The woman walked up to them again, exaggerating the side-to-side motion of her hips. She made her voice about an octave higher. "You know, I've got a birthday coming up soon. Know how old I'll be? 18. If you could help me, I'd be really grateful..."
'She's only eighteen! And she's pretty too!' The men in the car were obviously taken with her. While the driver hesitated, the woman suddenly pressed the unlock button next to her. The mechanism made a sound and the door was unlocked.
Under the driver's vigilant eyes, she opened the door and said in a soft voice, "Don't worry. I just want you to see what you'll be getting."
Then, the woman moved quicker than the eye could see. She pulled the car keys from the ignition and threw them in the bushes. After making sure they couldn't find the car keys without a concentrated search, she clapped her hands and turned around to look at the men in the car with a smile.
The three men in the car knew something was up now, so two of them got out of the car to deal with her.
Before they could do anything, they were ambushed by two men who jumped to the ground from the small hill next to them. They advanced on the men threatening Erica. A short tussle ensued, where one of the attackers waited for the thug to attack him, then stepped inside his attack and took him down with a series of palm strikes and a knee to the gut. Another thug brandished his gun, and got it taken away from him—and his arm broken.
Erica was quick and accurate. She took the man who was fighting with her to the ground as fast as she could, employing some joint locks.
Then she ran to their car to look for the drone.
It was on the back seat! She successfully grabbed the broken drone, and then the three of them ran away as fast as they could.
Back in her own car, Erica patted her chest and breathed a sigh of relief. Fortunately, she had gotten the drone back. If they decided to look into it, they would find out in short order that she was the one who bought it.
On their way back, they passed by the Champion Group. Looking at the tall building through the car window, Erica suddenly recognized the man she'd captured on video.
Because of this, she asked the driver to head to ZL Group. She had to find Matthew before she did anything else. He needed to know.
The car stopped at the entrance to the main offices of ZL Group. Heedless of her image, Erica rushed into the company, drone in hand.
If the driver hadn't been there to run interference for her, the security guards would have caught Erica. She ran past them so fast they could only catch the barest glimpse of her.
Erica entered her husband's office like a gust of wind. Paige was taken aback for a moment before she realized who it was.
Another special assistant tried to sort his papers. She had messed them up as she flew past. He raised his head and asked Paige, "Miss Shen, did a bird get loose in the building?"
Paige nodded, "Mrs. Huo just flew by."
The assistant lapsed into stunned silence at what she said.
Since Matthew was not in the office, Erica had to head to the main operations area and ask Paige where he was. Then she knew Matthew had left with Owen.
She didn't know when Matthew might be back. It could be in the afternoon sometime.
Erica nodded thoughtfully. "Then I'll grab a shower first. I'll need something to change into."
"Yes, Mrs. Huo. I'll only be a moment!" Paige answered with a smile.
When Erica finished bathing and changed into clean clothes, Matthew still hadn't come back yet. She had to call him. "Hi, honey. You busy now?" she asked.
"Yes. What's wrong?" he asked in reply.
"Nothing. I was just wondering. I'll let you get back to work. I know you're busy. Call me back when you're done?" Erica didn't want to interrupt his work, so she didn't tell him what was up right away.
"Yeah. I'll be along shortly."
After hanging up the phone, Erica stowed the drone in Matthew's lounge and went to her studio.
This was where the corporate photographers mainly plied their trade. The company made extensive use of photography and videography used to promote their brands, products and services. Each person had a part to play. Some documented social events. Others specialized in portraits or even head shots. They all created visual content for company newsletters, quarterly reports, and marketing materials.
Erica strolled around the studio. She didn't have to wait long. Matthew called her about ten minutes later.
Phone in hand, she walked into her largely unused cubicle. She secured a hands-free set and connected to her phone. Erica couldn't wait to ask, "Honey, guess who I saw at Parasol Resort?"
Frowning, Matthew asked, "Did you go to the Parasol Resort alone?"
"Yeah, but don't worry. I just used the drone to snap a few pics; I didn't show up in person."
"Okay. By the way, who did you see?" he asked.
"Neville Chai! Watkins' dad! So? Are you surprised?" she asked. She actually saw Watkins' father at Parasol Resort.
As far as she knew, after staying in the small village for two years, Watkins had been secretly sent to America. Matthew knew that. He hadn't gotten where he was by being stupid. He let him go only because Watkins hadn't started anything. He kept his head down for two years.
Camille married the famer who lived next door to Watkins. Her mother-in-law was from hell. She had her doing all kinds of housework. Indeed, she taught her how to do the housework. But still, she didn't like Camille at all.
When the poor farmer found out Camille and Watkins were ex-lovers, he hatched a devious plan. He moved their bedroom so they'd be close to Watkins, separated by only a single, thin wall. He tortured Camille in bed every night. He knew Watkins would hear it, and all Watkins could do was fume.
Watkins was disabled, and Matthew's men were watching him, so he couldn't stir up trouble again.
When her husband left her alone, Camille always ran to Watkins for comfort and loving. But they were found out. The sharecropper beat Camille black and blue, and then beat Watkins with a stick.
Fortunately, when Watkins was nearly dead from the beatings, his father showed up and whisked him away to the United States.
Camille begged Neville to take her along too, but he refused coldly. It was her fault they were in that situation. He would be a much more powerful man if his son hadn't tempted the wrath of Erica or Matthew. She put his son up to it.
How could he be bothered to care about a woman who ruined his son?
So Watkins was now in the United States, and the businesses under Neville's Champion Group were transferred bit by bit to the US as well.
Camille gave birth to two daughters in the village. Many rural dwellers preferred boys to girls. Her mother-in-law was not happy that she had only given birth to daughters. As time passed by, Camille's mother-in-law found a woman willing to try and give birth to a son. She moved her in, and she became the man's mistress.
And the mistress was more than willing to do whatever Camille's mother-in-law wanted.
As for Phoebe, she was in a better situation than her sister. Although Nathan's tombstone in the mountains was a grim reminder of the price they paid for challenging Matthew, she reclaimed a piece of land and lived an idyllic life.
Matthew chuckled when he heard what Erica said. "I've known about this for a long time."
"What?" Erica was staggered at the thought. So Matthew knew all this time there was something wrong with Neville.
"I don't think I stuttered." Matthew felt a little guilty and realized that he should have told her earlier.
Erica was a little upset and asked, "Then what else do you know?"
"I also know that there's something up at the Parasol Resort, not to mention Parasol Mountain." Erica had been taking it easy, healing for more than two months. And it turned out Matthew and his buddies were not idle. Gifford's men had already found a way into the Parasol Resort.
"Then why didn't you tell me?" Erica asked unhappily.
"Honey, don't worry about it. Just run your business. When we're almost done, I'll let you do the last step!"
'The last step?' She pouted and asked happily, "What's the last step?"
"Take all the evidence and give it to the police. Let's sit back and watch Michel and his men get hauled off to jail,"
said Matthew. Erica was in a gloomy mood after hearing that. Her four sons could do that as easily as she could!
It was an insult to her intelligence!
Erica didn't say anything for a long time. Matthew knew what was on her mind, so he comforted her patiently for a while.
Finally, he hung up the phone after telling he'd get back to her later that night.
Sitting in her office, Erica pondered over a confounding conundrum—were her enemies too powerful or was she just useless?