Chapter 4

I tried searching online for posts about Jennifer's pet snake attacking people, but I found nothing. The information had been thoroughly cleaned up.

Someone must be covering up for Jennifer.

I thought of Timothy and the Rossi Group behind him. They were all protecting Jennifer.

They'd rather cover up the incident than offer a single apology to Mary and me.

I found Samuel's number and dialed it directly.

Samuel's voice was deep and a little lazy. "What's up?"

I said directly, "I suspect that others have been injured by Jennifer's snake besides Mary. But the news has been suppressed. Please help me investigate it."

Samuel gave a low chuckle and said, "My dear, you know that my services don't come cheap."

"Anything I can offer, I'll give." I bit my lip. I had nothing left to lose now.

Samuel sounded more satisfied. "I want my payment tonight. Wait, and my people will come to pick you up."

After hanging up, my heart raced.

I didn't know what "payment" Samuel wanted, but I knew it was my only chance.

An hour later, a sleek black luxury car stopped in front of me. The window rolled down, and the driver respectfully said, "Miss Willis, please get in."

The car finally pulled up in front of an imposing private club.

After I got in, several people in elegant suits immediately surrounded me. Some of them did my hair, and others chose clothes for me. Their swift actions left me no time to react.

Eventually, they dressed me in a sleeveless gold gown. Its hem reached my ankles and accentuated my graceful figure.

I felt a bit out of place.

I used to love beautiful dresses. But after dating Timothy, I put away those revealing ones because Timothy didn't like them.

"You look gorgeous." Samuel's voice suddenly sounded behind me. He walked up to me and pinned a ruby-studded rose brooch on my chest. His eyes were full of admiration as he said, "You look much better than in those conservative clothes."

My cheeks warmed, and I whispered, "Thank you."

"There's an auction this evening," Samuel said. "You're my specially appointed chief engineer."

"But I haven't resigned from the Rossi Group yet..." I was stunned.

Samuel sneered and said in an assertive tone, "If I want, anyone in the Rossi Group dare not hold you back. You don't need to worry about this."

His words startled me. He could make the Rossi Group wary. It was the top three on the city's wealthy list. What was Samuel's real identity?

At seven in the evening, Samuel brought me to the Brooks auction gala.

I followed Samuel into the opulent hall. Everyone around was dressed in a lavish gown. They held champagne and spoke softly. The whole place looked elegant and exclusive.

As soon as Samuel entered, the organizers invited him to a meeting room.

I held a glass of champagne and stood alone in a corner. I was not quite used to such occasions.

"Eliza?" A surprised voice suddenly rang out.

I turned to see Timothy's mother, Amilia Rossi, standing before me. She was dressed in a purple gown with a fake smile on her face. "Why are you here? Timothy says you've been unwell lately, so we didn't send you an invitation."

"I've been in the hospital taking care of Mary," I replied flatly. "Now that she's discharged, I naturally have time to come."

Amilia's smile stiffened for a moment but quickly recovered. "Oh, poor Mary, thankfully she survived. We were all worried about her."

I didn't respond. Were they worried about her?

If they were, why hadn't they visited her in the hospital even once?

Seeing my silence, Amilia awkwardly changed the topic. "Timothy's here too. He's on the terrace. Do you want to go and see him?"

I sipped my champagne and shook my head. "No. I'm fine here."

Amilia didn't say more and left.

I set down my glass and intended to find a quiet place, but as I passed the hallway, I heard familiar voices.

They were Timothy and his father, Marcus Rossi!

I instinctively hid behind a pillar and listened to their conversation.

"Find a way to get Eliza to sign the patent transfer agreement now." Marcus's voice was low and commanding. "It is crucial for Jennifer."

Timothy sounded anxious. "Eliza won't agree."

"She will," Marcus sneered.

His tone was full of disdain. "A woman from modest origins like her is blinded by greed and only sees money. Isn't she trying to divorce you? Offer her a million in compensation, and she'll definitely sign it. If she still refuses, have someone forge her signature. No one will believe her words, as she is an engineer without a good background."

"But what if she makes it known to everyone? And about Mary being bitten by the snake..." Timothy sounded hesitant.

Marcus's voice turned cold instantly. "If she insists on opposing the Rossi family, ensure she never speaks out. Timothy, remember that Eliza isn't important, but Jennifer is. Her father is the head of the Walker Group and controls a third of Europe's new energy business. It benefits the Rossi Group a lot to maintain a good relationship with her. You know that."

Standing behind the pillar, I clenched my fingers tightly and felt cold all over.

So the Rossi family not only planned to steal my patent but also intended to take my life. It was not an accident for Mary to be injured by the snake.

I suppressed my anger and was about to leave. But suddenly, Jennifer's shrill voice called out. "Eliza, why are you here? You don't belong here."