Josie fell silent, no longer willing to speak. She approached Rachel and said, âListen, I know there are many things you havenât explained. I wonât interfere with the rest, but I just want to know where Arnold hid my father, Paul. You know, donât you?â
Upon hearing this, Rachel smiled faintly. âAt this point, do you really think I would tell you? I wish nothing more than for you to suffer more than death, Josie.â
Josieâs brows furrowed deeply, and her calm facade finally shattered. âIs it your intention to make my life a living hell? Rachel, donât you care about your own life anymore? If you provide me with useful clues, I can persuade Dexter to let you go.â
âLet me go, and then what? I would end up dead, caught in the crossfire of some power struggle. I would rather stay here where itâs safe, even if it means enduring some hardship,â Rachel taunted. âAs far as I know, youâve lost the use of half your limbs, havenât you? It rained heavily for days, and you were tied up for two of them. Donât tell me it didnât affect you.â
Upon hearing that, Josie couldnât help but clench her fists tightly.
Without any backing or leverage to threaten with, Rachel was truly at a loss with Josie. After a long while, she finally calmed down.
âIsnât it that you just donât want to see me succeed? So, give me the clues. Once I find Paul, Iâll leave Wavery and go abroad, and I wonât be with Dexter anymore.â
After hearing that, Rachel widened her eyes in disbelief. She hadnât expected Josie to be so reckless.
âAre you out of your mind? Heâs just your foster father!â Is it really worth giving up Dexter for him?
âWe are forever indebted to our parents who raised us. I am willing to do anything for him,â Josie declared, each word measured and deliberate.
She couldnât see, but the man outside the iron gate, upon hearing her words, didnât take another puff of his cigarette for a long time. He let the ember burn down to his fingertips, the searing pain jolting him back to reality, causing him to furrow his brow.
âHow can I trust you? Even if I reveal the clues to you, you might still stick around,â Rachel expressed doubtfully.
âJust as you said, as things have progressed to this point, I no longer have feelings for Dexter, and I certainly wonât in the future. Therefore, thereâs nothing worth lingering over. All I want now is to find Paul and live a peaceful life.â
The two words âno feelingsâ seemed nonchalant, but only Josie knew she uttered them with a certain reluctance.
Rachel still didnât believe it. âEven if youâre willing to do this, Dexter might not be. He wonât let you leave.â
âMy heart is no longer with him. He wonât force me to stay,â said Josie.
Understanding Dexter all too well, she knew those words would hurt him.
Larryâs call came through again. âMr. Russell, we really canât wait any longer. Mr. Harrison is causing a scene in the conference room. Heâs rallying the board members to impeach you.â
Dexter closed his eyes for a moment.
âHow can I trust you?â Rachel asked.
Josie pondered for a moment. âWhen I leave, Iâll come to set you free. You can watch me board the plane then.â
Five minutes later, Josie left the room only to find Moses and the bodyguards. Dexter was nowhere to be seen, with only cigarette butts littering the floor.
She paused for a moment. âWhere is he?â
âRussell Group had an urgent matter to attend to, so he left early,â Moses quickly replied, fearing she might misunderstand. âBut he will return.â
Josieâs gaze was distant and deep. âThereâs no need for him to return.â
Those were matters he was meant to handle. Some people are destined to shine within their own domain, not to stagnate for her sake.
Moses didnât understand. âHuh?â
He thought everything had come to an end, that Josie should have been happily together with Dexter.
Yet, things seemed to be growing increasingly unfamiliar.
Before Josie left earlier, Rachel mentioned that she had once seen the figure of Scar, accompanied by Paul, departing. They were headed for Rivodia.
Indeed, it was Rivodia.