Chapter 690 The Pickup

Elsie’s heart leapt. No Peggy? That meant in the three months she’d been gone, Owen must have finally thrown her out of the Saunders family. The thought filled her with smug satisfaction.

Holding her distended belly, she spoke with a sudden air of arrogance. “You’re the housemaid, right? Then drive to forty-four Wood Road and pick me up. Now. Be quick, or I’ll have Owen fire you.” She figured that if even the staff knew her name, it meant Owen often spoke of her. If this maid had any sense, she’d understand exactly how important Elsie was.

Sure enough, the woman on the other end answered with deference. “Yes, a car has already been sent. Please be patient.”

Elsie finally relaxed. Tilting her head back, she gazed up at the clear blue sky, thinking she had never seen it look so beautiful. She was finally going home. Yunice, just wait. Our fight isn’t over yet.

At the Saunders estate, Nora set the receiver back in its cradle and turned toward Paul, who lounged on the sofa. “Elsie’s still alive.”

Paul gave a short, derisive laugh as he turned his head. “That woman’s life is harder to snuff out than a cockroach. Burn her to ashes and she’d still crawl back. Trash like her just doesn’t die.”

Meeting his mocking look, Nora walked over. “Sir, how long are you planning to hide here?” Her gaze flicked toward the basement. “It won’t be long before the filth in this place comes to light.”

Paul said nothing. When several factions had been hunting him, he’d had nowhere else to hide. That was when he’d remembered the Saunders family’s hidden back path–something he’d discovered during his secret meetings with Elsie. No cameras, no surveillance. A perfect blind spot, right under Wyatt’s nose.

That night, when Wyatt and Yunice had been searching Elsie’s room, Paul and Nora had been holed up in Oscar’s, holding their breath and ready to leap from the window if needed. Not long after, Owen had made his move against Lily and Peggy.

With the Saunders estate suddenly masterless, Paul and Nora had felt safe enough to move freely. Now, by sheer luck, Elsie had called. She was alive.

Nora had never met her, only knew she had taken Yunice’s place and enjoyed the Saunders family’s favor. So… what would Paul do with her?

Paul’s lips curved into a cold smile. “I just need to get some money out of Wyatt. Once I have it, getting out of my current mess will be easy.”

“How?” Nora asked.

Paul’s mouth moved as he leaned in, quietly outlining his idea.

On Wood Road, Elsie sat clutching her swollen stomach, the pain making it hard to stay upright. Tears streaked her face as she muttered between clenched teeth, “When I find Owen, I’m going to take this pressure ball out and shove it right up that bastard’s ass.”

While she waited, a few vagrant men tried to approach her, but none could get within five steps before the stench drove them away. The reek from her rotting, swollen body was like a biological weapon–thick, suffocating, like a rat dead for days and sealed in a box.

Her face tightened as she gripped what remained of her clothes. The thought of Owen seeing her like this and losing respect made her anxious. Better to get home, clean up, then call Owen and have him get a doctor to remove this damn thing.

As she was muttering, a car slowed to a stop in front of her. The driver seemed unsure if she was the one he’d been sent to pick up.

Elsie leaned forward and saw–it was Owen’s car. She scrambled to her feet and grabbed the door handle, hauling herself inside.

The moment she did, the driver bolted from the other side, bent over the curb, and vomited violently.

“I’m your young lady! Am I really that bad? If your nose doesn’t work, I’ll have Owen cut it off for you!” she snapped.

The man nearly collapsed from retching. In the end, he pulled out his phone, placed an urgent order for a gas mask, and strapped it on.

Elsie’s cheeks burned, and she was more certain than ever she should bathe before seeing Owen.

The driver started the car and pulled away.

On the way, she asked, “Where’s that maid? I told her to pick me up. Why didn’t she come? No manners at all–madam gives her an order and she dares slack off. We’ll see about that when I get home.”

No matter what she said, the driver didn’t respond.

Over an hour later, the car rolled to a stop. Elsie had dozed off, but when she opened her eyes she saw people bustling all around. This wasn’t the Saunders estate–it was a hospital.

“I told you to take me home, not to the hospital-” She stopped mid-sentence. The driver was gone, and so were the keys.