Ch. 731..740

Chapter 731 Getting Revenge

“Christina, run!” Victoria grabbed Christina and ran out of the mansion.

Lyle’s car had been parked in front of the mansion. When he saw Christina and Victoria running out with a group of housekeepers chasing after them, he started the car immediately.

Victoria opened the car door and pushed Christina in before getting into the car herself.

She then yelled at Lyle, “Drive!”

Lyle locked the car doors and stepped on the accelerator. The car sped away, leaving behind a trail of dust.

The butler and housekeepers looked at the car and were at a loss.

Sh*t! We’re goners!

We actually let Ms. Lesley get away. Mrs. Lesley won’t let us off…

Victoria looked at the mansion that was getting further and further away. She happily leaned in her seat and heaved a sigh of relief.

“It feels so good to be free!” exclaimed Victoria as she turned to look at Christina. Victoria looked like a kitten who was rubbing Christina’s arm. “Christina, thank you for coming to look for me. That’s how I get the opportunity to escape. You have no idea how I have been suffering at home.”

Victoria had lost quite a bit of weight and looked haggard. Only her eyes were shimmering brightly.

Christina felt sorry for her. “You should have called me earlier. When Sebastian couldn’t get in touch with you, he was so worried.”

At the mention of Sebastian, Victoria’s eyes darkened. “If he cares so much about me, why didn’t he come and look for me?”

Victoria had been locked in her room by Brenda, and there was always someone keeping watch on her at all times. In order to prevent her from running away, Brenda instructed the butler to spike Victoria’s food with sleeping pills.

Victoria went through her days in a daze. Whether she was wide awake or dreaming, the person that she wanted to see the most was Sebastian.

From morning to night, Victoria hoped that Sebastian would be the one to rescue her from the Lesley family.

Yet, he did not show up.

The more Victoria thought about it, the more aggrieved she felt, and her eyes became teary. -Christina embraced her and said, “Sebastian wanted to come and look for you, but he couldn’t.”

Victoria looked up all of a sudden and grabbed Christina’s clothes. Her eyes glimmered with hope. “Really?”

“I won’t joke about something so serious. Sebastian has his difficulties too. While you were being locked up by your mother, your brother sent someone to keep an eye on Sebastian.” Christina handed her a piece of handkerchief before continuing, “Sebastian wants me to let you know that he has never broken his promise to you.”

In that instant, torrential tears streamed down Victoria’s cheeks. She had been suppressing her feeling for so long, and now the dam burst. She clung to Christina and started bawling.

Christina sighed and caressed Victoria’s back. She hoped that after this episode, both Sebastian and Victoria could be together.

After all, there was a limit to what Christina could do for them.

“I want to see Sebastian now. Christina, take me to see him. Okay?” said Victoria with a sob. Both her eyes were red with tears.

“All right. But given the current circumstances, you can’t appear in public places. Come back to Scenic Garden Manor with me, and I’ll ask him to come and pick you up,” Christina suggested.

Brenda would surely send someone to get Victoria back, but no one dared to make a scene at the Hadley family’s territory. As such, Scenic Garden Manor was the best option.

Victoria nodded. “Okay, I’ll go with you.”

Just as Christina brought Victoria back to Scenic Garden Manor, Brenda sent someone to take Victoria back home. Naturally, Christina would not allow that. She ordered the butler to throw Brenda’s men out.

Just as Christina had expected, Brenda dared not make a scene in front of the Hadley residence. One call and her men went away.

Once Victoria had eaten to her heart’s content, she fell asleep. The moment she woke up, she disappeared. “Where is Ms. Lesley?” Christina had just woken up. When she could not find Victoria anywhere, she immediately asked the butler, thinking that Brenda had sent someone to take her away.

The butler looked grim. “Mrs. Hadley, Ms. Lesley is in the backyard questioning Melanie.”

“Oh no!” Christina had forgotten all about that.

According to her plan, Christina was supposed to meet Melanie. However, she received Sebastian’s call for help, so she went to the Lesley family instead. In order not to have any delay, she instructed the butler to bring Melanie to Scenic Garden Manor and waited for her return to deal with Melanie.

Because of everything, Christina had forgotten about Melanie.

The latter was unlucky to have bumped into Victoria.

Worried that Victoria might torture Melanie to bits, Christina quickly made her way to the storehouse.

When Christina was passing by the pond, she saw that Victoria had hung Melanie upside–down using a halyard and was bouncing Melanie up and down.

Melanie was being dunked into the pond head first and pulled up very quickly. Her torture went on and on.

“Victoria, enough!” Christina went over and took the remote control away from Victoria before telling her off, “Even if Melanie has done wrong, there’s no need for you to torture her like this. If she dies, are you going to be responsible?”

Victoria scoffed. “She deserves it. Who told her to seduce my man? I’m just teaching her a lesson. She’s lucky that I’m not stabbing her with a knife!”

Christina handed the remote control to the butler and said, “Get her down and bring her to the living room. I have something to ask her later.”

Victoria was unwilling, but she dared not go against Christina’s order. In the end, she watched the butler take Melanie back to the living room.

“You tortured her so badly. How am I going to get any information out of her? Victoria, you should learn to control your emotions before you get into trouble.” Christina then added, “Melanie is a key person, and this concerns a bigger plot. You are causing me more trouble.”

It did not cross Victoria’s mind that things could be so complicated. She looked at Christina and apologized, “I’m sorry, Christina. I wasn’t thinking. I only wanted to teach Melanie a lesson. I won’t be at peace until I take my revenge.”

“Even so, you should know your limits,” said Christina. “There’s another hour before Sebastian can go off from work. Let’s use this time to interrogate Melanie. You are welcome to watch, but you aren’t allowed to be physical with her no matter what she says.”

Victoria patted her chest. “Christina, I promise you that I won’t touch her. I’ll leave everything to you.”

Christina did not think that Victoria could get a hold of her emotions. Both women then went to the living room.

There was a thick blanket wrapped around Melanie. She had regained her energy. Even though the heater was turned on in the living room, she was still shivering.

“Christina, you have already detained me for days now. If you want to kill me, just do it! Don’t torture me like this!”

Chapter 732 The Mysterious Woman

Victoria had long disliked Melanie, and when she heard Melanie yelling at Christina, the anger she had barely suppressed flared up again.

“Watch your tone, Melanie.” Victoria swung her fist at the other woman as a warning. “Or do you want another beating?”

