CHAPTER 212: CHAPTER 212: WANTED TO COME HOME EARLY TO BE WITH YOU

The person on the phone didn’t say anything, just let out a chilling laugh: "You’d better stay indoors more often these days, or it’d be a shame if you died in an accident."

"Do you know I can report you for this?" In a crucial moment, Ethan Lloyd could only resort to the law to bolster his courage.

"You can report me if you want, but you still deserve to die!" The person on the phone laughed twice, their processed voice sounding terrifying, "I will make sure to kill you before the police find me."

Ethan was truly panicked. The other party could easily infiltrate his computer, and even the police would probably take a while to track them down.

Although he didn’t know why the other party suddenly targeted him, he was genuinely afraid of dying.

If being tough wasn’t working, he had to try being soft. He lowered his stance and pleaded with the other party: "Although I don’t know who you are and how I might have offended you, I beg you not to kill me. Whatever you want, I can give it to you."

"Money?" The other party seemed somewhat interested.

Seeing a glimmer of hope for negotiation, Ethan quickly said, "How much money do you want, as long as I can afford it."

Thinking money could settle the issue, he never expected the other party to sneer disdainfully: "Do you have money? You even borrowed money to pay back taxes, what money do you have? The Lloyd Group doesn’t even have a million in liquid assets, and you have the nerve to bribe me with money? Do you think you’re worthy?"

Unexpectedly, the other party had thoroughly checked his assets, clearly not after money.

Ethan swallowed, his heart in chaos: "Then what do you want? As long as it’s within my power, I will do it, just spare my life."

"I want only one thing from you." The other party responded with interest.

"What is it?" Holding out hope for survival, Ethan’s eyes instantly widened.

After a few sinister laughs, the other party replied chillingly, "I want you to die."

"This..." Ethan realized the other party never intended to negotiate; their purpose was to see him dead from the start.

But why, who had he offended to such an extent that they wanted him dead?

He couldn’t figure it out.

Before he could say anything more, the other party spoke again: "Ethan Lloyd, prepare for your death. If you obey, I’ll make sure you die with some dignity."

With that, the call was hung up, and when he tried to call back, it prompted that the number was invalid.

Facing an enemy lurking in the shadows, Ethan was powerless. Even after gathering all the tech department, they couldn’t trace the IP, let alone find out who it was.

Report it to the police?

Did he really dare to report it?

He didn’t dare.

If he did report it, the other party might really kill him before the police found them. Besides, his situation definitely couldn’t be reported; if they discovered something else, it would be like shooting himself in the foot.

What to do?

Ethan was caught in a dilemma.

He couldn’t figure out who he had offended that warranted such malice.

Just then, Melanie Lloyd, who hadn’t contacted him for a long time, suddenly appeared, and seeing the mess in Ethan’s office, she curled her lips into a cold smile.

"Oh? Who has made our dear President Lloyd so angry?"

Ever since Melanie discovered Ethan’s affair with Avril and forced her to hold a press conference to clarify, she had lost all affection for the man she once loved deeply.

Now, when she looked at Ethan, her gaze was filled with disdain and only disgust.

With his mind fully occupied by the threats, Ethan was in no mood to deal with Melanie, answering irritably, "What are you doing here?"

"To maintain our image as a loving couple, I’ve come to bring you food. I despise it as much as anyone else, but I have no choice." Melanie now spoke without reservation, saying whatever was on her mind.

"You can leave now." Ethan had no fondness left for Melanie, they had reached a point of mutual disdain.

Melanie seemed not to hear him, plopping down on the sofa: "Don’t know if you’ve seen the news about Seraphina Sinclair, but it’s quite amusing. I wonder who the kind soul is that stole the photos I kept from years ago and plastered them online. Seraphina is probably notorious by now."

Just thinking about it made her happy.

Mentioning Seraphina suddenly connected a string in Ethan’s brain. Just as Seraphina’s past was exposed, he received threats; there was no way these two things were unrelated.

Could it be that the person who wanted to kill him was connected to Seraphina?

If so, would finding Seraphina solve the issue?

Yet, realizing that the death threats were because of Melanie’s leaked photos, Ethan’s face darkened: "You wretch, if it weren’t for you, the Lloyd Group wouldn’t be in this predicament. Do you realize what a disaster you’ve caused today?"

"What? Still feeling sorry for Seraphina? Once a dog, always a dog." Melanie mocked disgustedly, "I took those photos, but I didn’t leak them, so what does it have to do with me?"

"If your photos hadn’t leaked, why would I be receiving death threats?" Ethan was fuming, wanting to strangle Melanie.

Hearing about the threats Ethan faced, Melanie wasn’t worried in the least; she burst out laughing: "Well, Ethan, it serves you right. What does it have to do with me? You’re like a mad dog that bites anyone. Forget it, talking to you is a waste of time."

If it weren’t for maintaining the image of a good wife, she wouldn’t want to see Ethan ever again in her life.

After Melanie left, Ethan sat in silence for a long time.

He didn’t dare to pick up that phone, so he asked his assistant to buy him a new one.

When he got the new phone in hand, he hesitated on whether to call Seraphina. If it really was because of Seraphina’s news that he was threatened, then Seraphina was his only hope.

But what if it wasn’t?

Thus, Ethan was extremely conflicted, unsure whether he should make that call.

Unaware of all this, Seraphina Sinclair was kept in the dark, with everyone desperately hiding the truth from her.

Yet everyone forgot that just because they had sealed their lips, didn’t mean others would.

In the afternoon, Desmond Fairchild, unable to rest easy, returned to Azure Cloud Shores earlier than usual.

Seeing Seraphina and Jude sitting in harmony watching TV, that tension in Desmond’s heart finally eased.

Seraphina, engrossed, heard the sound of the door code being entered and looked towards the entrance, quickly spotting Desmond’s silhouette.

Her beautiful almond-shaped eyes widened slightly, and she happily ran over to take his coat, flashing a broad smile: "Back from work? How come you’re back so early today? Don’t you usually get back around six or seven?"

"I wrapped things up, thought I’d come back early to spend time with you." Perhaps having fallen in love changed Desmond, as sweet words now rolled off his tongue with ease.