Chapter 175 The Gift
I tried to look as pitiful as possible, my voice shaky and tears almost spilling over. The bar owner gave me a sleazy once-over, and I could tell he was on the fence.
I played with my hair, turning on the charm. It didn't take long before he was practically drooling. I buttered him up just right, and maybe my act worked because he finally agreed to help me get the surveillance footage. Honestly, men were all the same.
In the footage, I spotted Anne and some young folks in weird outfits huddled in a corner. They were definitely up to something. There was no sound, but it was clear they were making some kind of deal. I saw Anne pull out stacks of cash and hand them out. Since I couldn't export the footage, I secretly recorded it on my phone. It wasn't the best quality, but it would do as evidence.
Just as I was about to leave, the greasy bar owner blocked my way, grinning like a creep. He reached out to grab my hand, but I dodged him, feeling sick to my stomach.
He didn't care about my disgust and kept leering at me. "Anne, can you leave me your contact info? If I find what you lost, I'll let you know," he said.
I snorted internally. Since I had given him Anne's name earlier, I might as well give him her number too. If he wanted to harass someone, let it be Anne. It would serve her right. So, I calmly gave him Anne's number and left without looking back.
With the crucial footage in hand, I went straight to Joshua, asking him to get the traffic police to pull the surveillance video from where Aria was attacked. Joshua, being the captain of the criminal police, had some connections.
It didn't take long for Joshua to send me the video. I reviewed it and saw the same people from the bar's footage following Aria into the alley. It was clear now that Anne and her friends were behind this. Anne was smart enough not to get her hands dirty, but this proved she was the mastermind.
With this evidence, I thought about going to Edward to clear my name. But I couldn't reach him, and doubts began to cloud my mind. If I went to Edward, he might destroy the evidence to protect Anne. So, I decided to confront Anne directly and make her confess.
Setting up a meeting with her would be easy; I'd just tell her I had a gift for her, and she'd show up for sure. Days of running around had me completely wiped out. On top of the constant dull pain in my abdomen, I had started bleeding. I knew I probably couldn't keep my baby, so I had to hurry and find Anne before it was too late. I set up a meeting with her on a sunny morning.
Before the meeting, I felt sorry for my baby in my heart. I couldn't bring her into this world, but I hoped that she remembered me and came back as my child in the future. I carefully picked out a casual outfit and put on some light makeup to look presentable. I didn't drive myself but took a cab to the café where we agreed to meet.
In the cab, my hands were shaking uncontrollably, and sweat occasionally beaded on my forehead, but I felt cold all over. Watching the street scenes flash by outside the window, I felt that my mind was racing. I hated Edward's indifference and cruelty, and I hated the tricks of fate. If it weren't for seeking revenge and clearing my name, I would never have put my child in such danger.
Each wave of abdominal pain felt like a knife twisting in my heart, reminding me that I might soon lose my child. But I couldn't stop. Anne had to pay for what she had done, even if it meant I had to pay such a painful price.
The driver noticed something was off through the rearview mirror. He slowed down and asked, "Ma'am, you look very pale. Do you need to go to the hospital?"
But I was lost in my own sadness and determination, not hearing the driver's words at all.
"Ma'am?" The driver asked again, more insistently.
I snapped back to reality, forced a smile, and said, "I'm fine. Just take me to my destination." My tone was firm, and the driver didn't push it. With a press of the accelerator, the cab soon arrived at the café.
Anne was already sitting in a booth by the window, touching up her makeup with a small mirror. Seeing her, I felt a surge of disgust and heartache.
I had once eagerly anticipated the birth of this child, but now I had to let her go, and in such an extreme way. Then a thought hit me—why should I bear this sorrow alone? I wanted Edward to witness his child being destroyed by Anne. If I told him I had found the person who hurt Aria, he might not come, but if I said Anne was in trouble, I believed he would rush to the café. So I sent a message to Edward.
After sending the message, I set my phone to record. I took a moment to calm myself, adjusted my smile, and then walked over to sit across from Anne.
As soon as I sat down, Anne spoke, "Diana, you said you got the signed album of the Whimsical Fantasia Choir, is it true?" Her eyes sparkled with excitement as she asked.
"Of course," I said and gently patted the handbag on the table. "I spent a lot of money to get this album for you."
"Let me see it." Anne stood up excitedly, reaching for my handbag.
"Don't rush. Do you think I would lie to you?" I stopped her and slowly took out the music album I had prepared from my bag. It was indeed a rare album I had spent a lot of money on.
Anne grabbed the album from my hand, looking at it excitedly from all angles.