"Remember, be quick. I want it by tonight at the latest." Julian’s voice was icy. The assistant began the investigation immediately.

Chapter 32: Where Is She?

The next morning, the investigation results were already on Julian’s desk.

"Mr. Lin, this is the information you asked me to investigate regarding Miss Eva."

Julian came back to his senses, looking haggard, and picked up the documents to look through the materials on Eva’s life.

He only scanned it once before suddenly laughing out loud. "Tell me, am I an idiot?" Julian asked. The assistant said nothing. Julian lowered his head, sobbing quietly. He had truly been hurt; the person who loved him most had been dismissed by him as the most despicable liar.

The person he trusted most had been deceiving him all along. What could be more ridiculous than that?

He had even nearly killed the person who loved him most, twice.

The content matched what Gu Roujia had mentioned. Eva had not hidden her life abroad; by finding her former classmates, the truth was revealed as soon as he asked.

The investigative report in Julian’s hand was crumpled into a ball. His face was ashen; he had actually been deceived by Eva for so many years.

Eva hadn't loved him all that time. Ever since she went abroad, she had dated many boyfriends, been with many men, and had had an abortion.

She had gotten pregnant by a man named Zhao Quan, had an abortion, and the hospital diagnosis stated—she could never conceive again. After she returned the second time, she said she was pregnant but that Gu Roujia had caused her to miscarry and become infertile. Since she had already had an abortion previously and the medical records said she couldn't conceive, how could she have been rendered infertile by Gu Roujia?

All of this was a lie. Eva had been lying to him, and the laughable part was that he had actually believed it.

"She’s pregnant? I caused it? Julian, can you use your brain? Don't you know what I do every single day?" Julian remembered questioning Gu Roujia back then, when she had been so angry she couldn't even speak. "I’ve been with you for so many years; don't you know what kind of person I am?"

"I don't want her to destroy our marriage, but do I have such a venomous heart that I would make a woman infertile, or harm a life that had no grudge against me?" Gu Roujia had nearly screamed.

"Her pregnancy is a lie; she just wants to trick you into leaving me!"

Julian remembered vividly how hysterical Gu Roujia had been, but he hadn't believed her at all. He hadn't even given her a chance to defend herself before deciding on her guilt.

"Mr. Lin, there is one more thing..." the assistant said timidly: "Since Miss Eva returned to China, she has been in contact with a strange number. I checked it along the way, and this person is actually a killer from the black market. Also, I compared the video of Miss Gu leaving the hospital, and a strange person appears in the video. After facial recognition, that person is the killer who has been in contact with Miss Eva."

Bang! The mug in Julian’s hand shattered on the floor. "Find Gu Roujia immediately, and get people to go find this killer!"

He had completely lost control. Although there was no direct evidence proving Eva had bought a hit, the mere thought of Gu Roujia’s life being threatened made it impossible for him to accept such a reality.

"Mr. Lin, someone from the police is here saying they have news about Miss Gu." The secretary knocked on Julian’s office door.

Julian’s heart leaped. He grabbed his suit jacket from the back of his chair and rushed out.

The police officer pointed to the surveillance footage: "Miss Gu’s trail first appeared in this convenience store. After she walked out, this van followed her until it reached a deserted alley, where the van deliberately rammed her from behind—the video shows it was intentional. Then a young man appeared here; the van probably feared being detected and didn't hit her again, but Miss Gu was kidnapped. Our people are currently tracking where the car went."

Julian’s head buzzed, his vision darkening. Gu Roujia had nearly been hit by a car, and now she was kidnapped, her life or death unknown.

"You stay here. Notify me as soon as there is news." Julian kept a cold face, slammed his foot on the accelerator, and the car sped away.

He had to find Eva. She had hired the killer; Eva must know where Gu Roujia was now.

Returning to the suburban villa, he kicked the door open. Eva was so startled that the white porcelain bowl in her hands shattered on the floor.

"Julian, what are you doing? Ah..."

Julian grabbed Eva’s hair and pulled her close, asking in a dark voice: "Where did you have Roujia kidnapped to? Have your people release Roujia right now, and I might spare you."

Eva’s heart missed a beat. She feigned composure and said: "Julian, what do you mean? I don't understand. Gu Roujia discharged herself and left; what does that have to do with me? Did Gu Roujia run to you again and say something?" Eva sobbed: "Julian, think about it. We’re already engaged, and the wedding is in just a few days. You love me. Gu Roujia is no threat to me at all; why would I make things difficult for her? It makes no sense! Or, do you still like Gu Roujia? If so, you can just say it directly; I’m willing to let you go."

After Eva finished speaking, she raised her head and looked at him affectionately.

If it were in the past, Julian would have been moved by Eva.

"I also want to ask 'why'." Eva froze, meeting Julian’s icy eyes, hearing his cold voice: "I also want to know, you have everything, she has nothing—why did you want to kill her? Because she knew about your decadent life abroad? Or because she knew your secret that you can never conceive? Is that why you had to harm her like this?"

Eva opened her mouth, but Julian gave her no chance to speak: "Nobody told me this. I had my assistant investigate your life abroad. Don't try to deceive me with your lies again." He pulled her closer and asked coldly: "I’ll give you one last chance. Tell me, where is she?"

Chapter 33: Roujia, Wait for Me

"Speak, I want you to speak!"

Julian tightened his grip on Eva's throat.

Eva struggled desperately, tears streaming down her cheeks. She truly felt the hatred Julian held for her; this was real, not a dream.

As the oxygen in her lungs began to run out, Eva summoned all her strength: "Fine... I'll tell you."

He released his grip, and her body fell to the floor like a rag doll.

Tears flowing, Eva said, "Julian, didn't you just ask me why I hate Gu Roujia so much?" She pushed herself up from the floor with both hands and sat up. "You've investigated so much; you must know Gu Roujia's feelings for you by now, right? Actually, I knew them even earlier, even before we started dating. I was always the most dazzling girl among our peers since childhood, but then Gu Roujia came along and snatched away the spotlight. That's why I wanted to steal the person she loved most. But Julian, you were so good to me, and I really fell in love with you. Yet, how did you treat me? After I introduced you to Gu Roujia, I noticed you would stare at her in a daze—men really are visual creatures. You said you loved me, but I was gone for only half a year before you were with her. In fact, were you thinking of her the whole time we were together? If Gu Roujia hadn't seduced you and made you unfaithful to me, I wouldn't have gone abroad in a fit of anger and met that scumbag Zhao Quan, and I certainly wouldn't have lost the right to be a mother. Gu Roujia caused all of this! Of course, I couldn't let her off that easily!"

"To think you’ve always thought that way—you are terrifying, and you have disappointed me so much." Julian hadn't realized that Eva viewed his feelings like this, that she had pursued him just to hurt Gu Roujia.

When they were dating, he had no memory of his past with Gu Roujia and had treated Eva with complete devotion. Yet, Eva had questioned his affection from the very beginning. Even with the decadent life she lived abroad, she never reflected on herself; instead, she blamed everything on Gu Roujia. It was as if he were meeting Eva for the first time.

Suddenly, Julian’s eyes caught a glint of light from the phone Eva was hiding behind her back. He snatched it and saw that just a few minutes earlier, when he had entered the room, Eva had sent a message.