Harper put down her phone and sighed deeply.
But she wouldn't give up so easily. Today was an important day for Henry and Mia. She had to go the wedding banquet.
Harper initially thought about calling the police directly but then realized it would waste more time.
She paced restlessly around the house. Suddenly, an idea struck her, her eyes lighting up.
Generally, there should be a drainpipe on the exterior wall of the bathroom, and she could easily climb down by stepping on those fasteners on the fixed pipes. She glanced at the bathroom, thinking she was on the third floor, so it should be fine.
As time passed, Harper decided not to overthink it. She quickly went back to her room to change clothes before climbing out of the bathroom window.
Ava hadn't left. She had been waiting outside the door. When she heard no more sounds from inside, she couldn't help but feel a bit smug.
Although Harper was close to Mia, in such a situation, she had to listen to her.
She couldn't control Henry and Mia, but she could control Harper! Ava snorted, deciding she wouldn't leave today in case Harper found a locksmith behind her back?
The corridor felt stuffy, so Ava walked to the window to get some fresh air, but as soon as she opened the window, she saw a person hanging on the exterior wall below!
She was insane, acting recklessly! But upon closer inspection, Ava recognized that the person was Harper, who she had locked inside the room! Ava couldn't believe her eyes, leaning out to get a better look.
Harper was carefully inching down the water pipe and had reached the first floor. She looked disheveled, covering in dust and dirt, her face smeared with stains. The pipe, exposed to the elements year-round, had accumulated grime. But since the building's exterior was dark, it usually went unnoticed. Harper carefully moved down until she was just a few feet above the ground, then jumped down, landing safely.
She breathed a sigh of relief, dusted off her hands and clothes, and quickly headed towards the entrance of the residential area. Ava was astonished by Harper's risky escape plan and momentarily forgot to speak. She also felt a bit scared. If something happened to Harper during the fall, she would be held responsible.
Ava, both angry and speechless, opened the door shakily. She saw that the house was empty, except for the bathroom window, which was wide open. Ava was evidently out of options now.
At the Luxury Hotel.
When Joseph and Olivia arrived, Henry and Mia were standing in the reception area chatting with guests.
Mia casually looked up and saw Joseph. Her face lit up, ready to speak, but then she noticed the woman behind him. It wasn't Harper. It was Olivia, his ex-girlfriend.
Mia couldn't help but pause. Why did Joseph bring her here?
Regaining her composure, she quickly reached out and tugged Henry's sleeve.
Following her gaze, Henry's face turned sullen. The people around them sensed the tension and quickly interjected, "Henry, you carry on. Congratulations again!"
"Thank you for understanding."
As soon as the others left, Henry immediately put away his smile and didn't hide his displeasure.
Olivia greeted them with a smile and approached. "Henry, Mia, it's been a while. I wish you both a lifetime of happiness!"
"Thank you."
Mia smiled politely, at least maintaining basic courtesy in front of others. Turning her head, she saw Henry's stern face, clearly unwelcoming. She sighed inwardly, lightly nudging Henry with her elbow, signaling him to be more restrained.
Joseph was an adult, who had the freedom to bring the person he wanted. As elders, despite their preferences, they should respect the choices of the younger generation.
Mia made her point, and Henry couldn't keep up his stern expression. He simply looked at Joseph and asked, "Joseph, who is this?"
Joseph remained composed. "Olivia." At that moment, Olivia handed Mia a bag, saying, "Mia, this is my gift to you and Henry. I wish you a lifetime of happiness."
After a moment's thought, Mia accepted the gift with a warm smile. "Thank you so much. It's very kind of you."
Olivia then turned to Henry, smiling graciously, and said politely, "Henry, it's been a long time. You probably don't remember me, but we've met before."
"Is that so?"
Henry coldly snorted, "You've really put in a lot of effort.."
After saying that, he glanced disapprovingly at Joseph, feeling increasingly irritated. He showed no concern about Harper's absence but was close to another woman.
Sensing Henry's unfriendliness, Olivia subconsciously thought he knew about her abrupt departure from Joseph back then and was standing up for Joseph. She felt the need to explain this matter. Clearing her throat, she said, "Henry. It may seem abrupt. The reason I left Joseph back then was because..."