Our Anniversary, You Chose Her – I Chose Divorce

She opened the files and looked them over. Aunt Lewis’s background was quite simple: she was from an ordinary local family, her husband was a security guard, and their child was in college. She’d been a long-time nanny and earned a good salary.

Aunt Miller, who cared for her grandmother, was a divorced mother. Her daughter had already started working at a foreign-owned company and earned a respectable income.

Aunt King, the housekeeper, had a son who was also working at a foreign-owned company.

Chloe Reed eliminated Aunt Lewis first.

Looking at the two remaining files, she turned to Daniel Hayes and asked, ”What are the names of the companies where Aunt Miller’s and Aunt King’s children work? And who are their bosses?”

Daniel Hayes chuckled. ”I knew you’d notice that, so I already looked into it.”

He flipped to the next section of the file. ”Aunt King’s son works for a media company. The owner’s last name is Hawthorne.”

Then, he opened another file. ”The boss at Aunt Miller’s daughter’s company has the last name Vance.”

Chloe Reed stared at the company and owner names, falling silent.

Vance?

Hawthorne?

’Could it really be such a coincidence?’

Daniel Hayes continued, ”If you suspect there’s a problem with the housekeepers, then both of them are suspicious.”

”But... why?” Chloe Reed asked, her face etched with confusion.

Her thoughts immediately jumped to Preston Vance and Miles Hawthorne.

’Are these two housekeepers working for them?’

’Why would they plant people near me? To watch me?’

’Why would Preston Vance want to watch me?’

’We don’t have any conflicting interests. In fact, we just recently decided to work together.’

’And Miles Hawthorne? Why would he watch me?’

’Hasn’t he been helping me all this time?’

Chloe Reed’s mind was in a total mess.

Daniel Hayes was stunned for a moment as well. ”I wouldn’t know about that,” he said. ”Why don’t we ask Zachary Bowman? He might be able to dig something up.”

”Okay.”

Chloe Reed nodded slowly.

Sitting in the coffee shop, she felt a sense of unreality.

Just then, her phone rang. She took it out and saw it was her grandmother calling.

A complex emotion flickered in her eyes as she answered. ”Hello, Grandma.”

”Chloe, all three of them are gone,” her grandmother said, her tone a bit heavy. ”Does that mean none of them were suitable?”

Chloe Reed lowered her head slightly, pressing her temples. ”It looks that way,” she said. ”I’m planning to replace all of them.”

Her grandmother agreed. ”Alright, I’ll listen to you. We can’t put ourselves in danger.”

”I’m heading back now. Don’t worry too much. Everything will be fine,” Chloe Reed said, gently trying to soothe her grandmother.

”At my age, what is there for me to be afraid of? It’s you I’m worried about,” her grandmother sighed softly.

Chloe Reed managed a smile. ”I’ll be fine, too. We can talk more when I get back.”

”Alright.”

After hanging up, she looked at Daniel Hayes. ”Contact Zachary Bowman and find some more housekeepers. I’m not using any of these women. After they’re gone, have them and their families watched. See who they make contact with.”

As it stood, she had no evidence to directly confront Preston Vance or Miles Hawthorne.

After all, plenty of people in this world share the same last name.

’Maybe it really is just a coincidence.’

’Because she honestly couldn’t find a single reason to convince herself why Miles Hawthorne and Preston Vance would want to have her watched.’

Daniel Hayes nodded, then got up and left.

When Chloe Reed got home, she was met by her grandmother’s worried gaze. The first of the housekeepers to return was Aunt King, who had been taking out the trash.

Chloe Reed said, ”Aunt King, you don’t need to come in tomorrow. I’ll take care of my grandmother myself.”