Though paralyzed, still radiantly charming!

Chapter 270: After all, we’re not so different, are we?

“Miss Alice, it seems like the target has noticed us.”

One of her subordinates hesitated for a moment before reporting. Alice, hearing this, seemed intrigued. She tilted her head slightly, looking out the car window at the girl standing outside.

Sure enough, Anna, though appearing to be on the phone, was glancing over at them every now and then, her eyes sharp and alert.

“Should we leave?”

“Leave? Why? Weren’t we here to find her in the first place?”

Alice found the question amusing. She was the one in control here—why would she leave just because she’d been spotted?

Her original plan to quietly observe was clearly out the window now. She casually set aside the documents she’d just finished reading, then lightly pressed her fingers on the window control.

As the window rolled down, her elegant face became visible to those outside. Alice could clearly see Anna’s body tense up the moment she saw her.

Alice didn’t say much. She simply raised her hand and gestured for Anna to come over.

Anna had appeared in her line of sight several times, always looking like she was trying to whisk Ryan away. Alice realized she might have been too lenient, waiting until now to step in and give a warning.

“Okay… Senior, just be careful. I believe you’re being framed.” Anna was speaking to Ryan over Mia’s phone, her voice full of concern.

When Anna saw that the person in the car was Alice, she was only momentarily surprised. In fact, it would’ve been stranger if it wasn’t Alice.

“Anna, thank you. Really, thank you for still believing in me.” Ryan’s voice was filled with gratitude. To the outside world, his reputation was in tatters. The school wouldn’t even let him return until everything was cleared up.

He didn’t have many friends to begin with, and now, aside from Alice and Mia, Anna was the only one still in contact with him.

But today’s events had Ryan feeling uneasy. Alice didn’t seem as trusting as she appeared, and Mia… well, her mischievous antics were still fresh in his mind.

Naturally, he started leaning more toward the gentle and caring Anna.

Though her words of comfort didn’t have the same impact as Alice’s hug that morning, they did help Ryan breathe a little easier.

“What are you talking about, Senior? Aren’t we good friends?” Anna’s voice carried a hint of reproach, as if Ryan’s gratitude had somehow diminished their bond.

Even though they’d only recently started getting closer, Anna was truly a good person. Ryan was almost moved to tears, quietly rubbing his nose as he thought to himself.

“Alright, Senior, you take care of your stuff for now.”

“I just ran into Miss Alice. She’s invited me for coffee, so we’ll talk later, okay?”

As Anna said this, her gaze met Alice’s, who was still sitting in the car. Those eyes were as cold as ever, as if nothing could penetrate them.

But Anna didn’t shy away. In fact, her look carried a hint of defiance.

The relationship between Alice and Ryan wasn’t as solid as it seemed. Though Ryan hadn’t said anything bad about Alice during their call, his hesitation when mentioning her had given Anna some insight.

She had been meaning to have a proper conversation with Alice anyway, and now that the opportunity had presented itself, there was no reason to back down.

“Miss Alice? What’s going on?”

Ignoring Ryan’s last question, Anna’s eyes flickered with a moment of hesitation before she decisively hung up the phone.

Alice had clearly come prepared. Anna still had plans to live her life with Ryan, and disappearing from the city after today would be a disaster.

Telling Ryan about this meeting was her way of covering her bases. After all, getting into a mob boss’s car wasn’t something you did without a backup plan.

Alice, on the other hand, was genuinely surprised. A cold smile tugged at the corner of her lips as she instructed her men to open the car door, waiting for Anna to approach.

Anna walked over at a steady pace, each step measured and deliberate. There was no trace of fear on her face, and in just a few strides, she was standing in front of the car.

She bent down slightly, her posture modest, and the scent of her perfume—so different from Alice’s—wafted into the car, softening the cold atmosphere.

“Miss Alice, what a coincidence. I didn’t expect to run into you here.”

Anna slid into the back seat, gracefully tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. Everything about her was polished and precise, leaving no room for criticism.

Her fingers were long and slender, pale as snow. Unlike Alice, though, her fingertips bore the calluses of someone who wasn’t used to being waited on.

Alice silently observed the girl in front of her. This was the first time she’d really taken a good look at her.

Her appearance wasn’t bad. In fact, it was impressive that she could hold her own in comparison to Alice.

“It’s not a coincidence. I came here specifically to find you.”

Alice’s gaze finally settled on Anna’s hands. She knew that just a few hours ago, these same delicate hands had swung something heavy and cracked open some poor guy’s skull.

“To find me? I don’t see why someone as important as Miss Alice, the head of a mob, would go out of her way to look for me.”

Anna’s lips parted slightly in mock surprise, but she quickly bit her tongue, realizing she’d interrupted Alice. She nodded apologetically, signaling for Alice to continue.

Anna’s performance was flawless, showing no signs of pretense. But Alice, narrowing her eyes, found it all rather amusing.

This Anna might be able to fool Ryan, but she couldn’t fool her. Without saying much, Alice picked up the stack of documents beside her and handed them to Anna.

“Take a look at this.”

Alice’s tone was commanding, as if even saying one more word would be a waste. Anna’s eyes darkened slightly as she reached out to take the folder.

The contents were all too familiar. There weren’t many pages—just over ten—but by the time Anna finished reading, her face had gone pale as a sheet.

In those few pages, her entire twenty years of life had been summarized.

It detailed her current situation—where she lived, who she usually met with, even her school schedule. But it also dredged up her painful past: the drunk driving accident, her sister’s death. Nothing was left out.

Alice watched Anna’s reaction in silence, signaling her men to lock the car doors. She felt a sense of satisfaction creeping in. The more Anna suffered, the more pleasure Alice derived from it.

“What’s the point of showing me this?”

Anna took a deep breath, trying to push the unpleasant memories that had resurfaced out of her mind.

Her demeanor had completely changed from earlier. The polite facade was gone. There was no point in pretending anymore—Alice knew everything about her.

“It’s not that complicated. Can we talk now?”

“After all, we’re not so different, are we?”

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