Chapter 4

I quickly pulled out my phone and showed the call log to the guard. "I really am Ethan's friend. Look, we just talked on the phone this afternoon."

The guard looked carefully, his expression wavering slightly. "It really is Mr. North's number."

Amber's face changed, but then we heard the guard continue, "But there are so many people who save a random number under a celebrity's name. This trick is so childish."

Getting anxious, I pressed on. This guard was really difficult to deal with. "Just call Ethan and tell him Mia Thompson is outside. He'll come out to get me."

At this point, I didn't care about the surprise anymore. Getting inside was the priority.

Plus, I wanted to know what Amber meant by her earlier comment. What happened to my money?

To my dismay, the guard looked even more suspicious after hearing my suggestion.

"You know Mr. North has a performance down south today, yet you're asking me to call him. I think you're just a scammer."

Ethan wasn't here today? What a coincidence.

"Fine, then I'll call Ryan Frost," I said, dialing his number immediately, praying that Ryan would pick up quickly.

I glanced at Amber inadvertently. Her expression seemed a bit odd.

She walked in front of me and waved her hand before my eyes. "Mia, can you see me?"

The call still hadn't connected, and I was getting impatient. I was about to tell her to shut up.

Just as I opened my mouth, I suddenly realized something.

Was Amber suspicious of me?

Pretending to be angry, I said, "You know I can't see. Why are you asking this?"

Amber looked unconvinced but didn't press further.

I couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief.

The person on the other end of the line finally answered, "Hello! Mia, you finally remembered to call me?"

"The signal here is bad, we might get cut off..."

"I'm at..." The call abruptly ended, and I felt like cursing.

Damn Ryan and his jinxing habits, still the same after all these years.

Holding my phone, I tried to explain to the guard, "At least this proves I know them, right? Can you let me in now?"

The guard shook his head, his attitude unyielding. "Who knows if you're using some AI call simulator? With technology these days, it's easy to fake a call with a celebrity."

My blood pressure was rising rapidly, but remembering Ethan and the others' current celebrity status, I forced myself to calm down.

I turned to leave, planning to wait at a nearby hotel for them to contact me.

Uncharacteristically, Amber called out to stop me. "Mia, let me take you in."

As if afraid I wouldn't agree, she added, "You can't see, so it'll be faster if I guide you, right?"

I looked at her smiling face, feeling a chill run down my spine.

She wasn't this kind-hearted. Was she planning something sinister?

"What's wrong? Are you scared?" Amber narrowed her eyes at me, her tone somewhat challenging.

Yeah, right. I've lived here for over a decade. Why would I be afraid of her?

Besides, I wanted to see what she was up to.

Amber led me into the complex, finally stopping in front of my old villa.

She had bought my villa!

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