CHAPTER 536: CHAPTER 536: THE BEAUTY OF FULFILLMENT

In the end, it was Henry Hale driving the car as they left the desert.

To save on fuel, they drove quickly.

Paige Sterling, however, slept soundly.

Finally, before they ran out of fuel, they found a gas station.

There was also a small motel next to the gas station.

Henry Hale refueled and woke Paige up, "Let’s rest here tonight."

Paige looked outside.

After being buffeted by the desert wind for so long, she felt uncomfortable, as if sand was still creeping all over her body.

She really needed to find a place to take a shower.

So Paige got out of the car and followed Henry Hale into the motel.

Inside the motel, there was only a woman with a cigarette in her mouth, leaning on the counter playing with her phone. Seeing someone come in, she asked in a foreign language laced with a local dialect whether they wanted a room.

Henry said, "A double room."

The room was not very luxurious, but it was clean and tidy.

After entering the room, Paige went to take a shower.

She soaked in the bathtub for a full thirty minutes, long enough for Henry Hale outside to start worrying and come knocking on the door.

"Paige, are you okay?"

Only then did Paige walk out of the bathroom.

She ignored Henry Hale and wrapped herself in a blanket, going to sleep.

Henry felt a bit helpless and said, "Why do you like sleeping so much?"

Paige didn’t respond to him.

In the bathroom, Henry smoked a cigarette, took a shower, and when he came out, it seemed that Paige was already asleep.

Henry lay down on the other bed.

It had been a long time since he had closed his eyes; his body was already exhausted.

But at that moment, he still couldn’t sleep peacefully, always feeling that if he didn’t look at Paige a few more times, he might never have the chance again.

So he left the bedside lamp on and kept watching Paige. He didn’t know how long he watched before he finally couldn’t hold on and fell asleep.

The next day, Henry woke up very early, and he was driving again.

Seeing that Paige was still able to sleep, Henry asked, "Aren’t you afraid I’ll get into an accident from driving tired?"

Paige’s lips twitched, but she said nothing.

Henry sighed and also said nothing more.

This time, the drive didn’t last long before they reached their destination.

It was still a dock, but a very small one with a few ordinary-looking ships moored.

Henry led Paige onto one of the ships, where there were few people, but they were all Henry’s men.

Moreover, Paige sensitively noticed something important must be on this ship because the people’s behavior indicated so.

Paige had a rough idea of what it was.

It must be those research items Henry managed to keep after the organization was raided.

The authorities had been looking for those things, and if they were really all here, it would be good news, enabling them to catch everything in one go.

Soon after the ship set sail, the people on board became increasingly vigilant.

Henry sensed something was wrong, a feeling that danger was approaching.

Thus, after keeping his distance from Paige for several days, Henry suddenly approached her again, asking, "Paige, when did you get in touch with Julian Hawthorne?"

Paige raised an eyebrow, surprised that Henry had figured it out.

She slightly arched an eyebrow and said very honestly, "I’ve collected quite a bit over these days and made a simple communication device."

For a moment, Henry was speechless. He had underestimated Paige, thinking that by confiscating her communication devices and keeping a tight watch on her, nothing would happen.

Yet Paige, right under his nose, had easily crafted a communication tool and contacted Julian Hawthorne.

"So all this time, Julian hasn’t been chasing me; he’s been guarding this ship, waiting for me, hasn’t he?"

Julian had created an illusion for him that he was always being chased.

But the real Julian had already found this ship and was confident that he would ultimately come to it, meaning from the moment he boarded it, he was done for.

Julian hadn’t acted simply because he wanted to ensure Paige’s absolute safety.

He thought he couldn’t beat Julian, but neither would he lose.

Yet now, reality had given him a harsh slap.

He lost to Julian, and he lost so quietly.

Henry let out a bitter laugh, looked at the calm Paige, and asked, "Paige, do you really wish me dead?"

Paige glanced at him, "I’ve said this many times; I don’t kill. Whether you live or die has nothing to do with me; it’s a matter for the law."

Henry was about to say something else when suddenly he heard a bang from outside.

Finally... the attack had been launched.

Henry silently glanced at Paige and turned to walk out.

At the door, he suddenly came back and grabbed Paige’s hand, pulling her along as he walked outside.

The two of them walked onto the deck, and Paige saw the situation across the way.

Now, Henry’s ship was surrounded by the local government’s naval forces. That bang they heard was a warning, indicating that if Henry didn’t surrender, they would directly attack.

But Henry couldn’t see Julian Hawthorne.

With a faint smile, he looked at Paige and said, "It seems Julian didn’t come; he doesn’t care much about you, does he?"

He continued, "If they attack, you probably can’t escape, can you? Is Julian making sure you don’t return alive?"

He kept goading Paige, "Also, these days we’ve been living and eating together. Who knows if something happened? If you return safely, others may suspect Julian of having an affair. Would a man tolerate such humiliation? So rather than let you return as his disgrace, it’s better to die elsewhere. Is that what he thinks?"

Paige didn’t understand the point of Henry’s talk, she said, "Julian is here."

Then she looked at Henry, "Now you’re in a bind; do you think there’s any point in saying that?"

Henry pursed his lips, and his people anxiously came over to persuade him.

"Mr. Hale, let’s leave now by speedboat and escape in different directions. Destroy this ship, and they won’t find anything."

This was the only plan. If they couldn’t find anything, they could only suspect.

But if any evidence fell into the government’s hands, Henry would be done, with the evidence against him undeniable.

And escaping in different directions might give Henry a chance to get away.

Henry was silent for a long time but eventually nodded, "Let’s do it."

His men went to make arrangements, while he pulled Paige along as they headed down below. Suddenly, they stopped at a corner.

He glanced at Paige and suddenly took out a pair of handcuffs, locking their hands together.

Then Henry laughed, "Paige, did you really think that just because Julian is here, I’d let you go?"

He enunciated clearly and deliberately, "I’ve said, even if I die, I’ll take you with me. I’d never do something so magnanimous as to let you go."