Ursula had already resigned from her job, so she'd had plenty of free time lately.
"Let's do tomorrow then. Hailey's been looking after me all this time, and I still haven't properly thanked her."
"Sounds good."
After hanging up, Hailey invited her to play video games together.
Ursula wasn't particularly into gaming, but she knew Hailey was trying to take her mind off things, so she went along with it.
The two of them played until dark, only stopping when Greg forced his sister to get some rest.
Stars glittered overhead as the city lights spread beneath her feet like a river of scattered silver. Ursula stood in silence, letting the dull ache seep through her chest.
Some wounds had to rot completely before new flesh could grow.
The next day brought rare good weather to Northport.
Ursula arrived right on time. Since the restaurant was housed in a traditional Suzhou-style garden with a dress code, she'd chosen a pale goose-yellow qipao. Her long hair was loosely pinned with a white jade hairpin, giving her an effortlessly striking elegance—like sunlight on fresh snow.
"Ursula, it's criminal that you're not in showbiz!"
The moment they met, Hailey's compliments came rapid-fire.
Ursula smiled, the soft dimples making her look even more approachable.
"There are plenty of beautiful, talented women in entertainment."
"But you're a total knockout!" Hailey tugged at Greg's sleeve. "Right, Greg?"
"Mm. Very beautiful."
Greg's gaze lingered on her.
When he spoke, Ursula instinctively glanced his way. Their eyes met unexpectedly, and both paused.
He was wearing a hand-tailored black shirt today, its subtle bamboo-and-flowing-light pattern strikingly similar to the design on her qipao.
From a distance, they could have passed for a matching couple.
Throughout the meal, Hailey kept the conversation lively. Several times, Ursula found herself thinking back to the fun moments at Melbourne Manor.
Just as the atmosphere reached its warmest, four bodyguards in matching uniforms appeared.
"Miss, the Chairman requests your presence."
Ursula's grip tightened on her utensils.
She'd deliberately chosen this restaurant because it was far from the Abbott estate. There was no way Cliff Abbott could have just happened to pass by.
He'd come here on purpose.
For her.
"I'm entertaining friends. Please tell him I'll come see him after we finish."
No one spoke.
The four bodyguards took another step forward in unison.
Ursula noticed Greg's hand beginning to move and spoke first. "I'm sorry, Mr. Weiss, Hailey—I need to step out. Let's call it here for today."
"We'll go with you." Greg rose, and the restrained presence he'd been holding back unfurled completely. The air itself seemed to grow heavy with an almost suffocating authority.
The four bodyguards exchanged glances, spines stiffening involuntarily.
Hailey caught on immediately. "Yeah, yeah—we're pretty much done eating anyway. Let's all head out together, Ursula."
Warmth flickered through Ursula's chest, but how could she drag them into this?
"That's not necessary, I—"
Before she could finish, warmth enveloped her arm.
Greg's eyes were dark, yet carried the innate pride of someone born to command. "Don't refuse me."
Outside the restaurant.
Cliff sat in his Hongqi sedan, his gaze sharpening when he saw who accompanied Ursula.
But decades in business had taught him never to let shallow emotions show. The moment Ursula got in, the car sped away.
She instinctively gripped her seatbelt. "Where are you taking me?"
Cliff ignored her, his eyes drifting with interest to the rearview mirror.
Behind his convoy of Hongqi sedans, a black Cullinan followed closely.
A few seconds later, a second appeared. Then a third.
In the blink of an eye, the Cullinan convoy matched his own in size.
"Your friend looks like someone important. Not from Northport?"
