Chapter 412 Caught and Cornered
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Inside the car, Eliza sat next to Henry and asked coldly, “What’s the point of taking me away like this Planning to slap me around for revenge, or humiliate me into apologizing? I’m guessing your stubborn old man isn’t going to let me off the hook casily. You might as well be honest–so I know what I’m in for”
“I didn’t want to do this,” Henry said. “But you know how difficult my father can be. I spent a long time building up the nerve to even go through with this. Honestly, I don’t want to hurt you.”
He sounded sincere–but for some reason, Eliza
Henry glanced over at her. “At
“Yes.”
reason, Eliza
elieve a single word.
you and Nolan back together?”
“He broke off his engagement with Elaine for you. Do you have any idea what a sacrifice that was?”
“I do.”
“Then how could you accept it? Tyson’s been after the Hayes family leadership for years. You’ve just handed) him the opportunity.”
Henry fixed his gaze on her. “Eliza, if you’ll agree to hold the engagement ceremony as scheduled and act like none of this ever happened, we can reset everything. Our engagement, our families‘ relationship–it all goes back to normal.”
“You really think that’s possible?”
Tristan had already announced their engagement was over–publicly, at a press conference.
Sure, it was one–sided, but it was still official.
If they re–announced the engagement now, it would make a joke of the public.
Henry went quiet. “I’m just supposed to bring you back. Think it over, and tell me your decision later.”
“Eliza isn’t out here alone,” she said sharply. “Tristan made sure there’s security stationed all over Westbrook. Taking me like this isn’t going to end well for you.”
Henry stayed calm. “My father wants the ring your mother supposedly left behind. If you remember where it is, you can tell me now.”
“I already told you–I don’t have any ring.”
Before she could finish, she noticed Henry make a small gesture with his hand.
Eliza narrowed her eyes.
Right. No one actually knew what the ring looked like.
Which meant… she could just give them a random one.
She glanced out the window at a nearby mall and said, “Pull over. I need to use the restroom.”
The bodyguard looked at Henry through the rearview mirror.
Chapter 412 Caught and Cornered
Uncertain whether to stop.
Henry answered flatly, “Let her go. She’s not getting away.
It was a weekday, so the mall was nearly empty.
When the bodyguard started to follow, Henry waved him off. “Stay here. You’re too conspicuous–I’ll go with her.”
So Henry and Eliza got out of the car together.
He walked closely behind her.
Eliza muttered, “Mr. Henry, you don’t need to follow me this closely.”
“If you try to run and I get blamed, I’m the one who’ll suffer. Of course I’m watching you.”
“You go upstairs to the restroom,” he said. “I’ll wait here. But if you try to bolt, I’ll immediately go head–to- head with Nolan. We’ve got some shared business partners between the Fosters and Hayes. If I pull out now, it’ll make things much harder for him–especially after breaking things off with Elaine.
“So this is a threat?”
“It’s not me threatening you. It’s my father’s order.”
“Do you ever say anything honest?”
Eliza didn’t believe for a second that Henry’s hands were clean in this.
Just like when he claimed the engagement was all his father’s idea.
He was full of it.
Eliza went upstairs–but not to the restroom.
She headed straight to a jewelry store and bought the cheapest diamond ring she could find.
If all she needed was to fake someone
-well, two could play that game.
As she came back down, she passed by a MISS store. The store manager recognized her instantly and began to approach.
But Eliza gave her a subtle shake of the head, and the manager immediately stepped back.
The assistant manager looked confused. “Wasn’t that Ms. Eliza? Why didn’t she come in?”
“I don’t know,” the manager replied. “Something feels off.”
Eliza returned to where Henry was waiting. “See? I didn’t run off. Can we go now?”
“Yeah.”
He reached for her arm. “This way.”
Eliza glanced down at the hand gripping her wrist. “You really don’t have to be so dramatic. With this many people around, all I have to do is yell-”
Chapter 412 Caught and Commered
“If you do, I’ll go after Nolan immediately,” Henry said calmly.
Eliza let him lead her out of the mall without resistance.
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