Chapter 9

According to the timeline of her previous life, Zion would only reveal his identity three years after Kurt's death. Could it be that her rebirth had inadvertently changed everything? At this moment, Clara's face turned pale at Kurt's words. Wasn't it rumored that Zion was an orphan? How could he possibly be Kurt's grandson? Then, didn't that mean that Kurt had heard everything that she had just said? Offending Kurt would mean no prospects for her in the world of finance. With this in mind, Clara looked to Sergio for help. "Mr. Spencer Senior, Clara had a loose tongue just now. Please excuse her, considering her young age." Kurt only snorted in response. "I'd heard that there was a financial genius by Mr. Brooks' side, but it seems like she isn't as impressive as rumored." Clara's face turned even paler. She had obviously lost favor with Kurt. Maeve observed the whole situation. At this point, it wouldn't make a difference even if Sergio spoke up. In a normal situation, Clara would already have been kicked out because of how she had criticized Kurt's grandson. Kurt had already cut her some slack. Sergio pursed his lips and remained silent. However, Kurt's gaze softened slightly when he looked at Maeve. "You're from the Scott family, right?" Maeve snapped back to attention as Kurt initiated a conversation with her. She nodded and replied, "I'm Maeve." "Maverick wasn't good-looking when he was young, but his granddaughter turned out to be so beautiful. Your grandfather and I were quite close over 40 years ago, and now, you've grown so much in the blink of an eye." Close? Maeve remembered her grandfather always being carefree, never concerned about family matters. He was long gone now, but she had never heard of any connection between her grandfather and Kurt. Maeve didn't know how to respond. But just then, Kurt leaned in and asked, "Are you married?" Maeve nodded. "Yes, I am." "To which young man?" Maeve glanced at Sergio beside her. Kurt's face immediately turned sour upon seeing Sergio. "That rascal Peyton's grandson is despicable!" Sergio smiled faintly upon hearing Kurt's words and replied, "My grandfather used to mention you often, Mr. Spencer Senior. It seems like you two were quite close." "I'm not close to him!" Kurt denied. As they chatted, Clara just stood awkwardly beside them, her presence ignored. When Kurt left, Clara tugged at Sergio's sleeve and said, "Mr. Brooks, I would like to leave now." Sergio looked at the time and said, "I'll send you back." Clara asked, "How about Maeve?" Sergio glanced at Maeve, who was chatting happily with Kurt not far away. He replied coldly, "She can find her own way back." Clara's gaze held a hint of jealousy when she looked at Maeve. How could Maeve receive Kurt's favor? It was simply unfair. Meanwhile, Maeve saw Sergio and Clara leave the clubhouse one after the other. Larry approached her quietly and said, "Mr. Brooks will be sending Ms. Stewart back to the dormitory." "Got it," Maeve replied. Larry expected Maeve to make a tearful scene upon hearing this news, but to his surprise, Maeve remained calm. Beside her, Zion asked, "Is Mr. Brooks sending someone else home?" Maeve didn't feel embarrassed and replied, "Isn't it obvious?" She wasn't the only one who had witnessed it; everyone else had seen it too. Sergio had disregarded his wife twice in a row and had openly sent another woman home, leaving his wife behind at the banquet. Different rumors would surely circulate in the upper-class circle tomorrow. "Aren't you mad?" "Not at all." She had had enough of only having Sergio on her mind. She wouldn't let herself fall into the same trap again. Zion looked at Maeve. Although she appeared indifferent, he still saw a hint of loneliness in her eyes. "Ms. Scott, may I have the honor of sending you home?" he asked. It was getting late, and Maeve had indeed had enough of this place. Larry stood beside her and said, "Mr. Spencer, let me send Madam back home." Zion ignored Larry and waited for Maeve's response. Maeve stood up and accepted Zion's offer. "Well, thank you, Mr. Spencer." Zion stood by Maeve's side like a gentleman, leaving Larry clueless as to what to do next. How should he explain to Sergio if he went back like this? Maeve followed Zion into the car, with Charlie behind the wheel. Only Zion could make the Foster family's eldest son become a driver. "Zion, I've been waiting for you outside for hours while you were in there flirting the whole time?" Charlie complained. Maeve could sense Charlie's frustration from his reflection in the rearview mirror. Zion replied nonchalantly, "Let's send Ms. Scott home first." "Hey, aren't we supposed to go..." Before Charlie could finish his sentence, Zion kicked the back of the driver's seat. Charlie fell silent when he saw the warning look in Zion's eyes from the rearview mirror. "Do you guys have something to attend to later?" Maeve asked. "It's nothing important." "Actually, you don't have to send me home; I can go back myself." "Seathburn may seem calm, but it's dangerous, especially