About four hours after returning to the mansion, Josie’s phone rang just as she had put Grape to sleep for her afternoon nap.
It was a call from Arnold.
She looked up and made eye contact with Dexter, who was washing a milk bottle.
After answering the phone, Arnold’s voice came through lazily. “The deadline has been moved up.”
After saying that, he abruptly ended the call.
Facing Dexter’s inquisitive gaze, Josie repeated Arnold’s words and then said, “It seems his men have completed their investigation. But… is Edward really being held there?”
Dexter turned on the tap at the sink, rinsing the milk bottle. “Since I allowed you to deliver the message to him personally, there must be some truth to it.”
“But what if Arnold sends men to break him out directly?”
Dexter scoffed, “If he had dared to do so, he wouldn’t have called you.”
Indeed.
After washing the baby bottle, the gauze wrapped around Dexter’s hand got wet. He furrowed his brow. “I forgot, now I have to rewrap it.”
Josie glared at him, seemingly unaware of what he was implying. “What exactly is in that place that Arnold wouldn’t dare attempt a rescue?”
Dexter picked up a roll of fresh gauze and walked over to her. “It’s a prison.”
Josie was speechless.
Seeing her surprise, Dexter explained, “As I’ve said before, I don’t have the authority to detain him, but I do have some influence in keeping him there. That place is reserved for hardcore criminals. Arnold wouldn’t dare to recklessly break him out.”
As the realization sank in, she remarked, “So Arnold has no choice but to approach me.”
He took her silence as agreement. Seeing her unmoving, he reached out his hand. “Josie, please do the honors.”
Josie raised an eyebrow, then turned to leave. “I’m tired. I need to take a nap with Grape. You should go.”
With that, the door closed.
Dexter stood alone at the doorway, glancing at the damp gauze. He shook his head with a bitter smile, realizing that he had made a mistake.
Meanwhile, the deadline was moved up by three days, catching many of the participating teams off guard. When Josie went to the site, she did not let Dexter accompany her. He felt uneasy about it, so he compromised and chose a suitable candidate to go with her.
“Actually, I was quite surprised that you agreed to that ridiculous contract with Dexter.” Mallory casually brushed her hair while driving.
“The feeling of having one’s weakness exploited is terrible,” Josie said, touching up her makeup in front of the mirror.
“Does Grape know about his identity?”
“She has always known.”
“That’s quite impressive. The heiress to Russell Group. Grape really knows how to choose her parents.”
Josie let out a sigh, not particularly fond of that identity.
Mallory glanced at the rearview mirror. “There’s been a car following us, maintaining a distance of about twenty meters. I don’t recognize it. Are they Dexter’s men?”
Josie looked over and recognized the familiar license plate. She took out her phone and dialed a number. “Why are you following me?”
“Rivodia is dangerous. I’ll be your bodyguard.” Morgan’s distinct voice came through. “Dexter doesn’t treat you well. He doesn’t even assign someone to accompany you when you go out, so I have no choice but to do it.”
Mallory almost burst out laughing, her voice filled with mockery. “When I first met Morgan a few years ago, I never thought he had the potential to be a simp.”
Josie didn’t want to waste time with him, so she promptly hung up the phone.
To be honest, I don’t comprehend it. It’s evident to me that his outwardly carefree demeanor is merely a facade. He shouldn’t have been utterly devastated by Dexter.” Josie hesitated. “However, it appears that he has completely lost his drive.”
“Has something occurred within the Bastille family?”
After pondering for a moment, Mallory responded, “I haven’t heard anything.”
