"Why'd you torch the hotel's database? Who put you up to it?"
Chris, a bit tipsy and feeling the sharp object pressed against his waist, mistakenly thought Stuart was holding a knife. He didn't dare make any sudden moves. "Who... who are you?"
"Answer me. Did you burn down the database?"
Chris felt the pressure of the sharp object increase. He couldn't hide the truth any longer. "Please, don't hurt me! I didn't mean to. Someone paid me a hundred grand to do it."
Stuart finally had a lead. He continued questioning, "Who paid you?"
"A woman. She was wearing a mask and sunglasses when we met. I only know she was a woman, and she seemed pretty young. I've already spent the money. Even if you take me to the cops, I can't give it back."
Chris thought Stuart was from the hotel, coming to demand compensation.
Stuart suddenly released him and opened the car door. "Get out. I won't make things difficult for you."
He said calmly, "Tell me how that woman contacted you."
Chris's eyes lit up. He took out his phone in front of Stuart. "At first, I got a call from an unknown woman. She asked where the club's surveillance data was stored. I told her it was in the database. Then she asked if I was willing to do something for a hundred grand."
"I needed the money, so I agreed. Afterward, she brought the cash and took my phone, erasing our call records."
He spoke calmly, but his demeanor made Stuart suspicious.
Stuart asked, "She took your phone, but do you know her number?"
"I do. Let me think... I can't remember."
"Can't remember" and "know" are two completely different things.
Chris was silent for a moment before continuing, "She also made a video, saying if I leaked the secret, she'd send it to the police."
"I'm not stupid enough to do something illegal for money."
Stuart gave a signal and took a package from the car, handing it to Chris.
"There's ten times more money in here than what she gave you."
"Ten times more?" Chris's eyes lit up.
Stuart also took out a document. "And the ownership of this house."
"What?" Chris exclaimed.
"The condition is, you tell us her phone number."
Chris hesitated for a moment before taking the items.
Under Stuart's watchful eye, he quickly recited a phone number.
Then he swallowed hard. "I have another condition."
Stuart didn't speak, just stared at him.
"I want you to send my family abroad," Chris said, steeling himself.
"That depends on whether you can provide more information later," Stuart said, noting down the phone number.
After finishing, Stuart drove away without looking back.
The next morning, Melinda groggily heard Sam and Raymond talking.
She immediately got out of bed and went to the living room.
She saw Raymond and Sam sitting on the couch, playing with a Rubik's Cube.
"Mommy, Mr. Thomas bought breakfast. Eat something before going back to sleep," Sam called to her.
Melinda rubbed her eyes and walked to the dining table.
Raymond considerately pulled out a chair for her.
Melinda sat down.
After breakfast, Stuart came to pick up Raymond. Standing at the door, he said seriously, "Contact me if you need anything."
"Mr. White, take care of him and stop coming to my house so often," Melinda said, annoyed by Raymond's concern.
Raymond felt ignored and speechless.
Couldn't she consider his feelings?
"Ms. Sharp, Mr. Thomas hasn't been sleeping well lately. Last night, he rested here and felt much better."
"But you can't keep disturbing me!" Melinda said, deliberately avoiding Raymond's gaze as she closed the door.
In the car, Stuart reported on last night's investigation. The fire had started suddenly.
Raymond, sitting in the back seat, frowned slightly.
"Why did it happen to coincide with Ms. Sharp's kidnapping? Could there be a connection?"
"Any other leads?"
"I found a deleted call record on Chris's phone, around the time Ms. Sharp was kidnapped. Before deleting the record, the woman sent Chris a message: 'Urgent! Meet at the usual place tonight.'"
"The record didn't last long. I tried to recover the data but failed," Stuart nodded.
Raymond appreciated his efficiency. "Head to the Thomas Villa."
It was time to see Larry. If Larry had really coerced someone to save him, the Thomas family owed the Sharp family a debt that could never be repaid.
At the Thomas Villa,
Larry sat in a chair, his sharp, wise eyes still full of vigor.
Raymond recounted Rufus's kidnapping of Melinda. Larry was shocked and furious. "How dare he do such a thing?"
"Grandpa, the person behind my kidnapping back then was him," Raymond confirmed.
"I suspected him at the time but had no evidence. The two perpetrators were killed on the spot," Larry said angrily. "Exiling him from the family is too lenient."
"Grandpa, I have another question. When I was kidnapped, did you call the mayor?"
Larry was taken aback. "How did you know?"
"Did you threaten him?" Raymond's voice was gentle and controlled, not daring to sound accusatory.
Larry had done everything out of love and protection for him.
Larry's sharp eyes seemed to see through Raymond. "Raymond, if you have a question, just ask."
He should trust Larry.
Raymond deliberately hid the matter between him and Melinda. "It's nothing, just curious."
"I did call the mayor back then."
"Did you threaten him?"
"No, I just hoped he could bring you back. The stock market was volatile, and the mayor wanted my help to stabilize it. But because you were taken, I couldn't focus on it. The mayor promised to bring you back."
"So the stock market crash was because of Rufus?"
Raymond was shaken. So Larry hadn't threatened the mayor. The mayor had promised to save him to stabilize the market.
Rufus had twisted the truth in front of Melinda, making her believe Larry had forced the mayor to use all resources to save him.
"Grandpa, I won't let Rufus go. He'll pay dearly."
Raymond clenched his fists. Rufus was not only Melinda's father's killer but also responsible for his parents' deaths.
"Raymond, show no mercy. Do what you must!"
Larry's eyes flashed with hatred. He hated Rufus and himself for his past indiscretions that had led to this disaster.
Standing on the third-floor balcony of the Thomas Villa, Raymond had pieced together the events of the past. But even so, it didn't change anything.
Melinda's father had died because of him, an unchangeable fact.
He picked up his phone, hesitating several times before dialing Melinda's number.
In his life, if there was one thing he would fight for until his last breath, it was this woman.
Even if she hated him, it wouldn't stop him from loving her.
Melinda, having lunch with Sam, was lying on the couch watching cartoons when her phone rang.
Seeing it was Raymond, she hesitated to answer, and the call ended.