Chapter 115: Chapter 113: He Loves Her More Than He Imagined (9)
In the end, she decisively signed her name on the signature line.
After exchanging the two copies, the contract officially went into effect.
"I hope we have a pleasant collaboration. Now, let me take you to the photo studio," the receptionist said, her service excellent.
"Okay."
Walking into the photo studio, Nora Ainsworth wasn’t the least bit intimidated, even with so many people around.
The director knew why she was there the moment he saw her. He immediately turned to the makeup artist and stylist and said, "Get Miss Ainsworth’s outfit ready and do her makeup, quickly."
The staff member who had accompanied her stood to the side and gave Nora a meaningful look. "Go on."
She sat before the vanity, and the makeup artist worked quickly.
Once her makeup was done, they shot the commercial. They didn’t even need a second take.
The director, watching the monitor, was overjoyed. He praised it repeatedly and said they didn’t need a second take at all.
Nora Ainsworth couldn’t believe she had earned a six-figure advertising fee so easily.
Seeing the envious looks from the other staff members, she, as a newcomer, said, "Thank you, everyone. I didn’t expect to get it done so quickly. I’ll treat everyone to dinner tonight at the Seagull Hotel. No one goes home sober!"
The dozen or so staff members immediately cheered, all thinking this newcomer knew how to handle things.
After changing her clothes, Nora Ainsworth came out of the studio and happened to run into Quentin Grant, who was on his way to a meeting.
He was dressed in a well-fitted black suit with a tasteful tie. He had been talking to his secretary, but his focus wavered for a moment when he saw her. Then he lowered his head again and continued their conversation as he walked.
He walked right past Nora Ainsworth, completely ignoring her.
’He actually did it. He let me go. Maybe it’s just as he said—he’s tired of forcing a woman to be with him.’
Nora Ainsworth turned and stepped into the elevator.
Quentin Grant took a few more steps before stopping. He did turn back, but the person who had been standing there was already gone.
**
Nora Ainsworth attended her classes in the afternoon.
That evening, she went to the dinner, which filled two tables.
After some pleasantries, they ate. The conversation was mostly filled with fawning compliments.
Once Nora Ainsworth confirmed that no one wanted to order more food, she paid the bill and left.
She had drunk a little, but not much.
Outside the hotel entrance, she looked at the still-falling rain and muttered to herself with a wry smile, ’Even if the heavens are weeping, they’ve been at it for a day and a night. How are they still crying? Do they have that many tears?’
"That’s because you’re about to die, and the heavens are pitying you." A sharp, female voice cut in.
Nora Ainsworth looked over. Catherine Callahan, wearing a hat and a face mask that left only her eyes visible, was standing in front of her.
"Young Master Grant has already kicked me out, so why are you still causing trouble for me? Besides, I never even held it against you when you came after me before. Can’t you just let it go?"
Catherine Callahan sneered. "Kicked you out? You think I don’t know? He’s protecting you. He’s just making you leave temporarily. You’ll be back. Since that’s the case, you might as well just die without anyone knowing. Only the dead pose no threat."
"There’s someone else by his side now. Are you crazy? What’s worth protecting about an old flame he’s already tired of?"
"I’m the one who arranged for Charlotte Young to be with him, so of course I’m not worried. You, on the other hand... believe it or not, even if I killed you and he found out, he wouldn’t touch me."
Nora Ainsworth nodded. "I believe you carry that much weight with him."
Catherine Callahan was completely unfazed. "The last time I almost killed you, he found out and didn’t say a single word to me, right? He even helped me cover it up. This time, even if I really do kill you, the most he’ll do is ignore me for a while. But he won’t do anything to me. That’s the difference, Nora Ainsworth. Even though you were with him for a while, in his heart, I will always be more important than you."
She took two steps forward, moving closer to Nora Ainsworth, and continued, "Do you want to know why I’m so determined to kill you?"
Nora Ainsworth didn’t make a sound.
Catherine Callahan took another step closer, her voice low. "Because I’ve discovered that he’s fallen in love with you."
"What?" In that moment of distraction, a stun gun was pressed quickly against her back. With just one jab, she rapidly lost all feeling.
Paralyzed from the neck down, Nora Ainsworth slumped. Catherine Callahan slipped the stun gun back into her sleeve and caught Nora, a triumphant smile spreading across her face. "Now that you know why I have to kill you, you can be mentally prepared for your journey. I’ll make sure that, just like last time, your death is a spectacular one."
Nora Ainsworth tried to speak, but no words would come out.
’The last time, I fell into a trap because of Quentin Grant. This time, I was distracted because of him again.’
’For a woman to stumble in the same place twice in a row, to the point of losing her life... she’s either brainless or a complete fool.’
’Apparently, I’m both.’
Seeing that she wasn’t saying a word and had her eyes closed as if she’d fallen asleep,
Catherine Callahan was a little surprised. She loaded Nora into the car and said to the man in the driver’s seat, "Hey, this anesthetic won’t kill her outright, will it?"
The man replied, "Of course not. You have to trust me. You paid so much money. If I gave you some shoddy, counterfeit anesthetic, wouldn’t that be unethical?"
"Just as long as you remember how much I paid you. Drive to the head of the bridge on the outskirts of the city. I have something to do."
"Got it," the man complied.
About twenty minutes later, the car stopped on the side of the road by a pitch-black, deserted bridge on the city’s outskirts.
The car was not within range of any surveillance cameras.
Catherine Callahan opened the door, got out, and took two bottles of high-proof liquor from the trunk.
She poured it all over Nora Ainsworth and even forced her mouth open, making her swallow a few mouthfuls. It burned like fire.
It made her choke and want to vomit, but Nora Ainsworth forced herself to hold it down.
Afterward, Catherine Callahan tossed the empty bottles into the car and forcibly dragged Nora Ainsworth into the driver’s seat.
Paralyzed from the neck down, Nora Ainsworth couldn’t sit up properly and was instead propped up in a half-reclining position.
Catherine Callahan whispered, "Even if you’re pretending to be asleep, it’s useless, Nora Ainsworth. This day next year will be your death anniversary. You’re going to die in an ’accidental’ drunk driving crash. I told you, you were lucky to survive the last crash, but not this time. I’ll watch you die with my own eyes before I leave. This time, just like last time, you’ll have to watch yourself die, completely helpless. I want to see how much passion Quentin can maintain for a dead woman."
Nora Ainsworth finally spoke. "For a man, you’re willing to send yourself to hell? Do you really think the police won’t be able to solve the case if you kill me? Do you really think Quentin Grant will tolerate your behavior again and again?"
Catherine Callahan was gloating. "Even if he doesn’t tolerate me, his mother will move heaven and earth to save me. So, killing you is like a game to me. All right, it’s time for you to be on your way."
She put the key in the ignition and started the engine.
