Though paralyzed, still radiantly charming!

Chapter 321: What a coincidence! I didn’t expect to see you here!

Ryan couldn’t resist Mia’s playful charm for long and quickly gave in, letting her take control.

Just as Ryan agreed to Mia’s request, a black sedan pulled up smoothly in front of them, almost as if it had been waiting for this exact moment.

The timing was too perfect to ignore, and Ryan couldn’t help but feel suspicious. He had sensed earlier, back in the Director’s office, that Mia had been a little too relaxed, like she wasn’t fully paying attention. Now it was clear—she had been planning this all along.

Ryan glanced over at Mia, but she just stuck out her tongue playfully and grinned before pushing him into the car.

Her hurried movements made it obvious how much this meant to her. Sneaking out with Mia while Alice was unaware was definitely a risky move, and the thrill of it all made Ryan feel like the whole situation was a bit surreal.

Before they left, Mia made sure to take care of the details. Even though she was eager to get Ryan out of there, she wasn’t about to leave anything to chance.

They both settled into the back seat, and as soon as they were in, Mia practically launched herself into Ryan’s arms, pinning him down so he couldn’t move. Her small hands fumbled behind his back for a moment, and with the experience from last time, it didn’t take her long to pull a tiny glass chip from the collar of his shirt.

Both Mia and Ryan knew exactly what that chip was. As long as it was on him, Alice could track Ryan’s every move. He’d be under her watch, no matter where he went.

Mia had planned to say a few more words to try and sway Ryan’s opinion on the matter, but when she saw that he only looked surprised for a second before returning to his usual calm, she decided it wasn’t worth it.

With a slight pout, she scrunched up her nose and handed the chip through the window to one of her men standing outside.

“For the next two hours, stay here and keep an eye on this,” she instructed. “Walk around every now and then, and if there are any new orders, I’ll contact you.”

The man nodded respectfully, took the tracker, and placed it into a special silver case, clearly treating it with care. It wasn’t just any ordinary object.

Mia gave a few more instructions, covering all possible scenarios, even the worst-case one where Alice might show up directly. She wasn’t leaving anything to chance.

As the car window slowly rolled up and her men stepped back, Mia let out a small sigh of relief and flashed Ryan a sweet smile.

Ryan, still a bit stunned, looked at Mia. He couldn’t help but wonder how she had gotten so good at this. It was almost like she had been preparing for this moment for a long time.

With the tracker gone, there wasn’t any physical change, but Ryan felt a weight lift off his shoulders. He could understand why Alice did what she did, but that didn’t mean he agreed with it. The fact that he had managed to silently accept it up until now was already a big deal.

“Feeling better now? It must’ve been tough having someone watching your every move like that, huh, Ryan?” Mia teased as she finally slid off his lap. She fiddled with something in the car for a moment, and then, out of nowhere, a small basket appeared in front of Ryan, filled with snacks and drinks.

Without a care for appearances, Mia grabbed a bottle of juice and pointed her chin at Ryan, signaling for him to help himself.

Ryan glanced at the basket but didn’t say anything. He remembered that Alice had a car just like this one, but in her version, the same spot was stocked with fine wine and other high-end drinks. There was no way she’d ever put something like Coke in there.

Alice and Mia had a lot in common, but their differences were just as striking. Each had their own unique charm.

Throughout the ride, Ryan kept asking Mia where they were headed, but she dodged the question every time. Sometimes she’d whistle and pretend not to hear him, and other times she’d give completely nonsensical answers.

As the scenery outside the window blurred by, Ryan started to feel a bit uneasy. Was Mia really planning to take him away from Alice? She had hinted at it before, after all.

“Relax, I’ll return you later,” Mia said, her voice dripping with jealousy. “I don’t know what kind of spell Alice has you under.”

It was like she could read his mind.

To be fair, Mia had thought about running off with Ryan, but she knew it wasn’t realistic. For one, Ryan wouldn’t just go along with it. Even if she managed to take him, he’d probably find a way to escape and go back to Alice.

Sure, she could break his legs and lock him up somewhere no one would ever find him, which would solve that problem. But she wasn’t ready to go that far—not yet, anyway. She wasn’t strong enough to take on Alice, and that woman would definitely come after them.

Unless things got really desperate, Mia wasn’t willing to hurt Ryan just to get what she wanted.

The girl stared out the window, her fists clenched tightly. She tried to reassure Ryan with a casual tone, but it was clear she was barely holding it together.

About five minutes later, the car finally came to a stop. Ryan glanced outside and was a bit surprised by the scene.

Through the window, he could hear the joyful laughter of children. Not far away, a clown on stilts was twisting balloons, his hands moving quickly as the balloons transformed into lively shapes. In the distance, a Ferris wheel turned slowly, and inside the cabins, couples were passionately kissing as they reached the top and then descended, completing the cycle.

Ryan had guessed a few possible destinations, but he hadn’t expected they’d end up at an amusement park.

“Come on, Ryan! Let’s get out of the car!” Mia’s excitement was palpable the moment they arrived. She waved her hands eagerly in the air, practically bouncing out of the car, urging Ryan to hurry up.

Ryan quickened his pace to match Mia’s enthusiasm, chuckling softly. Maybe it was Mia’s mischievous nature that had given him a certain impression of her, but honestly, an amusement park seemed like the perfect place for her.

Since he had already agreed to spend the day with her, Ryan decided to push aside all the chaotic thoughts swirling in his head and just enjoy the day. After all, this was his first time at an amusement park. He hadn’t had the chance to go when he was younger, and by the time he grew up, it felt like he had outgrown the idea.

But they hadn’t taken more than a few steps when Ryan noticed Mia suddenly stop in her tracks.

Her previously joyful expression vanished in an instant, replaced by a look of hostility. Her cheeks puffed up like an angry pufferfish, and her large eyes were fixed on something in the distance.

“What’s wrong, Mia? Why did we stop?” Ryan asked, confused, as he followed her gaze. But before he could see what she was looking at, Mia’s small hand pressed against his cheek, blocking his view.

Her eyes darkened, and she bit her lip. Without hesitation, she grabbed Ryan’s hand and turned around, pulling him back the way they came.

“Ryan, I don’t feel like going to the amusement park anymore. Let’s go somewhere else,” she said, her voice tense.

She kept urging him, picking up the pace as she practically dragged him away from the park’s entrance. It felt like they were fleeing.

But even with her quick steps, they were too late.

A familiar voice called out from not too far away, and a figure came running toward them.

“Ryan! What a coincidence! I didn’t expect to see you here!”