What's you
Leo couldn't remember how many red lights he had run through.All he knew was that when he parked his car on the side of the road, several cars that had been following him couldn't help but drive up to him and curse."Couldn't you just go home and drink poison or cut your wrists if you want to commit suicide? Why do you have to cause trouble for others on the road?"Leo glanced at the man calmly without saying anything. Although he hadn't said anything yet, the man inexplicably became timid and snorted, "What are you looking at? You were the one speeding!" Then he quickly rolled up his car window and stepped on the gas to leave.Leo collected his gaze expressionlessly, got out of the car, and walked straight toward the alley where Ella had disappeared.The alley was very deep, crossing two main streets, and there were many small side roads inside. There were also scattered small vendors on the roadside and small low-rise buildings that seemed to have no end.Moreover, because the ro
Kai's face turned slightly pale."Not only." He clenched the mouse in his hand, and his voice forced to be calm: "We were discovered."Leo was taken aback for a moment: "It was discovered? What do you mean?"Kai took a deep breath: "My mother’s phone is not turned off, but controlled. The other party traced us back through my locator. The garbled characters on the screen should be a message from them."Leo’s pupils shrank uncontrollably.Ella's mobile phone is not turned off, but controlled? Isn’t her current situation more dangerous than she imagined?No, I don’t care about that much.Finding Ella is the most important thing.Thinking of this, he asked Kai again: "Then what do they want to say?"Kai shook his head while typing on the keyboard quickly: "I don’t know, the one they sent is a code, and it needs to be run through the program before it can be displayed."Leo took a deep breath and suppressed the anxiety in his heart."Okay, then try to run it first. Uncle, go make a call a
"Good morning, Dr. Leo." "Are you here to see Miss Lila again?" "Dr. Leo, you seem to be in a good mood. Is something good happening lately?" Leo didn't respond to their questions, only smiling gently and nodding in acknowledgment. It wasn't until the doctors and nurses had passed by that he couldn't help but turn and head toward the restroom to check himself in the mirror. After so many years, he had grown accustomed to wearing a mask of warmth and kindness. As for his true emotions, he had almost forgotten what they felt like. But now even passing doctors and nurses could sense his joy... Was it really that obvious? Leo couldn't help but shake his head and smile, washing his hands before turning to leave the restroom. However, just as he reached the door of Ella's hospital room, a nurse rushed out in a panic and collided with him. Seeing the nurse's panicked expression, Leo immediately had a bad feeling. "What happened?" The nurse, recognizing Leo, couldn't hi