After the Affair: Falling into a Billionaire's Arms Chapter 32

George stood outside the door, his voice cold and unyielding. "I'm not opening this door unless you quit your job!"

"This is imprisonment!" Louisa shouted back.

"Think it over. You can call me anytime," George replied, turning and heading back to the master bedroom without a second glance.

Louisa was furious. She never thought he could go this far.

She quickly opened her suitcase, pulling out her laptop to try and contact Sadie and the others. But George had already cut the internet connection. He was determined to sever all her ties with the outside world.

Louisa was livid.

...

Meanwhile, George wasn't feeling great either. He had never treated her like this before. When he found out she refused to quit her job, he lost it and locked her up without thinking about the consequences. Now, he could only wait for her to come to her senses.

Little did he know, Louisa had no intention of giving in. She searched the house for anything useful to help her escape. 

Most of her things were already moved out, leaving her with very few options. Finally, she found a lighter in a drawer.

Setting a fire! She could use the smoke and flames to draw attention!

The idea popped into her head. She knew the gardener at the neighboring villa tended to the garden every morning at 6:30 AM. If she could catch the gardener's attention, they might call the property management, who would arrive in about ten minutes. 

Ten minutes wouldn't be enough to burn her alive. Even if something went wrong, she could still make it to the airport in half an hour and meet Julian by 7:30 AM.

She calculated everything in her head. Now, she just had to wait for George to leave. Once he was gone, she could act.

She sat on the floor with the lighter in hand, leaning against the bed, staring at the pitch-black night sky outside the window, and closed her eyes.

For the first time, she desperately hoped Vivian would call George and get him out of the house.

...

No one knew how she got through that night. Afraid of falling asleep and missing George's departure, she forced herself to stay awake. 

There was no food in the house, and her stomach ached from hunger. There was no water either, so she had to chew her medication dry, the bitter taste lingering in her mouth.

But George never left. The crucial time of 6:30 AM passed, and so did the 7:15 AM security patrol. She was losing hope, unsure if she could still make it to the airport to meet Julian. Missing her first day at work would likely get her fired.

Her mind was a blur, cursing George a thousand times over. Suddenly, she heard a phone ringing. It was George's phone. 

She couldn't make out what he was saying through the doors. Shortly after, he emerged from the bedroom, fully dressed, and stood in front of her door.

"Have you thought it through?" he asked coldly.

"Let me out," she replied, her voice even colder.

"I'll let you out when you decide to quit."

Damn it! Bastard! She cursed him in her mind, knowing she shouldn't have expected anything from him. 

But soon, she heard him leave. She checked the time: 7:40 AM. She wasn't sure if anyone would notice at this hour, but she had to take the chance.

Without hesitation, she lit the curtains on fire.

...

At the airport, in the VIP lounge, Julian was already there. He sat on the sofa, legs crossed, a laptop on his lap, his fingers occasionally tapping the keyboard as he worked. 

His presence exuded a sense of refined restraint, and his striking looks and powerful aura drew gasps and stares from the women around him.

Julian ignored them, focused on his work, occasionally glancing at the time in the corner of his screen.

"Ms. Forbes isn't here yet?" he asked coolly without looking up.

Teddy quickly responded, "No, sir. I've been trying to reach her, but she's not answering her phone."

At first, Julian thought she might be stuck in traffic or delayed by something. She didn't seem like the type to break a promise. But as the time approached 7:40 AM, with only half an hour left before boarding, she still hadn't shown up.

He couldn't help but complain, "Ms. Forbes is really unreliable. Even if something came up, she should've called. Not answering calls or messages, what's that about?"

He looked at his boss's cold, icy eyes. "Mr. Tudor, maybe we should stop waiting. She wasn't part of the original plan anyway. Whether she comes or not doesn't really matter."

Julian nodded. "Inform Seraphim that the meeting is postponed. Let the client know we'll reschedule."

What? Teddy was stunned. But seeing Julian stand up and head out, he quickly followed. "Are you worried something happened to Ms. Forbes?"

Julian didn't respond, his entire demeanor radiating a chilling aura.

...

Back at the Capulet Villa, Louisa felt her luck had hit rock bottom. The room was engulfed in flames, the fire growing more intense by the second. But outside, there was still no sign of help.

Coughing from the smoke, she opened the window, letting the smoke billow out. She thought, worst case, she'd jump out the window. The second floor wouldn't kill her, just injure her a bit. No way was she going to let George trap her here.