Chapter 196 The Hard Disk


    Rita''s POV:


    I had just gotten up this morning when I heard a set of footstepsing from the front door. Thus, I


    got up and quickly got dressed.


    Not long after, I heard a loud banging on the door.


    The moment I opened it, I saw a row of bodyguards in suits. They all looked fierce, and they


    entered our house before I could even utter a word. I was so scared that I just stood rooted to my


    spot. In a fit of panic, my mother came over, but she couldn''t say a word when she heard the


    commotion.


    After regaining myposure, I gathered my courage and asked, "Who the hell are you people?


    Don''t you know that trespassing is illegal? Get out of here or I''m going to call the police!"


    Right after I finished my sentence, the middle-aged man in the lead threw a smartphone at me and


    shot me a disdainful nce. "Call the police if you have the guts. And don''t sayter that I didn''t


    give you a chance!"


    His intimidating presence left me petrified.


    It was then that my mother came to my side and spluttered, "Stop acting so arrogant! This the Lively


    family''s house. I''ll have you know that..." "You''re the ones who are trespassing into my house!"


    When I heard that familiar voice, the group of bodyguards made way for her. Soon, I saw Lily''s


    proud face as she approached me.


    "Lily, what the hell? Why did you order all these people to break into my house?" I asked with


    disdain.


    "I have in my hand the deed of transfer of ownership of your house. I''m giving you and your mother


    three hours to pack up and get the hell out of my house!"


    "No! Nate would never do this to me!" Having said that, my mother grabbed the deed of ownership


    from Lily''s hand, reading through it carefully.


    "Stop questioning and go pack your bags while I''m still in a good mood. My patience is thin, so you


    better get packing now! If not, you''ll soon face my wrath." Lily seemed so proud of herself.


    This time, I took the document and reviewed it. My father had indeed signed the document.


    However, there was no way I would let Lily seed without a fight.


    "There''s something wrong with this document. The seal and signature on it are all fake! Lily, do you


    seriously think you can kick me and my mother out of this house just because you presented us a


    forged document? You stupid bitch!" I shouted brazenly.


    Then, my mother walked up to Lily and gave her a p across the face.


    Infuriated by my mother''s reaction, Lily covered her face and gnashed her teeth. "Seize them!"


    The middle-aged man behind her acknowledged the order and immediately tried to restrain my


    mother.


    However, I stood in front of my mother and said,


    "If you try toy a hand on me and my mother, I am going to make your lives a living hell!"


    Just then, I noticed Richard standing at the door. I ran to his side, grabbing his arm as if holding


    onto dear life. "Richard, please! I need your help to drive Lily out. She''s trying to kick us out using


    that forged document!"


    "Sorry, Rita. I''m just here to grab a few things. I won''t meddle in your affairs." Richard pulled his


    hand away from me. He didn''t even dignify me with a nce while he was speaking. I felt


    disheartened to see that.


    After he said that, Richard stood in the living room while his subordinates went upstairs.


    Seeing that my mother was trembling in fear, I told her that she should leave first. "Mom, you should


    go back to your room. Richard and I are here. They won''t dare to do anything."


    I could tell that my mother was reluctant to go, but she had no choice but to agree with my


    suggestion. After telling me to be careful, she shot Lily a cold nce before heading upstairs.


    Now, only Richard, I, Lily and her men were in the living room. I felt that the air around us had


    be tense.


    Momentster, Richard nced at Lily and said, "Well, go on with your business."


    His mere presence in the room was so daunting.


    Lily was a bit terrified. She turned around and whispered something to her bodyguard. Then, she


    approached me and said, "Fine. I''m going to be the bigger person and give you two more days. If


    you don''t move out by then, I''m going to teach you a lesson you''ll never forget!"


    "Are you kidding me, Lily? You''re seriously threatening me in my own home?" I argued.


    "It won''t be your house for long!" Having said that, Lily left the premises of my house along with her


    men.


    Once she was gone, I held Richard''s arm, trying to curry favor with him. "What are you nning to


    take from my house?"


    Instead of responding, Richard just frowned at me. After ncing at me, he quickly looked away.


    His eyes be sharper, and his face turned grim. Truthfully, his daunting presence was making


    me feel scared.


    In a trembling voice, I said, "Richard, please don''t frown at me like that. You''re scaring me."


    To my surprise, Richard threw my hand away and shot me a disdainful nce. "If you''re so scared


    of me, then stay the hell away!"


    "Why have you be so heartless to me, Richard? Back then, you..."


