Chapter 79 Do Not Want to Go Back
Glasses of wine and champagne were being downed left and right, and everyone seemed to be having a blast—everyone except Alison. The two guys, still clutching their briefcases, were unwinding effortlessly, sharing funny stories from all over, and the room frequently erupted in laughter.
Aimée whispered something to Jack, and after a moment, the two stood up, excused themselves, and left the room.
Meanwhile, Cherry was pulling Bates into a lively Latin dance, while Alison could only sway her wine glass, feeling an overwhelming urge to escape.
If she felt out of place, she might as well leave.
Alison had drunk too much champagne, so she headed to the restroom, planning to execute her escape plan afterward.
Everything went smoothly. When she came out, Jack and Aimée were still gone, and Cherry and Bates were still dancing closely. Alison grabbed her small purse and quietly slipped toward the door. She quickly made her way through the crowd, finally breathing in the fresh air outside. She hailed a cab, eager to get back to the hotel for a relaxing bath and a good night's sleep.
The night was deep, but the streets were bustling with traffic, and the car moved slowly. Alison didn't mind; she enjoyed taking in the beautiful Parisian night.
Her phone buzzed in her purse. It was a text message.
Alison opened it and saw it was from Jack: "Get back here immediately." His tone was sharp and urgent.
She frowned. She didn't want to see Jack and Aimée being all lovey-dovey, nor did she want to see Bates' wandering hands on Cherry.
She closed her phone, pretending she hadn't seen the message.
But then, Jack sent the same message several more times, urging her to return.
She wasn't going back. She had no intention of returning.
The cab continued toward the hotel, and Alison was determined not to go back.
After about ten minutes, the driver suddenly said, "Miss, the car behind us seems to be signaling for us to stop. Is that your friend?"
Alison turned to look and saw Jack's white Lamborghini honking persistently, signaling for them to pull over.
She bit her lip. It must be urgent; otherwise, Jack wouldn't be chasing her like this.
"Stop the car," she said, feeling a growing sense of unease and anxiety about why Jack was pursuing her.
Jack got out of his car, walked over, and opened her door, handing the driver several large euro bills. "Is this enough?"
"Yes, thank you," the driver said, pocketing the money before driving away.
Jack grabbed Alison's wrist, and as the car behind them drove off, his expression darkened. "Hand it over..."
"What?" Alison looked up at Jack, confused by his stern expression.
"The paper. Hand it over."
"What paper?" Jack's demand only confused her more.
"Bates' client information."
"I don't understand. I don't have that," Alison said, realizing Jack suspected her of taking something from Bates.
"Get in the car," Jack ordered, pulling her into his Lamborghini. As soon as she was seated, he snatched her purse, unzipped it, and dumped everything out.
Every item was familiar to her, things she had personally chosen. But when a neatly folded piece of paper fell out, Alison's face showed panic. She never put work-related items in her purse.
Yet there it was, clear as day, having fallen from her bag.
The air seemed to thin, making it hard for her to breathe.
Jack picked up the paper, unfolded it, and his eyes turned icy as he glared at her. "What is this?"
"I... I really don't know," Alison stammered, genuinely clueless about how the paper ended up in her bag.
"You're coming back with me to apologize to Bates," Jack said, starting the car, his anger palpable.
"No way, I'm not going back, and I'm definitely not apologizing," Alison protested, her voice shaking. She had no idea whose scheme this was, but she knew she hadn't taken anything from Bates.
"The evidence was found in your bag. If you don't want to go back, then explain this to me."
"Jack, it really wasn't me."
"Don't call me Jack! I must have been out of my mind to give you a chance to learn client relations, and you repay me by stealing important documents. Tell me, who put you up to this?"
Who put her up to this?
No one. She was completely in the dark.
But he was furious, and the tension in the car reminded her of that time in the woods when he had been so forceful, filled with explosive anger.
That memory made her tremble. She feared he would tear her apart like he had done to Emily, seeing her as a despicable woman.
But she hadn't stolen anything from Bates.
Seeing her belongings scattered on the ground felt like her heart was being torn apart.
Why was she always being wronged?
She didn't want to face him like this. If they clashed, she would be the one to suffer.
As the car sped along, she suddenly opened the door, the wind rushing in, and without hesitation, she jumped out.
Just like that, Alison jumped out of the car.
It was like a replay of that old story, but this time, she refused to endure unwarranted harm because she truly hadn't done anything.
Her body hit the ground hard, stars exploding in her vision, her head throbbing, and pain shooting through her body. But she didn't stop. She had seen a small alleyway by the roadside when she jumped.
She struggled to her feet, dragging her aching body toward the alley. She was sure Jack wouldn't catch up immediately because it was a no-parking zone.
Alison dashed into the alley, running for her life.
Why did he always hurt her when she started to care about him?
They seemed destined to be adversaries, forever walking separate paths, never able to come together, only able to watch each other from afar.
Her mind kept replaying the scene of him dumping her purse out in anger.
He didn't trust her.
So why did he go to Germany to save her?
They shouldn't have crossed paths, yet he had barged into her life.
But when she started to have feelings for him, he inflicted such deep pain.
She thought the alley would lead to a maze of streets, but she was wrong.
When Alison reached the end of the alley, a round-arched villa blocked her way.
She had to turn back.
Maybe his car hadn't turned around yet, maybe he hadn't caught up.
Alison had to take her chances and turned to retrace her steps.
But she was wrong again.
Even in a no-parking zone, Jack had stopped his car.
As she turned, her nose collided with someone's hard chest.
Blood instantly flowed from her nose. She remembered the first time she met him, she had a nosebleed too. It seemed like every time she encountered him, nosebleeds became a regular occurrence.
A strong hand gripped her tightly. "Come with me," he said, his voice cold and devoid of emotion, like it came from the depths of hell, making her shiver.
He ignored the blood on her nose, mercilessly dragging her forward.
She couldn't run anymore. She realized her knee was also injured, blood seeping through her torn linen pants, stinging her eyes.
But he acted as if he didn't see it, silently dragging her along.
His face was stern, making her heart pound with fear, as if he was lost in past memories.
Was it because of that misunderstanding?
He mistook her for Emily.
From the alley to the street, people cast curious glances, wondering if they were a quarreling couple.
She smiled bitterly. If only that were the case.