Chapter 174: The Adler Sisters' Power Struggle, a Call for Help from DC!
Anna, the girl in white, remained silent.
The oil painting beauty didn't care. She stood behind her, reaching out to stroke Anna's long hair, and whispered to herself, "You and Mom are so much alike, both lost in your own worlds, ignoring the wonders of reality. Besides mathematics, nothing and no one in this world can truly reach her heart—not even us, her daughters who inherited her blood and genius. You're my only family in this world, and I've always worried that someday you'll choose to end your life like Mom did."
She glanced at a figure sitting upright on the central monitor, book in hand, and smiled with satisfaction, "But who could have imagined that besides me, there was someone in this world you actually cared about?
Do you know how surprised and thrilled I was when you first contacted me and asked me to call off the hit?
Back then, when I wanted to eliminate your biological father who'd been with you all these years, you never asked me for help.
And now, you—so detached from reality—have actually spoken up for a man you share no blood with.
Honestly, I'm a little jealous of this guy!"
She walked over to Anna, knelt down, and touched her sister's forehead, murmuring: "I'm really curious why you chose him to be your window to the world. How am I any worse than him?
In terms of relationships, we're sisters. Sure, we have different fathers, but we both know that compared to Mom's genetic legacy, fathers are just necessary tools for reproduction. Whether they're criminals or neurologists or anything else—there's really no difference.
In terms of ability, I'm Moriarty, single-handedly creating and managing the world's largest criminal network. Remember that web diagram I showed you? Any major crime happening anywhere in the world comes through these connections, and I know about it first. Depending on my mood, I can choose to orchestrate it, participate, or just watch.
Having me as your eyes connecting to reality—wouldn't that be more thrilling than his perspective?
In terms of time together, for your safety, I can't visit you as often as normal sisters would, but every year on your birthday, I come to celebrate early.
He's nothing special, and he was still engineered by your biological father anyway.
We both have Asperger's. Is it just because he shares your serious physical limitations while I don't, that you're more willing to connect with him and choose him?"
Anna, the girl in white, remained expressionless, her eyes vacant.
"Right, and you both love math."
The oil painting beauty stood up and looked back at Chuck on the central monitor. "I hope, as you believe, he can solve the same mathematical problem P=NP that Mom worked on. Combined with your programming skills, I'll have a master key that can crack any encryption."
She turned to look at Anna, studying her sister's empty eyes, a smile playing on her lips. "Otherwise, even if he's your window to the world, I won't kill him, but with his suicidal tendencies, he'll die sooner or later. Being a detective isn't exactly safe. If I hadn't issued orders not to accept any contracts involving him, he'd already be dead four times over.
And until that master key becomes reality, you'll take on this role and help me run this criminal empire. That's always been my dream.
You never responded to my invitations before.
I won't force you.
You're my only sister, and I can't force you... at least not in the past.
I used to wonder if I wasn't important to you... Now I understand. Because of him, you've developed some twisted sense of morality, unwilling to help the organization with daily operations. It seems like you actually care about other people's lives.
But I know you don't!
They're just flies caught in a web, unable to escape—prey.
How could you possibly care about them... This makes me even more jealous of him.
But since he indirectly brought us sisters together, I'll do my best to keep him alive.
After all, sometimes he can be quite useful, like this time.
If he hadn't intervened, found Amazing Amy, captured Andy Walton, and then worked with you to mobilize massive retail investor capital to short Walton's stock—indirectly covering my operation and making it more effective than expected—I'm afraid Amazing Amy, this very useful piece I've been developing for years, would have shown her true colors to the world, alerting those with agendas and losing her most valuable qualities of deception and surprise.
For now, let Amazing Amy stay by his side as my eyes. It's only natural that when we sisters are together, our eyes should be together too, right?
So, sister, any problems?"
Anna, the girl in white, expressionless, moved her trembling hands to the keyboard and began typing rapidly.
"Perfect."
The oil painting beauty's smile grew wider. She stood beside Anna, one hand on her shoulder, gazing at the wall of densely packed monitors. She spoke with excitement, "Let's make the web completely invisible."
New Jersey
Hillside Villa
In the study, the watch on his wrist vibrated twice, almost imperceptibly. Chuck put down his book and glanced at a corner where he'd installed a tiny hidden camera. Then he looked away, lowered his eyes, and sat quietly for a moment. He stood up, unplugged the USB drive from Amazing Amy's phone, left the study, and returned to the master bedroom. Finding Amazing Amy still asleep, he walked to her bedside, checked her pulse, then carefully lifted her and carried her to the guest room.
