Chapter 12
Michael's POV
The night was pitch black. By the abandoned dock warehouse, I hid behind a pile of rusty containers, my heart pounding so hard it felt like it would jump out of my throat.
I thought I was going to watch a good show.
The people Freya hired would give Ophelia a little scare, then I'd show up like a hero, pull the frightened Ophelia into my arms, and naturally bring her back to that cage that belonged to me.
But what happened before my eyes completely shattered my fantasy.
The moment Ophelia's Bentley stopped, seven or eight men in black burst out from the surrounding shadows, moving quickly and efficiently, like well-trained hunting dogs.
Before the thugs Freya hired could even get close to the car door, they were instantly knocked to the ground.
The dull sounds of blows and bones cracking were especially clear in the quiet night, accompanied by muffled groans that made my scalp tingle.
I even saw one of the men in black, expressionless, stomp and break a thug's arm. The guy couldn't even let out a complete scream before passing out from the pain.
The smell of blood drifted over with the sea breeze, making my stomach churn.
This wasn't the script I had arranged at all!
How could Ophelia have people like this protecting her? Wasn't she supposed to have fallen out with the White family and been abandoned by everyone?
Fear wrapped around my limbs like vines, making me unable to move.
I watched helplessly as those men in black dragged away the half-dead thugs. The whole process was terrifyingly quiet.
The man in charge seemed to glance casually in the direction where I was hiding. That look was cold as a knife, making my whole body shudder.
I didn't dare stay another second. I scrambled back to my car and fumbled to start the engine.
It wasn't until I'd driven several miles away that my racing heartbeat calmed down a bit.
My hands on the steering wheel were still shaking, and cold sweat had already soaked through the shirt on my back.
I got back to the Johnson Villa late at night.
The living room lights were still on. Winter and Freya were sitting on the sofa, anxiously waiting for my news.
"How did it go, Michael? Did that bitch cry and beg you to take her back?" The moment Winter saw me come in, she rushed over, her face showing undisguised glee.
I was still shaken, my face pale. Hearing this made me even angrier.
I pushed Winter aside and walked straight to Freya, lowering my voice to roar: "What kind of useless people did you find! They almost got me killed!"
Freya was stunned by my yelling. Her eyes immediately turned red, and she defended herself pitifully: "I... I just did what you said, found some people to scare her... how could..."
"Scare her?" Thinking of that bloody scene, I felt another wave of fear, my voice changing pitch. "Do you know what kind of people she had with her? Our people barely showed up before they were beaten half to death and dragged away! Those were professional bodyguards, maybe even hitmen! Ophelia was prepared!"
Winter also sensed something was wrong. The smugness on her face faded, replaced by suspicion. "How could that be? Where did she get the money to hire these people?"
"Don't panic," Freya grabbed my arm, tears streaming down her face, but her voice had a strange calmness to it. "Can't you see it yet? Ophelia isn't just throwing a tantrum with us; she's playing us!"
"She deliberately moved out, deliberately talked about some big project—it was all to trick you! She's already found another man. Those people must have been sent by her new sugar daddy to protect her! Today she deliberately set a trap to lure us in, to make fools of us!"
These words were like a sharp knife, drawing out my suspicions.
It's not that I hadn't doubted Ophelia's words, but I'd been blinded by that supposedly profitable new energy project.
Now thinking back, Ophelia's recent change in attitude, her fearless indifference—it all made sense.
She never planned to come back at all!
Everything she did was just to keep me calm while she transferred her assets and escaped my control!
"That bitch!" The veins at my temples throbbed.
Jealousy and the rage of betrayal instantly overwhelmed my fear.
"Michael, we can't just let this go!" Winter's tone was sharp and bitter. "The Johnson family has supported her for so many years. She ate our food, lived in our house, and now that she's grown wings, she wants to fly away? Impossible! The property her mother left behind should have been yours anyway! What does a woman need all that money for? She must be using it to keep men!"
"Mom's right!" Freya immediately chimed in, her eyes flashing with venomous light. "You can't be soft-hearted anymore. She has no real feelings for you at all. She just treats us like fools. Those houses, those funds—they should have been yours! You have to take back what belongs to you!"
My fists clenched with a crackling sound.
That's right, they were right.
Everything Ophelia had should be mine.
I was so good to her, loved her so much, yet she dared to betray me, deceive me!
The fire of rage in my chest burned fiercely, consuming the last bit of reason.
I pulled out my phone and dialed a number.
"Help me investigate someone, Ophelia White." My voice to the person on the phone was as cold as if squeezed through my teeth. "I want to know everywhere she's been recently, who she's met, especially where she's living now. The more detailed, the better. Money is no problem."
After hanging up, the panic in my heart finally found an outlet.
I wanted to see who exactly gave Ophelia the nerve to go against me!
I went upstairs with a dark expression. Only Winter and Freya remained in the living room.
Winter was still cursing indignantly, but I was too lazy to listen to another word.