Chapter 41

Chapter 41:

Cristian remembered the website displayed on Fernanda’s laptop—it was a known site for cracking wireless signals. What surprised him, however, was how quickly she had worked. In just a few minutes, she was able to get an address.

Fernanda activated the location tracking system, and a line of text appeared beside the map, displaying the exact address they had been searching for.

“Riverside Gardens?” Fernanda remarked. “That’s close by and right in the city center. Seems like a pretty upscale neighborhood.”

In a city as pricey as Esaham, any neighborhood in the city center was sure to be on par with her current home at Dawn Villas.

Cristian leaned back in the driver’s seat, his gaze flicking to the screen. In a steady voice, he said, “I know a couple of people who live there. One of them is connected to you.”

“Who?” Fernanda asked, turning to him sharply.

“Ava,” Cristian responded. “The address you just located is not far from her residence.”

A smile played on Fernanda’s lips. “I’m not surprised.”

“Do you want to check it out?” Cristian asked.

“Never mind,” Fernanda replied. “It’s definitely her. No one else would go to these lengths.”

Her mind drifted back to the conversations she had overheard after the Harper family’s banquet. Ava, along with Erika and Minnie, had been plotting to sabotage her exam.

Ava had mentioned that her aunt was a professor at Esaham University, which made Fernanda suspect that Ava might try to interfere with the exam results, but instead, she orchestrated a traffic accident to prevent her from taking the exam.

𝕄ØЯE 𝕌PĐΛTΞŞ IИ GΛŁИØVΞŁŞ.ᑕØᗰ

Ava’s move was smart—unexpected and subtle. Without Cristian’s help, Fernanda would have completely missed the exam.

The scheme had been carefully concealed beneath the guise of a simple traffic accident. Fernanda hadn’t anticipated that anyone would carefully plan something as ordinary as a traffic accident.

“Thanks for looking into this accident for me,” Fernanda said to Cristian. “Otherwise, I would not have suspected a thing about it.”

Cristian’s dark eyes gleamed with a quiet intensity, the depths of them calm yet captivating. His voice, matching the tranquility of his gaze, was soft and soothing—like a gentle summer breeze.

“So, what’s your plan now?”

“I am not done with my exams yet,” Fernanda replied. “I don’t have the energy to deal with Ava right now. But I won’t forget this. She will face the consequences for her misdeeds once I finish the exams.”

“And what about the rumors being spread online? Do you need any help with them?”

“Don’t bother,” Fernanda answered with confidence. “I can take care of it myself.”

Cristian raised an eyebrow, a smirk playing on his lips as he leaned in closer to her. The rich, woody scent of his cologne surrounded her, momentarily distracting her senses.

The soft glow from the car’s interior light mingled with the streetlights outside, casting fleeting shadows across his sculpted features, enhancing his striking appearance.

Instinctively, Fernanda leaned back, creating a bit of distance between them to protect herself from the magnetic pull of his presence.

“What are you up to?” Fernanda asked in a soft voice.

“I’m just curious to see how much you can handle,” Cristian replied, his head tilting slightly. “You seem to do well at everything.”

“I don’t think so,” Fernanda murmured, lowering her gaze. “You’re overrating me.”

“Every time I set my eyes on you, you always manage to pull a shocker on me,” Cristian said, his voice carrying a note of admiration. “I suppose the nickname I gave you really suits you.”

“What is the nickname?”

“Gem,” he said, his voice deep and alluring.

Fernanda quickly turned her gaze to the window, avoiding his eyes. Compliments weren’t foreign to her, but this one stirred something inside her, making her ears flush with warmth.

“It’s becoming late. I should be on my way back now. I have another exam tomorrow.”

“Okay,” Cristian replied, nodding. “Take care.”

Fernanda opened the car door and stepped out.

She wore a loose, casual outfit that hid her figure, yet her tall, slender shape was undeniable.

Cristian watched her as she strode away, unable to tear his eyes away. How had Fernanda, who grew up without parents, acquired so much knowledge?

And she was just nineteen.

At just nineteen, her abilities and composure far outstripped those of her peers.

Cristian didn’t look away until Fernanda’s figure disappeared through the gates of Dawn Villas.

“Remarkable,” he muttered to himself. “You never fail to surprise me.”

Once inside the villa, Fernanda saw Ector sitting in the living room. She glanced at the clock on the wall before asking, “Why haven’t you gone to bed yet?”

“Not exhausted yet,” Ector replied. “I’m attending to some company emails.”

“Don’t stay up for long,” Fernanda said. “The emails can be checked tomorrow.”

She wasn’t fooled—she knew Ector was waiting for her.

If it were really about work, he could’ve easily handled it in his bedroom or study. There was no reason for him to be sitting in the living room with his laptop balanced on his lap.

Ector’s warm smile lit up his face, bright and reassuring, like a ray of sunshine. “Okay.”

Once back in her bedroom, Fernanda didn’t head straight to bed. Instead, she picked up her phone and made a call.

The line was picked up quickly, though the voice on the other end sounded groggy and irritated, clearly pulled from sleep.

“Who is it at this time of the day?”

“It’s Fernanda,” she replied calmly.

There was a pause, followed by a sudden shift in tone—excitement mingled with disbelief.

“Boss?” Leon Scott asked, his voice perking up.

“Yeah, it’s me.”

Leon’s voice burst with energy now, all traces of sleep forgotten. “What do you need? Just say the word—even if it means putting ourselves on the line!”

Fernanda chuckled softly at his enthusiasm. “It’s nothing that serious. You won’t need to go to such extremes.”

“We didn’t hear from you since we helped recover Hiram’s photo,” Leon said, his voice tinged with nostalgia. “We know you are staying in Esaham, and everyone’s been waiting for—”

“You to drop by. We didn’t want to disturb you, being concerned that you might have been busy recently.”

“I have been occupied,” Fernanda said. “But I’ll come visit in a few days. I miss you guys, too.”

Leon replied eagerly, a grin almost audible in his voice, “So, what do you need this time?”

“I need you to track someone down for me. I’ll send you the exact address shortly,” Fernanda said, her tone precise and calm. “It’s a man—medium build, about six feet tall, weighing around 150 pounds, with a deep voice. He’ll likely be wearing a black suit.”

She provided the description she’d gathered earlier, adding, “He should be leaving the Ross family villa in Riverside Gardens. Keep your focus there.”

“Sure. Leave it to us!” Leon replied confidently. After a brief pause, his voice took on a mischievous edge. “Did this guy cross you? What do you need us to do when we find him? Rough him up a bit, or…”

“Not necessary,” Fernanda cut in before Leon could finish his violent suggestion. “Just detain him. I’ll take it from there.”

“Sure!”

“Thanks—and get some rest.”

“Don’t mention it,” Leon replied, his voice brimming with sincerity. “We are indebted to you. If it weren’t for you, we wouldn’t be where we are today.”

Fernanda said with a light laugh, “I’ll visit you guys soon.”

At that, Leon’s mood grew even brighter. “It’s a deal! You better show up in a few days—you promised!”

“Definitely!”

Once off the phone, Fernanda finally took a much-needed shower and slipped into bed.

Before drifting off, she skimmed through the latest online comments.

They had grown even more vicious and slanderous.

A flicker of disdain crossed her face.

They were free to say whatever. The worse it became now, the more satisfying it would be when she proved them all wrong.

She couldn’t wait to see them choke on their own words.

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