Then he returned to the master bedroom, gathered the clothes he'd neatly folded earlier, and moved them to the guest room as well. He went back to the master bedroom and began cleaning.
The Next Day
Amazing Amy woke from deep sleep, stretching gracefully before her eyes froze, a flicker of panic crossing her face—the instinctive unease of a control freak losing control.
When had she returned to the guest room? She couldn't even remember!
But she quickly regained her composure. If she could handle being kidnapped and imprisoned by that perverted billionaire without losing it, she could certainly handle being with the decent guy Chuck.
She loved good guys because, no matter what happened, as long as she stayed consistent, she was the hunter and they were the prey.
After working it out, she stood to get out of bed, but her legs gave out and she quickly grabbed the bed frame, thinking with amusement: "There's that legendary 'gentleman mode'—what was this? Seems like what that little brat said actually worked..."
After sitting on the floor against the bed for a while, Amazing Amy finally got up, dressed, and slowly walked out. She saw a young, attractive figure cleaning. Hearing the noise, the person turned around, revealing a plain face, and smiled at her: "You're awake. Breakfast is ready."
"Who are you?"
Amazing Amy looked around but didn't see Chuck.
"I'm Justine, Chuck's classmate and part-time housekeeper,"
Justine said with a smile. "Chuck already left. I can drive you wherever you need to go later."
"Thank you so much,"
Amazing Amy paused, her gaze fixing on the camera in the corner of the living room. "You and Chandler are similar—both friends of Chuck's working part-time for him."
Justine smiled but said nothing more, returning to her cleaning.
Amazing Amy walked to the dining table, uncovered her plate, and began enjoying breakfast. She was starving, and kept glancing at Justine while eating. Only after finishing did she try chatting with Justine.
But Justine's responses were mostly smiles. Her discretion was miles beyond Chandler's level. Amazing Amy immediately understood another key reason Chuck had chosen Justine besides her abilities: she knew how to keep her mouth shut!
So she immediately gave up trying to extract information from Justine. After eating, she didn't linger but asked Justine to take her home.
Justine didn't drive her home directly. Instead, she dropped her off at Monica's apartment and handed her over to Chandler.
New Hampshire
The Bunker
Underground Parking Garage
Chuck parked and got out. Dr. Green, Anna's biological father, approached with surprise. "Chuck, what brings you here?"
"You don't know?"
Chuck met his gaze.
"Uh, know what?"
Dr. Green was confused. Then a thought struck him. He covered his mouth, his eyes filling with incredible joy, and asked tremblingly, "Could it be—could Anna have asked you to come?"
"No."
Chuck shook his head and walked toward Anna's quarters.
Dr. Green hurried after him.
Chuck stopped, turned, and looked at him.
"Right, you two talk, you two talk."
Dr. Green finally realized that Anna and Chuck's world didn't include him. He felt a bit hurt, but mostly joyful.
This was the first time Chuck had come on his own initiative, outside of Anna's annual birthday visits. It was something he, as a father, had always hoped to achieve—truly a rare opportunity!
Chuck walked to the inner suite with familiarity. He glanced at the camera in the corner, and the door opened automatically. He saw the bed, table, and two chairs. A beautiful girl in white sat there, eyes fixed on a chess set. When Chuck entered and the door closed, she looked up and smiled—a heartbreaking smile.
"Anna,"
Chuck called, but he didn't sit across from her as usual. Instead, he glanced around the cave-like room, his eyes settling on the spider web painting. He asked the question again: "Who painted this?"
Anna, the girl in white, didn't answer. She simply raised her arm, trembling with effort, to pick up a chess piece from the board. She moved it, then looked at Chuck.
Chuck remained silent, glancing at the spider web painting on the wall again. He walked over and looked at the chessboard. His expression focused, and he sat down, staring at the board, deep in thought.
Outside, Dr. Green watched Chuck, who sat there all day with no intention of getting up, and he was delighted.
Although Chuck represented the endpoint of his scientific research, and theoretically, the better Chuck could overcome his physical disabilities and integrate into society, the happier he should be. But selfishly, he'd rather Chuck didn't integrate so well, so maybe Chuck would spend more time with his daughter like this.
Two Days Later
Chuck glanced at Anna, the smiling girl in white, then placed his king on the chessboard, conceding the game. He nodded to Anna and stood to leave. As he reached the door, he paused, looking at the spider web painting on the left wall. He didn't ask the question Anna hadn't answered.
He'd asked once, then again, but never a third time.
Everything was understood without words.
Back in New Jersey
The phone kept ringing.
"Chuck, you finally picked up. Where have you been?"
Chandler's voice came through.
"Something wrong?"
