Chapter 3

Eric’s detention was like a bomb, causing an uproar in the financial world. Lawsky Group’s stock price plummeted, and its partners withdrew their investments. Board members who had once obeyed him without question were now hastily distancing themselves from him.

I sat in the CEO’s office of Webster Group, watching the rain splatter against the window. It had been three days since Eric was detained, and I still couldn’t find peace. The sound of the recording, my sister’s scream, lingered in my mind constantly.

“Boss,” my assistant knocked and entered, “Alexender Group has confirmed the bidding will go ahead tomorrow as scheduled. Although Lawsky Group is in crisis, they are still sending representatives.”

I nodded. “Prepare all the materials. I’ll attend personally tomorrow.”

This was the decisive battle. Taking down Lawsky Group was not just about revenge—it was the beginning of reclaiming everything that should have belonged to my sister and Peter.

Mason pushed the door open, holding the recording pen.

“The police have confirmed the authenticity of the recording and are using it as evidence to interrogate Eric further,” he said, placing the pen on my desk. “But regarding Peter’s identity, more evidence is needed. I’ve used some connections to investigate your sister’s medical records and Eric’s ex-wife’s information.”

I stared at the small pen, feeling as though I could hear my sister’s desperation in her final moments.

“Mason,” I looked up, my voice hoarse, “What should I do if Peter really is my sister’s child?”

He walked over and silently looked at me.

“Regardless, he is innocent,” he said at last, “and he’s the child you’ve been taking care of for eight years.”

I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. Yes, Peter was innocent. My revenge couldn’t hurt him.

“Lucy Winston is attending the bidding on behalf of Lawsky Group tomorrow,” Mason continued, “She’s Eric’s trusted assistant and his lover. If she’s here, she’s probably willing to burn everything to the ground.”

Lucy Winston… I remembered her, a cold and ruthless woman.

“She won’t last long,” I said coldly. “The Lawsky Group empire is already beginning to crumble.”

The next day, at the Alexender Group bidding event, the atmosphere was exceptionally tense. Everyone knew this wasn’t just a business competition, it was the final showdown between Webster Group and Lawsky Group.

I entered the venue dressed in a simple white suit and my long hair neatly styled into an updo. As I walked in, all eyes turned to me.

Lucy sat in the Lawsky Group’s representative seat. Her makeup was flawless but her eyes showing a hint of madness. When she saw me, she curled her lips into a sinister smile.

The bidding process was long and tedious, but I stayed focused. This was the opportunity I had been waiting for—eight years of patience, building up strength, and fighting in the financial markets. I had to win.

When it was Webster Group’s turn to present, I took the stage, facing the critical gazes of the judges.

“Honorable judges, distinguished guests,” my voice was clear and firm, “Webster Group has provided the most comprehensive plan for the Alexender Project. We have not only sufficient funding but also the most professional team and the most sincere willingness to cooperate.”

I glanced in Lucy’s direction and continued, “Unlike some companies that rely on illegal methods, manipulate the stock market, and may even be involved in criminal cases, Webster Group has always adhered to business ethics and legal principles. We believe that only transparent and legitimate cooperation can lead to a true win-win situation.”

My words sparked a murmur. Lucy’s face instantly turned ashen.

During the Q&A session, Lucy stood up.

“Boss,” she said sarcastically, “I heard that Webster Group’s startup capital is of dubious origin, and some even speculate it’s linked to the mysterious financial mogul ‘Nyx’. Can you explain?”

This was Lawsky Group’s counterattack, trying to smear me using the “Nyx” identity.

I smiled and looked at her. “Ms. Winston, your sources seem well-informed. However, ‘Nyx’ is just a code name in the financial market, representing a precise and efficient trading style. As for the capital, every penny of Webster Group’s funds is legitimate and can be audited at any time. Unlike some companies, whose accounts are disorganized and may even have massive deficits, requiring them to siphon client funds to cover their losses.”

