Chapter 302
Richard Hampton uttered a clear, powerful "Get lost," in his signature languid tone. Sidney Pauley was so familiar with it that he felt relieved upon hearing it. There was nothing to worry about. Yvonne Shaw hadn't even managed to touch his clothes; otherwise, the outcome would have been far worse than being sent flying. He likely would have killed her outright. Sidney felt both gratified and fearful at the thought.
"If I had known so many people coveted you, I wouldn't have gone downstairs to slack off," Sidney said, implying a homosexual relationship.
The corners of Richard's eyes twitched. He gave Sidney a look of disgust.
Offended, Sidney retorted, "Richard, what's that supposed to mean? I worked hard to ensure your cleanliness wasn't compromised, but you don't appreciate it!"
"Shut up!" Richard's anger intensified his wound. He calmed down and said, "Let's get down to business."
At the mention of "business," Sidney became serious and reported everything John had discovered. Suddenly, the atmosphere froze. An inexplicable, bone-chilling coldness spread, followed by a murderous vibe that struck fear into them. Richard glared at Yvonne downstairs; lethal iciness radiated from his dark eyes.
After a while, his icy voice spoke, "Take her away and lock her in the dark prison first."
"Yes, sir," John Ross responded immediately.
Sidney raised his eyebrows, surprised Richard hadn't thrown Yvonne into the sea to feed the fish. Instead, he chose the most secretive dark prison. Sidney surmised Richard spared Yvonne's life for now, wanting to let Tiffany deal with her. This was evident in everything Richard did; Tiffany held a special place in his heart.
While Sidney pondered this, he heard Richard ask, "Where is she now?" 'She' referred to Tiffany.
Sidney immediately protested, "It's so late. You can't run around before your injuries recover. You need at least two days' rest!"
Richard wordlessly turned, went downstairs, and prepared to leave. He couldn't wait two days; he didn't want to wait a second longer.
Chapter 300
Late at night, autumn rain continued. Fine raindrops fell densely on the leaves, forming beads of water that rolled off their surfaces. Richard stood outside Luna Villa. Exterior lamps remained lit, while the villa was dimly lit. The master bedroom was pitch-black, indicating the owner was asleep.
Richard endured his injuries and attempted to climb the fence. However, the instant he moved, the alarm sounded. The fence instantly became electrified. The voltage was so high he could only jump down immediately.
"Ouch!"
This girl seemed determined to cut all ties with him. She had changed Luna Villa's security codes and added several layers of anti-burglar protection to the fence. If he forced his way over, other traps likely awaited him beyond the electric fence. Richard felt helpless. Uninjured, the fence's height would have posed no challenge; but in his current state, standing up was an achievement.
John immediately reached out to support Richard as he jumped down. "Sir, it's still raining. You haven't recovered. Why don't we come back another day?"
"No," Richard insisted. He had to make things clear in person. He didn't want to see her unhappy or angry and ignored.
John scratched his head, devising a plan. "Then how about I break down the door?"
Richard gave him a sidelong glance. "Stay away from Sidney."
"Why?" the clueless John asked.
Richard replied with a straight face, "Because idiocy is contagious."
John finally understood. He stepped back with an aggrieved look, daring to offer only, "Then, are we going to stand here all night?"
If Richard stood in the rain all night and subsequently fell ill This sounded like a good idea to Richard. Tiffany was stubborn but soft-hearted; perhaps she would be moved to tears.
The more John thought about it, the better his idea seemed. Before he could speak, Richard shook his head. "She's coming soon."
"Huh? Who's coming?" John scanned the premises.
The answer arrived in the form of a swift, agile figure leaping over the fence.
Chapter 302 (continued)
It was Lucifer, the large tiger transferred from Royal Bay some time ago.
Lucifer was delighted to see Richard. It leaped excitedly around him before proceeding to the gate, pawing and biting until the lock broke and the metal gate swung open.
"Good kitty. Extra food for you tomorrow," Richard rubbed Lucifer's head before familiarly heading to the second floor. In a flash, he nimbly jumped through the window and entered Tiffany's bedroom.
Richard was tense and apprehensive. He wanted to explain; he wanted to tell her the past few days of her ignoring him had been torture. However, seeing the empty bed, his enthusiasm fizzled.
The bedroom was empty. She wasn't there. Richard checked the bed; residual warmth and a messed-up blanket indicated a hasty departure. She didn't want to see him; she shunned him.
Richard was at a loss. His face was unseen in the darkness, but his bitter smile was evident. Was it that difficult for her to trust him? A gust of chilly wind from the open window swept past as Richard turned and disappeared into the night.
In the guest room, Tiffany curled under the blanket, feeling conflicted. She had tossed and turned all night, unable to sleep. The moment the alarm sounded, she checked the surveillance footage. Seeing the familiar tall, lanky figure in the real-time video, her heart pounded wildly. Then, she saw Lucifer groveling at the man's feet. Finally, the big metal gate was unlocked by the furry traitor.
Without a second thought, Tiffany left her bedroom and hid in the guest room. She didn't want to see Richard. Her mind was a mess; she felt suffocated. Scenes from that night replayed in her mind.
Tiffany pulled her hair in frustration. Raising her head, she was startled to see Jeremy Cooper sitting by her bed. He looked at her emotionlessly and said, "He's injured."
Tiffany felt a sharp jolt in her heart. "How did you know?"
Jeremy simply smiled, saying nothing. He had witnessed the man's power. If he wasn't injured, how could Luna Villa's feeble defenses have stopped him?