Jessica planned to leave him even if Erin didn't say anything, or suggested to help her escape. But the time limit was forever. The thought of never seeing James again made Jessica agitated like hundreds of thousands of ants were crawling on her body.

She was so desperate to leave James due to his abuse. After the illusion of him liking her was killed by him, she fantasized, leaving him for the rest of her life. But when the moment finally came, it hurt so much like when she took the bullet in order to save him from Andrew.

But she wanted to save her brother more. She was a bit uneasy, but nodded with determination, "Okay, I promise."

But Erin shook her head, "It's not just a word."

"What do you want then?"

Erin smiled with a deep meaning. It was like the gun the executioner held. After one bang, she would be dead, and her body would fall on the ground...

Then she heard Erin saying with determination, "I'm going to erase all the memories you have of him through hypnosis." erase all the memories you have on him through hypnosis?

Like she never met him?

Erasing him might erase all the pain...

Jessica's eyelashes slightly shook. It might be the tears from before, or she felt crying, the tear hung around her eye sockets, but finally fell.

It fell on her hand, right on where the needle pinched her. It spread the remaining blood.

"Okay."

Jessica heard her voice. Forget it. Forget everything. They couldn't be together anyway.

Then she asked Erin as if she thought of something important, "If he asked about me..."

"He wouldn't, " Erin said with determination, "I'll erase his memory about you in the process."

"Why?" Why did she do it?

"He lives in hatred, and it's painful. I want him to have simple happiness, even if at the cost of losing everything."

"You..." Jessica caught something different when she mentioned James, but she thought she was about to forget him. Why bother prying what didn't concern her?

"If it's okay, I'll do it soon."

Jessica nodded and didn't answer. She didn't know why she was so fidgety.

"Miss Clifford, it's raining cats and dogs. Even homeless people wouldn't live under the bridge."

She fought with her father and ran off on a rainy day. James held the umbrella and squatted, "If anything goes wrong with the draining, you might get swept away if you're in such a low location."

James reached out to wipe the rains on her eyelashes. He smiled, "Miss Clifford, I suggest you change a place to cry."

"James, did you drug me to have sex with me?"

"Miss, do you wanna hear the truth?"

"... Are you gonna lie?"

"I didn't drug you. But I did ask you. Getting soaked in icy water for an hour would be fine. But you said you were cold and the cure was right there. So, I gather you want to use a more environment-friendly manner. It's my bad if you want to hold me accountable..."

"James, that Gabby is less pretty and less gentle than me. She's also a chicken. She's not as cute and nice as me. Why is Jackson obsessed with her? Is he dumb?"

"Love doesn't have that many requirements. Men's angles are different from women's."

"Are you defending him? Are you dumb too?"

"James, do you wanna kiss me?"

James, goodbye...

Avery frowned. She heard nothing back from Andrew at such a critical moment. She had been phoning him until this morning. But his phone was off.

Avery was confident of finding the hidden passage without Andrew's help. But she needed to let him know they were leaving. Also, she could learn something when he left through the passage to save Jessica.

At the time, a maid knocked on Avery's door, "Miss Peters, are you ready? We should leave."

Avery put away her phone fast and whispered, "Not yet. I'm still on the bed. Check on Olivia first."

She wore clothes with long sleeves and boots. She also put a pistol in her boots.

She packed fast and opened the door to follow the maid.

The maid pushed her in, "There're soldiers and bodyguards. We can't let them find us."

"So?"

"Every room has an emergency escape. Follow me, Avery."

Avery spent days in the presidential house. She never noticed it. But this was the place where the president lived, and it was necessary to set up some security passages for the safety of the president.

Avery looked around, wondering where it was built. The maid came to the bed, fumbled around, and pressed a lamp.

The bed was moved to the right, and she twisted another device.

There was a hole on the ground. There were staircases leading down.

Avery knew there were trap doors against invasion. But this was the first time she saw them. She was impressed.

But she didn't keep it too long. She followed the maid to the gym downstairs.

Olivia was there waiting. She also wore casually and had a ponytail. They looked like sisters more than mothers and daughters.

"We'll take the emergency exit to the basement."

The maid hit the buttons on the staircases. The ladder disappeared. It triggered the device, and the exit was shut. Everything was back to normal. They couldn't see a crack on the ceiling.

The bed in the bedroom was at its place.

The maid took advantage of the security passage to lead them.

They were in the basement soon.

"Avery, it's full of devices. Don't touch anything. Just follow me."

The basement was faintly lit, and it was spooky.

Avery had chills on her spines. She was on her alert all the time. The maid said this place was full of devices. She was also worried the maid might try something. If she touched a device, they would be dead.

The maid agreed because she gave her a lot of money. Plus, she gave her lots of jewelry. She did it for money, which was the weakest of all relationships.

As she was thinking, a hand suddenly was on her shoulder...