now that you're Sergio's wife." Maeve raised an eyebrow and said, "Mr. Spencer, Sergio is different from you. He is a legitimate businessman." Zion said flatly, "Even Mr. Brooks may not be clean in a complicated place like this." Maeve didn't refute his words. In her past life, although she had been married to Sergio for many years, he had never allowed her to get involved in his family's affairs. Although it seemed like Sergio was a legitimate businessman, how could a man wielding such absolute power in Seathburn City be completely clean? It was just that Sergio's secrets were better hidden. As for Zion, he didn't bother hiding anything. After all, it was said that Zion had no weaknesses. "Ms. Scott, we're here." Charlie parked the car outside the Brooks' residence. The lights were still off, meaning that Sergio hadn't returned yet. "Thank you, Mr. Spencer, Mr. Foster," Maeve said, thanking them as she got out of the car. Zion watched as Maeve entered the house before rolling up the car window and saying to Charlie, "Let's go." "So, you still know that we have to go? Did you forget about the meeting with Devon at midnight?" Charlie glanced at the time and said, "We're already late!" "Let him wait, then." Zion said coldly, "I'll chop off one of his hands if that scumbag can't bring me what I need." Meanwhile, Maeve sensed that something was wrong as soon as she entered the house. Allie knew that she was afraid of the dark, so she would usually leave the living room lights on for her. But at this moment, the lights were off. "Sergio? Are you back?" Silence filled the room for a long moment. Maeve sensed that something was amiss, but just as she was about to leave, a large hand suddenly covered her mouth. "You darn bitch! It's all because of you that I've lost all my money!" Maeve struggled to break free, but the man was too strong. While struggling, Maeve managed to pull out a lighter from her bag and burn the man's wrist. As the man recoiled in pain and took several steps back, Maeve immediately dashed out the door. "Sergio! Sergio!" Maeve called out his name repeatedly in her heart. As she ran, she dialed Sergio's number. "Hello?" "Sergio! Where are you? Come back quickly! There's someone in the house..." Before Maeve could finish her sentence, her phone was knocked to the ground. A van was parked in front of her, its headlights blinding Maeve's eyes. On the other end of the phone, Sergio frowned and asked, "Maeve?" "If you want to save your wife, bring ten billion dollars in exchange!" Sergio's gaze turned cold, but the other person had already hung up the phone. "Sergio, what's wrong?" Clara, who was sitting beside him, noticed his unusual expression. Sergio gritted his teeth and instructed, "Turn back now!" The driver was taken aback. "But, Mr. Brooks, we're almost at the dormitory." "I told you to drive home!" The driver paused for a while and then said, "Got it, Mr. Brooks!" Clara had never seen Sergio so nervous before. "Maeve is in trouble," Sergio said. "Maeve? What happened to Maeve?" Sergio ignored Clara, trying to recall where he had heard the voice from just now before. It sounded familiar, but he couldn't remember where he had heard it before. At midnight, Charlie parked the car outside an abandoned factory. Zion got out of the car, realizing that Devon and the others hadn't arrived yet. Charlie cursed, "Damn it! Is that brat actually later than us? He's definitely itching for trouble!" Sergio lit a cigarette. Not far away, a van was speeding toward them. Devon scrambled out of the car and said, "Mr. Spencer! Mr. Foster, I-I was delayed on the way." Devon smiled ingratiatingly. "Where's the money?" Charlie asked. "Mr. Foster, Mr. Spencer, please listen to me. It's all that damned woman's fault for messing up my plans! I had to tie her up just now, so I was delayed on the way. Mr. Spencer—" Charlie impatiently interrupted, "That's enough. Did anyone ask you that? I only asked you where the thing that we need is." "T-That thing has been bought by that damned woman! But it doesn't matter; her husband is rich. I've already gotten someone to call her husband. "If he wants to save his wife, he'll need to pay a ransom of ten billion dollars! That money is worth much more than that piece of land!" Charles said indifferently, "Then, get it done quickly. My time is precious." "Don't worry! I've already told Sergio. If he can't come up with ten billion dollars within an hour, I'll execute her!" Suddenly, Zion's pupils contracted as he stepped forward and grabbed Devon's collar. His voice was cold as he said, "Whose name did you just say?" "T-The… It's... Sergio..." Devon trembled in fear. Zion's voice grew colder. "Who did you kidnap?" "The daughter of the Scott family, Maeve Scott! She's Sergio's wife! It's all because she stole that piece of land that could have been bought with several billion dollars that I..." Before Devon could finish speaking, Sergio kicked him in the chest, causing Devon to stumble backward. Sergio's tone was filled with threat as he asked, "Where is she?"