Chapter 4 Mr Lock Doesn’t Recognize His Wife
Chapter 4 Mr Lock Doesn’t Recognize His Wife
“Stop right there! Who are you?”
The sudden shout from the security guard yanked Tess out of her daze.
She furrowed her brows and said, “You saw me just this afternoon. I live in Tower C. Have you forgotten?”
The security guard cleared his throat awkwardly.
“I do remember. I was the one who let you in with my key card. But we’ve just received a new notice—your unit’s been frozen. Your creditor filed for a freeze on your property. Without your creditor’s approval, you’re not allowed to enter.”
“What? That’s my house! Why can’t I go in?”
Tess’s voice cracked in disbelief.
I paid for this house in full.
What does it have to do with Finn?
The security guard gave her a once–over and softened his tone. “Look, since you’ve got a kid with you, I won’t make things harder. But you really should leave.”
“You … What about my things? My luggage is still inside!”
The security guard shrugged and explained, “Unless you’ve got court documents lifting the freeze, we can’t let you in. Maybe try calling your creditor? If they say yes and notify our office, we’ll let you in temporarily.”
“I don’t even know what creditor you’re talking about.” Her lips turned pale.
“You need to figure it out.”
The guard didn’t respond. He gave her a cold glance and turned back toward the comfort of the heated security booth, shutting the door behind him.
Tess stood alone in the bitter wind, chilled to her bones.
From a legal standpoint, Finn did have the right to use her criminal record–her conviction and time in prison–as grounds to freeze her property and liquid assets, claiming to be a harmed party.
In other words, a word from him could leave her utterly stranded with nowhere to turn to.
No money. No roof above my head.
Does he hate me that much?
I’ve served my sentence. Why is he still haunting me?
“Finn, how can you be so heartless?” she murmured.
Holding Layla close, Tess had nowhere to go.
The security guard didn’t want her lingering at the entrance, taking shelter from the wind and rain. In his eyes, she was a stain on the image of the upscale property. He chased her off more than once.
With no choice, Tess found herself standing on an empty street, shivering–not from the cold but from the fury rising inside
her.
She shut her eyes. She needed a way out–for herself and for Layla.
At that moment, a flyer fluttered to her feet. It was a job ad for a street cleaner.
Tess crouched down and picked it up with hands so cold they were turning blue.
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Chapter 4 Mr Lock Doesn’t Recognize His Wife
“Accommodation provided, two meals a day, 3,000 dollars a month.” That was all it promised. She had a criminal record, so no respectable company would take her in. Not even a decent chain restaurant would hire someone like her.
But a cleaning job? Maybe that was her best option.
Tess hugged Layla tighter and took one last look at the gates of Evermount Heights. Then, she walked away decisively, her pace quickening.
Later that night, a luxury sedan rolled out of Evermount Villa’s main entrance.
Finn reclined in the back seat with his eyes closed, half–asleep.
Someone got into the car at Cora Bay.
“Finn, guess what I brought you?” the woman chirped cheerfully.
She had long, soft chestnut curls and wore a couture business suit.
Her wrist was adorned with a gold watch–an exclusive pre–release model–not yet available to the public. The elegant gold face was encrusted with tiny diamonds, shimmering with quiet extravagance.
From head to toe, there wasn’t a single detail on her that wasn’t polished to perfection and screamed luxury.
She was all smiles and grace, holding out an artfully arranged breakfast.
But Finn, seated beside her, remained cold and silent. His profile looked icy.
When he didn’t respond, her smile began to falter, and a flicker of concern crossed her face.
“You’re in a bad mood today, aren’t you?”
She lowered her hands and curled her fingers tightly on her lap.
“I heard you went to pick Tess up yesterday. Is she still mad at me for reporting her back then?”
Finn’s hand paused mid–scroll on his tablet.
He had flipped through several pages, but he hadn’t read a single word.
The tantalizing scent of the breakfast lingered in the air.
Tess used to make the same kind of bread rolls every morning.
He’d come downstairs to find her in an apron, busy in the kitchen.