Having experienced Victoria’s wrath, Melanie shivered involuntarily as she huddled in the corner of the couch with a blanket around her.

Christina broke the tense atmosphere. Compared to Victoria’s rough methods, Christina preferred to use non-confrontational methods.

“I have given you a few days to think. You should have figured out why I had someone lock you up.” Christina smiled lightly, but her gaze was ice-cold. “I want to know why you suddenly changed your mind and decided to cause trouble for Sebastian.”

Melanie sniffled arrogantly. “If I tell you, will you act as if nothing happened and let me go?”

Victoria sneered. “Have you ever seen a mistress with a happy ending?”

“I told you, my relationship with Mr. Taggart is consensual. Since I’m not forcing him to take any responsibility for me. I’m technically not his mistress, Melanie retorted fearfully.

Hearing this, Victoria exploded in anger. “Nonsense! Sebastian clearly doesn’t know you. You used despicable means to manipulate him. Consensual relationship? Bullsh*t! Are you not ashamed of what you said?”

Besides being Victoria’s rival, Melanie was nothing more than a shameless woman trying to get into bed with Sebastian. In the face of such a vixen. Victoria’s years of good upbringing collapsed at this moment.

If it weren’t for Christina watching by the side, Melanie wouldn’t have been so lucky. She wouldn’t be able to taunt Victoria while wrapped in a blanket and enjoying the warmth..

Although Melanie was a prisoner, she still held her head high and stubbornly declared, “Although you’re dating Mr. Taggart, you’re not even willing to acknowledge him officially. How are you fit to compete with me? It’s evident enough that the Lesleys look down on Mr. Taggart’s background. Just look at the recent scandals exposing your relationship. The Lesleys clearly consider your relationship a disgrace!”

Smack!

The air seemed to freeze.

Christina’s hand connected with Melanie’s check in a resounding slap, her face remaining impassive. Victoria stood frozen, her eyes wide with shock, taking a moment to process what had just happened.

Meanwhile, Melanie covered her burning cheek and glared at Christina angrily. Biting her lower lip tightly, she didn’t say a word.

“This is my house; Victoria is my guest and my friend. You need to be mindful of your boundaries.” Christina gathered all the photos scattered on the coffee table and tossed them directly at Melanie, a display of her defiance and support for Victoria. “I had them verified. All these photos were digitally manipulated. Melanie, I’ll give you one last chance. Who instructed you to do this?”

As Melanie touched her swollen face, she scanned the photos on the ground one by one. She replied calmly, “I want to become famous, so I found a rich person to back me up. It’s too difficult to win over Nathaniel, and I don’t want to waste this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. That’s why I approached Sebastian. He is a popular figure around Nathaniel and has been managing the entertainment company for him. If I get involved with him, I can at least have leverage over him even if I don’t succeed. I will have secured my future in this lifetime.”

With those words, Melanie cast a mocking gaze at Victoria and persisted in provoking her. “Ms. Lesley certainly has excellent taste and luck. Simply by acting like a pampered young lady, she manages to capture Mr. Taggart’s heart.” Tilting her head to the side, she directly confronted Victoria, asking. “Why don’t you enlighten me on your secrets? How about teaching me how to achieve the same?”

It was evident that Melanie was trying to humiliate Victoria.

The latter glared at Melanie with murderous intent. “Don’t be so arrogant, Melanie Steele!”

However, Melanie simply sneered and turned to address Christina, saying, “Mrs. Hadley, I have told you everything you want to know. Considering that we both share the same surname, why don’t you let me go? Perhaps we might cross paths again with each other in the future. What do you say?”

“All right. I’ll let you go.” Christina’s response came as an utter surprise for both Victoria and Melanie.

Melanie was momentarily stunned by Christina’s unexpected reaction. Her thoughts became muddled, and she struggled to regain her composure, almost forgetting what she had intended to say.

“Christina, you can’t let her go!” Victoria gritted her teeth. “She’s just a somewhat famous internet celebrity. If she doesn’t have someone backing her up behind the scenes, she won’t have the guts to scheme against Nathaniel. This woman is definitely up to something.”

Melanie smirked. “Does ambition count? Let’s not talk about rich, powerful, and handsome men like Nathaniel, who are rare enough. Take Mr. Taggart for example, he’s a good man who’s rather desirable.”

Victoria’s patience wore thin as Melanie continued to cross her boundaries. With a fiery glare, Victoria issued a stern warning. “Shut your mouth! If I ever hear you mention Mr. Taggart’ again, I’ll make sure you never speak another word!”

Damn it! Sebastian is mine and mine only! All these problematic girls can stay away!

“Don’t be too overbearing, Ms. Lesley. Men like gentle and understanding women. Melanie stood up as she said, “If you won’t let me pursue him, I shall still admire him. You have no right to interfere.”

She nonchalantly tossed the blanket aside and, as she walked past Christina, shot her a mocking glance, scanning her from head to toe. Her gaze lingered on Christina’s lower abdomen, and she couldn’t resist making a snide remark. “Mrs. Hadley, you’re truly a beautiful and kind-hearted woman. I have no doubt that your child will grow up to be exceptional.”

“Thank you for your kind words, Emilia Steele.” Christina deliberately enunciated her name.

However, Melanie blinked in confusion at Christina’s remark. “Mrs. Hadley, you seem to have mistaken my name, I’m Melanie, not Emilia,” she said, tapping her temple with a smug smile. “Unlike Emilia, I’m not foolish and self-righteous.”

After that, Melanie strode off.

“Christina, why did you let her go?” Victoria wanted to chase after Melanie and drag the latter back, but Christina grabbed her wrist, preventing her from chasing after the woman.

“Don’t chase after her. Just let her go,” Christina advised, her frown deepening. “I purposely allowed her to leave. If we keep her here, I doubt we’ll be able to get any useful information from her. It’s better to strategize and find a more effective way to deal with the situation.”

Victoria sat on the couch, rubbing her temples in frustration. “But Christina, why did you suddenly call Melanie by the name ‘Emilia’? Do you suspect that she’s Emilia who’s currently missing?”

Christina nodded affirmatively. “Indeed, Melanie gives me an inexplicable sense of familiarity. Despite her physical appearance being completely different from Emilia’s, and the absence of any apparent

signs of plastic surgery, there are moments where I sense traces of Emilia in her words and actions.”

During the days when Christina kept Melanie confined, she didn’t stand by idly. Instead, she invited the most renowned plastic surgeons domestically and internationally to evaluate Melanie.

