Chapter 35 It seemed he had heard the news of her supposed death and called via video to confirm it . Giselle let the video call ring unanswered until it disconnected on its own . After it hung up , he called again . She continued to ignore it . He tried several times , but only when the calls repeatedly went unanswered and disconnected automatically did he finally stop . Perhaps this man felt a sense of relief knowing she had suddenly died . He had disliked her from the beginning , always wanting to rid himself of her . Now that she had completely disappeared from his life , wasn't that exactly what he wanted ? With this thought , she became even more resolved to stay hidden . She avoided getting a new SIM card , remained inside , and didn't return to her home . Vivienne took care of her dog , visiting her place occasionally to assist . Numerous friends had expressed their condolences via WhatsApp , including her sports teammates and long - term colleagues . Naturally , Zachary sent her messages too . Zachary was overseas , occupied with his graduation thesis . It was uncertain if he knew about her accident , but he kept asking daily why she wasn't responding . She chose to disregard all the messages . Eventually, she logged out of WhatsApp , plunging her world into silence . During the days when the police were searching for her " remains " , they also began investigating the person responsible for the accident . Though there was no surveillance footage from that specific stretch of road , the police reviewed cameras from other areas and eventually pinpointed a suspect vehicle . However , it turned out to be a vehicle with cloned plates , meaning it would take additional time to catch the real perpetrator . Giselle had anticipated this outcome for a while . How could Renee , who had the audacity to take such a drastic step against her , not have meticulously planned everything in advance ? She wouldn't have left evidence for the police to easily find . The so - called culprit that night was merely a hitman hired by Renee . Even if they were caught , what then ? With Renee's cunning and her extensive network of connections , she had more than enough resources to dispel any suspicions . Vivienne , enjoying a meatball from their takeout taco dinner at home one evening , said , " Giselle , I think I know how to help you find important evidence . " Not expecting much , Giselle responded , " What can you do ? " Vivienne exuded confidence . " Your half - brother , Sebastian … Hasn't he always been interested in me ? I can use that to my advantage , get closer to him , and get him to reveal the murder plot his family has against you . I'll just secretly record it . Simple , right ? " Giselle glared at her . " Seriously , how can I let you sacrifice yourself because of my problems ? " " If it means putting that old witch , Renee , behind bars , what's a little sacrifice ? I've been with all kinds of men anyway . What's one more ? " " Forget it . You know how much of a lowlife Sebastian is . He'll do whatever it takes . If he finds out you're deceiving him , you'll be in danger too … " " Oh , please . You underestimate me , ' " Vivienne said confidently . "I can deal with that fool Sebastian even with my eyes closed ! He's made advances at me multiple times , so I'll use this opportunity to mess with him until he's finished ! " Giselle smiled but didn't say anything . " You were attacked so violently , and you nearly died . Without employing some strategies to gather crucial evidence , you'll never bring down that old mistress , So , it's settled then . I'm helping you with this ! " Giselle was filled with conflicting feelings . Unsure of what to do , she simply focused on her meal . It had been five days since the river incident . After spending so much time at Vivienne's house , she realized she couldn't leave the dog unattended for long . Therefore , she decided to return home and later seek out a lawyer to assist with the case . In the evening , she took a taxi back to her neighborhood . After a long absence , she returned to her home and unlocked the door using her fingerprint . As she opened it , a strong smell of smoke greeted her . Upon finally seeing her return , her dog , Eastin , barked joyfully . He bounced around in front of her in excitement and tugged at the hem of her clothes , guiding her toward the bedroom . She followed the dog into the bedroom . Before switching on the lights , she noticed someone on her bed . The room was too dark to make out any details . A man was reclining against her headboard , holding a cigarette that was half - smoked . The cigarette's tip flickered intermittently in the dimness