So this must be what Hannah wanted him to investigate. It seemed she had a secret she couldn't investigate herself, nor could she ask Samuel or Cherry to do it, which was why she had turned to him. If he could really figure out who this person was, maybe Hannah would forgive him. She might even call off the divorce. The thought sent a jolt of excitement through him. Before long, Lionel had Marcus Hale brought to the villa. As Marcus gradually regained consciousness and found himself in a completely unfamiliar place, he stared blankly for several seconds. It wasn't until he saw a figure approaching and recognized who it was that he shouted in a burst of agitation. “How dare you kidnap me! Do you think I won’t tell your brother? Let me go right now, or you’ll regret it, you hear me?” Lionel paid no mind to his shouting. He casually strolled over with a file in his hand and sat on the sofa opposite him. He gave the file a little shake and let out a derisive laugh. “I must say, Mr. Hale, I never realized you were such a renowned hypnotist. I’m very curious, why did Quennel specifically invite you to meet with Hannah? It couldn’t have been just to sit down and share trade secrets, could it? If you tell me everything, I can arrange for you to leave the country. But if you lie, and I find out the truth on my own… you’re finished. Quennel certainly won’t protect you then. After all, you would have broken your contract.” Hearing Lionel’s smiling words, Marcus Hale’s face fell. He had already planned to leave the country today. After doing something like this, getting away quickly was the smart move. But on his way to the airport, he’d been in a car accident, lost consciousness, and woken up here. He had first assumed Quennel had arranged the crash to silence him permanently. He never imagined Lionel was the one behind it. And he had no idea how Lionel had found out about his collaboration with Quennel. But since Lionel already knew, he must have guessed at least part of what had been done. Now, whether he told the truth or not, he had already violated his agreement with Quennel. Quennel would never let him go. The realization hit him hard; he was trapped between a rock and a hard place. “Mr. Hale, I suggest you do this the easy way. The fact that I was able to bring you here means I already have a good idea of what you’ve done. I’m giving you a chance. If you don’t want to take it, don’t blame me for what happens next.” Marcus Hale took a deep breath. After a long silence, he finally spoke. “Fine, I’ll talk. But you have to promise that as soon as I’m done, you’ll get me out of the country immediately. Quennel can never know about this!” It was his only way out. Refusing to talk was no longer an option. “I knew you were a reasonable man, Mr. Hale. Let’s hear it.” Marcus Hale then told Lionel everything, recounting his entire deal with Quennel without reservation. As he listened, Lionel’s expression grew progressively darker. “Lionel, I’ve told you everything you wanted to know. Now, get me out of here.”

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