And just like that, the man who had promised to take her out for fun ended up abandoning her at the airport and walking away.

All he said was, “Just mention my name and ask the driver to take you back,” before disappearing down the hallway without so much as a glance over his shoulder.

Qin Qinxi stood there in a daze for a moment.

She didn’t know what the villa was called.

There are several Palm Islands in Dubai; she only remembered that the villa was by the sea, with white sandy beaches and a row of cars always parked at the entrance.

But she couldn’t put her finger on exactly where it was.

After thinking it over, she asked the driver to take her back to the Burj Khalifa.

At least she knew her way around there.

The super-rich guy hadn’t even given her a chance to ask—his haste suggested something serious must have come up. She could understand that.

Qin Qinxi leaned against the car window, watching the scenery outside shift from the airport expressway to an elevated bridge, then from the bridge to a dense forest of skyscrapers.

The sunlight was blinding, reflecting off the glass curtain walls and forcing her to squint.

She missed home again—she missed Mom and Dad.

She’d been out of touch for two weeks now.

Since they couldn’t reach her, they must have guessed something had happened, right?

Mom was so emotional; she’d definitely be crying.

Dad wouldn’t cry in front of Mom, but when he sat alone in the living room at night, his eyes would probably get red, too.

The more she thought about it, the worse she felt, her nose tingling—but she stubbornly held back the tears.

When they arrived at the Burj Khalifa, she got out of the car and thanked the driver.

He nodded and drove off.

Standing at the entrance, watching the black Mercedes merge into the traffic, she suddenly felt a bit panicked.

Qin Qinxi turned around and walked into the hotel, following her memory.

She remembered that day the car had driven straight into a huge elevator lobby, going up from the parking garage.

But this time there was no car, so she had to walk through the lobby instead.

The lobby was spacious and towering, with crystal chandeliers hanging from the ceiling, their light so bright it made her squint.

She reached the elevator and pressed the up button. The doors opened, she stepped in, and pressed 39. Nothing happened.

She tried again, still nothing.

The elevator required a card swipe.

She stared at the black sensor area, her heart sinking.

She’d forgotten. That day it was the butler who swiped the card; she didn’t have a room key—she had nothing at all.

Qin Qinxi snapped back to reality.

She dashed out of the hotel door and looked toward the parking lot.

The car that had brought her back was already gone.

Qin Qinxi stood at the entrance, the sun beating down on her head, heat rising from the ground and scorching her scalp.

She gritted her teeth and turned back to run into the lobby.

The reception desk was on the right side of the lobby—a long counter with a marble top polished so shiny it reflected people’s images.

Several uniformed staff members stood behind it, some typing on computers, others smiling and chatting with guests.

Qin Qinxi walked over and waited until the guest in the white coat ahead of her had left before stepping forward.

“Hello,” she said in English, trying to keep her voice as normal as possible.

The receptionist looked up—a young woman with dark brown hair, perfectly made-up, her smile just right.

“Hello, ma’am. How may I assist you?”

At that very moment, Dmitri was stepping out of the elevator with Kavana.

This elevator went straight to the At.mosphere Restaurant, on the 122nd floor of the Burj Khalifa—the highest restaurant in Dubai.

He had just wrapped up a business deal with an energy trader from Kazakhstan,

after three hours of negotiations they’d finally agreed on the right to use a transit corridor. He was in a good mood.

As the elevator doors opened and he stepped out, he heard that name.

“Do you know the name Vio Mansello?”

Dmitri’s footsteps froze.

Kavana beside him froze too.

The two of them stopped almost simultaneously.

Dmitri turned his head to look over.

End of Chapter 49: Chapter 49