Chapter 117 Startled Realization
The assistant on the other end of the phone trembled at Arthur's interrogation, answering nervously, "Not yet..."
Arthur snorted coldly, "Did you not even bother to check, or did you just find nothing?"
Several days had passed since the incident, yet he hadn't gotten a single result. Now someone else had already delivered the evidence right to his door.
The assistant's silence made Arthur's expression even darker. He said coldly, "William, if you don't want this job anymore, you can get lost anytime!"
As soon as Arthur finished speaking, William quickly said, "Sir, it was Miss Smith. She said you told her there was no need to investigate anymore, so I didn't continue looking into it."
At this point, William couldn't care about anything else and hurried to explain.
Arthur's eyes narrowed dangerously at William's words. Sophie told him to stop investigating?
"When did she tell you this? Why didn't you tell me?"
He had no idea Sophie had gone behind his back to do this. Sophie's reach was getting a bit too long!
Cold sweat instantly broke out on William's forehead on the other end of the line. He stammered an explanation, "Miss Smith said it was your order and told me not to mention it to you, so I didn't."
Arthur's face darkened completely. He ordered coldly, "Go check which staff members were working in the hotel lobby that day. I'll send you some information shortly. Keep investigating and report the results directly to me. No need to let Sophie know."
"Yes, sir."
After hanging up, Arthur's expression was far from good. Some of the things on this USB drive needed to be personally verified. He hoped the results wouldn't be what he was thinking!
Arthur changed clothes and headed straight out, his destination being Aria's studio.
When Arthur arrived at the studio, he instinctively scanned the area outside and saw his assigned person at the door. He couldn't help but feel relieved—it seemed Aria was there.
He collected himself and walked toward the studio. The receptionist at the door was someone he didn't recognize, and she didn't know him either. As soon as she saw him, she greeted him, "Hello sir, who are you looking for?"
Arthur asked directly, "Where's your boss? Is she in?"
"Yes, she is. Do you have an appointment?"
"I don't need an appointment. Just take me to her."
Hearing Arthur's familiar tone, the new receptionist didn't dare delay, worried he might be an important client. She quickly called the office upstairs, "Lucy, someone's here to see you."
Lucy on the other end said something, and the receptionist led Arthur upstairs.
After going upstairs, Arthur headed toward Aria's office, but the receptionist quickly stopped him, "Sir, it's this way."
Arthur saw that the direction the receptionist was leading was completely different from Aria's office. Though confused, he didn't ask, assuming the office had been moved. But when he saw Lucy sitting in the office and heard the receptionist say, "Sir, this is our boss," he was completely stunned.
Lucy looked up when she heard the voice. When she saw Arthur, she was also taken aback and said in surprise, "Mr. Grant?"
"Aria's not here?"
Arthur directly asked what was on his mind.
She couldn't still be on a business trip, could she?
Lucy paused, seeming hesitant, and vaguely said, "She hasn't come back yet."
She remembered Aria's earlier instructions—if Arthur came by, to say she was on a business trip.
Arthur frowned deeply. On a business trip this long? According to Elizabeth, she had moved out of the house several days ago.
Seeing Lucy's hesitant manner, Arthur's instinct told him something was wrong!
If it was a business trip, his people should have told him, but they hadn't said anything.
"Is that really true?"
"Yes! Otherwise, Mr. Grant, you could try contacting Aria yourself."
Lucy had calmed down by now and answered Arthur's questions calmly.
Arthur frowned but didn't continue questioning Lucy. Instead, he turned and went downstairs.
He walked straight to the car of the person at the door and opened the door to get in.
"Sir?"
The man was shocked to see Arthur get directly into his car.
Arthur ordered coldly, "Give me a detailed report of my wife's movements over the past few days."
So the man carefully reported everything about following Aria these past days. When Arthur heard him say Aria had basically been at the studio the whole time, his expression was already off. He interrupted him.
"Why are you here today? Did she come to the studio?"
"Yes."
Hearing his response, Arthur laughed out loud. Sure enough, there was a problem!
"You've been discovered."
Arthur's calm statement made the man's expression change. He suddenly realized something and said belatedly, "Mrs. Grant... didn't come?"
Arthur didn't say anything, but a dark gleam flashed in his eyes. He hadn't expected Aria to pull such a switch!
Wait!
The person who did this might not have been Aria at all, but...
"You can go. No need to keep watch here anymore."
Arthur opened the car door with a cold face, dropped that line, and left directly.
He got back in his own car and contacted Lance directly. The call was answered quickly.
"Lance, what are you trying to do?"
Lance played dumb, "What do you mean, Mr. Grant? I'm a bit confused."
"Where's Aria?"
"That's a strange question, Mr. Grant. How would I know where Ms. Hall is?"
Arthur laughed coldly, "Fine, Lance. You just wait!"
"I'm always ready!"
Arthur was furious at Lance's impenetrable attitude and hung up, driving back to the villa.
After returning to the villa, he locked himself directly in the master bedroom, lost in thought.
Since Lance used this method to deceive him, Aria must have left.
Damn it!
Arthur frustratedly punched the bed. He was thinking about where she might have gone when his peripheral vision caught sight of the bottom drawer of the nightstand, which wasn't closed properly. His mind stirred, and he walked over and opened the drawer. Inside were some scattered medicine bottles, a book, and several sheets of paper under the book.
He had never noticed these things were here before. Could these be Aria's things?
His heart suddenly jumped. He reached out and took those things out. First, he looked at the medicine bottles—they were labeled folic acid tablets and vitamin C.
Arthur's expression changed, his breathing became rapid, and he quickly opened those papers. When he saw the content, he was thunderstruck.
Aria was pregnant?
The content on those papers was Aria's prenatal checkup report, clearly showing her gestational age, pregnancy status...
She was actually pregnant, and under his nose, she got pregnant without him knowing anything?
Arthur's hand holding the papers was trembling slightly. He couldn't help but think of Aria's odd behavior during this time—her resistance toward him, her frequent drowsiness. He hadn't realized she was pregnant?
Damn it all!
So where did she go now?
Arthur couldn't sit still any longer. He got up and rushed out the door...