No Escape from Love novel Chapter 176

"Get out of here," I said with a chuckle.

Patricia continued, "Or… he's been following you."

To my surprise, I actually agreed with her.

…

The next morning, I decided to talk to Alex after hesitating for a long time. I wanted Oliver to help me investigate whether Lucas had been tracking me.

But he wasn't at the office.

"Maybe he's sick and took the day off," I muttered, shaking my head as I turned to leave. However, for some unknown reason, the elevator remained stuck on the first floor and wouldn't move.

I opted for the stairs after being left with no choice. As I descended, I pulled out my phone, preparing to message Alex.

"Scarlett, we're aware of your situation. You should really consider our proposal," a voice echoed below, carrying both a warning and a hint of persuasion. "If you agree, our boss won't treat you unfairly. You don't want to keep living in that run-down place with your mother forever, do you?"

I froze, quickly pressing myself against the wall and crouching down to avoid making any noise.

Was it the Scarlett I knew?

"Forget it." Sure enough, I heard Scarlett's voice reply. It was firm yet calm. "Hastings Group has treated me well. I simply can't bring myself to do something like this. Stirring up such a scandal would be devastating for them."

"You're so concerned about Alex's well-being, but has he ever once considered your struggles?" the voice continued.

"Enough!" Scarlett suddenly snapped. "Out of respect for the years our companies have worked together, I won't say a word about this. But don't ever bring this up again. And don't come looking for me anymore."

"Scarlett," I greeted her with enthusiasm as I approached. "Hastings Group's new product launch just wrapped up, and sales have been fantastic. The factory is already preparing for the second round of production."

I carefully observed her expression. As soon as she heard my words, her eyes lit up with delight. "Really?"

I nodded. "I'm planning to visit the factory this afternoon. If we catch any issues in this batch, it could save our reputation before it's too late."

She nodded seriously. "You're right. Be careful on the road."

Her expression—whether it was her happiness, agreement, or concern—showed no signs of deception.

I decided to probe further. "By the way, Scarlett, could you lend me the product standards manual? I came looking for you twice earlier, but you weren't here."