"Isn't that like searching for a needle in a haystack?"
Olivia Davis said to Emma Johnson. Emma scrolled through her phone and turned an old news article toward Olivia.
"What's this?"
"A reporter covered this woman's life story a while back. If I'm not mistaken, she's probably still there."
"But what if you're wrong?"
"Then we'll have to find Liam Williams. He's good at tracking people down."
Emma said it casually, though she preferred to handle things herself whenever possible.
When Olivia heard that, she knew Emma already had a plan, so she didn't press further.
Following the information Emma found on her phone, the car drove for nearly an hour to a small, remote restaurant on the outskirts of the city. It finally came to a stop.
Emma gave the driver enough cash to wait outside. After all, hailing a cab in such a secluded suburb wasn't easy.
"Welcome."
A plain-faced woman stepped out, greeting them with a warm smile. Emma studied the lines time had etched on the woman's face, feeling a twinge of emotion.
"Here's the menu. What would you like to eat?"
The woman placed the menu on the table.
"Two servings of Yangzhou fried rice, please."
Emma barely glanced at the menu before speaking to the woman in her apron.
"Alright, have some tea first. I'll bring it out shortly."
The woman brought them a pot of barley tea, set it on the table, and placed two clean porcelain cups beside it before heading to the back kitchen.
Olivia took a sip of the steaming tea and said to Emma with a sigh.
"To think she was once the wife of the director of the Cultural Bureau. Now she's ended up here. It's really a shame."
"So many things in this world are unclear. If not for what happened back then, how could she be here today?"
"Ah, if that's true, it seems Scarlett Martinez has done a lot of harm."
Olivia couldn't help shaking her head.
Just then, a thirteen-year-old girl carrying a schoolbag walked in from outside.
"Mom, I'm home."
The girl's crisp voice radiated youthful energy. The busy woman emerged from the kitchen, smiled, and took a bottle of milk from the fridge. She told the girl to watch TV while she cooked dinner.
The girl obediently agreed and turned on the TV set mounted on the wall. The screen happened to be showing Scarlett Martinez's drama, Autumn Rain. The girl's face instantly twisted with resentment and disgust. Without waiting for Emma and Olivia to hear a single line, she switched off the TV and slammed the remote onto the table beside her. Then she headed to the backyard with her schoolbag.
The girl's reaction made Emma and Olivia exchange glances.
"Seems like it's almost certainly true."
Olivia whispered to Emma, who nodded in agreement.
Just then, the landlady came out of the kitchen with two plates of Yangzhou fried rice. The delicious aroma stirred the hunger in Emma and Olivia's stomachs—they hadn't even had lunch. So they set the matter aside for now and focused on enjoying their meal.
When it came time to pay, Emma handed the landlady her business card along with the cash.
"What's this?"
The landlady looked at Emma with confusion.
"It's my card. I'm the editor-in-chief of New York Fashion Magazine."
"I don't understand. What does this card mean to me? I just run a small restaurant. It has nothing to do with fashion."
The landlady was still puzzled, unsure of what Emma meant.
"I want to tell you that not long ago, I worked with Scarlett Martinez—the actress who's been making waves lately—on a magazine cover for our publication. And last night, I had dinner with her. The evening was pleasant enough. But this morning, a news report came out claiming I stopped my husband from inviting his schoolgirl, Miss Scarlett Martinez, to speak for his company's clothing brand, Milan Fashion House. It said I intended to blacklist her."
Emma paused, watching the landlady's face turn pale.
Her hand tightened around Emma's business card.
"Of course, I'm innocent. But public opinion is leaning toward Scarlett. That only makes me admire her more. She's truly a method actress."
The landlady sat down in the chair beside Emma, her expression gradually clearing.
"Now that you've found me, you must know what happened back then. Go on. What do you want from me?"
The landlady stared at Emma's face.
"It's simple. I just hope you can tell the public what really happened in the past. Let them understand that Scarlett Martinez isn't as perfect as they think. She seduced your husband, indirectly caused him to end up in prison, and forced you to hide in a place like this. So, are you really willing to let that go?"
Emma spoke slowly, revealing her purpose.
"Do you think I'm willing? But what does it matter? She had powerful backing. My husband was truly obsessed with her—he even wanted to divorce me. If he hadn't abused his authority to push her career forward, how could he have been reported and ended up in jail? Frankly, it was his own fault. I've divorced him. I don't want to get involved with anyone or anything related to my ex-husband. Please leave."
The landlady returned the card to Emma and stood up, signaling for them to go.
Emma knew she couldn't rush things. Today was mainly about making contact. If she pushed too hard and didn't give the woman room to think, it might backfire.
So she and Olivia left, planning to return the next day. But she left the business card behind.
Just as they were about to get into the car, a clear voice stopped them.
Emma turned around and saw the landlady's daughter.
"Little sister, what can we do for you?"
Olivia asked kindly.
"I heard what you said to my mother earlier."
The serious expression on the girl's face left Emma and Olivia unsure of what to say. After all, this kind of thing wasn't good for a child to know.
"My mother won't agree with you. No matter how many times you come, she won't. Because she's afraid I'll be in danger."