Chapter 2 You Can’t Run Away From Me

Chapter 2 You Can’t Run Away From Me

The wind picked up suddenly. The petals fluttered down from the trees, nketing the gray carpet.

When Finn stepped through the door, he was greeted by the sight of those delicate red petals swirling into the room through the open window.

The chilly breeze filled the room, carrying a faint fragrance with it, yet the person he thought would be there—wasn’t.

He walked bover /band shut the window with a snap.

The wind died, but the ache in his chest didn’t.

He stood at the foot of the bed, his tall frame rigid. One hand pressed into the dark–hued bedsheets while the other rubbed his brow, hard.

Why had he been hoping to see her? She was just someone insignificant.

Even if she died out there, it wouldn’t be his problem. She was the one who chose not toe back.

But something in the air lingered—a hint of a familiar scent. But it was almost gone now with the cold breeze blowing. Even so, his expression still changed when he picked it up.

“Who’s been in this room?” His voice was ice. “Maids!”

There was a hidden gate behind the vi.

Maria Burn was helping a shaky figure hurriedly leave the property and go out into the night.

The woman staggered slightly because of the infant she cradled in her arms.

La was fast asleep. Maybe the night air was itoo /icool because she tucked her rosy face deeper into her mother’s chest.

bTess /bheld her baby close, her embrace gentle and protective.

She was worried La would cry and give them away, but La, as if sensing Tess’s desperation, stayed quiet.

bTess /bgently adjusted the sleeping La in her arms, then turned to Maria.

“Thank you for everything.”

Maria was one of the few long–time staff who worked at the vi.

bYears /bago, Tess had helped her through a desperate time. Tonight, she returned to the vi to retrieve her belongings. Maria was returning the favor by standing guard.

Over the byears/b, the household staff hade and gone, but Maria had stayed.

Maria had always thought she would spend the rest of her life working an honest job–working hard, keeping her head down, and saving bup /bjust enough to retire one bday/b. She had never imagined bshe’d /bget a chance to do something that actually mattered. And yet, here she was, repaying Tess.

Maria whispered, her voice catching, “bIf /byou hadn’t given me a job back then, I would’ve died in this foreignnd.”

She wiped the tears from her reddened eyes. “Mrs. Lock, you’ve suffered.” Maria couldn’t help but blurt out, “Are you sure you won’te backb?/bb” /b

Tess lowered her eyes without answering. But her bsilence /bspoke volumes.

“I’m done with him,” Tess finally said. “I don’t want to have anything to do with him in the future. And I won’t let him find out about La”

Maria sighed, heavy with sorrow. She nodded slowly and asked, “Did you get what you came for?”

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Chapter 2 You Can’t Run Away From Me

I did Tess adjusted her bag, making sure the documents inside were secure–her 11), bank cards, passporti, /iand the money she’d earned as awyer. After three years of hard work; she had saved up three million dors.

This money was rightfully hers. She hadn’t touched a single thing that belonged to Finn. Not even a penny,

“I got it all, but…i” /i

Her brows furrowed with uncase.

She had barely grabbed her things when Finn suddenly came out of the study. There hadn’t been time to cover her tracks,

In their urgency, Maria and Tess left through the window.

Tess wasn’t sure if they’d left any clues in their rush,

All she could hope was that Finn wouldn’t notice those details. She and La just wanted a quiet, ordinary life–one free from threats and shadows.

Maria seemed to read her thoughts and felt a sting in her eyes.

She reached out and gave Tess a gentle push toward the gate.

“Don’t be afraid. If anything happens, I’ll take the heat.

“I’m not part of the family, but even I couldn’t stomach his cruelty when he sent you to prison.

“Go now, Mrs. Lock. Take care of your little one,

“And take good care of yourself

Tess turned back to her, biting her lip. She said, “Maria, there’s one more thing I’d like to ask of you.”

But Maria already knew. “You don’t need to ask. As far as I’m concerned, I never saw you tonight.” And with that, Maria closed the gate with a firm click and locked it.

Through the narrow gap in the gate, Maria gave onest wave with her weathered, wrinkled hand. There was a trace of reluctance on her face..

Years ago, it was Finn who had hired the bestwyers to send his wife to prison.

A man as cold–hearted and ruthless as him didn’t deserve a good woman like Tess–much less a sweet little girl like La.

