No Wife, No Life Chapter 52

Holden's eyes flashed with a hint of excitement as he tentatively asked, "Harper, you doing alright? Seen a doctor lately?"

Harper caught on to what Holden was hinting at. She gave a small smile and replied, "Yeah, I had a check-up a few days ago. Frank said my stomach's acting up, but with some rest and medication, it should be fine."

She spoke casually, taking a slow sip of water, her expression unchanged.

The excitement in Holden's eyes dimmed, and his brows furrowed. He shot an annoyed look at Alex.

"I don't know when I'll finally get to hold a grandkid. Alex, you're not getting any younger. When are you two planning to have kids?"

Holden had been eagerly waiting for them to have a child, but it had been five years since they got married, and there wasn't even a hint of pregnancy.

Alex's eyes darkened. He was about to say something when Harper's phone rang.

She quickly picked up the phone, glanced at the number, and said to Holden, "Excuse me, I need to take this call."

She got up and walked briskly outside, speaking briefly before returning.

The topic of children was temporarily put on hold.

After breakfast, the two said goodbye to Holden and left The Lavien Mansion together.

Once in the car, Alex asked coldly, "Who was that on the phone?"

Harper didn't look at him, her gaze fixed outside the window. "It wasn't work-related, so there's no need to report to you."

She implied that it was a personal matter and she didn't have to tell him.

"Caden?"

Alex had already guessed it. Who else would call her so early?

Harper remained silent, which was as good as an admission.

Alex didn't say anything more, his expression growing colder, like a layer of frost had settled over him.

The atmosphere was tense until Harper's phone rang again.

Alex seemed not to hear it, but his eyes betrayed a cold indifference.

This time, Harper answered almost immediately.

"Hi Travis, what's up?"

It was Travis on the line.

It was the weekend, and they had been drinking late the night before. It was unusual for him to call so early, so it must be important.

"Is Alex with you?"

Travis's tone was serious.

"Yes."

It seemed he would like to have Alex listen as well.

Harper put the call on speaker. Travis paused for a few seconds before speaking. "I've found the thug who tried to assault you at the villa."

Harper's heart skipped a beat.

That day at the Orsini Villa, Harper had been drugged and nearly raped by three thugs. Alex had promised to investigate.

She had thought he was covering for Emily, but it seemed he had really sent Travis to look into it.

"Go on." Alex's face remained impassive.

"Last night, near the Orsini Villa, Brad was stopped by three thugs. They caused a scene, and our people intervened. It turns out they were the same thugs from that day. They lost a bet and were trying to extort money from Brad."

He stopped, not saying more.

But Alex and Harper were smart enough to understand.

Why would the thugs try to extort Brad? He must have something on them.

It was clear that Brad was behind the incident.

"I've had the three thugs arrested for gambling, but as for Brad..."

Travis hesitated. After all, Brad was Harper's father, and he couldn't act without her consent.

"Since it's an Orsini family matter, I'll handle it myself. Travis, you don't need to worry about it," Harper said coldly before Alex could respond.

"Alright," Travis replied crisply and hung up.

For a while, Harper said nothing. Her expression remained calm, but inside, she felt a chill.

Brad was her biological father. She had always known he didn't like her, but she never imagined he would sacrifice her to help Emily become Alex's wife. If Emily had orchestrated it, she could understand, but to find out Brad was behind it was a shock.

"What are you going to do?" Alex finally spoke, his tone devoid of emotion.

Harper turned sharply, her clear eyes flashing with determination. "I'll handle it my way."

During her silence, she had already formulated a plan. Now she needed to see Alex's stance. If he helped Brad, her plan would be impossible. So, she decided to ask Alex.

She paused, then spoke slowly. "I just want to know, will you help him? Will you help him for Emily's sake?"

Alex was silent for a moment before saying, "I won't get involved in your family matters."

Harper nodded.

Soon, the Maybach stopped in front of Harper's apartment building. The moment she entered her apartment, she pulled out her phone and dialed a number.

The call was quickly answered. "Hi Ms. Orsini, what can I do for you?" A steady, slightly magnetic voice came through the receiver.

Harper's tone was serious. "Release the information. I want to ensure Orsini Group's stock drops by twenty percent."

There was a brief pause on the other end, then a chuckle. "So, you're finally making your move."

"Ever heard of a decisive strike?" She hadn't acted before because the timing wasn't right. Now, she was sure it was. Everything Brad had taken from her mother, she would reclaim.

"No problem. It's your call."

Harper said nothing more. She trusted him to get the job done, or she wouldn't have chosen him as a partner.

Peyton Thompson was the nominal president of HoloSphere Technologies, but in reality, Harper was the one in control. 

HoloSphere Technologies was a company she had built from the ground up during college, using her scholarship and earnings from programming jobs. It had grown rapidly in Majestic City, becoming a leading new enterprise.

Many knew Peyton and executive director Jacob Harris as close friends, but few knew they were Harper's college friends and that she was the true power behind HoloSphere Technologies.

After hanging up, Harper leaned back on the couch, closing her eyes. With everything set in motion, she was confident Brad wouldn't be able to save Orsini Group. The next step would be a direct confrontation with Brad.

Thinking of Brad's inevitable frustration, Harper couldn't bring herself to smile. Seventeen years ago, he had taken from the Taylor family. Now, it was time to return it all, including what he owed her mother.