Chuck asked instead.
"Not with me, but with you?"
Chandler quipped. "Anyone else would think you were just doing a hit-and-run."
"Running from what?"
Chuck said calmly.
"..."
Chandler paused, then scoffed. "Well, for other guys, being heartless might be possible, but for you, that's completely impossible. Because you were already heartless before you even got started."
"Let's get to the point,"
Chuck reminded him.
"It's nothing major, just that Amy can't reach you and she's a bit upset,"
Chandler said. "You know, as her gay best friend, your friend and assistant, and Monica's good friend..."
At this point, he couldn't hold back any longer, complaining, "It's so hard being me!"
"You're adding too much drama,"
Chuck said bluntly. "If you just don't create drama and let things flow naturally, there won't be so many complications."
"..."
Chandler's mouth twitched.
Easy for you to say, but you're not the one getting hassled.
Fine, you handle the fun parts, but all the tedious emotional labor afterward falls on me. I've become an emotional dumping ground.
Just as he was figuring out how to complain further, the line went dead. Chandler could only mutter to himself, "You're welcome!"
Chuck hung up, and moments later, Amazing Amy called. Hearing her cheerful voice tinged with anxiety and vulnerability, Chuck blankly agreed to meet that evening.
That Night
As Chuck and Amazing Amy met up, camera flashes went off around them. Amazing Amy apologized, "I'm sorry, I didn't know they were following me. I know you don't like publicity, so I thought I'd lost them..."
"It's fine,"
Chuck said calmly. "I can handle it, as long as you can handle it too."
Amazing Amy was stunned, her head lowering as she pondered Chuck's words, sensing a hidden meaning.
That evening, the latest news broke in New York: "Hero saves the beauty never gets old—Amazing Amy falls for Detective Chuck!"
Monica's Apartment
"Monica, are you okay?"
Rachel and Phoebe looked at their friend worriedly.
"I'm fine, what could possibly be wrong with me?"
Monica forced a smile. "I expected this."
Looking at the pillow Monica clutched tightly, Rachel and Phoebe exchanged glances, both feeling apprehensive.
Then the phone rang.
"It must be Chuck!"
Rachel's eyes lit up, and she immediately went to answer it.
"Don't answer it!"
Monica screamed. Seeing Rachel and Phoebe looking at her fearfully, she quickly took a deep breath to calm herself and forced a smile, "...I mean, I'll get it."
Rachel and Phoebe were both so startled by Monica's dramatic mood swing that they got chills.
"It's Paige."
Monica walked over, her expression complicated as she said, "Okay, I'll be right there."
"What's wrong with Paige?"
Rachel and Phoebe breathed a sigh of relief.
"She's feeling unwell and needs me."
Monica, perking up slightly, reluctantly tore her eyes away from the TV, grabbed her keys, and quickly left the apartment.
New Jersey
In a single-family house near Princeton University, Cheryl and Trish were also watching TV. After everything that had happened, even though their father was willing to let them attend school, he'd also tightened security, renting a house near campus specifically for them, with female bodyguards on duty 24/7.
"She's just like me..."
Trish smiled bitterly. "There will be many more like her in the future. I'm nothing special to him."
"Not everyone is like that."
Cheryl was also jealous, but she could only comfort her heartbroken sister. "Look, he saved Justine, but Justine didn't fall for him. Don't overthink it. You're so beautiful..."
"Amazing Amy is both beautiful and famous."
Trish shook her head. "How can I compete with her?"
Cheryl almost blurted out "But I—" but stopped herself. She could only continue comforting her sister.
Washington, D.C.
In an upscale neighborhood, a middle-aged white woman with haunted eyes kept pressing the remote, channel surfing. When she switched to the evening news from New York, she suddenly called out, "Ted! Ted!"
"What's wrong?"
A middle-aged Black man emerged from the study, speaking gently.
"It says here that Detective Chuck rescued that kidnapped Amazing Amy in less than a day. We should ask him to help us find our Coriole!"
the middle-aged white woman exclaimed, pointing at the TV.
"Honey, we've consulted too many so-called detectives over the past two years..."
sighed Ted, the middle-aged Black man, trying to comfort his wife, who was overwhelmed by their daughter's disappearance. His eyes flicked to the TV, then paused. He walked closer to get a better look, muttering to himself, "It's him..."
"You know him?"
the middle-aged white woman exclaimed.
"No,"
the middle-aged Black man said, his gaze passing over his wife to rest on a photo on the table—him in military uniform, embracing his wife and daughter. "But he looks solid, not like those detectives who claim expertise but have no real skills. We could give him a try."
(End of Chapter)
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