Chapter 534

The man with the scruffy beard chuckled and said, "Why would I? You two just look a bit out of place, that's all."

"Ouch, my stomach is killing me," groaned Josefina, clutching her abdomen.

Oliver, full of concern, supported her. "I told you to have a little ginger ale. You never listen, and now look at you with a stomachache!"

Embarrassed, Josefina glanced towards the bearded man. "Excuse me, where's the restroom? I really need to go."

The bearded man shot a knowing look and gestured for one of his guys to take Josefina over.

As she held her stomach, Josefina protested, "I don't trust you not to try something.

I want my man to come with me."

The lackey looked at Josefina with disdain. As if he'd even give her a second thought!

"Lady, what are you on about? You're old enough to be my mom. The last thing I'd have are improper thoughts about you. You're way off base!"

Josefina lifted her chin defiantly. "Men always say they don't want it, but their actions tell a different story. Nope, I insist on having my man stand guard at the door."

With Josefina kicking up a fuss, the bearded man frowned and motioned for his man to let Oliver accompany her.

So, there stood Oliver, keeping watch at the door while Josefina slipped into the restroom alone.

Without bothering to lower her pants, Josefina hid a voice recorder inside.

She then looked up, opened a ceiling tile, and hoisted herself into the ventilation shaft.

Crawling forward with no blueprint of the place, Josefina relied solely on instinct. After a while, she paused, hearing voices below.

A man's gruff voice, tinged with a raspy edge as though his throat was raw, floated up. "Lena's botched it. She's become a liability."

"So, you're saying we should get rid of her?"

"No need for now. She still has some value. It took me long enough to stabilize the situation, and she went and messed it up over a Josefina!"

Josefina, realizing she was the hot topic, was dying to drop in and see who this guy

was.

But she dared not make a move. She could only stay put, waiting for the conversation to end or to back out the way she'd come.

Just then, the man's voice reappeared. "Tell Lena not to seek me out. If I don't contact her, she's not to reach out first. The Harrison family is definitely watching her every move, trying to sniff out her accomplice."

"Lena's no fool. She won't reach out to you on her own."

As soon as he finished speaking, Lena's call came through.

The man answered with visible irritation, "Didn't I tell you not to call me? Did you take my words for the wind?"

In a subdued tone, Lena replied, "I need to see you. I've been exposed. If I don't come to you, they'll kill me. Dorian is decisive - he's got people tailing me. My life's a mess, I can't eat, I can't sleep."

"Stay put for now. I don't want to risk being spotted."

"What am I supposed to do?"

"Give me a few days to assess the situation. If it's safe, I'll bring you back."

Lena's voice was anxious. "I left my black card at the Harrison estate. I can't retrieve

it. Send someone for me; I can't make it on my own."

"What? You left your black card at the Harrison estate? Aren't you afraid of them finding out?" The man's voice rose sharply, laced with anger.