The assessment from the plastic surgeons left no room for doubt-Melanie’s facial features were entirely natural, with no evidence of surgical alterations. The speculation about her wearing a hyper-realistic mask was deemed highly unlikely and improbable.

Victoria asked hesitantly, “Could it be that Melanie is Emilia’s long-lost sister?”

 

Chapter 733 Assistance

“Miranda only had one daughter, and that’s Emilia,” Christina answered with absolute certainty.

It was precisely because of this that Christina found Melanie’s behavior peculiar, and why she decided to lure the woman into a trap.

“Now that Melanie has been caught once, it may not be easy to get hold of any evidence against her in the future,” Victoria pointed out worriedly.

If Christina hadn’t intervened and calmed the situation earlier, Victoria’s hot temper might have escalated, potentially pressuring Melanie into confessing or revealing more information.

“As long as her goals remain unachieved, she will eventually lose patience and take action. Let’s wait patiently. Perhaps we will get something unexpected,” Christina advised.

As soon as she finished speaking, the sound of a car engine could be heard outside the mansion.

Victoria’s excitement surged through her like a dose of adrenaline. Without a moment’s hesitation, she leaped up from the couch and dashed outside, her voice filled with joy as she shouted, “Sebastian is here! He’s here to pick me up!”

When the mansion’s door swung open from the outside. Sebastian was taken by surprise as someone crashed into him. Before he could react, a pair of arms were wrapped around his waist.

A familiar scent instantly filled the air, and as Sebastian lowered his head, he met a pair of glistening reddened eyes.

“Seb!” Victoria sobbed. “I’ve missed you so much!”

Sebastian’s heart swelled as he held Victoria in his arms. Ignoring any onlookers, including Nathaniel who might be observing them, he spoke with a hoarse voice. “Why did you run like that? What if you

had gotten hurt?”

He felt a surge of relief wash over him, grateful that it was him who had opened the door and not Nathaniel. The thought of witnessing Nathaniel and Victoria embracing each other was something he couldn’t bear to see.

Victoria muttered, “I just wanted to see you as soon as possible.”

Sebastian’s heart was filled with warmth, and a trace of delight shimmered in his gentle gaze.

“Find another place to act all lovey-dovey, will you?” Nathaniel interrupted them after standing in the cold wind for a couple of minutes, displeased that he was forced to witness their public display of affection.

Sebastian apologized, “My apologies, Mr. Hadley. We’ll be leaving right away. Thank you both, Mr. and Mrs. Hadley, for your help today.”

Nathaniel waved his hand dismissively as he glanced at his assistant. “Just don’t delay your work.

“Understood,” Sebastian nodded, taking Victoria’s hand as they turned toward the waiting car by the door.

Christina walked to the door and watched as the happy couple went on their way. She then turned to Nathaniel, chiding. “They finally have a chance to be together. Can’t you give Sebastian some time off to mend their relationship?”

Nathaniel guided Christina indoors and closed the door, shutting out the chilling wind. He calmly elaborated, “Sebastian’s best chance to win over the Lesleys and gain their acceptance is by swiftly assuming control of the overseas branch and establishing himself as a significant figure within Hadley Corporation.”

“Entrusting Sebastian’s training to someone else is a risk, and managing the overseas branch poses unique challenges compared to domestic operations. However, once he secures the position of deputy CEO, he will have ample time to be with Victoria. At that point, the Lesleys will no longer be an obstacle, and he can prioritize their relationship,” he concluded.

Nathaniel lowered his head and planted a kiss on the woman’s forehead as he led her into the living room.

By then, the butler had already cleaned up the mess left by Melanie.

“Did they give you a hard time when you went to the Lesley residence today?” Nathaniel asked.

Christina’s voice filled with frustration as she spoke about her encounter with Victoria’s mother. “I only met Mrs. Lesley today. From what I gathered, Mrs. Lesley is vehemently against Sebastian and Victoria’s relationship. She is pushing for Victoria to enter into a marriage alliance with a man from a privileged background to address the issues faced by her beauty salons. It’s clear that Mrs. Lesley’s main concern is her own benefits, without considering Victoria’s happiness in the slightest.”

Nathaniel was not the least bit surprised by the revelation. He had dealt with the Lesleys before, and he understood their characters and methods.

“Don’t let these trivial matters anger you. If Mrs. Lesley tries to bully you, find your own way to fight back, and if any problems arise, I’ll take care of them for you, he reassured her.

As Christina leaned into Nathaniel’s embrace, she rested the back of her head against his shoulder and looked up at him with determination. “Nathaniel, I’m not afraid of Mrs. Lesley causing trouble for me, but I’m worried that she might harm Sebastian. Her beauty salon is facing a major problem, and Sebastian may not be able to meet her demands. I’m concerned that Victoria could still become a pawn in Mrs. Lesley’s game.”

Nathaniel looked at her and asked, “What do you want me to do?”

Christina’s smile of satisfaction lingered as she sat up straight, her gaze focused and earnest. “I hope you can personally assist Mrs. Lesley in overcoming some of her difficulties and provide her with a taste of success first”

By helping Brenda overcome her difficulties and demonstrating success, Christina believed it would enhance her credibility when speaking to the older woman. Moreover, it would also serve to minimize the obstacles faced by Sebastian and Victoria.

“Okay, I’ll take care of it. As Nathaniel brushed his fingertips against her earlobe and lightly pinched it, he whispered in her ear, “Do I get a reward for helping you?”

The suggestive nature of this small gesture was evident.

Christina instinctively wanted to escape, but Nathaniel saw through her. He extended his long arm to lock her in his embrace tightly from behind.

As he brushed his warm lips across her earlobe, he teased. “Why run? Do you think I’ll really devour you?”

Of course, Nathaniel wouldn’t actually devour her. He would only torment her in bed…

Christina had long been accustomed to this. She gulped nervously and said, “I’m hungry. I was just- thinking of going to the kitchen to look for something to eat.”

She seemed to be frightened by him, but Nathaniel wasn’t so deranged that he didn’t know his limits. Thus, he stopped at that and released the woman from his embrace.

“Okay, I’ll stop scaring you. What do you want to eat? I’ll make it for you.”

Christina let her guard down and ordered a long list of dishes. In the end, she realized that she might have ordered a little too much.

Nathaniel had just finished work, and he hadn’t rested for long before having to cook for her. At the thought of this, she couldn’t help feeling sorry for him.

