“The IT Department found that your Facebook photos have been deleted, and they’re concerned that your account may have been hacked. I’m here to take your phone back to the IT department so they can make sure no other information has been compromised.”
“There’s no need for that,” Leilani says cooly, “I deleted the photos.”
Robert is at a loss for words. He followed up with the IT Department, but they denied any knowledge of deleting the photos. He decided to return to the house to check the phone and see if the photos could be recovered. He’s surprised that Leilani is admitting to deleting the photos.
“If Mr. Bamford knows—” he says.
“What?” Leilani asks, “I can’t delete several photos? I thought Waylen would prefer that I protect is privacy.”
“It wasn’t several photos,” Robert says, “It was 72.”
Leilani rolls her eyes. The situation seems completely absurd to her.
“Well aren’t you good at math,” she snaps.
Robert smiles awkwardly, “Mr. Bamford would like you to re-upload the photos.”
“That’s impossible: I’ve completely deleted all of them,” Leilani says, “Moreover, I’m ashamed of them and don’t want them on my profile.”
Robert is confused.
“Is Mr. Bamford ugly?” he thinks, “Many people consider him one of the most handsome men in the city. Fortunately, he isn’t here to hear Leilani speak that way or he’d fly into a rage.”
“Anyway, I don’t have many friends on Facebook so it doesn’t matter what I post,” Leilani says.
“You’re right, but the media is everywhere and they like to make up stories,” Robert said, “People often speculate that you don’t get along well with Mr. Bamford, and they’ll surely start unpleasant rumors if they see you’ve deleted all pictures of him.”
“I don’t get along well with Mr. Bamford,” Leilani says, “If there’s any doubt about that, you can remind Mr. Bamford that there’s no need to focus on one fish when there are many others in the sea. Furthermore, the photos have been permanently deleted, and it’d be impossible for me to upload them even if I wanted to.”
Leilani tries to leave but Robert blocks her path.
“You can take new photos and upload them,” Robert suggests.
“I have no time for that,” Leilani says, brushing past him.
Robert follows her, “Please Mrs. Bamford, give me your phone, and I will help you recover the photos.”
“Why would I do that?” Leilani turns around and stares at him.
Robert feels the nervous sweat beading on his forehead.
“Once upon a time, Mrs. Bamford must have considered these photos precious treasures—she went to such great lengths to get them,” he thinks, “If she still felt that way, she wouldn’t have deleted them. Or if she had, she’d been filled with remorse and eager to accept his help. When did she become so difficult?”
“Mr. Bamford asked me to recover the photos,” Robert says.
“Well that’s too bad,” Leilani responds, “I refuse.”
Robert Tinder clears his throat awkwardly, “Well then, there’s nothing I can do but apologize to you.”
He grabs her phone from her hands and puts it in his pocket.
Leilani is shocked, though it’s only fitting that a man like Waylen would have such forceful and rude servants.
“I am so sorry,” Robert apologizes, “Mr. Bamford asked me to recover the photos. After recovering them, I’ll have the phone sent back to you.”
“What a thief!” Leilani tries to keep the anger from her voice, “I want you to return the phone to me now.”
“I can’t do that, Mrs. Bamford. But don’t worry, except for the photos, only Mr. Bamford will have access to the information on your phone. “
Like pouring fuel on a fire, Robert’s words only further anger Leilani.
“Why not directly tell me that Waylen will see every private thing on my phone?” she thinks.
“I want to see Waylen,” she demands.
She knows that Robert is just following Waylen’s orders; it’s useless to argue with him.
“Mr. Bamford anticipated that,” he says, “In fact, he has already sent a car and it’s waiting at the door. It will take you to the Bamford Group and the two of you will have lunch. Later in the afternoon, you will attend your physical examination.”
“He wants to have lunch together?” Leilani asks incredulously.
She has no desire to have lunch with him. She just wants to get her phone back. She imagines that lunch and the car are meant to distract her so she can’t find a way to escape from the examination later in the afternoon. She feels the muscles in her back tighten as soon as she thinks about the physical examination.
“I’ll go change my clothes first,” she says stalling for time.
Robert Tinder and the maid exchange a glance, remembering how Leilani escaped from her room before. The maid follows Leilani under the guise of helping her change, and two bodyguards stand in the front of the dressing room doors. Waylen has already ordered Robert to ensure that multiple servants keep an eye on Leilani at all times. There’s no room for error before the afternoon’s examination.
Leilani chooses casual clothes. Nonchalantly she walks to the jewelry cabinet and pretends to look at the pieces. Then she pushes the stained glass window open and looks out at the grounds. The bodyguards remain steadfast in their positions along the perimeter—it’s impossible to escape. Waylen has taken every precaution to ensure she makes it to the hospital.
She was hoping to escape for a few days, giving Charles time to figure out a plan. She never thought that Waylen would be domineering enough to take her phone, leaving her with no way to communicate with Charles.
She worries that Waylen will jealously look at her messages with Charles and see the texts about the new toxin in her blood. It’ll be risky for anyone to know she’s being poisoned before she finds out who’s doing it. If they’re trying to kill her, her texts will tip them off and they’ll find some new method.
She smooths her white shirt and wide-leg trousers and pulls her hair into a ponytail. In the sunlight, her pale skin seems to glow against the white fabric of the shirt. The maid stares at her in admiration.
Leilani goes down the stairs and finds Robert waiting for her holding a narrow white box.
“Mrs. Bamford, Mr. Bamford asked me to send this to you,” he says, handing her the box.
The lid of the box is embossed with a thistle, the symbol of the Bamford family. Leilani opens it and finds a cellphone inside.
“This is a couple’s phone,” Robert explains, “Mr. Bamford has one just like it in black. He hopes that you can use this phone to take photos of him to replace the ones that were lost before—just in case the recovery efforts aren’t successful.”
Tactfully, he avoids mentioning that all information on the phone is automatically copied and uploaded to Waylen’s phone.
“A couple’s phone?” Leilani asks with disbelief, “Why would he do that?”
Robert remains quiet.
Leilani puts the phone back into the box and hands it to Robert, “I don’t need it. Besides, everyone knows that Waylen doesn’t like being photographed.”
New Book: Back Home to Marry Off Myself
Loredana’s father left the family for his mistress, leaving them to fend for themselves abroad. When life was at its toughest, her father showed up with “good news” after 8 years of absence: To marry off Loredana to a paralyzed son of the wealthy Mendelsohn family.
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