My rebuttal silenced the room once again. I didn’t confirm or deny being “Nyx”; instead, I focused the attack on Lawsky Group’s financial troubles.

The bidding results were quickly announced. Webster Group, with its overwhelming advantage, won the Alexender Project.

Applause erupted, and I let out a long sigh of relief. This step had been firmly taken.

However, just as I was about to leave, Lucy suddenly rushed toward me, holding a recording pen.

“Daisy Webster!” she shouted, “Don’t get too smug! You think winning this project means you’ve won? I have something that can ruin you!”

She raised the recording pen and said loudly, “This is a recording of your sister, Bella! It contains the secret she revealed to you before she died! Do you want to hear it?”

My face turned pale instantly. This wasn’t the recording I found at the villa! Did Eric have another recording? The secret my sister told me before she died?! But I wasn’t even with her when she died!

People around us were confused and looked at me with curiosity. Lucy’s eyes were wild with triumph.

“You’re lying!” I forced myself to stay calm. “When my sister died, only you and Eric were there!”

“Is that so?” Lucy sneered and pressed the play button.

A faint female voice came from the recording, filled with pain and regret: “Daisy Webster… don’t trust anyone… especially Eric… Peter… my child… he’s… he’s…” The voice suddenly cut off, followed by a shrill scream.

That voice… it was definitely my sister’s! But the people in the room couldn’t make out the content of the recording, only hearing the pain and the scream. Lucy’s intention was clearly not to reveal the content, but to use the recording to create panic and confusion.

“Did you hear that?” Lucy screamed hysterically, “She was still calling your name before she died! What secret did she tell you? Did she tell you how she died? Did she tell you that Peter isn’t Eric’s child?!”

Her words were like a knife, stabbing straight into my heart. Peter isn’t Eric’s child?! Then who is Peter’s father? What was my sister trying to tell me before she died?

As my mind spun into chaos, Lucy suddenly threw the recorder to the ground and lunged at me, trying to snatch the sapphire necklace from my neck!

“This belongs to the Lawsky family! Give it back!” she screamed, almost frenzied.

I instinctively dodged, and the security guards nearby immediately stepped in to stop her. The scene descended into chaos.

“Daisy Webster, do you think you’ve won?” Lucy was held back by the guards, but she still shouted at me, “Eric predicted that you would retaliate! He left a backup plan! Your sister’s secret will always be your nightmare! And Peter! You’ll never get him out of the Lawsky family!”

Her eyes were filled with despair and the madness of someone determined to destroy everything. I suddenly had a bad feeling.

Just then, my phone rang—it was Mason calling.

“Daisy, something’s wrong!” His voice was frantic. “Eric used his medical parole to escape! He’s gone to the Lawsky villa! Peter is in danger!”

My mind went blank. Eric escaped? His target is Peter?! Lucy’s words… Could it be that Peter’s identity holds some earth-shattering secret, something that makes Eric risk being captured again just to control him?

I didn’t have time to think about Lucy’s screaming or the chaos in the venue. I turned and rushed outside.

“Daisy!” Mason’s voice came through again. “Don’t go to the Lawsky villa! It’s a trap!”

“Peter’s in danger!” I shouted as I ran.

“I’ll be there soon! Wait outside for me!”

But I couldn’t listen anymore. Peter, the child I had cared for eight years, the one I treated like my own, might be in danger. How could I wait?

I immediately jumped into a taxi and shouted to the driver, “To the Lawsky villa! Hurry!”

All the way there, my heart was in turmoil. What is the secret Lucy mentioned? What is Peter’s real identity? What did my sister want to tell me before she died? All the clues pointed to Peter, to his mysterious background.

The taxi stopped at the gate of the Lawsky villa. The gate was shut tight, and there was an eerie silence inside. This silence only made me more uneasy.

I took out my phone and dialed Peter’s number. No one answered.