Even if he had already eaten, he’d still take one, unable to resist.
Now, he took a bite of a bread roll, but the delicacy in his memory tasted nauseating.
They looked the same, but they didn’t taste right.
“She brought it on herself. Nadine, don’t forget–just a year and a half ago, you single–handedly beat the legendary firm belonging to the Hunts with that brief you wrote. You’re a genius in the legal world. My company thrives because I have you by my side.
“As for her…”
Finn set down the food and grabbed a bottle of water, twisting it open and drinking it down. Only after he’d washed the taste from his mouth did the tension in his brow begin to ease–but the tight line of his lips was steeped in contempt.
“She’s just a convicted felon who doesn’t deserve your attention.”
The gleam of his luxury watch caught the light, its cold reflection matching the iciness in his voice. His lips tightened into a line after that speech.
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Chapter 4 Mr Lock Doesn’t Recognize His Wife
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“But Tess was my mentor,” Nadine Ember said softly, as if she still carried some trace of guilt. “She was the one who brought me into Lock Group as a legal intern.”
She let out a sigh, her tone heavy with apparent worry about Tess.
“If it hadn’t been for her, you never would’ve been stuck in that position for years. She was jealous of your talent. She stole your arguments and used them to skyrocket her career. She was conniving. And you were too kind.”
Finn gave Nadine a rare, gentle smile, his eyes brimming with nothing but scorn and disdain for Tess.
Nadine quietly let out a breath of relief.
Then, as if making an offhand comment, she lamented, “Yeah, it still baffles me. Who would’ve thought Tess would sell out the company? She knew full well that the man from the Hunts was your sworn enemy–and yet she still colluded with him, trying to trap you so that you’d have no choice but to depend on her.”
She placed her hand on Finn’s knee. She looked like she had been hit by a pang of fear, as though the memory still unsettled her.
Yeah. Thank goodness you’re by my side.”
Finn patted her hand absentmindedly, his thoughts already drifting away.
That woman… Where is she now?
Wasn’t she obsessed with becoming my wife?
She didn’t come home last night. Did she spend the night on the streets and digging through dumpsters for food?
Or secretly cooking up a grand scheme?
The thought made his lips curl into a cold smirk.
Across from him, Nadine’s cheeks flushed in the intimacy of the moment.
But her eyes glinted with contempt.
So what if that bitch is out of prison? She’s still beneath me.
A felon with a criminal record. No matter how brilliant she used to be as a star attorney, that bitch is as worthless as the dirt beneath my feet
now.
Tess, your title is mine now. And so is your husband.
Screech!
The sudden slam of brakes sent Nadine tumbling into Finn’s arms.
He caught her just in time and narrowly prevented Nadine from injuring herself.
His cold eyes bore into the driver in the front. He asked, “What happened?”
Bill wiped the sweat from his forehead and apologized, “Sorry, Mr. Lock. There’s a street cleaner up ahead. I almost hit her.”
Finn looked out the windshield.
There, bent over in the early dawn light, was a woman bundled in a faded scarf and an oversized coat. She was sweeping the leaves and puddles on the road with a broom that looked far too large for her frame.
She was small–almost childlike.
Every motion was clumsy but painstakingly careful.
The hern of her pants was soaked, but she didn’t seem to mind the biting cold.
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Chapter 4 Mr Lock Doesn’t Recognize His Wife
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The screech of the tires had clearly startled her. She glanced over, then instantly ducked her head like she’d seen something terrifying.
Finn narrowed his eyes.
That woman
She started sweeping faster, frantic, as if something monstrous were chasing her. The cold water sloshed around her ankles, but she didn’t stop.
And then he noticed–something was strapped to her chest.
“A baby?” Nadine gasped. “She’s out here sweeping the streets with a baby? That woman must be out of her mind.
“A mother like her doesn’t deserve to have children,” she added with a sneer, arms crossed in judgment.
Finn’s frown deepened.
There was something about her frame… The way she moved … Even the color of the baby’s clothing looked familiar. He’d seen it before.
Yes–outside the prison. He had seen this woman on the bus, cradling a
