Chapter 330 The Secret Signal

Chapter 330 The Secret Signal
Emma's POV

I wasn't surprised when Ryan brought Nora to the same room where I was being held. It seemed like a predictable move from someone like him.

A man who could burn his own mother alive would be capable of anything. I watched Ryan's smug expression.

Gavin stood nearby, his face impassive and distant. I noticed how detached he seemed, just like at the funeral. It was as if he'd become a different person entirely.

"I'm collecting all of Blake's weak spots," Ryan announced, looking pleased with himself. "You never know when you might need leverage."

Despite Ryan's presence, I couldn't contain myself. "Where's Rachel? What have you done with her?"

Gavin gave me a meaningful look. "Alaric will take care of Rachel. She won't be left alone."

After Ryan and his men finished securing the room, Gavin pulled Ryan aside near the doorway. I strained to hear their conversation.

"Don't harm Emma," Gavin warned, his voice low but firm. "She's the most innocent person in this whole mess."

Ryan scoffed. "I won't touch a hair on her head if she gives me what Blake gave her. I'll treat her like royalty."

"Like you've been treating her so far?" Gavin's tone was caustic.

Ryan smirked. "You two were good for five years, weren't you? What happened, Gavin? Got bored?"

"Shut up," Gavin interrupted, his voice suddenly dangerous. "Or I'll teach you how to talk with my fists."

"She doesn't want you anymore," Ryan continued taunting. "She's with another man now."

I couldn't stay quiet any longer. "Stop talking about me like I'm not here!"

Gavin shot me a warning look. "Don't engage with him, Emma. It's what he wants."

Before leaving, Gavin turned to Ryan one last time. "Take care of them properly," he said, his voice flat but somehow threatening.

After the men left, I found myself alone with Nora in the spacious but secured bedroom.

"Gavin asked me to make you some food," Nora said casually. "He specifically mentioned seafood soup with dumplings."

My eyebrows rose. So Gavin had anticipated Nora would be here with me. This was likely part of some plan.

"I'm particular about my food," I said, affecting a spoiled tone. "I don't like large dumplings, only small broken ones. And I want the green onions picked out."

Nora looked at me with barely concealed disdain. "Gavin really spoiled you. I'm not your personal chef."

Later in the kitchen, I watched Nora expertly chopping vegetables, her knife skills impressively precise.

"You're quite good at this," I remarked, genuinely surprised.

"Independence is important," Nora replied with a pointed look. "Some of us don't rely on others to take care of everything."

Taking advantage of the running water and the noisy exhaust fan, I moved closer to Nora. "Did you touch the urn? The one Blake gave you for me. Where's what was inside it?"

Nora's expression turned serious. "I gave it to you exactly as Blake gave it to me. I swear on my ancestors I didn't open it. I wouldn't mess with the dead."

"There was a ring inside," I explained. "Blake hid it there like some bizarre Valentine's gift."

That made Nora laugh. "Using an urn to deliver a ring? You must be the first person ever to receive a proposal that way."

My mind raced, trying to understand Blake's intentions.

"Where's the ring now?" Nora asked.

"Ryan has it."

Nora shrugged. "Let him keep it. Blake can get you a better one later."

That night, lying in bed, I studied the ring Blake had made for me. A sudden thought struck me—could there be a receiver inside? I couldn't take it apart to check, so I grabbed my phone and searched for wireless signals.

A network named "EB522" appeared—the numbers matched my birthday. Heart racing, I attempted to connect, trying Blake's bank card password plus the last three digits of my birthday.

The connection worked. My screen went black momentarily before colorful fireworks appeared, followed by a message: "Little fool, you made me wait too long."

My eyes welled up with tears as I stared unblinkingly at the screen.

Another message appeared: "Give the ring to someone you trust completely. Have them take it to the police. If all goes well, we'll see each other next week."

A knock at the door startled me. I quickly hid my phone under the pillow.

"Emma? Are you awake?" Nora called from outside.

I hesitated, desperately wanting to continue communicating with Blake. I tried reconnecting, but the signal had disappeared. Blake had likely cut the connection to avoid detection.

Reluctantly, I opened the door to find Nora holding a glass of milk.

"I brought you some calcium," Nora explained. "Good for the baby and helps with sleep." She studied my flushed face. "Your face is all red. Were you watching porn under the covers?"

"I'm pregnant!" I protested, embarrassed.

"So? Pregnant women have needs too," Nora replied matter-of-factly.

I was taken aback by Nora's consideration. Why would my former rival care for me this way?

"Someone asked me to look after you," Nora said, answering my unspoken question.

After Nora left, I tried connecting to the network again without success. I understood Blake's caution—a longer connection might be traced.

Now I needed to figure out how to follow Blake's instructions. Who could I trust? Rachel would have been perfect, but she was unreachable. Could I trust Nora? The thought gave me pause.

With my options limited by my confinement, I reluctantly settled on Gavin. Despite everything, I knew him for ten years. His recent actions suggested he might still be trustworthy.

The question now was how to see Gavin without arousing Ryan's suspicions.

The next morning at breakfast, I observed Nora wearing an apron, preparing food.

"Why are you cooking yourself?" I asked.

Nora elegantly took a bite of her food. "Cooking is therapeutic. Transforming simple ingredients into something that brings joy—it's a beautiful process."

"I don't like your food," I stated bluntly, setting my plan in motion.

Nora didn't seem offended. "What would you prefer to eat?"

"Something you probably can't make," I hinted.

"Childhood comfort food?" Nora guessed, then unintentionally mentioned my parents.

I seized the opportunity, forcing tears to my eyes. "My parents are dead."

Nora looked panicked. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to. Please don't cry..."