“Forget about what I said earlier. I just want a burrito. It’s my favorite.”

“You’re pregnant, and it’s important that you get proper nutrition. Tomorrow, I’ll make you some delicious burritos. As for tonight, you can enjoy the meal you ordered earlier,” Nathaniel said, taking off his suit jacket and carefully placing it on the couch. He then rolled up his sleeves and instructed, “Go and wait in the living room. I’ll let you know once I’m done. The kitchen can be quite smoky, and I don’t want you to be exposed to any harmful fumes.”

“Okay,” Christina nodded.

As Nathaniel entered the kitchen and began cooking up a feast, Christina went to the living room to watch some television. However, she found her gaze gradually drawn by the figure in the kitchen. She quietly moved to the dining room, finding the perfect spot with a clear view. From there, she attentively watched. Nathaniel as he skillfully prepared the meal.

Christina secretly took a few pictures of the man, but at that moment, her phone suddenly rang. Upon hearing the sound, Nathaniel turned around and saw Christina fumbling with her phone.

Caught in the act, Christina flashed him an awkward smile. “Um… do continue with what you’re doing. I’ll go take this call.”“”

With that, she quickly left the dining room and made her way to the living room. Sliding open the floor- to-ceiling windows, she stepped out into the courtyard to answer the phone.

“Christina, something terrible has happened.” Rayne’s anxious voice came through the phone.

“What happened?” Christina asked, her brows furrowing. “Calm down and tell me what’s going on. There’s no need to panic.

Rayne’s call couldn’t have come at a worse time, and Christina instantly felt an unsettling premonition that something had gone awry.

“A fire broke out at the studio. There might be some casualties.”

 

Chapter 734 Trying To Solve The Mystery

That news struck Christina like a bolt from the blue and left her feeling dizzy for a good few seconds. Holding her forehead, she asked in confusion, “The renovation work at the studio is almost complete, right? How did it catch fire all of a sudden?”

Rayne was close to tears at that point. “I don’t know! Our studio is the only one that caught fire in the entire building! The security guards have already filed a police report. Could you come over and have a look, Christina?”

The studio had caught fire twice in a row, so Rayne was starting to question if her bad luck was affecting the studio.

“Be careful, and don’t do anything rash. I’ll come over so just wait for me,” Christina said before hanging up the phone and rushing upstairs to get changed.

“What happened, Christina? Where are you going?” Nathaniel stepped out of the kitchen when he heard the commotion.

“A fire broke out at the studio, so I’m heading over to check on things!” Christina exclaimed anxiously.

Nathaniel grabbed her by the hand. “It’s too dangerous there, and there’s nothing you can do to help anyway. I’ll send someone over to have a look, so you just stay right here.”

Christina gave it some thought and nodded. “All right, then. Hurry up and send someone over to find out what’s going on. Rayne says…

She took a deep breath before continuing. “Rayne says there might be casualties in this fire.”

“Nothing is certain until we have confirmation, so please try to stay calm. I’ll go make the call right away) the man said while stepping aside to make a phone call Christina kept her gaze fixated on him the entire time.

A few minutes later, he returned to her side and told her, “Sebastian and Victoria happen to be nearby, so they’re already on their way to the studio. They’ll drop by Scenic Garden Manor later this evening. By the way, dinner is almost ready. I know you don’t really have much of an appetite, but you have to eat something, okay?”

Christina nodded absentmindedly and sent Rayne a text before sitting down at the dining table.

Judging by how delicious the food looked, Christina could tell that Nathaniel put a lot of effort into it

Not wanting to let his effort go to waste, she forced herself to eat quite a lot of the food.

After having dinner, Nathaniel kept Christina company as they sat in the living room and waited for an update.

Sebastian, Victoria, and Rayne showed up at Scenic Garden Manor a few hours later.

“I’m sorry, Christina! You trust me so much, and yet, I always mess things up. The studio is scheduled to be open for business in a few days, and I have already sent out the invitations! What will we do?” Rayne sobbed the moment she saw Christina.

Christina handed her a handkerchief and comforted her, saying. “This isn’t your fault, so you don’t have to apologize. Let’s all put our heads together. I’m sure we’ll be able to come up with a solution.”

Rayne took the handkerchief over and wiped her tears with

“Sebastian, have you identified the cause of the fire at the studio?” Nathaniel asked, his tone serious.

“According to the initial investigation, the fire was caused by a short circuit when the renovation workers used machinery that was against industry standards. There were a lot of flammable items in the studio at the time, so the fire spread really quickly. Two of the workers were unable to make it out in time,”

Sebastian instinctively glanced at Christina after saying that. Noticing the calm look on her face, he continued, “The fire resulted in the deaths of two workers and the destruction of the studio. As the firefighters were able to put the fire out in time, the floors above and below were not affected too much.”

“Wait a minute!” Rayne exclaimed all of a sudden. She then wiped her tears dry before continuing, “I had people clean up a part of the studio because the renovation work was almost complete, so why were there so many flammable items?”

The looks on everyone’s faces turned gloomy when they heard that.

“But they did find a lot of flammable items at the scene, most of them being fibers of fabric. Did you get the delivery date wrong when placing the order with the supplier?” Victoria asked.

Rayne paused for a few seconds and gave it some thought before replying. “That’s impossible. The supplier would never deliver the goods without my request. More importantly. I have been busy planning the studio’s opening banquet that I didn’t have time to purchase the fabric. Besides, the team in charge of the banquet is still overseas, so they would never deliver the stuff for the banquet before they return.”

Her reply made it obvious that someone set Christina’s studio on fire because they didn’t want it to resume operations.

“Call the supplier and ask if they delivered the goods to the studio,” Nathaniel told Rayne.

“On it!” The latter then whipped out her phone and began calling up the suppliers.

Christina couldn’t think of anyone she had offended lately to the point where they would want to burn her studio to the ground.

After making about fifty calls, Rayne finally found the answer she wanted.

“I’ve got it! One of the suppliers said someone gave him a call yesterday, ordered a bunch of high-end fabric in our studio’s name, and opted for payment upon delivery. The studio caught fire shortly after the fabric arrived. That supplier is the studio’s business partner, so he delivered the goods without confirming the order with us. He tried to call the number back after hearing about the incident, but the number could no longer be reached,” she exclaimed excitedly.

She then handed Christina the phone as she continued, “This is the phone number that the supplier provided.”

