Chapter 160

Howard's POV

Robert's revelation froze the blood in my veins. Sarah planning to kidnap Lucy? Using an innocent child as bait to ensnare Annie? My vision momentarily darkened at the edges, a cold,calculating rage replacing my usual composed demeanor. This wasn't just crossing a line; this was declaring war against everything I held sacred.

"Is that so? When did she call you?" I kept my voice steady, though my knuckles had turned white from gripping the phone.

"Just now," Robert answered, urgency evident in his tone. "I called you immediately after hearing her out. I never imagined she would go this far...This isn't revenge anymore; this is criminal."

"You refused her, right?" I asked through clenched teeth, struggling to control the anger in my voice.

"Of course I refused," Robert quickly responded. "Actually, this isn't the first time she's asked me to cause trouble for Annie. Previously, she wanted me to provide a video of Annie and me being intimate, but we never had that kind of relationship."

I listened silently, my mind racing. Robert choosing to inform me rather than help Sarah was unexpected. The Robert I remembered hadn't struck me as particularly principled.

"I'm curious," I said slowly, my tone losing some of its edge, "why did you choose to tell me this?"

There was a moment of silence on the other end. "There are several

reasons." Robert finally replied, with unusual sincerity in his voice."Annie once gave me some advice when I was at my most confused...She helped me understand the importance of having boundaries. Her wisdom might have saved me, and I owe her for that."

I nodded slightly, even though he couldn'tsee me. That sounded exactly like something Annie would do. "What else?" I prompted.

"Recently, I've been questioning whether Sarah ever truly loved me," he sighed softly. "Watching her go to such lengths for revenge, I've realized I may never have truly known her at all."

Hearing Robert's words, I clenched my fist, feeling the muscles in my arm tighten. The thought of Sarah planning to harm Lucy ignited a fury in my chest unlike anything I'd felt before. No one, absolutely no one, was allowed to threaten my family. Both Lucy and Annie were the most important people in my life.

"I'll handle this," my voice had dropped so low it resembled the air before a thunderstorm. "Thank you for telling me."

I took a deep breath, considering my next move. Sarah had evolved from an annoying nuisance to a genuine threat. I needed a plan that would resolve the issue permanently, rather than merely reacting to each of her attacks.

An idea began forming in my mind, and I changed the subject: "By the way,how is your new company doing?"

Robert seemed caught off guard by the shift in topic, answering somewhat awkwardly, "We've encountered some issues, but I'm managing."

I thoughtfully tapped the desk: "Sounds like progress isn't meeting expectations. I thought I would have received more updatesby now." This wasn't merely small talk; I was already formulating a plan.

"I figured I could handle many things independently," Robert explained.hesitation evident in his voice.

"Some things do require facing alone," I agreed,then moved directly to the point, "but I believe collaboration is more efficient. Come to my company tomorrow. I have some ideas I'd like to discuss with you in detail."

"Alright," Robert replied, surprise coloring his tone.

After hanging up, I stood by the window, gazing at the Long Island landscape shrouded in darkness, my thoughts churning. Sarah's actions weren't just a personal vendetta against Annie anymore; she was now threatening Lucy-an innocent child. My instinct was to tell Annie immediately, but I quickly reconsidered.

Annie already had enough on her plate: dealingwith Lucy being bullied at school, the book signing at the printing factory tomorrow, Lucy's school performance the day after... all while just beginning to enjoy her professional success. I couldn't add to her burden. This problem. I would solve myself.

Taking a deep breath, I realized I needed to set these concerns aside temporarily. Right now, the most important thing was not letting Annie,detect anything unusual. I didn't want these negative emotions to affect our precious time together. I gently knocked on Annie's door.

The door opened quickly, revealing Annie with a gentle smile on her face."Finished talking?" she asked, showing mild curiosity.

Looking at her attentive expression, the tension I'd been feeling gradually gave way to a sense of ease. I nodded. suddenly thinking of a topic that might shift my focus. "I just noticed something-you left me alone with another woman?" I deliberately adopted a teasing tone, hoping to completely change the mood.

Annie tilted her head, looking confused: "Both of you only have work on your minds. Even together, you'd only discuss business matters.I'm confident nothing would happen between you two.Is that a problem?"

I observed her composed expression, feeling my unease grow more pronounced. "Even if you're certain we're both trustworthy,you should be more cautious. Otherwise..." I paused, "if we did something inappropriate,what would you do?"

Annie merely blinked several times, seemingly contemplating the meaning behind my question.

I placed both hands on her shoulders, speaking earnestly: "I want you to be jealous. It would prove that you love me."

I knew this sounded somewhat childish, especially after dealing with such serious matters moments ago, but with Annie, I always seemed able to reconnect with simpler emotions.

Annie's lips curved slightly upward as she wrapped her arms around my waist, her voice softening: "Does not being jealous mean I don't love you?I don't think so, Howard. In my view, the best relationship is one where we understand what each other wants and can trust one another."

"But isn't love about jealousy and possession?" I asked, confused.In my limited experience with relationships, I had assumed those were natural expressions of love. What others call love is ultimately their own." Annie calmly replied."Their relationships may have certain instabilities that trigger possessiveness and jealousy. But that's never been the case between us.That being the case, why should we follow the paths others have taken?"

She gazed at me. her bright eyes showing not a trace of doubt, only pure trust and affection. I had never considered that love could be so simple and pure.

In that moment, all concerns about Sarah were temporarily set aside. I chuckled softly and said. "You're right. How we choose to live depends on the two of us. Even if it doesn't conform to public perception, it doesn't matter as long as we're comfortable. What's important is that we're happy,right?"

Annie nodded in response: "Yes, I believe the primary task for two people together is to discover what our true inner needs are. As long as our partner can fulfill those needs. it's enough."

Her wisdom and understanding never failed to surprise me. I couldn't help but cup her face in my hands, giving her a tender kiss. As the kiss deepened, a powerful longing rose within me. Annie would be going to the signing tomorrow, and we might not see each other for the entire day.In this moment, I only wanted to hold her close, to bridge our impending separation through physical intimacy...

Just as I was about to suggest this, Annie gently patted my back, bringing me back to reality: "We still have guests downstairs."

I released her with some reluctance, nodding: "Let's go down together."Taking her hand, I felt the warmth of her fingertips. Though Sarah's threat still lingered in my mind, with Annie by my side,everything seemed less serious.