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"Ezra, chill out. We got them cornered. We'll get to the bottom of this eventually," Maddox said over the phone, trying to calm him down.
But then a thought hit Maddox. Since Elowen and Michael were both trying to pin the blame on each other, what if he let Michael hear what Elowen had said? He wondered how Michael would react.
"Alright, I get it. Keep your eyes peeled and call me if you find anything."
"Will do, Ezra."
They both hung up, and Ezra turned around to see Emily standing behind him, looking downcast.
He walked over and gave her shoulder a reassuring pat. "Emily, I know what you're thinking. Don't worry, the truth will come out eventually."
Emily pressed her lips together and nodded silently. She trusted Ezra, but she couldn't shake the feeling of disappointment. She had been waiting for this day for so long. Every time they got close to the truth, she would get anxious, only to be let down in the end. She was used to it by now. But she wouldn't give up on the investigation. Neither Elowen nor Michael would get away.
After leaving Elowen's case to Ezra, Emily went to talk to William for a while to distract herself from her bad mood.
Meanwhile, Ezra gave the order. The Wilson family's bodyguards, stationed at the foot of the mountain, received the call and immediately stormed into the house where Elise was staying. One team controlled the people outside, while the other went in and tied up Elowen and Elise.
That evening, Emily, still in a bad mood, took a car back to the Emerald Heights villa. She stared out the window, her thoughts drifting far away. She had thought that capturing Elowen would reveal the truth about Alice's death, but now it seemed like they were at a dead end again. Even Maddox couldn't find any clues, which made her uneasy.
As she lowered the car window, a white luxury car passed by on her left. The driver lowered the window and removed his sunglasses, revealing a handsome, young face.
"Emily, what a coincidence!" The man smiled and greeted her. It was her friend Terrence, whom she had invited to help manage the company.
Emily was surprised to see him. "Terrence!"
They hadn't seen each other in a long time, and it was such a coincidence to meet on the road. Emily immediately had the driver pull over. Since they had met, they might as well catch up. She wasn't in the mood to sleep anyway, so chatting with someone would be nice.
Terrence felt the same way. Since taking on the role of vice president at the company, he hadn't seen much of Emily. He was always busy with work or social engagements, and he felt like a workaholic. But being busy had its perks. If he hadn't left work at this time, he wouldn't have run into Emily.
They quickly agreed to find a nearby restaurant with a nice atmosphere. Emily was hungry, so she texted Hannah to let her know she wouldn't need dinner at home. She had plans.
The waiter led them to a window seat, and Terrence, ever the gentleman, pulled out a chair for Emily. That's when he noticed her slightly rounded belly.
His expression darkened for a moment. He sat down across from her, forcing a smile. "Emily, since I joined the Wilson Group, we haven't had much time to catch up. How have you been?"
Emily considered Terrence a friend and had invited him to manage the company, so she didn't hide anything from him. "I've been alright, just a bit bored. The first three months of pregnancy require a lot of care, so I can't go anywhere and have to stay home."
"But today was a pleasant surprise. I didn't expect to run into you here. It's a nice surprise."
Emily smiled. She had wanted to go to the company, but Ezra wouldn't allow it, saying work would tire her out. Terrence had been handling everything at the company, and she was grateful to him.
But Terrence was taken aback when Emily mentioned her pregnancy. She was carrying someone else's child? It had to be Lawrence's. She loved him so much, it made sense. They hadn't really divorced.
But he couldn't help asking, "Emily, you and Lawrence... are you getting back together because of the baby?"
Terrence didn't want to expose their relationship, so he asked indirectly. But Emily didn't find it embarrassing. She had no intention of continuing with Lawrence.
"No!"
"We're not getting back together. This child is mine alone. I will raise him independently."
Terrence was stunned, not knowing what to say. Emily knew what he was curious about, so she explained.
"You know my situation. Ezra and the others don't want to settle down. My grandfather has been urging me to have a child since I got married. He wants a Wilson family child. Since Ezra and the others won't do it, it's up to me..."
She didn't say more. Terrence was smart enough to understand.
"And the Wilson family has the resources and power to raise a child. My divorce from Lawrence won't be an issue."
She had no intention of continuing with Lawrence. He had someone he loved, so why should she get involved?
"I see."
Terrence nodded, understanding her decision but feeling sorry for her future.
"Emily, raising a child isn't as simple as you think. The Wilson family has the means, but without a complete family and a father's love, the child might..."
"Might become withdrawn, isolated, and ruin his life?"
A deep, sarcastic voice finished Terrence's sentence. A tall figure appeared before them, scoffing. "Terrence, were you planning to step in as the child's father and be with Emily?"
Everyone wanted to take what was his. Did they even consider if they were worthy?
He was the child's real father. He was still here, and these people dared to scheme. They were all calculating.
Seeing Lawrence's dark, brooding face, Emily's eyes narrowed.
"Lawrence, are you so bored that you find eavesdropping on others' conversations entertaining?"