Chapter 37
James pulled all his connections and quickly got hold of tonight's guest list from the Atlantis Hotel. The list was detailed, including names, phone numbers, ID numbers, and occupations.
On the way to the hotel, William went through the list on his phone one by one, eliminating people he thought were unlikely. Eventually, he narrowed it down to just a dozen or so people.
Atlantis Hotel.
Ava had slept all afternoon and was now starving. Her pregnancy had killed her appetite, yet she got hungry easily.
The more she felt this way, the more she craved food.
She wanted to eat from that restaurant downtown, which they always went to - it was the only place in all of Emerald City that tasted almost like her mom's cooking.
She opened the food delivery app and found that her current location was outside the delivery zone. She had to add an extra twenty dollars in delivery fees before someone accepted the order.
With dinner sorted, she leisurely started watching a soap opera.
The phone rang. Thinking it was her food delivery, she answered without thinking.
"Ms. Davis, do you think Steven can be released now?"
Ava froze at the voice and quickly paused the TV show. That voice clearly belonged to the man who had been beating Steven in the previous call.
She searched her memory but couldn't recall knowing anyone like this tough guy.
"Steven is still getting beaten?"
She asked weakly.
The other side immediately replied, "Whether he gets beaten or not depends entirely on what you say."
Ava's heart jumped. She wondered who this person was - someone who knew about her relationship with Steven and was standing up for her.
"Can I ask, do you know me?"
The other side coughed.
"That's not important. If you don't have any special instructions, we'll let that old bastard Steven go for today. You can save this number - you can call anytime. My name is Sam, at your service."
Ava wanted to ask more, but the call had already been disconnected.
She looked at the unfamiliar number, feeling uneasy. The other party seemed to be on her side, but who exactly was helping her in secret?
Batman?
All these questions made her temporarily forget about her rumbling stomach.
She saved the number in her contacts, noting it as "Mysterious Sam," planning to have someone check out his background later.
Ava wasn't someone who easily trusted others. She at least needed to find out about this number - it could even be a trap.
Meanwhile, William and James rushed to the Atlantis Hotel.
William sent the narrowed-down list to James, having him call each person to come out. The two sat in a booth in the lobby waiting.
James had worked beside William for five years and was a total people person. This was a piece of cake for him. Soon, the first person suspected of being Lolly was called out - a girl in her twenties.
The girl initially didn't want to come out, but when she heard the caller was James from the Morgan Group, she excitedly agreed immediately.
James had worked alongside William for years and had become somewhat famous in Emerald City, mainly because his boss was so high-profile. He often accompanied William to various events, and more often had to help his boss fend off women who were after him and handle all sorts of gossip and rumors.
Those women who admired William naturally knew about James's tactics for handling people.
The young woman came to the first-floor lobby half-believing, half-doubting, but when she saw the distinguished-looking man sitting beside James, she couldn't take her eyes off him.
That face often appeared in the news - what woman in all of Emerald City didn't recognize him?
She had thought it was a scam, but it really was the Morgan Group's CEO asking her out. This was something she could brag about to her girlfriends for a year.
At this moment, her excitement was beyond words.
She walked over, unconsciously lightening her steps, holding her breath, afraid of losing her composure in front of William. She was thinking about how to greet them in a way that seemed more reserved.
She carefully sat down on the sofa across from William, assuming an elegant posture.
"Mr. Morgan, you wanted to see me?"
Before she could finish, William gave James a look, then returned his attention to his phone.
She felt a bit disappointed.
The entire conversation was between James and her. After asking some questions she found baffling, he let her go. Throughout the whole process, William didn't say a single word to her.
Next, James interviewed the second person, the third person, up to the fourteenth person in the same manner.
"Mr. Morgan, we've ruled out everyone on the list. None of them is the Lolly we're looking for. Could the IP address be inaccurate?"
William rubbed his temples. He couldn't believe it - was there really someone in this country he couldn't find?
A moment later, he stood up, buttoned the bottom button of his suit jacket, and walked out of the hotel.
Outside, he lit a cigarette and pulled out his phone to make a call.
"Terry, mobilize your company's most elite IT team to help me trace an IP address."
After the person on the other end said something, he operated his phone for a bit, stubbed out the cigarette he'd just lit, and headed back into the hotel lobby.
As he entered, a delivery person rushed in carrying food.
That familiar smell that often appeared at home made him take a second look at the takeout bag in the delivery person's hand.
The last four digits of the phone number made his pupils contract.
What a lucky discovery - that woman was hiding in the Atlantis Hotel, right under his nose.
William quickly followed. At this point, he had completely forgotten about looking for someone.
The delivery guy was stopped at the front desk. To protect guests' safety and privacy, the hotel didn't allow outsiders to come and go freely. The guy was getting anxious and about to make a call - he was already past the delivery time.
William stepped forward.
"Give it to me. That takeout is ordered by my wife."
The delivery guy looked William up and down, asking somewhat skeptically,
"Please tell me the last four digits of the order number."
William smoothly recited all eleven digits. Only then did the delivery guy feel comfortable handing it over.
He took the items and examined the order slip again. It only showed Ms. Brown, no first name.
He grumbled to himself - so dumb, using her real name to order takeout.
He was a member of this hotel. He registered at the front desk, got his regular room card, and went upstairs. Leaving James alone in the lobby.
Ava heard the doorbell ring and ran to open the door without hesitation. She was now starving.
The moment she opened the door and saw that face she didn't want to see, she quickly tried to close it. Just as the door was about to shut, several long fingers slipped through the gap.
Seeing they were about to get caught, Ava softened and let go.
She couldn't quite explain what she'd been thinking just then. Her first reaction upon seeing him was to want to escape.
She didn't want to go home. Hiding in the hotel was also meant to be an escape. Who would have thought this man would be so persistent and actually find her here?
"What are you being so sneaky about? Hiding a man?"
William walked straight in, closed the door, took off his jacket - like he was coming home, all actions flowing smoothly.
Ava glared at him and went to the table to open the takeout bag and start eating.
Now that he was in, it would be hard to get him out.
Rather than argue pointlessly, she might as well eat her meal in peace. After all, filling her stomach was the most important thing right now - the two little ones were hungry too.
While she ate, William went straight into the bathroom. About ten minutes later, he came out wrapped in a large bathrobe, bringing a cool freshness with him.
He certainly made himself at home.