    "Never mention our past to me again. You make me feel sick!" The sound of his voice made me feel


    that he loathed me to his very core. I was so hurt by his words that I felt like my heart was


    shattering.


    I plucked up the courage to ask a question. "If you hate me so much, then why did you send


    bodyguards to follow me around some time ago? Were you not trying to protect me?"


    "It''s my job. What makes you think I care about you beyond that, Miss Lively?"


    "Your job, huh? Then who gave you that job?" I refused to give up until I heard a satisfactory


    answer.


    "Mr. Charles Moore," replied Richard.


    It was then that I heard a sounding from the stairway. I nced over there and found that


    Richard''s men hade down.


    "We got it," said one of them. I saw him holding a transparent box.


    Richard took the box to examine it carefully. "Let''s go," he said.


    "Richard!" I wanted to know what was in that box, but he didn''t even give me a chance and left


    without a second thought.


    Once Richard had left, I went to the study to look for some clues. Soon, I found that my father''s safe


    had been opened.


    Suddenly, I heard a noiseing from the door. It made me think that Richard hade back. I


    was so startled that I immediately turned my head, only to find that it was my mother.


    "Mom, what are you doing here? You scared me," I said, holding my chest.


    "I saw them leave, so I came out. What are you looking for?" she asked.


    "Richard took a transparent box away a few seconds ago. I didn''t have the courage to grab it back


    because I was heavily outnumbered. That''s why I''m here in the study to see if there''s anything


    valuable lying around."


    Then, I squatted in front of the safe to check inside. I thought that there would be something


    valuable in it, but I got nothing.


    Just then, the phone downstairs rang, so I ran downstairs to answer it.


    "Hello? Is this the Lively residence?" I heard a deep male voiceing from the other end of the


    line.


    "Yes, and who is this?"


    "I am a representative of the federal prison, ma''am. Something has happened to Mr. Nate Lively..."


    After I hung up on him, my mind went nk. This news couldn''t havee at a worse time.


    I was aware that my father would have a hard time in prison, but I never expected him to be


    mistreated so soon.


    "What''s wrong, Rita? Who called us?" My vision was blurred, and all I could hear was my mother''s


    anxious voice.


    When I thought of how cruel my dad was to me before, I gradually calmed down. "Something


    happened to dad!"


    "Wait, what? What happened to him?" my mother asked anxiously.


    "He abandoned us a long time ago, so his business has nothing to do with us anymore," I said,


    visibly irritated.


    Charles'' POV:


    After leaving the prison, Richard went straight to Nate''s vi. His efficiency in work had allowed him


    toe back soon.


    "Sir, here''s that thing you wanted." Richard handed me a hard disk.


    "Well done, Richard. I''ll give you the rest of the day off." After epting the disk, I told him to leave.


    I used a decryption software to ess the hard disk. There were many nude photos of Scarlett


    inside it. These indecent pictures of her had made my blood boil and my face turn red with shame.


    Thinking of how he got these photos angered me even more. No longer able to control myself, and


    punched the table.


    I instantly deleted all the files in the hard disk, and then I asked the technical personnel to destroy it.


    By midnight, I left thepany and went to Scarlett''s house. After inputting the password, I entered


    the house and tiptoed to the second floor. Quietly, I pushed the door open and stepped into her


    room.


    Scarlett had fallen asleep, and by the looks of it, she didn''t seem to be sleeping well. Her forehead


    was practically covered in sweat, and her breathing was ragged. She must be having a nightmare.


    I grabbed a tissue and used it to wipe her face. Suddenly, she shouted, "No! I don''t want it! Stop!


    Nate, you loathsome bastard!"


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    I thought she would wake up, but she didn''t. The way she whimpered made her sound like a


    trapped animal, desperate and powerless. "I''m so scared. I''m scared!"


    My heart ached for her. Gently, I held her cold hand and tried tofort her.


    "Scarlett, you need to move on. Nobody can threaten you ever again. Have faith in me. I''m going to


    protect you for the rest of my life."


    Cautiously, I went to bed with her and embraced her. Once I was beside her, I heard her breathing


    bing steady. And in order to help her sleep morefortably, I adjusted my posture, for fear of


    waking her up.


    Under the faint moonlight, Scarlett''s fair skin looked fatally tempting to me. My desire to have her


    made me want to leave a mark on her skin. I bit my lower lip, holding back my arousal. Then, I just


    nted a kiss on her cheek.


    It had been a long time since I had slept beside Scarlett, so I couldn''t let myself sleep too deeply. I


    wanted to cherish this hard-won heartwarming moment forever.


    Early the next morning, I reluctantly left Scarlett''s home before she could wake up.