Not far away, petals from the crabapple tree were still drifting down, stirred by the wind. Tess shivered.

Even La, fast asleep in her arms, seemed to sense the tension. Her tiny mouth puckered, signaling she might cry any

moment now,

Tess quickly held her tighter.

She picked up her bpace/b, walking for a distance and weaving around the surveince cameras. Only when she reached ba /bcorner of the street and spotted the rideshare waiting did she allow herself to exhale and climb in. Not once did she look

back.

In the car, La curled peacefully in her arms, her breath soft and even. Tess nced out the window as the iron gates bof /bEvermount Vi slipped out of view.

Kinn, may we never meet again.

What she didn’t know was that back in the vi, inside the master bedroom, the search team had already returned.

One of the men reported, “Mr. Lock, we’ve reviewed the surveince bfootage /band searched every corner. There was no sign of Mrs, Lock. But we did find thisb.” /b

He presented Finn with footage.

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b+5 /bFree Coins

Chapter 2 You Can’t Run Away From Me

“We’ve already detained the person shown. This is her background information.”

A few momentsterb, /ba group of security guards arrived at the staff quarters and knocked on Maria’s door.

One said, his voice cold and sharp, “Maria, the cameras show you were the only person near Mr. Lock’s bedroom. Ten minutester, it was broken into.”

The security guards didn’t wait for a reply. They grabbed her arms and pinned them behind her back. “Mr. Lock is being generous,b” /bone of them said. “You have two choices–confess and give it back, or …”

Maria’s heart dropped. Before she could speak, the guards abruptly stepped aside, and someone walked in.

He had a tall frame, sinister eyes, and sharp features. He had the kind of presence that could freeze the air around him.

Finn rubbed his temples tiredly before sizing Maria up with a hard, unreadable gaze.

He didn’t care what had been stolen. There was only one thing that mattered to him.

Finn slowly crouched down, his refined figureced with a quiet fury. He fixed his gaze on the audacious maid before him.

He said, “Tell me. Did shee back? And where did she go?”

Maria’s eyes widened.

She froze for just a moment, then quickly shook her head. “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” she said, her voice trembling. “No one came to the house tonight. I didn’t see anyone, and I didn’t take anything.”

“You’re not going to talk, huh?” One of the guards stepped forward, ready to teach her a lesson.

But Finn waved his hand. “Let her go.”

The guard bwas /bstunned, puzzled by themand, but he obeyed.

Maria exhaled a breath of relief. Maybe she’d convinced them.

Then came his voiceb–/bcalm but ruthless and intimidating. Finn said slowly, “Maria, your file says you have a daughter who lives in Aetheris. She was married for five years before finally getting pregnant. Her husband’s a mid–level manager. It took him six years of hard work to earn that role.

“They’re a happy couple, right? They invited you to spend the holidays together. So, tell me–what would happen if I had him fired tomorrow and cklisted in the industry? Nopany would hire him again.

“And if he finds out it bwas /bbbecause /bbof /byou–because of something you did–what do you think your daughter and son–inw would think of byou/b? What would your family beb?/bb” /bfnf560 Th?s chapter is updated by Find_Novel(./fnf560

“Would you risk your happy family to keep the bsecret/b? Smart people like you always know how to make the right choiceb./bb” /b

By the time he finished, Maria had a mental breakdown.

Sweat poured down her forehead. bHer /bback bwas /bsoaked.

She stared at Finn in front of her in bterror/b. This powerful, calcting man could destroy her family bas /beasily as a walk in the park. Her teeth ttered uncontrobly.

“I … I …”

“Where did Mrs. Lock bgo/b?” Finn asked again, his voice low and deadly. “Did you help her?”

He smiled faintly, but there bwas /bnothing kind in it–just bfrost /band warning.

If Maria hesitated for another second, he wouldn’t give her another chance.

Facing the richest man in all of Aetherisb–/bba /bman with unimaginable influence and a temperament no one could predict~ Maria trembled. Her aging hands lifted in a pleading gestureb. /bShe bknew/bb, /bdeep down, she had no choice.

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Chapter 2 You Can’t Run Away From Me

She whispered, choking back tears, “Please don’t hurt my daughter. I’ll tell you. I’ll tell you everything.”

Finn paused mid–step.