Page 137 of My Ruthless Opponent

“Yeah. Get down.” I hold the ladder so it won’t wobble. “Be careful.” She hands me the string which is half tied around the tent and half looming down.

I climb up the steps and look down. “Fetch someone on your way back.”

“Yes, boss.”

She takes off, leaving me standing there.

“Miss, do you want me to take care of that?” A forty-something-year-old man with a mustache says. He already has his hands full with chairs.

“No. Just find one of your men who’s free to take over this. I can wait for a few minutes.”

“All right.” He nods and walks off.

My phone buzzes in my mini purse which is hanging from my body.

I tug at its sling and open it with one hand, taking the phone out.

Davis.

Why is he calling me now?

It’s been almost a month since I last talked to the Private Investigator. He knows I am a busy woman.

He never calls on this number. I’ve given this number in case I am out of reach. Does he have new leads?

I’ll have to take this.

I hit the green button and answer the call. “Mr. Davis?”

“I apologize for calling on this number but you weren’t answering your phone and I wanted to discuss something important.”

My heart starts beating faster. Goosebumps cover my skin. My fingers tighten around the lights, the tiny bulbs digging in my palm.

“Did you find him?” I whisper.

“No. But he was last seen in New Jersey.”

“What?” My throat begins to close. The man who ruined my everything is in New Jersey?

“We couldn’t approach him though. He was surrounded by a few shady-looking men. From the scene, it seemed like they were dragging him somewhere.”

“Did you get his pictures?” I clutch the phone tighter with both hands, absentmindedly dropping the lights I was holding.

“I couldn’t. Getting pictures will be risky. And it’ll charge extra.”

My lips tremble as I swallow the lump in my throat. “Of course. Send me the figure and I’ll wire the money by tonight.”

I hang up and try to breathe.

This is it. The man who destroyed my life is in New Jersey. I found him. Finally.

Because of him, I lost my mother. Because of him, Dad barely recognizes me. Because of him, I had to leave New York to survive.

That man is my last hope. He is the key to ending my misery.

I have been searching for him for a year. For a whole year, my paychecks were going to the Home Care bills, my apartment rent, and the Private Investigator’s fees.

For a year, I suffered to make ends meet so that one day, I can find him. I finally did.

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