Chapter 446 Birthday Banquet
Sarah shot back, "Are you threatening me?"
Heather, cool as a cucumber, replied, "No, just giving you a heads-up. But hey, if you don't believe me, no biggie. Whatever Ryder did to the Johnson family, we'll pay it back tenfold, a hundredfold! Trust me, it won't be long before you're begging me for help!"
With that, Heather hung up the phone.
Sarah slumped on the couch, her right eyelid twitching like crazy. A bad feeling washed over her.
"You okay?" Ava asked, stepping forward.
Seeing Ava looking just as worn out, Sarah's heart ached. Ava had just gotten back from treatment abroad and barely spent any time with Ryder before all this mess happened.
Now, George was arrested, Ryan had vanished, and it was just her, Ava, and Rex left in the villa. They had no one else to turn to.
"Sarah, what if I break into the prison and bust Ryder out? I can't stand seeing him suffer in there!" Rex said, standing up with clenched fists.
Sarah knew he meant it, so she quickly said, "Don't do anything rash. You'll just make things worse for Ryder and yourself! Let me figure something out."
Rex sighed heavily, frustration all over his face.
Just then, the doorbell rang. Rex opened it to find several court officials in uniform.
The lead official showed a document and said, "We're from the court. At the police's request, the homeowner of Platan Height Villa No. 1, Ryder, is suspected of illegal activities. We're here to freeze all his assets and properties. This villa needs to be sealed and vacated immediately. Please leave quickly."
"What? Ryder hasn't even been proven guilty yet. How can you freeze his assets?" Sarah looked completely shocked!
One of the staff members replied seriously, "We're just following the rules. Please cooperate and don't get in our way."
With that, the staff started taking photos and sealing the property. Rex was about to stop them, but Sarah held him back. Things were already bad enough.
Ten minutes later, the villa was sealed. Sarah, Rex, and Ava were forced out. Looking back, Sarah thought of the happy times they had just a few days ago.
Then her phone rang. It was an unknown number.
She answered, and a middle-aged man's voice said, "Is this Sarah? I'm the lawyer hired by the Johnson family. They're suing your husband Ryder. I've sent the lawyer's letter to your email. Get ready for court."
He hung up, leaving Sarah feeling dizzy and blank. She hadn't eaten much due to low blood sugar and the stress of Ryder's situation. Her vision went black, and she fainted.
At ten o'clock at night, Sarah slowly came to on a hospital bed. She opened her eyes and saw Ava sitting beside her. Ava's pale face lit up with relief when she saw Sarah awake. "Do you feel uncomfortable anywhere? I'll call the nurse," she said, concerned.
Sarah shook her head, staring blankly at the ceiling. Ryder's smiling face kept flashing in her mind, making her heart ache. He had always been there for her, helping her out of countless crises without expecting anything in return. Now, it was her turn to save Ryder, no matter the cost, even if it meant swallowing her pride.
With that resolve, Sarah grabbed the phone from the bedside table and dialed Heather's number.
Meanwhile, Ryder sat on the cold, hard iron bed, staring at the moon through the bars of his cell. A cold, calculating look flickered in his eyes as he contemplated his next move.
The next day was overcast. Heather's long-awaited seventieth birthday banquet had finally arrived. The Johnson Estate, located in the eastern part of Houston, was a sprawling courtyard. Heather had insisted on keeping it intact, even if she moved into the Platan Height villa in the future. Today's birthday bash wasn't at a fancy hotel but right there in the courtyard.
Thirty tables were meticulously arranged, and they had invited influential people from Houston and even some from neighboring cities. As the guests arrived, something at the entrance caught their eyes, leaving them puzzled.
Just outside the courtyard entrance, a slender woman was kneeling on both knees. Upon closer inspection, they realized it was Sarah, known as the most beautiful woman in Houston. Naturally, this scene sparked a lot of chatter among the guests:
"What's going on? It's Heather's birthday, and Sarah's kneeling outside instead of attending the banquet?"
"I just got here, but I heard from a friend that Sarah's been kneeling here since six this morning. It's been over three hours, and she hasn't moved!"
"Wow! Kneeling for three hours? That's some serious endurance! And it's cloudy today, with temps below 82 degrees. I'm wearing a jacket, and she's dressed so lightly. Is she okay?"
"How much she wears is none of your business! Anyway, attending Heather's birthday banquet is a rare chance. Make the most of it to connect with the Johnson family, and you could score big!"
The guests chatted as they made their way into the courtyard. Inside, a distant relative of the Johnson family was keeping records.
Guests placed their gifts, each worth at least twenty thousand dollars, on a table and reported their names, while the record keeper noted and announced each gift.
This was the first time in recent years that Houston had seen such a grand and popular birthday banquet!
Log in with Google Account
Chapters
Favorite
Settings
