5
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In the conference room, Julian Hayes listened absently to the quarterly report. Ever since Claire Reynolds left, he had been inexplicably irritable.
His phone vibrated. An anonymous email. He casually opened it. Inside was a surveillance video.
The moment he saw the content, his heart leaped into his throat! In the footage, after Claire Reynolds‘ attempt to intervene, Vivian Thorne looked down at the infant in her arms,
her eyes hardened, and then…
She let go.
*Thud.*
The dull thud of the baby hitting the floor seemed to penetrate the screen, striking Julian’s heart with brutal force. He shot up, his office chair crashing to the ground with a loud bang.
His secretary outside pushed the door open, startled. “Mr. Hayes, are you…”
“Get out!”
The secretary scrambled back out. Julian grabbed his suit jacket and rushed out. He had
to see Vivian Thorne now, immediately!
Meanwhile, Vivian Thorne was at a beauty spa, enjoying a facial. Her phone suddenly
vibrated wildly. She lazily swiped to answer. “Hello?”
“Ms. Thorne! Run!” It was her spy inside Hayes Corp. His voice was filled with terror. “Mr.
Hayes saw the surveillance video! He’s on his way to find you!”
Vivian shot up from the spa bed, eyes wide as she shrieked, “What video? Explain
yourself!”
“It’s… it’s the one from the hospital that day…”
Vivian’s hand trembled, and her phone dropped directly to the floor. The beautician was
13:35 Mon, 4 Aug A D
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startled by her outburst. “Ms. Thorne, are you alright?”
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“Get out!” She shoved the beautician aside, running barefoot towards the changing room.
But it was too late. The beauty salon’s main door was violently kicked open. Julian Hayes burst in with four bodyguards. The receptionist tried to stop them but was paralyzed in her chair by his glare.
“Where’s Vivian Thorne?” he demanded, surveying the room coldly.
No one dared to answer, but everyone’s eyes instinctively flickered towards the VIP room. Julian understood. He strode over and kicked open the door.
Vivian was frantically trying to pull on her clothes. Seeing him enter, her legs gave out, and she sank to her knees.
“J–Julian…”
Julian looked down at her, his eyes like he was staring at a corpse. “You killed my son, didn’t you.” It wasn’t a question; it was a statement.
Vivian trembled all over, stammering an explanation. “No, listen to me, that video is fake, Claire Reynolds… she…”
*Slap!*
A heavy slap landed on her face. Vivian’s head snapped to the side, blood oozing from the corner of her mouth.
“You lied to me, saying the child wasn’t mine.” Julian gripped her throat, his eyes bloodshot. Then he lifted her and pressed her against the wall. “You even forged photos of Claire Reynolds cheating.”
Vivian gasped for air, frantically trying to pry his fingers off. “Let… let
go…”
Julian suddenly released her. She fell to the floor like a rag doll.
“Take her.” Two bodyguards immediately stepped forward, pulling the limp Vivian to her
feet.
13:36 Mon, 4 Aug A.
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“Where are you taking me?” She struggled in terror, pleading loudly, “Julian, I was wrong,
I really know I was wrong!”
Julian walked out without looking back. “Don’t worry. You’re going where you belong.”
6
