CHAPTER 31: CHAPTER 31: STOPPED BEFORE BOARDING

5:00 PM

When Annelise Winter got out of the taxi, she saw that the airport clock was pointing exactly at five o’clock.

Thank goodness, there’s still time.

The plane would take off in an hour, and soon, she’d be able to see her beloved daughter, Luna.

Perhaps it was the connection between mother and daughter, as Luna called her on a video call.

She hurried towards the boarding gate, answering Luna’s call at the same time.

"Mommy, are you sure you can come to stay with me tomorrow? I miss you so much, Mommy."

Luna’s big eyes were full of anticipation, her little face adorably innocent.

It had been so long since she last saw her daughter. After her daughter’s surgery, she would find a way to permanently break free from the control of the Warner Family.

"Of course, you see? Mommy is on the way to the boarding gate and will see Luna in no time. Be a good girl and take a nap, when you wake up, you’ll see Mommy!"

"Great, Mommy, I’m waiting for you. You better not trick Luna!"

"How could Mommy lie to you? Mommy’s hanging up now, I have to board the plane!"

"Goodbye, Mommy!"

As the phone call ended, Annelise Winter was already at the boarding gate.

She looked at the boarding gate, breathed a sigh of relief, and took out her ticket for the flight to Breslin.

As long as she boarded the plane, no one could stop her anymore!

But unexpectedly, she was stopped at the boarding gate, with two ticket inspectors staring at her, whispering.

A boarding announcement was urging everyone in the background.

"Miss, I’m sorry, you cannot board the plane right now, please come with us to the coordination room for further assistance!"

"Why can’t I board?"

"You’ll know once you come with us! Please don’t waste time!"

An ominous feeling crept into Annelise’s heart. Did Uncle Ford find her?! But she had already discarded her domestic SIM card!

How did they find her so fast!

Annelise turned to run!

But was blocked!

"Miss Winter, stop making futile struggles, you cannot board! Come with me!"

Immediately, she was forcibly removed from the boarding gate by security personnel!

"Let go of me!"

Unexpectedly, after being taken out of the airport.

Annelise was shocked to see the car parked by the roadside; it was the one from The Whitlock Estate!

It was Elias Warner’s mother, Renee Perry!

When Renee saw Annelise, she rolled down the car window and said coldly, "Tie her up and get her in the car!"

Several men in black got out of the car, dragging Annelise along with her suitcase into the car.

"Annelise, didn’t I warn you to stay away from Elias?"

Even though Renee didn’t remove her sunglasses, Annelise could still feel her coldness.

In the confined car cabin, Annelise clenched her fists tightly; she knew Renee’s means—the woman had plenty of ways to keep her from boarding the plane.

But tomorrow was her daughter’s surgery, there was no time for her daughter to wait.

"I didn’t!"

"Didn’t? Then tell me, what is this?"

Renee threw a pearl earring at her, hitting Annelise’s face.

The sharp post of the earring cut her cheek.

A streak of crimson seeped out.

Annelise pursed her lips, not even blinking, "I don’t understand, Ms. Warner, what do you mean?!"

That earring indeed fell in Elias Warner’s bedroom.

"Isn’t this what you left at the old estate yesterday?! Weren’t you the one hiding in Elias’s bathroom at the old estate yesterday?! Annelise, after all these years, you still haven’t learned your lesson. Do you think that if I don’t present solid evidence, you won’t admit that you’re still entangled with Elias? I’ve warned you, be careful or I will target those you care about the most!"

Five years ago, Renee used this exact tactic to force her to break up with Elias Warner!

Each word mercilessly tore apart Annelise’s façade of calmness!

Annelise gripped the edge of her clothes tightly, biting her lips until blood nearly seeped out.

"I didn’t expect you to be so loyal to your impoverished relatives. It seems I’ve found the right leverage to threaten you!"

Renee was observant, instantly noticing Annelise’s current level of anxiety.

Even though she maintained a calm façade, her complexion visibly whitened!

"Just knew you were stubborn!" With everything under control, Renee’s presence was overwhelmingly forceful. She pulled out a stack of photos from a dossier and threw them at Annelise.

The photos flew down, hitting Annelise.

"Then explain to me, what are these photos?!"

In these photos, Elias Warner was carrying her, walking down the hallway of the Exemplar Center.

She had no memory of this; these were taken when she fainted, waking up in Elias Warner’s special preparations room the day before.

So, after she fainted, Elias carried her to his preparation room and called a doctor for her.

So, Renee had always been monitoring and tracking her?

Why then did she appear at the nearby city airport to catch her?

Could it be, Renee knew she was going to Breslin? Knew about Luna’s existence.

"These photos and videos can’t be faked, can they? Luckily, it was my people who took the pictures! If it had been others, the entire airline would have been rife with rumors about the two of you! Do you know how much trouble that would cause for Elias’s reputation! And you dare say you weren’t seducing Elias? Even using the slot of time before his flight checkup for that? Annelise, you are shameless!"

Annelise took a deep breath, trying to keep herself collected, "I wasn’t trying to seduce him! That day was an accident, you can investigate if you like!"

"Weren’t trying to seduce him, then why are you at the airport?"

Annelise steadied her expression, "I was planning to go home!"

With the boarding time about to end!

Annelise was becoming restless.

"Still making excuses! Going home, buying a ticket to Breslin? Annelise, do you think I’m that easy to fool? Elias is flying the Breslin route this time and you’re chasing after him there? You think this way you can cling to him in Breslin so he can’t shake you off! Annelise, I’m telling you, you’re delusional. Today you will go nowhere, and especially not meddle with my son! Tomorrow I’ve arranged a match-maker for you, you’re going whether you want to or not!"

With a wave of Renee’s hand, she signaled the driver to start the car.

Unexpectedly, Annelise dared to speak up!

"I don’t want a matchmaker; let me out of the car!"

Thinking that she was heading to Breslin to pester Elias without knowing about Luna worked in her favor as it helped shift attention!

It gave her a reason to go to Breslin!

"Let you out for what?! To go to Breslin and cling to Elias? Stop dreaming! You’re coming back to the old estate with me now, and to the matchmaker tomorrow!"