I ran to the gate and banged on the iron door. “Peter! Peter, are you in there?!”

No response.

I tried to climb the wall, but it was too high. I was as anxious as an ant on a hot pan.

At that moment, Mason’s car came speeding toward me and came to a screeching halt.

“I knew you’d come!” He jumped out of the car, his face serious. “This doesn’t feel right.”

He looked at the tightly shut gate, then glanced around, and pulled out his phone to make a call.

“Chief Carmen, it’s me. Eric may be hiding in the Lawsky villa, targeting Peter. We need to act now. I’m at the gate, but can’t get in.”

“Okay, I’ll bring people over immediately.”

Mason hung up the phone and looked at me. “Don’t worry, the police will be here soon. Let’s figure out a way to get in.”

He walked toward the villa’s wall, seemingly searching for something.

“Wait,” I suddenly remembered something. “The Lawsky villa has a back door, which leads to a small wood at the back. Peter used to take me there to play when he was younger.”

“Where’s the back door?” Mason immediately asked.

I pointed in a direction. “Walk along the wall for about a hundred meters, there’s a small, inconspicuous iron door. It’s usually locked.”

We immediately ran along the wall. Sure enough, in a hidden corner, we found the small iron door. A rusty lock hung on it.

“I’ll do it!” Mason pulled out a Swiss army knife from his jacket and skillfully fiddled with the lock. It clicked open.

“You can do that?” I asked, surprised.

He didn’t answer, just pulled open the door and gestured for me to go first.

We passed through the small woods and reached the back of the villa. The villa was still pitch dark, but I could vaguely hear some noises.

“It sounds like it’s coming from the basement,” I whispered.

The Lawsky family’s basement was Peter’s secret hideout, filled with his toys and clutter.

We quietly approached the basement’s entrance, a small door hidden in the corner of the garden. The door was slightly ajar.

“Be careful,” Mason grabbed my arm, “We don’t know how many people are inside.”

He pulled a knife from his boot and, with swift movements, sneaked in first. I followed closely behind.

Inside the basement, there was only a dim light bulb hanging. The air smelled of dust and mildew.

“Daddy! Let me go!” Peter’s cry suddenly came from deep inside the basement.

My heart was clenched, and I rushed forward without thinking.

In a corner piled with junk, I saw an unbelievable scene.

Eric was holding Peter tightly, and standing next to him was a man—the same one who had tried to sell the recording tape that night at the old villa! His leg was still wrapped in bandages.

“Peter!” I screamed.

Eric and the man both looked at me. Eric’s eyes flashed with malice.

“Daisy Webster! How dare you come here!” he snarled. “Perfect! Now I don’t have to look for you!”

He pulled Peter in front of him, using his arm to choke him. Peter’s small face turned red from suffocation.

“Let go of Peter!” I shouted in fury.

“Let go of him?” Eric laughed maniacally. “Daisy Webster, do you know? This child isn’t even mine! He’s the bastard child of that bitch… Bella and Hans Hollan!”

My mind exploded, as if struck by lightning. Hans Hollan?! The man with a powerful background in the financial world, a rival and friend of Eric? Peter is the child of my sister and Hans Hollan?!

“It’s impossible!” I denied, “How can Peter be Hans Hollan’s child?!”

“Why is it impossible?” Eric’s gaze turned snake-like, locking onto me. “Eight years ago, Hans Hollan sent Bella to seduce me, to steal my business secrets, just to compete for an important project! That bitch Bella got pregnant with his child but still wanted to marry me! How could I tolerate that? So, I pushed her down the stairs!”

He pointed at Peter, his voice growing more frenzied. “This child was planted by Hans Hollan to control me, to take over the Lawsky Group! I raised this child as my own for eight years, and never knew he was my enemy’s son!”

So that’s it! The truth from eight years ago was like this! My sister wasn’t seducing Eric voluntarily; she was being used by Hans! And Peter is her and Hans’ child! No wonder Eric wanted to kill my sister and control Peter!

