Actually, after spending the entire night in a daze, I didn’t even know if I was looking at the rain or hoping to see Anthony’s familiar figure coming back home.
Finally, it was time to send Gregory and Audrey to school. After that, I changed my clothes and prepare to head out to the company, bar, and the spot where we ran into each other again, among others. I’d rather cling to a slim hope than wait at home aimlessly.
I had just stepped out when a black Lincoln limousine rolled to a stop before me, effectively blocking my path.
The car window rolled down slowly to reveal Nathaniel’s hypocritical expression. His eyes were crinkled up in a smile, as usual, hiding all the secrets deep within his heart.
I glanced at him briefly before deciding to ignore him. However, Nathaniel called out, “Sienna, don’t you want to know what Anthony is doing now?”
Without warning, I felt the urge to grab his collar harshly so he could reveal his real colors. Alas, I had to hold back my anger.
Realizing I had made up my mind, Nathaniel ordered the chauffeur to open the door on the other side.
I stalked over and got into the car without hesitation.
Nathaniel brought me to the highest building opposite Featherstone Corporation. We entered the elevator and went to the top floor.
Once the doors slid open, there was a path leading to a huge space. The decoration was simple—a glass table beside the table and a simple chandelier above it.
There were some elegant decoration items, exquisite Ustranasion cuisine, and red wine placed on the table. The bright and striking colors seemed like a utopia in the middle of a desert.
After dismissing his men, Nathaniel strode over to the table and took his seat. Lifting the wineglass, he swirled it gently while taking in its scent. He then took a sip of the wine and studied the sight of the busy city underneath him.
Anthony often did the same thing. However, he’d stand in front of the window and think of his plans silently without all the fancy stuff.
“It’s not time yet. Have a seat and drink some wine,” he ordered. Clearly, he assumed I’d obey his instruction to find out Anthony’s whereabouts.
Nevertheless, my patience was at its limit. Refusing to play along, I stood still and announced, “Don’t blame me for being rude before I see Anthony.”
Nathaniel paid no heed to my threat. He placed his wineglass on the table before pointing at the chair opposite him, gesturing for me to sit down.
His gaze was so confident that it came as a provocation to me.
Fine. Let’s see what he’s up to.
I went over and told and plonked down in the seat. My expression was grim as I demanded, “Okay, can you spill the truth now?”
Nathaniel’s lips curved into a strange grin. He propped his arms on the table and pointed at me in an authoritative manner. “I promise that’s the best viewing spot, Sienna. You won’t regret it,” he said.
I wanted to tell him I had already regretted my decision. So to a strangely confident man like him, keeping me hanging and guessing gives him a sense of achievement?
I couldn’t help but adore Anthony more after learning that.
Folding my arms, I glared at him viciously. If someone else were here, it would seem like an interrogation where I was the interrogator.
However, we were the only ones here. As though he wanted to torment me slowly, Nathaniel started eating his steak slowly.
“Don’t tell me you’re trying to provoke me this way. When I lose control of my emotions and harm you, a bunch of police will rush upstairs to arrest me and lock me up. Am I right?” Perhaps I was too flustered, for I made a joke in a fit of exasperation.
Nathaniel burst into laughter at my joke. He wiped his lips with the napkin and commented, “You’re funny.”
“Thanks for the compliment.” I slammed on the table, on the verge of losing control. Glowering at him, I gritted my teeth and gave my last warning. “Compared to that, I’d rather find out where Anthony is!”
Leaning back, Nathaniel spread his hands. “As you wish.”
The sound of wheels rolling reverberated in the air. I looked up at the source of the sound and saw a rolled-up screen descending behind Nathaniel before unfolding into a screen.
Next, a video appeared and began playing on the screen.
It wasn’t clear at first. I could discern that a few men in suits were in the video and guessed that Anthony was one of them.
As the scene changed, Anthony’s face appeared on the screen.
The remaining content was simple. While one hand passed the money, the other passed the painting. They chatted briefly in Ustranasion. Something like “here’s to working together,” I guessed.
It was pretty obvious what Nathaniel wanted to show me—Anthony was now his puppet.
I instinctively found excuses for Anthony’s actions.
He might be rich, but he couldn’t force a proud man to work for him.
Anthony didn’t need others to approve him worth.
However, my steadfast trust in Anthony wasn’t what Nathaniel wanted to see.
One would need to outwit a sly hunter to achieve success. The more Nathaniel didn’t want to admit that Anthony was the chosen one, the more I needed to repeat it before him.
“What does that mean?” I asked. My eyes were calm, betraying none of my emotions. “What can the video prove? That Anthony has new friends who he exchanged gifts with? Everyone knows my husband is an excellent man. So what if he befriended some new friends?”
A hint of surprise flashed across Nathaniel’s eyes. He clasped his fingers together and stared at me in amusement. “So this is what true love looks like. To me, it is a foolish notion.”
I flashed a smirk without bothering to hide the disdain on my face. “Only those who can’t get it will vilify it,” I told him.
“I’m sorry to disappoint you, but lowly feelings like this that can’t affect my rational judgment.” Nathaniel remained calm, staring at me like a predator who had its eyes on its prey. “You claim that love is noble, but you had used it to pull Anthony down the pedestal. What do you feel about your own action?”
I had to admit that Nathaniel was a great predator, for he managed to hit my Achilles’ heel on his first try.
It felt like talking to the wall and barking at the moon. We were from different worlds, so there was no way we’d convince each other. After making that clear, I focused on my agenda. “I don’t want to talk about that. Just tell me where Anthony is if you’re capable of finding out his whereabouts.”
Lowering his gaze, Nathaniel flashed a tiny smile. “Do you think that will work on me?”
After a pause, he looked up and gazed at me. A faint gleam of malice shone in his eyes. “You have to know that I am the boss here. I can reveal the location of the deal anytime. But not to you, of course. You know what I want. Just play along, and we’ll get what we both want. Isn’t that great?”
The deal was an ongoing one, so he could actually reveal the location to the police. Once Anthony was captured with the goods, he would never get to clear his name.
It was rather irrational for Anthony to fall for Nathaniel’s trap.
Before I could confirm his safety, I had no choice but to play along with Nathaniel. After heaving a long breath to calm down, I could face Nathaniel in calmly now.
“Now that you got some dirt on us, there’s no need to beat around the bush,” I stated.
Nathaniel avoided the topic. “I haven’t thought of anything. For now, I want to know something. After seeing Anthony ruining himself by breaking the law and retrieving the dirty money, do you still love him?”
“Did you do everything to prove that our love is cheap enough to be pulled back anytime?”
“That’s right,” Nathaniel admitted to it at once. “You love him for his powerful status, noble character, and genes he gained from his family. To conclude, anyone could be ‘Anthony Featherstone’ with enough money. Without that, Anthony is just like me, a man who knows no limits. He could do anything just for his own benefit. Well, he’s a ‘bad guy’ just like you said.”
He raised his hand to point at the screen behind him. “Look carefully. Besides his handsome face, Anthony is just like me. Can you still claim to love him?”
Do I need a reason to love someone? After all, love is a feeling that needs no reasoning.
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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