The Untouchable Ex-Wife

Renee and Chase secretly discussed how to lure the impostor Mr. Q out of the study.
“Ms. Everheart,” said Chase with emotion, “although you are his sister, you are nothing at all like Boss. You have a kind
disposition, and I’m assured that, at the very least, the impostor Mr. Q won’t be so cruelly tortured once he was handed over to
you.”
“You speak as if my brother is a savage beast and that impostor is some kind of angel of justice! Is that guy really worthy of your
protection?”
“He is!” Chase nodded gravely. “I believe that everyone else who works in Carmine Pawnshop would make the same choice.”
“Then... is there going to be a mutiny? What will happen to my brother? He built Carmine Pawnshop from the ground with his
own hands! Is he going to be replaced?”
“Don’t worry, Ms. Everheart. Boss won’t be replaced. I’m sure that Carmine Pawnshop will soon resume its operations in the
same way that it once did. It’s just that we’ll all miss the security and stability that we enjoyed these past four years.”
“You’re overthinking it! My brother promised me that for the time being, Carmine Pawnshop won’t get involved with the
questionable business it once dabbled in and that it would continue to operate in the same manner as it did for the last few
years.”
“It looks like you don’t really know Boss at all...”
Chase smiled, then deliberately changed the subject by pulling out his phone and saying, “I’ve sent a secret signal to the
impostor, Mr. Q. If nothing out of the ordinary happens, very soon he’d be at the Carmine Pawnshop. All I ask from you is to let
him live.”
“Only a secret signal? Would that really work? Surely he’s too smart to fall for it!”
“But it’s not an ordinary secret signal,” Chase beat his chest and confidently assured her. “It’s one I only send him during extreme
emergencies. He always showed up soon after receiving the signal in the past, so as long as the news of Boss’s return hasn’t
reached him yet, I’m sure the impostor, Mr. Q would definitely be here.”
Half an hour later, Chase stared at the reply he received, his face swollen after being punched so many times.

“Um, well... He said that he would never reappear again no matter what happens and that he gives full authority over Carmine
Pawnshop... to me.”
“He sounds really cautious...” Renee observed doubtfully. “You didn’t warn him earlier, did you?”
“I swear to God that I didn’t!”
“Then why the hell would he give up his authority to you so suddenly?”
“I wouldn’t say it’s that sudden...” Chase then came clean and told Renee, “Since he disappeared on the day both of you were
supposed to get married, he never showed up at Carmine Pawnshop ever again. In fact, when he left, he made it clear that he
would never show up again. It was obvious that he wanted to make a clean break with Carmine Pawnshop. Perhaps... He
caught a whiff that Boss was going to return even back then?”
“But what is he planning to do?” asked Renee, still bewildered. “He’s been running Carmine Pawnshop for the last six years!
How could he give it all up just like that? It’s like he’s been working for my brother for free! Doesn’t he have anything better to
do?”
All the questions that were playing in Renee’s head only deepened her resolve to find a way to lure the man out.
Seeing Renee’s firm determination, Chase clenched his fists and suggested, “I’ve got an idea, but it’s the last resort, and it
requires your cooperation. Do you want to... give it a try?”