Elliana Lyle stared blankly at the intact guardrail. In her past life, by the time she arrived at the scene, the iron guardrail had been crumpled together. It hadn't broken, but her parents' car had rolled down the slope outside the guardrail.
According to the police investigation, it was struck directly by three wrong-way BMW X5s. However, only the owners of two cars were caught, both claiming they were driving under the influence and went the wrong way. The other driver, named George Lyle, hit and ran!
In Elliana's heart, this wasn't an accident but murder.
She still remembers George Lyle who escaped the law, as well as his license plate. Even after marrying Shane Southwell, she continued searching with the police for three years, but to no avail.
"Elliana? What are you looking at?" Mr. Lyle half-closed his eyes, following Elliana's gaze, only to see the ordinary iron guardrail without anything special.
Elliana snapped back to reality, turned her head and smiled at Mr. Lyle, lightly adjusting the clothes on her shoulders, shaking her head, "Nothing."
She then wanted to check the time on her phone but realized she didn't bring it; she must have left it at home. She quickly asked, "Dad, what time is it?"
"9:31," replied Mr. Lyle while looking at his watch.
It seemed everything was fine. In her past life, the incident occurred at nine o'clock sharp. Her father was a punctual man, departing at 8:55 every day, usually arriving at the South City Bridge at exactly nine.
Perhaps it was this routine that gave the culprits a chance!
Today, however, nothing happened, making Elliana feel it was indeed murder!
"Are you tired, my dear? Don't feel like walking?" Mr. Lyle unusually smiled, his tone carrying a hint of amusement and helplessness. Perhaps it was the first time he'd spoken to his daughter this way.
"No, let's hurry!" Elliana said as she took two steps forward to prove she was still able to walk.
By 11 a.m.,
the father and daughter arrived, panting, at the South City's Xiang Tian Group, an office building. Assistant Liu Da Song had been waiting at the entrance for a while and rushed up to greet them upon seeing their arrival.
"President, you're finally here. Did you walk? I postponed your meeting, but President Wang from the construction company is about to arrive to discuss cooperation." Liu Da Song had just spoken when he saw a delicate girl accompanying President Shawn Lyle.
Mr. Lyle glanced at his daughter behind him and said to Liu Da Song, "Xiao Liu, arrange for someone to take my daughter to lunch."
Then Mr. Lyle sternly instructed Elliana, "I'm going to discuss business. Be good, have lunch and I'll have someone send you back. Understand?"
"Mm-hmm! Understood!"
Elliana nodded vigorously.
At this moment, Liu Da Song already ran to the reception desk, found a poised receptionist to take care of her, then followed Shawn Lyle away.
"Miss Lyle, hello, I'm Wang Xue." Wang Xue greeted her politely, introducing herself, her white shirt paired with a black knee-length skirt leaving a proper initial impression.
Elliana nodded slightly, "Hello."
With simple greetings, Elliana didn't intend to converse much with Wang Xue. In truth, she was somewhat socially anxious, not severe, but still reluctant to speak much with strangers, always feeling uneasy.
"Miss Lyle, what do you like to eat? I can recommend some restaurants for you," Wang Xue smiled and asked. She didn't find Elliana aloof, rather easy to get along with, at least she wouldn't make things difficult for her.
"I don't know..." Elliana indeed didn't know what to eat, feeling too tired to have an appetite.
At this time, Wang Xue's earpiece flashed. She first slightly bowed to Elliana, then turned to take the call.
"Alright, I know, okay, rest assured."
After finishing, Wang Xue quickly told Elliana, "Miss Lyle, Assistant Liu said your mother called him, saying that your phone was left at President Norman's place, and President Norman wants to meet you at the South Joy Hotel."
"Norman Bennett!" It turned out she left her phone at the Bennett's, blaming her hurried departure!
An hour later, a car stopped at the entrance of South Joy Hotel. This hotel belonged to the Bennett family, a special five-star business hotel with a prime location, excellent service, good ambiance, and naturally high prices.
Four young women stood at the entrance, all with proper features and makeup, dressed in white shirts and black trousers, giving a neat and pleasing impression.
As Elliana approached within a meter of the greeters, the four bowed at a 45-degree angle, saying, "Welcome, please come in."
An assistant came to greet her—Raymond Wood, Norman Bennett's assistant. Wearing a business suit, he smiled respectfully, "Miss Lyle, please follow me."
"Okay," Elliana felt her heart racing slightly, as memories of her past life where Norman Bennett embraced her and spoke gently, unlike the usual Norman Bennett.
She always thought Norman Bennett disliked her, never giving her a smile, his character aloof and solitary, leading the past Elliana to view him as a bad person. If he didn't like her, why not refuse her marriage to him, leaving her alone to resist her family's demands.
Come to think of it, besides never smiling, Norman Bennett didn't have other faults.
"Miss Lyle, we've arrived," Raymond said as he was about to knock on the door for her.
"Wait!" Elliana stopped Raymond's action and then smiled, "I'll do it, you can go ahead."
Raymond gave a respectful half-bow, said nothing, and left with a smile.
Elliana stood at the door for about a minute, her raised hand hovering over the door for another minute, pondering what she should say first.
She wanted to apologize to Norman Bennett but feared it would be too abrupt. Forget it, she thought; she was just here to retrieve her phone.
Just as her raised hand was about to knock, a clear, cold male voice came from inside, "Come in."
Upon hearing the voice, Elliana's face flushed instantly, the door hadn't even been knocked yet, her hand suspended awkwardly in mid-air.
Grasping the door handle, twisting down, click! The door opened, a blinding light seeped through the gap, gradually unveiling the simplistic elegant decor inside, along with the man seated at the dining table looking at her.
"I'm... I'm not late, right?" Elliana awkwardly smiled, hurried to sit opposite Norman without even closing the door.
"You're just in time." Norman's tone was neutral, revealing no emotion.
Perhaps it was this neutrality that made Elliana feel Norman didn't like her. Who would be so indifferent to someone they cared about?
"What do you feel like eating?" Norman asked, casually handing her the menu.
TODAY, Norman had canceled all his plans, delegating company matters to the vice president just to meet this person. Thankfully, she came.
"A bowl of wonton, please. I don't have much of an appetite right now." Elliana was indeed lacking an appetite, but this comment took on a different meaning to Norman.
Elliana looked up to find Norman's eyes deeply fixed on her, not speaking, his gaze too calm, like an icy pond covered with thin ice. For a moment, Elliana dared not meet his gaze, shifting her eyes toward the window.
She wondered what that look Norman gave her meant. Was it her imagination, or did Norman really dislike her?