Tess looked around cautiously, ensuring no one else was nearby. Then, she whispered, "The one who is as famous as Cedric... Jerome Olsen! I met Jerome Olsen's wife during my business trip this time!""Jerome's wife?""Yes, yes! She told me that she had been to Osttahl before for academic discussions. She mentioned that the place could be chaotic and advised me to be careful, especially to watch my belongings. “So, I bought some self-defense tools. We’re getting my sister's belongings, and her things are all precious. Many people might try to snatch them! We need some handy tools, just in case. It's always better to be prepared."Maia pretended to have a serious expression and nodded, "Yes, you are right. But are you sure you can bring these things on the plane?" She pointed her slender finger towards the luggage on the floor. Tess was caught off guard.Maia smiled and continued, "Aunt Tess, we'll stay at the safest hotel in Osttahl, and the security for the charity event should b
"There’s no need for that because you are already trouble. I don't need to go looking for more," Maia said as she returned the tablet to Cedric. Taking advantage of his momentary distraction, she quickly freed herself from his grasp and kept her distance.Stepping back a few paces, Maia smiled at Cedric. "I appreciate your kindness but don't want to invite more trouble. You should find someone else."Maia then walked to the elevator. His gaze stayed on her, with a gleam in his eyes—a light that appeared because of her."Tomorrow, someone will protect you all the way," Cedric said.Maia paused for a moment, nodded slightly, and entered the elevator.After going upstairs, Maia immediately began to pack her luggage, playing her part in the act. She chose a dress for the charity event in front of the mirror, planning to select a short dress that wouldn't cause any trouble. However, she couldn't find a suitable and lightweight dress after searching through her options."Too short."
Maia breathed a sigh of relief as she saw Tess falling asleep. Acting could not go on forever, or it would be too exhausting. She leaned to the side and closed her eyes, but she dared not let her guard down. Even though Cedric had arranged people, Tess was too close, and Maia had to remain vigilant.Upon arrival in Osttahl, it was already the following day. The weather in Osttahl was different from Solisar, and as soon as Maia got off the plane, she felt a bit cold. She quickly walked outside the airport with her luggage alongside Tess.They took a taxi arranged by Cedric to the hotel he had also arranged. The entire hotel was completely booked for them, all for tonight's charity event. Upon reaching the hotel room and closing the door, Tess immediately began trying on the dress she would wear tonight."Maia, do I look good in this?"Maia nodded. "You look good, Aunt Tess, no matter what you wear."While Maia was answering Tess, she received a text message from Cedric: "There is
Who would’ve thought that Aunt Tess was the one who had paid an exorbitant amount of money for someone to kill her? Such a twist would have been deemed too preposterous even for television!Reality was too cruel.Now, there was one less person who cared about her. For that matter, there was one less person for her to care about as well. Not that she even had have that many to begin with…“Who said you were only worth a billion dollars?” Cedric wasn’t pleased with what he heard.Maia smiled. “Well, how much do you think I’m worth, Cedric?”“You’re priceless,” Cedric said decisively. It was what he genuinely thought. Maia was startled. Something stirred in her heart when she saw the way he looked at her. She pulled her eyes away. She didn’t want to continue this vein of conversation, much less meet his affectionate gaze. She said, “The charity event is in less than thirteen hours. I’m a little tired. I’ll be going back to my room to rest.”“You can do that here.”“That’s not
The auction was in full swing. Just when everyone was eager to see what item would come up next, the emcee exclaimed, “Ladies and gentlemen. Don’t you think you’ve seen enough jewelry? “The next item is a wristwatch from the forties. There are twenty-nine gems on it! It’s one of the best vintage watches we’ve ever seen! Let’s unveil it.”The spotlight focused on a rectangular glass shelf on the stage. Everyone stared at it, eyes glinting.“What a splendid watch!”“Seconded. It’s such a rare work of art. The fact that it’s from the forties makes it worth collecting!”“The starting price is going to be steep. I’m a little curious about who will win the bid for it tonight.”Maia frowned and looked at the wristwatch. She kept her peripheral vision on Tess and found that she, too, had her eyes fixed on it. Tess clutched at her gown. She was nervous.A few seconds later, Tess pulled her gaze away and looked at Maia. “Is that it, Maia?” Maia looked at her and nodded solemnly. “That’
“Where do you think you’re going? You should’ve known this day would come the moment you killed my mother, Aunt Tess!” Maia’s voice was still tender, but she uttered each word with venom.“Y-You knew all along…” Tess knew that she had lost Maia’s trust completely. Her escape from the venue sent a very clear message. “Why?!” Maia couldn’t figure it out. Her clutch over Tess’s collar tightened. “Tell me. Why?! Why did you kill my mother? She was your sister too! Your own sister!”“Why, you ask?” Tess laughed out of nowhere, “She deserved it! Your mother deserved to die, Maia. Rosa had it coming!”Maia slapped Tess across her face.“You’re insane!” Tess looked pathetic. She fell onto the ground and burst into laughter.“You’ve got that right. Rosa made me insane! Do you know what the Starlight Entertainment building used to be in Prismara? It was the Wilson Group. And do you know who the CEO was? It was Harry Wilson! He was the love of my life! “I begged your mother to give him a hand
“Errol said you met up with Celia the day she jumped off the building and killed herself. Celia had a meltdown because of the ten minutes you spent with her. That spurred her to commit suicide.”Maia glanced at Tess, waiting for her answer. She wanted to see if Tess had anything to do with Celia’s death. Tess wasn’t exactly fazed, though. She merely lowered her gaze and nodded. “You’re right. It was me.”Maia pressed, “Does that mean you hired those men to rape Celia as well?”“I did.” Tess answered without any hesitation. “What else have you done? How many people have you harmed in the name of your absurd agenda?” Maia stared at Tess furiously. She couldn’t believe Tess was behind Celia’s death!“I had to achieve my goal at all costs. In hindsight, I can’t believe my goals were so petty. The man I loved did not even love me in return. Never in my wildest dreams would I have guessed he would do wrong by me…”Tess smiled bitterly. Tears were flowing freely down her cheeks. She
Tess closed her eyes as all signs of life left her body. Maia’s eyes began to sting. The blowing wind dried the tears on her cheeks. She stood there motionless until somebody put a suit jacket on her.Time passed. Maia was so exhausted. Her grip on the pistol loosened and it fell onto the ground. She turned around and walked toward the car.Cedric was right behind her. Just as she was about to open the car door, he swept her up and placed her in the passenger’s seat. He buckled her in, closed the door, and drove off into the night..Maia did not know how she got back to the hotel, much less how she got back to a room. All she knew was that this was not her room. It was the Osttahl Hotel’s presidential suite on the top floor. She sat by the window and gazed blankly at the city. It looked so peaceful. How many of its inhabitants were aware of the wickedness lurking in the dark? Cedric frowned when he saw the state she was in. He held her in his embrace and said sternly, “Go ahead