Christina glanced at it and turned toward Lyle, who was standing next to her. “Lyle, get someone to investigate this phone number. Get me information on its user as soon as possible.”

“Understood,” Lyle replied with a nod and left after memorizing the number.

This was the first time Rayne had experienced something this serious, so she felt extremely uneasy and anxious the whole time,

“You should head back and get some rest, Rayne. I can take care of things from here. I’ll let you know if I find anything. Please tell the staff at the studio that we may have to delay its operational date indefinitely. If they are unwilling to wait, then compensate them and have them look for a job elsewhere.”

Rayne couldn’t come up with any better ideas. The staff had been waiting too long to start working. As much as they wanted to work hard alongside Christina, they could only go so long without a paycheck.

Thus, Rayne nodded with reddened eyes. “Understood; I’ll take care of it right away.”

She then left Scenic Garden Manor with a disappointed look on her face. Sebastian and Victoria stuck around for a little while longer before leaving as well.

Christina teared up as she sat on the couch and watched the videos that the netizens had uploaded of the fire.

Nathaniel snatched her phone over and said, “Don’t cry. Christina. I’ll help you get that justice you deserve.”

“Nathaniel. have you realized that things never end well for those who are close to me?” She sobbed.

Chapter 735 Exposed Herself

Chapter 735 Exposed Herself

Miranda, Anya, and her parents were all perfect examples,

However, Nathaniel was not one to believe in fate. “Are you telling me this because you want to cut ties with me? I am not ending this marriage of ours no matter what happens.”

Christina’s voice broke as she exclaimed, “But I can feel that you will be the next person I lose, Nathaniel! I can’t bring myself to put your life at risk!”

Nathaniel hugged her tightly. “I can’t live without you, Christina. Let’s face this together, okay? We haven’t identified the cause of the fire, so it’s unfair for you to leave me because of it.”

If there was one thing he feared, it was Christina leaving him.

Of course, Christina did not want to leave him either. Overwhelmed by her emotions, which were intensified due to her pregnancy, she grabbed onto his shirt sleeve and burst out crying in his embrace.

Fortunately for her, she had a loving husband who would keep her company at all times.

Scenic Garden Manor was shrouded in a depressing aura due to Christina’s emotional state.

Meanwhile, Sebastian and Victoria were stopped halfway along the drive home.

A bodyguard dressed in black walked up to the passenger seat window and said respectfully, “Ms. Lesley, Mrs. Lesley wants you to get out of the car.”

Victoria glanced at the familiar-looking Bentley in the distance and shook her head. “Tell her that I will not see her until she has changed her mind, so she should just give up!”

She knew that she would be forced into an arranged marriage if she went back with her mother, and she absolutely refused to be used like a pawn.

An arranged marriage could improve the Lesley family’s position in society and solve her mother’s problems, but Victoria refused to compromise regardless.

“Please don’t make things difficult for us, Ms. Lesley. It’ll only cause trouble to those around you,” the bodyguard stated, his face devoid of expression.

The look on Victoria’s face turned gloomy when she heard that. “Are you threatening me?” It wasn’t until she turned and saw a gun pointed at Sebastian’s head that she freaked out and shouted, “Don’t hurt him! I’m the one you guys want! Leave him alone!”

Those words had barely left her mouth when Sebastian tried to snatch the gun out of the bodyguard’s hand. Unfortunately for him, the bodyguard was a highly-trained professional. Not only did the bodyguard manage to retain his weapon, but he also clubbed Sebastian on the head with it. Blood came flowing out of the wound and stained his white shirt red.

“Stop it!” Victoria screamed and lunged forward to protect Sebastian. She then shot the bodyguard a vicious glare as she continued, “I’ll have you killed if anything happens to him!”

“He made the first move, Ms. Lesley. He’s lucky the gun wasn’t cocked, or it would’ve been a bullet that hit him in the head. I’m simply following Mrs. Lesley’s orders,” the bodyguard replied coldly.

Victoria grabbed something from the dashboard and threw it at him. “F*ck off! Get away from the car!”

Nevertheless, the bodyguard refused to budge.

After recovering from his stunned state, Sebastian grabbed Victoria by the wrist and said in a hoarse voice, “I’m fine, Victoria. Don’t worry; I won’t let them take you away.”

Victoria sobbed when she saw that half of Sebastian’s face was covered in blood. “I’ll get you to a hospital right away!”

Bang!

The bodyguard outside the car started forcefully pounding on the door, causing the vehicle to shake violently.

As Victoria buried her head in Sebastian’s embrace, the bodyguard standing behind her said, “Mrs. Lesley is growing impatient, Ms. Lesley. I suggest you hurry up and come with us. Dragging this out will only worsen his injury. We won’t hurt him if you come with us. In fact, we’ll even send him to a hospital for treatment. After all, he is working for Nathaniel, so Mrs. Lesley won’t hurt him unnecessarily.”

“Don’t agree to this, Victoria!” Sebastian yelled while struggling to stay conscious. He tightened his grip on Victoria’s wrist as he had a strong feeling they wouldn’t be able to see each other again if she left.

Victoria didn’t want to leave him either, but she knew the horrible things that her mother was capable of doing.

She could not afford to put Sebastian’s life at risk.

“I will come back for you soon, Seb. Take good care of yourself,” Victoria said and gave him a kiss on the lips. 1

As Sebastian’s vision turned blurry, Victoria brushed his hands off and got out of the car. Sebastian could only claw at the air as he watched her walk away from him.

A few seconds later, his vision faded to black, and he passed out in his seat.

Victoria glared coldly at the bodyguard before getting into the car. “You said you would have someone bring him to the hospital, so you had better make sure to do so. Keep in mind that I have plenty of ways

to make you pay if you hurt him!”

The bodyguard nodded. “Don’t worry, Ms. Lesley. I will do my best to grant your request. Now, please get

in the car.”

Victoria turned around and glanced at Sebastian one final time before settling into her seat.

The bodyguard then closed the door, and the car drove off slowly.

“Crying over a man who doesn’t deserve you? Don’t you find it shameful? You brought this upon yourself, so you shouldn’t even be crying about it!” Brenda decided to take her anger and frustration out on Victoria when she saw her sobbing.

Victoria shot her an icy-cold glare in response. “Sebastian is the man I love! Please show him some respect!”

