Chapter 35
It seemed he had heard the news of her supposed death and called via video to confirm it.
Giselle let the video call ring unanswered until it disconnected on its own. After it hung up, he called again. She continued to ignore it.
He tried several times, but only when the calls repeatedly went unanswered and disconnected automatically did he finally stop.
Perhaps this man felt a sense of relief knowing she had suddenly died. He had disliked her from the beginning, always wanting to rid himself of her. Now that she had completely disappeared from his life, wasn’t that exactly what he wanted?
With this thought, she became even more resolved to stay hidden. She avoided getting a new SIM card, remained inside, and didn’t return to her home. Vivienne took care of her dog, visiting her place occasionally to assist.
Numerous friends had expressed their condolences via WhatsApp, including her sports teammates and long–term colleagues.
Naturally, Zachary sent her messages too. Zachary was overseas, occupied with his graduation thesis. It was uncertain if he knew about her accident, but he kept asking daily why she wasn’t responding.
She chose to disregard all the messages. Eventually, she logged out of WhatsApp, plunging her world into silence.
During the days when the police were searching for her “remains“, they also began investigating the person responsible for the accident.
Though there was no surveillance footage from that specific stretch of road, the police reviewed cameras from other areas and eventually pinpointed a suspect vehicle. However, it turned out to be a vehicle with cloned plates, meaning it would take additional time to catch the real perpetrator.
Giselle had anticipated this outcome for a while. How could Renee, who had the audacity to take such a drastic step against her, not have meticulously planned everything in advance? She wouldn’t have left evidence for the police to easily find.
The so–called culprit that night was merely a hitman hired by Renee. Even if they were caught, what then? With Renee’s cunning and her extensive network of connections, she had more than enough resources to dispel any suspicions.
Vivienne, enjoying a meatball from their takeout taco dinner at home one evening, said, “Giselle, I think I know how to help you find important evidence.” Not expecting much, Giselle responded, “What can you do?”
Vivienne exuded confidence. “Your half–brother, Sebastian… Hasn’t he always been interested in me? I can use that to my advantage, get closer to him, and get him to reveal the murder plot his family has against you. I’ll just secretly record it. Simple, right?”
Giselle glared at her. “Seriously, how can I let you sacrifice yourself because of my problems?”
“If it means putting that old witch, Renee, behind bars, what’s a little sacrifice? I’ve been with all kinds of men anyway. What’s one more?” “Forget it. You know how much of a lowlife Sebastian is. He’ll do whatever it takes.
If
he
finds out you’re deceiving him, you’ll be in danger too…”
“Oh, please. You underestimate me,‘ “Vivienne said confidently. “I can deal with that fool Sebastian even with my eyes closed! He’s made advances at me multiple times, so I’ll use this opportunity to mess with him until he’s finished!”
Giselle smiled but didn’t say anything.
“You were attacked so violently, and you nearly died. Without employing some strategies to gather crucial evidence, you’ll never bring down that old mistress, So, it’s settled then. I’m helping
you with this!”
Giselle was filled with conflicting feelings. Unsure of what to do, she simply focused on her meal. It had been five days since the river incident.
After spending so much time at Vivienne’s house, she realized she couldn’t leave the dog unattended for long. Therefore, she decided to return home and later seek out a lawyer to assist with the case.
In the evening, she took a taxi back to her neighborhood. After a long absence, she returned to her home and unlocked the door using her fingerprint. As she opened it, a strong smell of smoke greeted her.
Upon finally seeing her return, her dog, Eastin, barked joyfully. He bounced around in front of her in excitement and tugged at the hem of her clothes, guiding her toward the bedroom.
She followed the dog into the bedroom. Before switching on the lights, she noticed someone on her bed.
The room was too dark to make out any details. A man was reclining against her headboard, holding a cigarette that was half–smoked. The cigarette’s tip flickered intermittently in the dimness