“You beast!” I was shaking with rage. “You killed my sister and used Peter!”

“Shut up!” Eric roared, tightening his grip on Peter’s arm. “Daisy Webster, listen! I’m taking Peter away from here! If you try to stop me, I’ll kill him right now! Then I’ll release the contents of that tape and let everyone know your sister was a promiscuous woman, and her child is a bastard! Let Peter live in disgrace forever!”

The injured man sneered and pulled out his phone. “I’ve already uploaded the recording file to the cloud. As soon as I hit send, it’ll be sent to all the media!”

I was trapped in a dead end. Eric had Peter, and with my sister’s secret recording in his hands, he could destroy her dignity and hurt innocent Peter at any moment.

“Eric, don’t be impulsive!” I tried to stay calm. “Let Peter go, and I’ll give you money. Leave here and disappear forever!”

“Money?” He sneered. “What I want now isn’t money! I want you to give me the Webster Group, the Alexender project, all the money you’ve made in the financial market! Then you kneel and beg me to spare Peter!”

“You are dreaming!” I gritted my teeth.

“Am I?” Eric’s gaze darkened as he tightened his grip around Peter’s neck. Peter struggled in pain, his face turning purple.

“Stop it!”

At that critical moment, Mason suddenly darted out of the darkness, like a ghost!

His speed was astonishing, and the gleam of a knife flashed in his hand as he quickly closed in on Eric!

Eric didn’t expect anyone else in the basement, and in his panic, he instinctively loosened his grip on Peter and raised his arm to block.

“Peter! Run!” I shouted.

Peter seized the opportunity to break free, crawling towards me.

Meanwhile, Mason had already engaged Eric in a fierce struggle. Mason’s moves were exceptionally agile, every strike deadly. He didn’t seem like a pampered CEO at all—he was more like a well-trained agent or… an assassin.

The injured man, seeing this, immediately took out his phone, preparing to press the send button.

“Don’t even think about it!” I lunged at him, trying to snatch the phone away.

His injured leg made it hard for him to move, but his strength was considerable. We wrestled with each other.

Under Mason’s relentless attacks, Eric was retreating step by step. Clearly, he was no match for Mason.

“Mason! Who the hell are you?!” Eric shouted in terror.

Mason didn’t answer. His knife sliced through the air in an arc, heading straight for Eric’s throat!

“No!” Eric closed his eyes in despair.

Just as the knife was about to pierce his skin, Mason twisted his wrist, and the blade veered off, sinking deep into Eric’s shoulder instead!

Eric let out a blood-curdling scream and collapsed to the ground, blood pouring out of him.

On the other side, I finally subdued the man and snatched his phone. I immediately smashed the phone onto the ground.

At that moment, hurried footsteps echoed from the basement entrance.

“Freeze! Police!” Chief Carmen stormed in, followed by a group of officers.

They swiftly controlled Eric and the injured man.

I rushed over and hugged the terrified Peter. “Peter, are you okay?”

Peter clung to me tightly, crying softly.

I looked at Mason. He stood there, his knife still dripping with blood, his eyes cold and deep.

“Are you hurt?” I noticed a scratch on his arm.

He shook his head. “Just a minor injury.”

Chief Carmen walked over, took a look at the scene, and then glanced at Mason with a complicated expression.

“Mr. Lowes, thank you so much for your help,” Chief Carmen said.

Mason only nodded lightly without speaking.

I held Peter, watching as the police led Eric away, feeling a mixture of emotions. The first step of my revenge was complete, and Eric got what he deserved. But my sister’s secrets and Peter’s origins weighed heavily on me.

Hans Hollan… that name kept swirling in my mind. Did he use my sister? Did he use Peter? Was he the true mastermind behind all of this?

“Daisy,” Mason walked over to me, “We should go.”

I stood up, holding Peter, and followed him out of the basement. When we reached the outside, I saw that the Lawsky mansion was already surrounded by police.