Brenda slapped Victoria hard across the face and shouted angrily, “I think you’re just obsessed with that guy! So what if Sebastian is going to become the vice president of Hadley Corporation?-That’s not going to change his lowly background! The Lesley family will become the laughingstock of the century!”

“You only care about your image and reputation because you can never get what you want from Dad! You’ve been living a life of luxury throughout all these years, but are you truly happy?”

“Victoria! Who taught you to speak to me like this?”

Brenda got so angry that her chest was hurting. She was about to slap Victoria again, but Victoria caught her hand in time.

She then forcefully swung Brenda’s hand aside as she yelled, “What good is there in finding someone of a matching background? Dad still ended up having an affair anyway! Are you trying to deny me of happiness simply because you couldn’t have it? I will be with Sebastian even if it costs me my life, and I won’t let anyone get in my way!”

Brenda had never seen her daughter display such extreme behavior.

Going against my wishes and rubbing salt in my wounds, all for the sake of a man… I can’t believe that this is the daughter I have spent over twenty years raising!

She was so mad that she lost control of her emotions. “As long as I am still alive, you and Sebastian will never be together! Oh, and I won’t let you work in Christina’s studio either! If you go back there again, I will burn it down a second time! Don’t believe me? Then go ahead and give it a try!”

Chapter 736 Avenging Sebastian

Victoria couldn’t believe what she had just heard. She widened her eyes in shock, her face turning as pale as a sheet.

“What did you just say? Say that one more time!”

That was when Brenda realized she had said something she shouldn’t. Not wanting to look like a coward in front of Victoria, she decided to admit to her doings.

“You heard me! I hired someone to set Christina’s studio on fire! Now that her studio is no more, you’ll have to go back to managing your own studio! You’re the heiress of the Lesley family, so why would you give up on your position as a boss and work for someone else? You may not be ashamed of yourself, but I am! Christina had the audacity to show up at my house and threaten me. She thinks she can get away with anything simply because she married into the Hadley family, but I’m no pushover either! Anyway, she is responsible for your relationship with Sebastian, so she deserves to be taught a lesson!”

Victoria had never thought her mother would be the one who set fire to the studio. Her chest tightened with anger, and she found it a little hard to breathe.

“What you did is illegal! Do you know that two people have died in that fire of yours?”

The look on Brenda’s face changed when she heard that, and a sense of panic began to well up within her. “That’s impossible! I told them to clear the place before setting it on fire, and my men were there to keep an eye on things! There’s no way that fire would’ve killed anyone!”

Brenda was panicking so much that her mind was a mess, and she didn’t even know what to say anymore.

As for Victoria, she sank into despair and slumped weakly against the seat. There was a lifeless look in her eyes as she stared blankly at the scenery outside the window.

Brenda whipped out her phone and dialed a number, but it was no longer in service.

“What should I do, Victoria? I only wanted to teach Christina a lesson! I didn’t mean to get anyone killed!”

Brenda was already in a lot of trouble with the lawsuits she faced, so she couldn’t imagine what would happen if word were to get out about her hiring someone to set the studio on fire,

“Victoria, you and Christina are junior and senior, so could you please tell her to let this slide? I’ll agree to whatever request she has!”

Victoria shot her mother an icy-cold glare and replied with a sarcastic sneer, “She tried to be nice to you before, but you disrespected her and set her studio on fire. Now that you’ve gotten yourself in trouble, you expect her to just let this slide? What are you even going to say to her?”

“Christina is the one who started it! I wouldn’t have tried to teach her a lesson if she hadn’t messed with me! Victoria, are you seriously going to just sit by and watch me get taken away by the authorities?” Brenda protested stubbornly.

Victoria didn’t want her mother to go to prison, but she couldn’t bring herself to betray Christina and the family of the deceased either.

She covered her face and cried in agony. “I don’t know! I don’t know what to do! Why must you guys force me to make such decisions?”

After taking some time to calm herself down, Brenda had returned to her usual domineering self by the time the car pulled up inside the courtyard of the Lesley residence.

“Please escort Victoria to her room. Do not let her leave her room without my permission, and do not let anyone visit her either,” she told the butler.

Victoria looked up at her in shock. “Are you going to confine me?”

“Until you have realized your wrongdoing, you are to remain at home. Once I am done cleaning up the mess here, you will leave this country with me,” Brenda said, standing firm on her belief that Christina and Sebastian would only ruin her daughter’s future.

Brenda wanted her children to achieve success and strive for excellence, which was something Preston. had done a great job at.

That was precisely the reason Brenda’s position in the Lesley family was unaffected even though her husband, Soren Lesley, was often sleeping around.

Victoria bit down on her lip. “What do you plan on doing?”

She was referring to the consequences of setting the studio on fire.

“I’ve already thought of a solution to the problem, so you don’t have to worry about it. All you have to do is stay home and reflect upon your mistakes. I will grant you your freedom once you have truly repented.”

Victoria angrily got out of the car and stormed into the mansion.

Meanwhile, Brenda wiped the cold sweat off her forehead before telling the driver. “Help me contact the family of the deceased.”

It didn’t take long for Christina and Nathaniel to find out that Brenda had forcefully taken Victoria away.

“Are Sebastian’s injuries severe?” Christina asked worriedly.

“The wound on his head required a few stitches. He’ll need at least two weeks to recover. According to him. Ms. Lesley and Mrs. Lesley had a fierce argument, and Mrs. Lesley locked her up afterward. She plans to send Ms. Lesley overseas next month,” Lyle replied honestly.

Having thought of something, Nathaniel asked, “What were they arguing about? Did Mrs. Lesley exhibit any strange behavior?”

Still oblivious to what Nathaniel was trying to imply, Christina asked in confusion, “Why are you so curious about Mrs. Lesley, Nathaniel?”

“I suspect that she has something to do with the fire at the studio,” Nathaniel replied straightforwardly.

“But I haven’t done anything to offend Mrs. Lesley, so why would she set fire to my studio? Besides, arson is a serious crime, so there’s no way she wouldn’t know about the legal consequences.”

“People who have gotten too used to having their way often don’t think about the consequences of their actions. They only care about getting what they want. You confronted her over Victoria and Sebastian’s relationship using the beauty salon lawsuit. It’s possible that she might be holding a grudge against you for that,” Nathaniel explained.

That was when Christina finally realized what he meant.

“After bringing Ms. Lesley home, Mrs. Lesley visited the family members of the deceased victims. I have arranged for our men to tail her. We will need to wait for them to update us with further details, Lyle said.

