Chapter 5

I looked at Judson, feeling a strange mix of emotions that I couldn't quite put into words.

Was he trying to show me that there was nothing wrong with these apple slices with peanut butter?

Or had his acting become so flawless that I couldn't see through it anymore?

I didn't refuse again. I picked up the plate and ate the sliced apple with a blank expression.

It wasn't because I trusted him. It was because I knew that, at this stage, while he still needed to make use of the Sullivan family and me, he wouldn't do anything to harm me.

Once I finished them, his expression finally softened a little. He quietly cleared away the plate, getting ready to leave.

"Wait," I called out to him.

He turned back to look at me.

"Tomorrow, come with me to the Sullivan residence," I said.

A flicker of surprise crossed his eyes, but he quickly nodded. "Okay."

I needed a chance to slip away from him and get in touch with someone outside.

And going back to the Sullivan residence was the perfect excuse.

The next day, Judson kept his word and drove me to the Sullivan residence.

When my parents saw us arrive together, they couldn't stop smiling.

"Annie, Judson, long time no see. Come in. Have a seat." My mom enthusiastically fussed over Judson, asking all sorts of questions about how he'd been. "Judson, has work been keeping you busy lately? You look like you've lost weight."

"I'm fine, Christine," Judson replied with that perfect gentleman's smile. "No matter how busy work gets, Annie and the baby are always my top priority."

As he said that, he reached over and affectionately put his arm around my shoulders.

I stiffened, fighting the urge to push him away.

My dad watched our "loving" display and nodded, looking so pleased. "Look at you, Judson. You are already like a real father. Annie's pregnant now, so she might be a bit moody. Try to be patient with her."

"Don't worry, Paul. I'll take good care of her," Judson replied.

Judson put on such a perfect show as the model husband that I almost laughed.

While my mom pulled Judson into the kitchen to show off her soup, I snuck back to my room, shut the door, and locked it.

I fished out an old phone from the drawer, one I hadn't touched in forever, and slipped in the SIM card.

Once it booted up, I immediately dialed a number.

The phone rang for ages before someone finally answered. The voice from the other end sounded both lazy and wary. "Who is this?"

"Jason, it's Anna Sullivan," I said.

The man on the other end was Jason Morrow, the heir to the Morrow Group.

He was also Judson's biggest rival in the business world.

In my previous life, after Judson fell from power, Jason was the one who snapped up most of the Roberts Group's assets.

I didn't really know him. We'd only bumped into each other a couple of times at business events.

But I knew he was a man with a deep, calculating mind and ruthless methods. He was the only one who could really go toe-to-toe with Judson.

If I wanted to get to the bottom of what really happened back then and bring Judson down, I needed someone strong enough to stand with me.

And Jason was exactly the ally I needed.

"Anna?" Jason sounded genuinely surprised. "To what do I owe the honor of Mrs. Sullivan calling me?" His voice carried an unmistakable edge of amusement and sarcasm.

I skipped the pleasantries and cut right to the chase. "I need you to help me investigate something."

"Oh? What could be important enough for you to personally reach out to me, Mrs. Sullivan?"

"I need you to look into who Paloma has been meeting lately and where her funds are coming from. Also, get me the surveillance footage from the clinic I frequent from the past six months, and the records for the prenatal medicine I've been prescribed."

There was a long silence on the other end.

After a moment, Jason gave a soft, amused laugh. "Mrs. Sullivan, are you checking if your husband's got something to hide?"

"That's really none of your concern," I said coolly. "Answer me. Will you take the deal or not?"

"A deal?" Jason sounded intrigued. "What do I get out of it?"

"Insider secrets from the Roberts Group. Is that enough for you?"

Jason let out a low laugh on the other end. "This is really something. If Judson ever found out his wife was stabbing him in the back, his reaction would be priceless."

"So, do we have a deal?" I pressed.

"Deal." Jason's voice suddenly turned serious. "But I have one condition."

"What is it?"

"I want you to be my informant on the inside, spy on Judson for me."

My heart sank. "What do you mean?"

"I want you to stick by Judson's side and report back to me on everything, every step he takes, every decision he makes at the company.

"Anna, I'm not looking for a couple of secrets here. I want the whole Roberts Group."

His ambition was so blatant that it made my skin crawl as it came through the phone.

Like Judson, Jason was also a hungry wolf.

Teaming up with either of them was like playing with fire.

But I had no other option.

"Fine, I'll do it," I said.