"What?" Alexander's brow furrowed sharply as he spoke, he quickly entered the bathroom.
The bathroom was empty, but there was a line of blood-written words on the wall: Mr. Windsor. Although our statuses are worlds apart, I do not wish to marry you. We shall never meet again!
The handwriting was neat and sharp, exuding a defiant spirit.
Alexander was stunned.
Could there have been a mistake in the investigation about her?
A few seconds later, he ordered, "Search the back hill!"
He couldn't let his mother, Esme, die with regrets.
The various thorns and vines on the back hill tore Elizabeth's clothes, yet they also provided a precarious lifeline which allowed her to climb down without falling to her death. She hid herself under a dense patch of vines, successfully evading the Windsor family's relentless search.
When night fell, Elizabeth took a detour to climb over the hill.
The next morning, she went to The Guise Mansion.
Oliver Guise and Lila Smith were both shocked and panicked when they saw Elizabeth.
"How did you escape from prison?" Lila asked guiltily.
Elizabeth sneered, "Mrs. Guise, I was released after serving my sentence."
"Even so, you shouldn't come to our house. You reek of filth! Get out!" Lila exclaimed as she forcefully drove Elizabeth away.
Elizabeth couldn't be bothered to look at Lila, only turned to ask Oliver, "Uncle Guise, your family should know best why I went to prison, right? Four days ago, you visited me and said that if I went to the address you gave me and slept with a man, you would give me money to save my mother's life. I fulfilled my promise, but my mother still died."
Oliver, feeling guilty, retorted, "Everyone's fate is different! I was trying to save your mother, but she died too quickly! How can you blame me?"
Elizabeth glared at Oliver.
She dug her nails into her flesh to restrain herself from attacking Oliver. At this moment, she didn't have the means to investigate whether her mother's death was related to the Guise family. She had to endure.
Elizabeth gritted her teeth and coldly asked, "Where is my mother buried?"
Oliver's tone was vague. He responded, "Of course, she's buried in your family's old dirt cemetery! I provided you with food, clothing, and even paid eight years of your education, and now you expect me to buy a plot for your mother? You're ungrateful, get out!"
As he closed the door, Oliver threw out a thousand dollars. Oliver said, "This is your service fee for that night!"
Thinking about that night felt like a knife to Elizabeth's heart.
She raised her chin, sorrowful yet proud. "Even if payment is due, it should come from the man, right? Since he's dead, it's unnecessary! Besides, I'm not a prostitute! I agreed to your terms to save my mother and to repay you for raising me for eight years. From now on, we're even!" Elizabeth remarked.
Eight years of living under the Guise family's charity was enough!
She would never return to The Guise Mansion.
If she did, it would be to avenge her mother!
Watching the tattered Elizabeth leave resolutely, Oliver felt a sudden pang in his chest.
Lila immediately cursed, "What, do you feel sorry for her and her mother? Oliver, don't forget that she caused our daughter's death! They were born on the same day, why did she live while our daughter died at birth?"
Oliver said, "I... I don't feel sorry for her. I'm just worried that now she's out of prison, if she finds out the man she had slept with that night didn't die but became the top executive of the Windsor Group overnight, we'll be in big trouble!"
Lila sneered, "She doesn't even know who he is, what are we supposed to be afraid of? The priority right now is to get Mr. Windsor to marry our daughter. Once Clara is pregnant with Mr. Windsor's child, no one can do anything to us."
Oliver sighed, then remarked, "The Windsor family is very particular about their lineage. I'm afraid he'll look down on Clara because she's adopted."
"Look down on her?" Lila said with a hint of arrogance, "Mr. Windsor is also an illegitimate child. He didn't even have inheritance rights, yet he took control of the entire Windsor Group overnight."
Lila added, "As long as Mr. Windsor believes that the girl who sacrificed her virginity to save his life that night is Clara, nothing can stop them from getting married. Oliver, just wait for Clara to become the mistress of the most influential family in Sunwillow City."
Oliver nodded happily.
The pang of pity he felt for Elizabeth vanished completely.
At this moment, Elizabeth had walked over three hundred feet and was about to turn onto the road when a flashy red sports car blocked her path.
Clara Guise stepped out of the car in high heels and arrogantly approached Elizabeth.
Clara mocked mercilessly, "Isn't this the poor girl who begged at my house for eight years, Elizabeth? How many men have violated you without you even bothering to take a bath? You stink to high heaven, but now you're back here to beg again? You've already started working as a prostitute, yet why are you still so shameless..."
Elizabeth raised her hand and slapped Clara across the face.
Five dirty fingerprints immediately marred Clara's face.
She touched her face and sniffed, finding the unpleasant odor still lingered.
Clara yelled angrily, "How dare you hit me?"
Elizabeth's tone was indifferent and impatient as she spoke, "Now we're the same, both dirty and smelly."
With that, she turned and walked away.
Her cold demeanor stunned Clara, who didn't dare to chase after Elizabeth to argue.
Elizabeth went to the dirtiest and most chaotic part of Sunwillow City and rented a bed to reside in temporarily.
She didn't even have enough money to afford the fare to return home. She wanted to find a job in Sunwillow City to save money slowly, but no employer was willing to hire her because she had just been released from prison. Elizabeth had to get a fake State ID, changing her name to Victoria Miller.
A few days later, she successfully got a job as a waitress at a high-end restaurant under the name Victoria. The pay was low, but Elizabeth was satisfied.
Because she was diligent and sweet, the manager promoted her to a VIP room waitress after three weeks.
"Victoria, the VIP rooms are different from the main hall. They are all for distinguished guests, so you must be careful not to make any mistakes," the manager called Elizabeth by her pseudonym and explained things to her carefully.
Elizabeth nodded in understanding. She replied, "Got it."
After a week, Elizabeth's work went on smoothly.
During her free time, a few waitresses chatted with Elizabeth.
"Victoria, you're really lucky to be promoted to a VIP room waitress in such a short time. With your 5.6-foot height, small face, and long legs, you could be a flight attendant, a model, or even enter the entertainment industry."
Elizabeth kept silent and walked away.
The other waitresses felt snubbed by her coldness. After she walked past, they whispered behind her back, "She's just a VIP room waitress, why is she so arrogant!"
One of them sneered, "Is being pretty such a big deal?!"
Another chimed in, "I don't think she's that pretty, just decent-looking. But her personality is really cold. She has no education or qualifications, yet she acts so high and mighty!"
Someone argued, "She's not high and mighty, she's just quiet and honest. You don't believe me, watch this."
One of the waitresses suddenly called out to Elizabeth, "Victoria, I have a bit of a stomachache. Can you deliver a dish for me?"
Elizabeth nodded in agreement. She replied, "No problem."
"The VIP room I'm responsible for is on the third floor. Thank you," the waitress ran off after speaking.
Elizabeth, to the shock of the other waitresses, went up to the third floor, carrying the dish and pushing the door open.
She was focused on setting the table when someone suddenly grabbed her wrist. Elizabeth shuddered and looked up at the person holding her, stunned.
The cold, imposing face of Alexander was right in front of her.
"How did you know I often dine here?" Alexander questioned while he gripped her wrist tightly, his eyes filled with a chilling murderous intent.