“Don’t bother waiting. I know what Mrs. Lesley told those family members. She’s definitely the one who set fire to the studio. I bet she’s trying to bribe the family members after realizing that things have gotten out of hand,” Christina said coldly.

If the family members accept Mrs. Lesley’s bribery, then she could get away scot-free. She must think I won’t do anything to her because of my relationship with Victoria. That’s probably why she was bold enough to visit the family members of the deceased victims.

Nathaniel knew the risks involved in this case, so he chose to give Christina his full cooperation instead of taking over the case himself.

“What do you plan on doing?” he asked.

Christina let out a sigh. “Mrs. Lesley has given me the answers I needed. We can’t let Sebastian’s injury be in vain. We need to avenge him somehow!”

 

Chapter 737 A Deal

Later that night, Christina had Lyle gather information on all the beauty salons that Brenda owned.

Meanwhile, Brenda had settled the dispute with the family members of the deceased victims and could finally focus on dealing with Christina.

She had kept such a tight lid on the matter that Soren and Preston, who were overseas at the time, had no idea about this incident.

Christina visited Sebastian at the hospital the next morning before heading over to the Lesley residence with Lyle. She refused to let Nathaniel tag along with her.

Brenda let out a mocking chuckle when she heard that Christina had shown up at her doorstep. She then told the housekeeper to keep a close eye on Victoria before having the butler show Christina in.

This time, Christina had Lyle remain by her side instead of having him wait inside the car.

Brenda’s expression slid into a frown when she saw the man standing behind Christina. “Tonly allowed you to enter my mansion, Mrs. Hadley. What is the meaning of this? Are you here to start a fight with me?”

Christina sat down in front of Brenda and replied with a faint smile, “You have very dangerous people working for you, Mrs. Lesley. I need to do something to ensure my safety. Don’t worry; he won’t act without my orders, so you have no reason to be afraid of him. You may call the police or have your men come over if you feel unsafe. I don’t mind it at all.”

Brenda let out a sarcastic chuckle in response. This is my territory, so I have no reason to fear Christina!

“Why don’t you stop beating around the bush and get straight to the point?”

“Perfect. I love it when people are direct and straightforward,” came Christina’s response.

Lyle then whipped out a bunch of files and placed them neatly in front of Brenda.

“What is all this?” Brenda asked without even looking at the files.

“Evidence on all the medical accidents that have taken place at your beauty salons. You sure are impressive, Mrs. Lesley. Had this happened to me instead, the compensation amount alone would have driven me to bankruptcy! In fact, it might even result in a few years of imprisonment!” Christina replied calmly.

The look on Brenda’s face changed instantly. She then quickly skimmed through the files and saw that they were indeed evidence that could land her in a lot of legal trouble,

Her hands were trembling as she looked up at Christina and asked, “Why would you go through so much trouble to obtain all this? What do you want from me?”

Christina arched an eyebrow at the older woman in response. “My request is simple. I just want you to stay out of Victoria and Sebastian’s relationship. In return, I will pretend none of these ever happened. I won’t even take legal action against you for setting my studio on fire. What do you think of this deal, Mrs. Lesley?”

What? She went out of her way to gather all of this evidence against me, and yet, she doesn’t make any requests that would profit herself? It’s hard to believe that she’s doing this solely for Victoria’s and Sebastian’s sakes……..

With that in mind. Brenda asked cautiously, “You’re not going to go against your word and hit me with a nasty surprise later on, are you?”

“You are Victoria’s mother. Even if I neglect the fact that she is my junior, I still respect our mentor enough to not do Victoria dirty,” Christina stated. “This deal will take effect immediately if you agree to it. The longer you wait, the worse your situation will get. You’ve been fighting those lawsuits long enough, so it’s about time you put an end to all this.”

Brenda fell silent as she analyzed the pros and cons of her options. She knew that Christina had left her with no choice but to accept the deal, but she hated being at someone’s mercy and refused to give up on choosing her own son-in-law.

Brenda firmly believed that Sebastian could not be better than the other guys from families of matching statuses.

Having said what she came to say, Christina decided to give Brenda some time to think about it. “Contact me once you have made up your mind.”

That was when Brenda’s phone rang all of a sudden. She glanced at the caller ID and quickly stepped aside to answer the phone.

“Hello? What? But you told me they didn’t have any evidence to prove it was my beauty salon’s fault! Since you’re unable to handle this case, I’ll have no choice but to get myself another lawyer. We’re done here!”

Brenda saw Christina sneering at her after she angrily hung up the phone. That was when she finally realized what was going on.

The older woman then took a deep breath and said, “All right; I agree to the terms of your deal. You must take care of those lawsuits for me, or I will never allow Victoria to date Sebastian.”

She got even angrier when she saw Lyle lay out the contracts that he had prepared beforehand.

“It’s your turn to sign, Mrs. Lesley,” Christina said while signing her name on the contracts and ignoring the look of displeasure on Brenda’s face.

Brenda clenched her teeth in anger and frustration as she picked up the pen and signed her name. There, are you happy now that you’ve gotten what you wanted?”

“What pleases me the most is attending Victoria’s and Sebastian’s wedding.” Christina replied, rubbing salt on Brenda’s wound.

Brenda got so furious that she snapped the pen in half and said with a gloomy expression, “I’m not feeling well, so I won’t be seeing you off, Mrs. Hadley. My butler will show you to the door.”

“Oh, we can show ourselves out just fine. Christina said with a smile before turning around and leaving the mansion.

Victoria was granted her freedom shortly after Christina left. After finding out what happened from the butler, she felt so touched that she transferred ten million into Christina’s bank account as compensation for the studio,

Having suffered two huge losses in a row, Christina gladly accepted her compensation. Although it wouldn’t be a problem for Nathaniel to back her up financially, she preferred to build her business up all by herself.

Rayne then contacted a new company and paid triple the market rate to have them complete the renovation in a week.

While the studio was being renovated, Christina spent most of her time with her family. The four of them went on a nice vacation overseas,

After returning from her vacation, Christina visited Timothy with Lucas and Camila

Because Timothy had left a bad impression on the two kids, they were somewhat uncomfortable with visiting him. Even so, they tried their best to not show it because they didn’t want to put Christina in a tough spot.

Excited after hearing that Christina and his grandchildren would be coming over. Timothy had someone clean the entire mansion overnight and prepared lots of snacks for them.

