Obviously, Jeremy had exhausted his patience. He began hammering the door frantically.
"Anne, open the door!"
"Jeremy! This is a hotel! Not some place for you, Mr. Hudson, to make trouble!”
“If I break it, I can afford to pay for it! Just open the door first—I only need a favor!”
Afraid that the security guard would come up and cause trouble, I opened the door for him.
“What is it? Say it quickly!”
“Simple. It’s just a small favor. Film a sweet interaction between the two of us to prove that our relationship is normal right now. That’s all.”
He walked in naturally and sat down on the sofa.
"Jeremy, don’t you think you’re ridiculous? We’re going to get divorced!”
“I know. But you're well aware that many of Hudson Group's clients partnered with us because of your father. Now rumors are spreading about our divorce. Today, some clients have already canceled contracts. You need to take responsibility.”
Sometimes, when people are truly speechless, they end up laughing.
"Jeremy, you can let yourself out while I'm in a good mood. Don't force me to call the security guard up.”
“Anne, after eight years together, must you be so heartless?” he demanded.
I stared into the eyes I had once loved the most. Now, all I saw in them was naked exploitation and a desire for control.
“Get out.”
“Anne! How long will you keep throwing these tantrums? I've indulged you this far—is it because of Lucy? If you truly can't tolerate her, I'll send her abroad for school after graduation. Is that not enough?”
In that moment, I finally saw him clearly. Jeremy was a refined egoist. He prioritized satisfying the needs of whoever served his interests. Since he had never offered genuine care, how could he talk about love?
Just as I was about to call security, they had already arrived. Someone must have complained about the earlier banging. I had chosen this hotel precisely because its security was known to be excellent.
As Jeremy was dragged out, he was still trying to get me to film the video with him, even offering to pay me if I agreed.
If I stayed here any longer, he would keep pestering me. And judging by his attitude, expecting a peaceful divorce from him was nothing but a fantasy.
When I thought about the folder in Jeremy's study, I breathed a sigh of relief. Thankfully, my father had prepared an escape route for me.
So, I turned on my mobile phone and booked the earliest plane for tomorrow. The plan to return to the orchard had to be moved forward.
The moment I stepped out of the hotel entrance, a Rolls-Royce Phantom screeched to a stop in front of me. I did not even need to look to know who it was.
Jeremy walked out of the car with an anxious expression. He did not even bother to say polite words before he took my arm.
“Anne, as long as you can save Lucy!”
Lucy, Lucy. It's always Lucy!
“Pulling the suicide stunt every day—can you at least switch to another tactic?” I snapped, shaking his hand off in both exasperation and anger.
My reaction seemed to be exactly what he expected because he put on a guilty expression.
“Anne, what happened before was my fault. But this time, it’s truly a matter of life and death. I didn’t want to disturb you, but I honestly couldn’t think of anyone else who could save Lucy…”
I sensed something was off and asked, “Save her? What happened to her?”
“Lucy has been kidnapped!" Jeremy took out his mobile phone to show me.
The screen showed Lucy was tied up in what looked like a warehouse, her mouth sealed with tape. The warehouse environment was visibly awful—damp, filthy and completely dark. The white dress on Lucy was already stained with grime.
No wonder Jeremy was so frantic. His little princess had never endured such hardship.
"What's the use of calling me? Am I supposed to break down an iron door for you, or play the hero?” I knew the situation was urgent, but that still wasn’t a reason for him to stop me from catching my flight. I was not a police.
“The perpetrator is a hacker!” Surprisingly, he showed no sign of irritation. He patiently explained the situation to me.
