After Emma finished speaking, Scarlett reluctantly let go of Elijah.
Once she was in the car, Emma suddenly turned to Adrian and asked, "Elijah won't die, will he?"
She didn't know why she asked that. Her mind was still a mess. But Elijah had grown up with her. Watching him die was something she couldn't accept, not yet.
"Don't worry. He's tough. You'll see him again."
Adrian gave Emma a meaningful look before ordering his men to start the car. Emma watched the vehicle speed away, the sound of police sirens growing louder behind her.
"Surprised you didn't leave with them."
Liam's sarcastic voice cut through the cold air. Emma turned to face him, his expression icy in the biting wind. Her heart felt heavy with bitterness.
Without another word, he produced a pair of handcuffs and clamped them ruthlessly around her slender wrists.
"Emma Johnson, you are suspected of harboring a criminal from the Black Feather organization, codenamed 'Fox Hunt'—Elijah Clark. I'm taking you in for questioning."
Liam's face was stone cold as he delivered those heartless words.
"So that's why you married me. You suspected I was involved with Elijah all along, didn't you?"
In that moment, everything clicked into place. Emma stared at the man before her, a bitter smile twisting her lips. She felt so naive, so foolish. Now she understood why Liam's attitude always turned hostile whenever Elijah was around. He knew Elijah was part of a criminal syndicate, but he had no evidence to arrest him.
Of course, it would irritate a cop to have a criminal slip through his fingers. No wonder Liam always acted so coldly toward Elijah.
Liam seemed to flinch at the irony in her eyes, but his expression remained unreadable. He finished cuffing her, grabbed her arm, and led her to the police car.
Emma didn't struggle. She didn't resist. She followed him silently until he opened the door and was about to close it, ready to chase after Elijah.
"Liam, I was truly blind."
Her voice was soft, barely audible. But the hatred in her words made Liam pause. He held the car door, his dark eyes fixed on the woman inside. Her hair was disheveled, covering most of her face. What little skin was visible was pale and fragile, as if she might wither away at any moment.
Something tightened in his chest. He looked away, slammed the door shut, and joined Captain Reed to pursue Adrian.
Emma was taken to the police station first.
Despite their efforts, Elijah managed to escape. A helicopter had been waiting for them at a prearranged location, but Liam didn't know the address. By the time they arrived, the helicopter carrying Elijah was already in the air, heading across the ocean.
"Damn it! They got away. I can't believe it."
Captain Reed threw his walkie-talkie to the ground in frustration.
Liam watched the helicopter merge with the night sky, his eyes growing colder.
Inside the helicopter, Adrian treated Elijah's burn wounds. After a while, Elijah regained consciousness. A few seconds later, he suddenly remembered seeing Emma before he passed out. He tried to sit up immediately.
"Vivian... I have to save Vivian."
"Relax. Emma is safe. We've escaped and are heading to Italy. You'd better lie down now, or your wound will reopen."
Adrian looked at Elijah and said.
"Why did you bring her here? She doesn't know anything."
Elijah's fiery red eyes locked onto Adrian.
"You think I wanted her there? I only put her in the car for a moment. I didn't expect her to wake up. We were trapped at the time, so we used her as a distraction. But she's not in any danger now."
Since things had already happened, Adrian saw no point in hiding the truth anymore.
He told Elijah about his plan to take Emma to Italy.
"How could you do that?"
"It didn't work out in the end, did it?"
Adrian shrugged, but Elijah was still furious. The thought that Emma now knew his true identity made his vision go dark. How could he ever face her again? She would never speak to him. She knew he was an international criminal.
"She knows who you are now. But I think she cares about you. Besides, I didn't expect Liam to act like he loved her but then abandon her when it mattered. I saw everything."
Adrian recounted what had happened in the warehouse and what Emma had said before leaving. Elijah's expression shifted between pain and hope. Adrian knew exactly what he was thinking.
"Either way, you can't contact her now. But who knows about the future? I doubt Emma and Liam's relationship will last. A man who doesn't care about her life? And your childhood friend isn't the type to forgive and forget. She's probably already furious with Liam."
"But in her eyes, my image is ruined."
Elijah's voice was filled with anguish.
"If you can make her fall in love with you later, she won't care about your identity. Don't forget, love is blind."
Adrian patted Elijah's shoulder, trying to comfort him. Watching the man's conflicted eyes, Adrian sighed inwardly. The mission had failed, and he didn't know how the boss would deal with Emma in the end.
If the boss truly wanted Emma dead, what would he do?
Once Elijah learned the truth, it would be disastrous for the stability of the entire Black Feather organization. Elijah was a genius. If he turned against them, the group would be in serious trouble. After returning, Adrian would need to find a way to persuade the boss.
Besides, he didn't want Emma to die so easily. A woman like that was rare. It would be a shame to lose her.