Chapter 269: You might lose your only chance to find Nana

The atmosphere inside Adrian’s office grew increasingly tense as he stared at the woman standing before his desk.

"Mrs. Hayes, what brings you here?" he asked, unable to hide his surprise. He certainly hadn’t expected her to show up without any prior notice.

However, as he watched her stand before him without the slightest hint of hesitation, a thought crossed his mind.

Is she here because of the announcement?

The possibility made him sneer inwardly. Then again, considering the circumstances, there was another explanation that couldn’t be ruled out.

Perhaps she was here for the money.

Adrian’s expression grew colder as he regarded the woman.

Either way, I have no reason to trust her.

"If you’re here to convince me to drop the charges against your husband, I’m afraid I’ll have to disappoint you," he said firmly. "The case against him doesn’t depend solely on my testimony. Even if I were to withdraw my statement, that wouldn’t automatically make the charges disappear."

His words left little room for negotiation.

Adrian was well aware of the lengths Dorothy had gone to in an attempt to persuade Clara to convince him to reconsider the case against her husband.

Clara hadn’t personally told him about Dorothy’s schemes, but that hardly meant he was unaware of them.

He had his own ways of keeping track of what was happening around him, especially when it involved people who had already given him reasons to be suspicious.

As it happened, the officer in charge of investigating both the Crownwell and Vincent cases had provided him with more than enough information to understand what Dorothy had been up to.

And frankly, Adrian wasn’t impressed.

The woman had apparently thought she could manipulate Clara into doing her bidding, then use that as a means of getting him to back down.

What a ridiculous assumption.

Adrian leaned back in his chair, his gaze never leaving Dorothy’s face.

"So, before we waste each other’s time, Mrs. Hayes, I’d appreciate it if you told me the real reason you’ve come here."

His tone remained polite, but the warning beneath his words was unmistakable.

"Because if you’ve come expecting me to do you a favor, I’m afraid you’ve chosen the wrong person."

Dorothy remained rooted to the spot, neither confirming nor denying Adrian’s accusations. However, after a brief silence, the corners of her lips curled into a faint smile that immediately drew a frown from the man sitting behind the desk.

"I thought we were here to discuss Nana, but I’m glad you’ve made your position clear, Mr. Graham."

The moment those words left her mouth, a cold glint flashed through Adrian’s eyes.

Nana?

For a brief second, he wondered whether he had heard her correctly. However, before he could question her, Dorothy continued.

"You heard me right, Mr. Graham. I’m here to talk about the girl you’ve been searching for so relentlessly."

Adrian’s expression stiffened.

Without waiting for an invitation, Dorothy walked towards his desk, pulled out a chair, and settled into it as though she had every right to be there.

For several seconds, Adrian simply stared at her, struggling to comprehend what she had just said.

But as her words gradually sank in, his initial surprise gave way to suspicion.

"Mrs. Hayes, this isn’t something you can joke about," he warned, his voice turning dangerously cold. "And if you think you can use Nana to manipulate me, I suggest you reconsider."

The last thing he needed was for this woman to play games with him, especially when it came to someone he had spent so long trying to find.

Yet Dorothy remained completely unfazed by his warning.

Instead, she simply met his gaze, her expression suggesting that she had anticipated his reaction.

That only served to aggravate Adrian further.

"Logan!"

His sudden call made his assistant, who had been standing quietly to the side, straighten immediately.

"Yes, sir?"

"Get the guards and have Mrs. Hayes escorted out."

Adrian’s gaze remained fixed on Dorothy as he delivered the order, making it abundantly clear that he had no intention of entertaining her games.

However, rather than showing any sign of panic, Dorothy merely smiled.

"Are you sure you want to do that, Mr. Graham?" she asked calmly. "Because once I walk out of that door, you might lose your only chance of finding Nana."

The moment those words reached his ears, Adrian’s expression changed.

Just hearing that name was enough to stir something deep within him, something he had spent years trying to suppress beneath his responsibilities and carefully maintained composure.

How many days had he spent searching for her?

How many sleepless nights had he endured, going over every little clue, hoping that the next lead would finally bring him closer to finding the girl.

And now, Dorothy Hayes was sitting right in front of him, claiming she knew something about Nana.

Adrian’s fingers curled against the edge of his desk.

Could she really know where Nana is?

The thought sent a wave of conflicting emotions through him.

Hope was the first to surface, fierce and almost frightening in its intensity. But it was quickly followed by suspicion.

Why now?

Why had Dorothy suddenly decided to approach him with this information?

And more importantly, why had she chosen to do so when she was already entangled in a situation that gave her every reason to seek his favor?

Adrian’s gaze darkened.

He knew better than to trust a person simply because they held the key to something he desperately wanted.

People could be cruel. They could be calculating. And when they discovered what someone valued most, they could use it as leverage without the slightest hesitation.

Was that what Dorothy was doing?

Was she trying to exploit his desperation to save her husband?

The mere possibility made his stomach turn.

For years, he had trained himself to remain composed under pressure. He had learned to recognize manipulation, anticipate his opponents’ moves, and never allow his emotions to dictate his decisions.

Yet somehow, the mention of Nana had managed to throw all those carefully built defenses into disarray.

That was precisely what frightened him.

Because if Dorothy was lying, she wasn’t merely wasting his time.

She was playing with something he could never afford to lose again.

"Sir?" Logan’s cautious voice interrupted his thoughts.

Adrian realized he had been staring at Dorothy for several seconds without saying a word.

He slowly lifted his gaze to meet hers.

The woman was still smiling.

That infuriatingly composed expression only deepened his suspicions, but he forced himself to push his anger aside.

He couldn’t afford to make a decision in haste.

Not when Nana was involved.

Taking a slow breath, Adrian leaned forward, resting his forearms on the desk.

"Logan, leave us."

His assistant hesitated, glancing between Adrian and Dorothy before reluctantly heading towards the door.

Once they were alone, Adrian fixed his attention on the woman before him.

"Mrs. Hayes," he began, his voice dangerously calm, "you have exactly one chance to tell me what you know about Nana."

His eyes narrowed.

"And if I discover that you’ve lied to me, I promise you that your husband will be the least of your worries."