Chapter 482 Memory Card

Chapter 482 Memory Card

"What evidence?" Michael's voice was ice-cold.

Eric rolled his eyes. "You think he'd actually tell me? You're underestimating how calculating he is. But judging by his confidence, he's definitely got something solid. What do you think Alice could've done?"

Whatever it was, if Harlan could get his hands on it, it definitely wasn't small potatoes.

From what Eric knew, Alice was meticulous about covering her tracks. Even if she had done something for the Johnson Group, Michael would've made sure to watch her back. There shouldn't have been any loose ends.

Alice spent what felt like forever throwing up in the bathroom before finally pulling herself together.

When she returned to the private dining room, the entire spread had been replaced with lighter, easier-to-digest dishes.

She was actually starving, so she didn't say anything and just sat down to eat.

Michael and Eric chatted about their recent collaborative projects, and before they knew it, it was almost eleven.

"She can't stay up late anymore. I need to get her home to rest," Michael said. Eric naturally didn't object.

The group got up to leave the private room. Michael ran into a business acquaintance and stepped aside to chat with them briefly.

Alice stood quietly in the hallway, her head down, lost in thought.

Eric suddenly bumped into her hard. Alice felt like he'd slipped something into her pocket.

She instinctively reached for her pocket, but Eric caught her hand. "I've been wanting to give this to you. I really didn't know you couldn't eat seafood earlier—consider this my apology."

He produced a diamond necklace from nowhere and pressed it into Alice's hand.

"Look at it when you get home," he whispered as he leaned close for just a moment.

But he immediately stepped back and smiled at someone behind Alice. "Mr. Johnson, what's with that expression? I'm just giving Ms. Baker a gift. You're not that petty, are you?"

Michael took the diamond necklace straight from Alice's hand. "You're too kind, Mr. Allen. This would be more appropriate for your next girlfriend or hookup."

"The woman I love is married and pregnant. I'm heartbroken here—it's not that easy to move on," Eric sighed. "Think of it as my final gift to her. Don't be so stingy, Mr. Johnson."

"I'll handle gifts for my wife," Michael said, tossing the necklace back.

Eric glanced at the necklace, then threw it straight into the trash like the million-dollar piece of jewelry was nothing more than scrap paper. "Fine then, trash it is. It was meant for Alice anyway."

Alice ignored their exchange. The left side of her body felt stiff. What had Eric put in her pocket? And why couldn't Michael know about it?

Michael left with Alice, and only then did Eric get in his car.

His secretary immediately whispered, "Mr. Allen, that person's vital signs have changed. They should be awake now."

"Awake? Are you sure?" Eric's expression grew much more serious.

The secretary nodded. "Our people have been monitoring constantly. There's no mistake."

"Well, that's interesting." Eric looked out the window, catching only the taillights of Michael's car.

Ivy was awake, but Alice's behavior clearly showed she had no idea.

So why wasn't he saying anything?

Ivy waking up should be good news for Alice, just not for the four families.

Was Michael keeping quiet because he didn't want Alice to know, or because he didn't want others to know?

Eric loosened his tie. "Take me to the law firm first."

He was willing to give Alice a pass, but Ivy, who knew everything? He wouldn't let that slide.

Originally, Michael had been just a minor player in this whole thing. If he hadn't forced his way in, he wouldn't even count as someone in the know.

Vaughn had been obsessing over this matter, constantly liaising with the other three families.

Michael's sudden involvement, and now his concealment of Ivy's awakening...

Eric had reason to suspect that he wanted to monopolize the ledger and control the other three families.

Eric licked his lips. He couldn't just sit back and let that happen.

When they got back to the villa, Alice rushed straight to the bathroom.

She had to find out what Eric had given her, and fast.

When she pulled the item from her pocket, she was confused—a memory card?

Why would Eric give her this? What could possibly be on it?

Alice couldn't casually use her phone right now, let alone a computer. Seeing what was on the card wouldn't be easy.

She reluctantly tucked the card away safely before leaving the bathroom.

Michael was on the balcony taking a call, his expression dark.

Before Alice could head to the bathroom, he walked in. "Baby, do you remember when you were kidnapped?"

"The trafficking thing?" Alice looked slightly surprised. "Is there a problem? That was a year and a half ago."

It really had been a long time. Alice couldn't remember some of the details anymore.

But she remembered that day when she called Michael for help, he said he was too busy and told her to handle it herself.

She was literally about to die—how was she supposed to handle it?

Seeing her face darken, Michael stepped forward and took her hands. "Think carefully—the man you knocked unconscious, did he die?"

"He—he died? How is that possible?" Alice's eyes widened, then she shook her head frantically. "No, no, no, impossible. If he had died, the police would've told me right away. They definitely would've come looking for me."

Alice immediately dismissed the idea.

Her kidnapping had been pretty bizarre, actually.

She wasn't the only one who'd been taken—it was more like human trafficking than kidnapping.

She'd stumbled into a trafficking ring that dealt in women and children.

Back then, her relationship with Michael wasn't great. Beyond work during the day and sex at night, they barely communicated.

But suddenly, Michael got busy. Really busy.

He used to come home right after work, but then he was occupied with something mysterious.

Still, he was always back by ten every night.

He never came home smelling like another woman's perfume, so Alice figured he was just hanging out with friends.

David, Clifton, and the others were always partying anyway. If Michael wasn't hovering over her, she actually got some peace.

Her mom's condition was relatively stable then, just requiring long-term hospitalization.

That day, Alice had just finished visiting her mom and was leaving the hospital when she saw a pregnant woman struggling with some medication bags.

Alice's bleeding heart got the better of her. She went over to help the woman carry her things to the car, and that's when the kidnappers grabbed her.

Simple con job. She totally fell for it.

Alice and two other girls were thrown into a van by human traffickers, hands and feet bound.

She'd actually had a chance to escape right from the start.

She still had a backup phone in her pocket. The traffickers were in such a rush that they didn't search her properly.

But when she dialed the number she knew by heart, Michael just responded coldly.

"Handle whatever it is yourself. Do you have to come to me for everything?"

He hung up without hesitation.

And Alice could swear she heard Aurora's voice in the background.

She'd called out sweetly, "Michael."