Chapter 484:
“Oh, I must’ve mistaken you for someone else. I thought you were my friend’s daughter,” Alexa explained quickly, forcing a strained smile. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to offend you.”
Linsey continued to watch her closely. Seeing Alexa’s forced smile, she felt a chill run down her spine. Something about this woman made her uneasy.
“Is that so?” Linsey replied cautiously, masking her suspicion. “If you don’t know, I’ll ask someone else.”
Just as she turned to leave, a rough, dry hand grabbed her wrist firmly.
“Wait!” Alexa called through clenched teeth.
Linsey’s heart skipped a beat. Instinctively, she tried to pull away. “Excuse me, could you let go of me?”
However, Alexa’s grip only tightened. Fear seemed to strengthen her hold; she couldn’t allow Linsey to simply walk away.
With narrowed eyes, Alexa spoke slowly, emphasizing each word. “Didn’t you say you were going to the Lawson family banquet? I’ll take you there.”
Linsey ignored the growing discomfort in her wrist and forced herself to remain calm. “Just tell me which way to go. That’ll be enough.”
Alexa’s hollow cheeks made her forced smile appear even more unsettling. “Please, allow me to take you there,” she insisted. After a brief pause, she finally released Linsey’s wrist, not wanting to draw further suspicion. Setting her cleaning tools aside, she turned and began walking ahead. “Follow me. The Lawson family banquet is about to begin. You wouldn’t want to be late.”
For a moment, Linsey hesitated, watching the woman closely as she moved away. After a few seconds, she cautiously followed. No matter how she considered it, something about this woman felt off. Since the woman was so insistent, Linsey decided it was best to play along and discover what she was truly planning.
Soon, Alexa led her into a stairwell.
Linsey raised an eyebrow but kept her expression neutral. “Why are we taking the stairs?”
Without looking back, Alexa replied, “The hotel elevators aren’t working. We have no choice but to take the stairs.”
Linsey offered a faint smile. “But isn’t the Lawson family banquet on the first floor? Why are you taking me upstairs? And in a hotel this large, could all the elevators really be broken?”
As they spoke, Linsey continued following Alexa to the second floor.
Alexa led the way silently, her head slightly tilted downward, a flicker of malice briefly crossing her eyes.
Without warning, Alexa spun around and attempted to shove Linsey forcefully.
Reacting swiftly, Linsey caught Alexa’s arm, steadying herself firmly.
Frowning, Linsey stared intently at Alexa. “Were you trying to push me?”
After a tense pause, Linsey continued, “I don’t know you. We have no previous conflicts. What possible reason do you have to harm me?”
Linsey had been cautious since arriving at the hotel, but never had she expected an attack from a cleaning lady she didn’t even recognize, who now clearly intended to push her down the stairs.
Suddenly, a thought struck her:
Perhaps this wasn’t their first meeting—maybe this woman had known her all along.
