Chapter 2

Shanora Hansen carried her suitcase and took a taxi with Karen Lowell to the suburbs. From there, they took a bus to the small town. Along the way, she watched the scenery flash by outside the window. She felt both nervous and excited, like a bird finally free from its cage, able to breathe the air of freedom.

“Remember the address. Call me when you get there. Use a payphone, not your own phone.” Karen Lowell waved from outside the bus, her voice full of concern. “If anything happens, contact me right away. Save 110 as a shortcut in your phone. Don’t be foolish enough to let someone trick you.”

“I know, don’t worry!” Xianola Hansen leaned against the car window, her eyes smiling. “When I get back, I’ll definitely take you out for a big meal!”

The bus slowly started moving away. Karen Lowell’s figure grew smaller and smaller in the distance. Shannora Hansen felt a hint of sadness, but it was quickly replaced by the joy of freedom. She took out the address Karen Lowell had given her and carefully put it in her wallet. She thought to herself that once she had hidden away for long enough, she would go back and negotiate with her father. She refused to let him decide her life anymore.

Meanwhile, Drake Hansen sat in his office, his face so dark it seemed like rain could drip from it. On Friday afternoon, he drove to the school to pick up Shannora Hansen. But he was told that she had left at noon, and no one could be found anywhere. He called Karen Lowell. The girl stammered and made no sense. Drake immediately saw through her lies.

“Mike, come in.” Drake Hansen pressed the internal phone line, his voice cold.

Soon, a man in a black suit, with a tall and upright posture, entered the room. He stood respectfully in front of the desk and said, “My lord, please give your instructions.”

Mike is Drake Hansen’s right-hand man. He’s been with him for over a decade. He’s smart, efficient, and most importantly, utterly loyal. No matter what task is assigned to him, Mike always completes it flawlessly.

“Shanora has run away.” Drake Hansen leaned back in his chair, rubbing his forehead. His tone was filled with frustration and a hint of concern. “She doesn’t want to go on that blind date, so she hid somewhere. I’ve asked Karen Lowell. She probably hasn’t left the city. Take a few people with you and find her as quickly as possible. Remember, don’t scare her or hurt her. The most important thing is to ensure her safety.”

“Yes, my lord.” Mike didn’t ask any further questions and immediately nodded in agreement. “I’ll arrange it right now. I’ll retrieve the surveillance footage from areas near the school and check all the exits from the city. We must find the young lady as soon as possible.”

“Wait,” Drake Hansen called out to him. “Don’t block her card, and don’t eavesdrop on Karen Lowell’s calls. Give her a way out. Don’t push her too hard.”

Mike was momentarily stunned, but then he understood. On the surface, the old master seemed strict, but in reality, he cared for the young lady more than anyone else. He nodded. “I understand.”

After Mike left, Drake Hansen picked up the photo frame on the table. Inside was a picture of Shanora Hansen as a little girl, smiling innocently. He gently stroked the frame and murmured, “Shanora, Dad was doing this for your own good. That girl, Madeline Summer… she’s really perfect for you. How can you not understand?”

What he didn’t know was that Madeline Summer, whom he thought was “perfect for him,” was at the airport at that moment, receiving an unexpected call.

Madeleine Summer wore a well-fitted black suit. She had a straight posture, a stern expression, and a somewhat aloof look in her eyes. She exuded an air of being unapproachable. She had just finished her studies abroad and was preparing to return to her home country to take over the family business. To her surprise, the first call she received upon arriving was from Qimait.

“Hey, Madeline Summer, are you at the airport?” A loud, somewhat flirtatious voice came through the phone. The tone was full of mockery. “Has the sun come up in the west? You actually called me on your own?”

Qimait, the heir to the Qi family, grew up in France. He has a carefree and unrestrained personality. His appearance is so ambiguous that it’s hard to determine his gender. His striking features give him a somewhat enchanting look, earning him the nickname “the effeminate young master” among others. He and Madre Summer are childhood friends. Although they have completely opposite personalities, they’ve become best friends anyway.

Madre Summer frowned slightly, her tone calm: “Where were you when you landed?”

“Coincidentally, I just landed as well, at the boarding gate next to yours.” Qimait’s voice carried a hint of laughter. “What, here to greet me? I heard you came back to the country to meet with the young lady from the Hansen family. Tsk tsk, our aloof Lord Summer actually has to go on a blind date too.”

Madre Summer’s expression didn’t change at all, her tone remaining icy: “Stop wasting time. I have things to do. Go back by yourself. Oh, and regarding taking over the Qi family’s affairs, stop making excuses. Your father has already discussed it with me.”

“I know, it’s really boring.” Qimait curled his lips. “I bought a villa in this city, in a small town on the outskirts. The environment there is nice. You can come visit me when you have time.”

Madre Summer simply said “Hmm” and hung up without saying anything else. He had no idea that the villa mentioned by Zimmet was only a few hundred meters away from the small hotel where Shanora Hansen was hiding.

By this time, Shanora Hansen had arrived in that small town. With its beautiful mountains and clear waters, as well as fresh air, it was a great place to get away from the city’s hustle and bustle. She found a modest little hotel and didn’t dare to use her ID to check in. Instead, she paid in cash to secure a room.

The room wasn’t very large, and the facilities were quite basic. It was completely different from her own bedroom at home. But Shannora Hansen felt particularly at ease there. After putting down her suitcase, the first thing she did was to go to the reception desk to borrow a payphone, so she could call Karen Lowell.

The phone rang twice before someone answered. Karen Lowell’s voice sounded anxious: “Hello? Shannora? Is that you?”

“It’s me, Karen.” Shannora Hansen’s voice was gentle. “I’ve arrived at my destination. The place I’m staying at is quite nice. Don’t worry.”

“That’s good, that’s good.” Karen Lowell sighed in relief, her voice tinged with fear. “Your father came to the school looking for you this afternoon. I managed to hide the fact from him, but he’s surely sent people to look for you. You need to be very careful and not let anyone know where you are.”

“I know,” said Shanora Hansen with a smile. “This place is so remote. He won’t be able to find me here. By the way, is there anything interesting going on at school? I’m getting bored to death.”

“What’s there to be fun about? Now that you’ve left, there’s no one to play games with me anymore,” complained Karen Lowell. “Oh, and please don’t go out casually, especially at night. It’s dangerous there, with all kinds of people around.”

“I know, I’m not a child anymore.” Shanora Hansen hung up the phone perfunctorily, though her curiosity couldn’t be suppressed. She had never been to a small town like this before. Everything here piqued her interest, and she had long wanted to explore it.

She changed into a simple T-shirt and jeans, tied her hair into a ponytail, and tried to make herself look as unremarkable as possible. Then, she quietly left the hotel. What she didn’t know was that Mike’s men had already checked all the buses in the suburbs. They were just one step away from finding her. Nor did she realize that, not far away at an intersection, a seductive figure was walking in her direction.