Spooked by Immigration
Thursday, continued…
Anna felt a cold sweat break out on her back as she stood in front of the immigration officials. They were clearly not backing down, and the tension in the room was thick. The bodyguard who had rushed in earlier was standing by the door, his presence an unspoken reassurance, but it didn’t calm Anna’s rising anxiety.
The officials’ disbelief was palpable. It was clear that the situation had escalated much quicker than she had anticipated, and the reality of what was happening was starting to sink in. She had never thought something like this would happen, and she definitely hadn’t expected it to involve immigration officials.
She steadied herself, refusing to show weakness. “I understand your doubts,” Anna said, trying to maintain a calm demeanor. “But I assure you, these documents are authentic, and I’m legally married to CEO Hou. If you need verification, I can get you in touch with the Civil Administration Bureau or have my husband speak with you directly.”
The immigration official remained skeptical, but Anna could tell that the arrival of Assistant Wang, with the original documents in hand, had put a pause on their aggressive approach. The tension eased just slightly, but Anna knew that her position was fragile.
As Assistant Wang stepped into the room, his usual calm demeanor was unchanged. He confidently handed over the original marriage certificate, the household register, and their joint household register. “Gentlemen,” he began, his voice firm, “I am Wang Long, the personal assistant of CEO Hou Yi. These documents are authentic, and as you can see, they were issued just two days ago. If you have further doubts, I have a video recording of the ceremony at the Civil Administration Bureau for your review.”
The first official took the documents one by one, carefully inspecting them. Anna held her breath, watching every movement. The official paused after examining each paper, his face unreadable. When he finally spoke, it was with a hint of reluctance.
“They seem to be in order, but I will need to see this footage before I make any final judgments. Until then, I cannot make a decision.” His voice carried a tinge of doubt. “Miss, I still find it hard to believe that you are truly married to CEO Hou. There are too many irregularities.”
Anna’s resolve hardened. “I understand your skepticism, but I’m confident that once you view the footage and contact the Civil Administration Bureau, you’ll have all the confirmation you need. I expect a formal apology when this is all cleared up.”
One of the other officials nodded in agreement. “We will contact the Civil Administration Bureau if necessary, but you’ll need to remain here until we verify everything.”
Anna nodded in return, her mind racing. The last thing she wanted was to stay stuck in this room, waiting for a resolution, but she couldn’t afford to lose her composure. She kept her tone polite, though her patience was wearing thin. “I’ll back up my work here and be ready to leave once everything’s resolved. If you need further proof, I’ll be happy to provide it.”
As she turned to prepare her laptop, Anna quickly glanced at the bodyguard, who was still standing by the door. His presence was reassuring, but she knew she couldn’t rely on them forever. This situation could get out of control quickly, and it was clear that the immigration officials weren’t going to back down easily.
Just as she began to back up her files, her phone vibrated again, breaking her concentration. It was a message from Hou Yi.
Hou Yi:
‘Sweetheart, Assistant Wang is handling it. The footage is already on its way. Once they see it, they’ll have no reason to continue questioning you. I’ll handle things from here. Don’t worry. Just stay calm.’
Anna:
‘Thanks, Yi. I’ll hold them off here. I’m sure this will be sorted soon.’
She placed her phone back on the desk, focusing on her work as she awaited the next steps. It was clear that this encounter was far from over. These immigration officials were determined to get answers, and even with the original documents and footage, there was no guarantee they wouldn’t find another reason to create problems.
As she glanced back at Assistant Wang, who was still standing quietly, she could see the tension in his posture. This was no ordinary visit—it was an orchestrated move, probably planned by someone with very specific intentions. Perhaps Yang Lin and Lu Jinhu were behind it. The thought gnawed at her. They would stop at nothing to discredit her, to disrupt Hou Yi’s company, and to create chaos in her life.
Anna had to think fast. She needed to keep her cool, but she also needed to be prepared. If the situation escalated, she couldn’t afford to be caught off guard.
With a deep breath, she typed one final message to Hou Yi.
Anna:
‘Be ready, Yi. If they push back after seeing the footage, I might need more than just documents to get through this. I’ll handle what I can, but keep the backup plan in place. I don’t trust these officials.’
As she sent the message, she noticed the first official glance at his phone. There was a moment of silence before he spoke again.
“We’ve received the footage. We’ll review it and make our decision. Please wait here.”
Anna nodded, trying to mask the tension in her voice. “I’ll wait.”
As the door closed behind them, Anna felt a strange calm descend upon her. This was far from over, but she was more determined than ever to protect what was hers.
