Seeing Hale so anxious, Lemira couldn't help but feel something was off.

Based on all her previous investigations, she was convinced Hale was the type of man who cared only about gambling and money. To him, nothing mattered except wealth-and Evelina was merely a means to an end, a tool for making money.

So why was Hale suddenly so concerned about Evelina's safety?

Lemira found this deeply suspicious, but kept her expression cold as she answered, "Everyone in the Black family is guilty. Do you really think I would let any of you go?"

"That thing from back then had nothing to do with Evelina."

"Oh? Nothing to do with her? She helped you embezzle company funds and almost drove the Langston family's company into bankruptcy. You really think she's innocent?"

Lemira stared at Hale and said, "Your whole family is ungrateful. Back when you had a criminal record and couldn't find work, it was my parents who took you in as a driver so you could earn a living and support your daughter. And how did you repay their kindness?"

Hearing this, Hale lowered his head in silence.

Lemira grew angrier. "Well? Why don't you answer me?"

"This is all my fault," Hale finally said quietly.

"If you know you're to blame, then do something to make up for it. It was the Sinclair family who bought you off, wasn't it?”

She fixed Hale with a sharp look. "I want you to come forward and testify that the Sinclair family hired you to commit murder. If you do that, Evelina will be safe."

"You managed to trace this all the way back to the Sinclair family?" Hale sounded surprised, but quickly added, "I'll do whatever you ask, but you have to promise to let my daughter go."

Lemira hadn't expected him to agree so readily.

But something still felt off.

She pressed further, "And what about the money?"

"It's gone."

"Gone? You expect me to believe that?"

She studied his expression, clearly unconvinced.

Hale looked like he had given up hope. "After got the money, of course I went gambling with it. My luck was terrible lost everything If won wouldve disappeared long ago. Why else would I still be hanging around here waiting for you to find me?"

Lemira was left speechless. It was a plausible explanation.

Still, it all seemed a little too convenient.

Would Hale-the wife-beating, gambling addict-really care so much about his daughter? Was he really capable of putting her first?

Lemira left the room and found Orion waiting outside. She said, "I can't shake the feeling that something's not right about Hale. I just can't say what."

"It all went a little too smoothly," Orion agreed.

He'd overheard the conversation between Lemira and Hale. It struck him as odd, too —Hale didn't bargain for anything besides keeping Evelina out of it.

Suspicious, Lemira suggested, "Let's get a paternity test, just to make sure he really is Evelina's father There's always the chance he had plastic surgery. Who knows he's the real person?"

Orion nodded. "Good idea."

Lemira hesitated, then said, “If that's the case, shouldn't you let Mrs. Amelia go?" With every day Mrs. Amelia remained detained, Orion's mother's anger only grew. "I'll handle it," Orion replied.

After he spoke, Orion looked at Lemira. “The Sinclair family is definitely starting to get suspicious of you. The driver who tried to pick you up earlier was sent by them."

He'd sent people to look into that cab driver, and quickly got results.

Sure enough, it was someone sent by the Sinclair family. Their intent was clear: either take Lemira away for questioning or use her as leverage.

When Lemira learned the Sinclair

family was behind it, she and Orion

were immediately on the same

page. If the Sinclairs were capable of hiring a hitman back then, it was hardly a stretch for them to send a driver to kidnap her now.