I got into Mason’s car. Peter had fallen asleep in my arms, likely still in shock.

“Mason,” I couldn’t help but ask as I looked at his profile while he drove, “Who exactly are you? Your skills… and the way Chief Carmen treats you…”

He remained silent for a moment before saying, “I told you, I owe you a life. So your vengeance, your matters, are mine too.”

“But it’s not that simple, is it?” I pressed.

He sighed softly. “Daisy, I do have some secrets. But telling you now would only make you more dangerous. Once everything is over, I’ll tell you everything.”

I watched his determined profile, knowing he wouldn’t reveal things easily. But I had a vague suspicion—one so bold I couldn’t quite believe it. The CEO of Lowes Group, exceptional in skill, able to pull strings in the police department… what could his real identity be?

“Hans Hollan…” I whispered the name.

Mason’s hand trembled, and the car almost swerved off the road.

He suddenly slammed on the brakes, turned to look at me, his eyes sharp like a blade.

“How… do you know that name?” His voice was terrifyingly low.

I was startled by his reaction.

“Lucy mentioned it at the bidding meeting… Eric said it in the basement… He said Peter was the child of my sister and Hans Hollan… Hans Hollan used my sister and placed Peter in the Lawsky family as a pawn…” I trembled as I repeated Eric’s words.

Mason’s face instantly turned grim, as if he had heard something unbearable.

“Impossible!” he denied fiercely. “Peter can’t be Hans Hollan’s child!”

His reaction was so intense that it only left me more confused.

“Why is it impossible?” I asked.

He took a deep breath, trying to calm himself, but his hand gripping the steering wheel still had veins bulging.

“Daisy,” he said slowly, each word like it was being forced out from between clenched teeth, “The reason I can help you is that I’ve been investigating Hans Hollan. He is… my enemy.”

My heart skipped a beat. Mason’s enemy was Hans Hollan?! And Peter might be Hans Hollan’s child? This was too coincidental!

“Why do you hate Hans Hollan?” I pressed.

He turned his gaze away, looking at the pitch-black night outside, his voice tinged with suppressed pain.

“My father… was killed by him.”

This revelation shocked me. The CEO of Lowes Group’s father was killed by Hans Hollan? What kind of person was Hans Hollan? He wasn’t just a big shot in the financial world. What was lurking behind him?

“So you approached me because my sister and Peter might be connected to Hans Hollan?” I suddenly realized something.

He didn’t deny it. “Your appearance was a breakthrough in my investigation into Hans. Your sister’s death eight years ago, Eric and Hans were both involved. I’ve been looking for evidence.”

So, our meeting, our marriage agreement, my revenge—all of it was intertwined with Mason’s hatred toward Hans Hollan. He had used me, and I had used him.

“What about Peter?” I asked. “If he really is Hans’s child, what will you do to him?”

Mason fell silent.

“Daisy, I won’t hurt him,” he finally said. “No matter whose child he is, he’s innocent. And…” He hesitated. “I need to confirm something. I have a suspicion about Peter’s identity… a very big suspicion.”

“What suspicion?” I asked urgently.

He didn’t answer directly but started the car.

“Now’s not the time to talk,” he said, looking ahead, his gaze deep. “We’ll take Peter to a safe place first. Then we’ll go find someone. Someone who can tell us the whole truth.”

“Who?”

“Someone closest to Hans Hollan,” Mason said. “Also, the one he’s hurt the most.”

A name flashed in my mind, Lucy? What is the relationship between her and Hans Hollan? Why was she working for Eric? Was that recorder she had just for intimidation?

Everything that happened tonight felt like a huge whirlpool, pulling me deeper into a more sinister conspiracy. My sister’s death, Peter’s identity, Mason’s secrets, Hans Hollan’s evil… everything pointed to a much larger, darker truth. And I had to peel back every layer to find the final answer and complete my true revenge.