He even got up really early to work on his facial expressions so as to appear more friendly to the kids.

“Lucas! Camila! Come here and let me have a good look at you two!” Timothy greeted them with his arms outstretched while seated in his wheelchair.

Lucas and Camila simply hid behind Christina and exchanged hesitant glances in response.

The look in Timothy’s eyes turned slightly gloomy as he awkwardly placed his arms back down.

“Maybe the kids are feeling a little shy around me because we haven’t seen each other in a long time. Anyway, it’s cold out here. Come on in!”

Chapter 738 Guidance

As the group entered the mansion, the butler and housekeepers helped unload gifts from the trunk of the car.

Once inside the living room, Lucas and Camila sat closely next to Christina, sneakily sizing up Timothy and behaving less lively than usual.

Timothy smiled gently and instructed the housekeeper to serve the beverages and snacks he had prepared in advance, all of which were Christina’s and the kids’ favorites.

“Have a taste. If you like the food, I can have the kitchen prepare them for you the next time you come over.”

Lucas and Camila stared longingly at the exquisite snacks on the table, but they didn’t dare to reach out for them, fearing that Timothy might scold them.

Noticing the unease between Timothy and the children, she swiftly stepped in to smooth things over. “Nathaniel is swamped with work and couldn’t spare the time to visit. During our vacation abroad recently. Lucas and Camila picked out a present for you.”

She patted her kids’ heads and said, “Go get the gift and show it to your granddad.”

Timothy couldn’t contain his joy as an exuberant smile spread across his face. “You should enjoy yourselves while on holiday instead of worrying about an old man like me.”

“After your health improves, we can all go together next time,” Christina chirped.

Lucas and Camila rarely ever refused Christina’s requests. They found the gift for Timothy from the pile of presents, and Lucas was tasked with the responsibility of handing it to Timothy. The boy uttered meekly, “Granddad, this is your present. Open it and see if you like it.”

“Of course, I like it. I love anything that you two gift me,” Timothy responded with a delighted grin, happily stretching out his hand to receive the present. He unfastened the ribbon outside the box, opened” it, and saw the set of emerald tea set.

Its exquisiteness was comparable to a valuable collectible.

Timothy was in haste when he moved to Jadeborough. As a result, he left the tea set collection he had spent most of his life garnering in Hallsbay. His poor health also made it impossible for him to retrieve those items for the time being.

Initially, Christina planned to gift Timothy a string of prayer beads, but Lucas and Camila mentioned that he liked tea sets, so she let them pick one.

“Excellent!” Timothy carefully wrapped up the tea set, called over his butler, and reminded sternly, “Take this tea set to my study. Be extra careful, and don’t break it.”

The butler cautiously carried the tea set away.

With the act of gift-giving serving as an icebreaker, the relationship between Timothy and the two children noticeably warmed. They no longer resisted getting close to him, even starting to answer his questions and sharing their daily fun anecdotes.

The four of them had a rather enjoyable meal together. Afterward, Lucas and Camila played in the courtyard while Christina chatted with Timothy on the balcony.

“Christina, I heard your studio was set on fire. Have they caught the arsonist?” Timothy asked concernedly.

“The problem has been resolved. You don’t have to worry,” Christina replied with a smile. “Has anyone from the Gibson family been disturbing your peace recently?”

Although the Gibson family had fallen apart, some branches of the family remained intact.

Some time ago, members of one of the Gibson family’s branches somehow learned about Timothy’s whereabouts and came to Jadeborough to stir a ruckus.

They were unsatisfied with the previously agreed-upon division of assets and demanded a new agreement that they felt would be more equitable. They also requested Timothy to pay the interest on a loan they had given him fifteen years ago.

Having long since settled the debt from fifteen years ago, Timothy simply had his butler chase them away after hearing their unreasonable demands.

Unwilling to leave empty-handed after traveling such a long distance to Jadeborough, they resorted to a devious scheme. They set up speakers outside the mansion and hung banners to defame Timothy as a defaulter who refused to repay his debts.

Upon hearing that news, Christina directly reported it to the police. Those people had to take a loss and leave dejectedly after being taken to the police station. Still, Christina couldn’t be certain if they would go behind her back and come looking for trouble with Timothy.

“Those people couldn’t have come up with such an idea.” Timothy scoffed. “I guess someone can’t stand me living well, and since they couldn’t lay a finger on me, they wanted to make my life miserable. You don’t have to worry too much about this.”

Needless to say, Christina fathomed who Timothy was referring to by “they”

Counting the days, it had been a long time since Christina had received any news from Yerek and Azure. Even Emilia’s disappearance had become a mystery.

“The assets Nigel had transferred overseas were intercepted by someone midway. Yerek and Mrs. Lazuli’s relationship isn’t as good as before, but they interact frequently. There’s no way they would easily give up on the forces backing Barnaby,” Christina meticulously analyzed Yerek and Azure’s trains of thought.

Yerek’s ambitions were doomed to fail without a monetary source to fund him. Barnaby was a loyal lover, and men were bound to fall for women’s beauty.

Still, how long could he hold out under Sheridan’s suppression? Christina was curious to know the answer

“Before I moved to Jadeborough, I met Barnaby a few times at the Gibson residence. During that time, he and Mrs. Lazuli didn’t deliberately avoid others. If it weren’t for the pressure from Sheridan, Barnaby probably would’ve acknowledged and accepted Nigel as part of the family.” A hint of disdain flashed across Timothy’s eyes as he talked about the past. “The Gibson family’s scandal made headlines, and the friendship between Sheridan and Yerek was ruined shortly after.”

“Even if Yerek returned to the Stone family, he would still be no match for Sheridan. However, Sheridan isn’t afraid to air out dirty laundry, as if he deliberately wants to show it to outsiders. Christina, don’t you think Sheridan is a very cunning person?”

Christina hadn’t had many opportunities to interact with Sheridan. Both of them had always shown restraint and politeness whenever they met. Naturally, she was unclear about Sheridan’s thoughts that warranted her scrutiny.

Still, something Christina couldn’t disregard was that both Nathaniel and Timothy had mentioned Sheridan wasn’t as simple a man as he appeared to be

Christina decided to bear that in mind. “I’ll be more wary of Sheridan in the future. Aside from this, do you have any other matters to remind me about?”

Timothy trained his eyes on the two small figures playing chase in the courtyard. “When you have the time, bring along Nathaniel and the two kids to accompany me back to Hallsbay. Those restless members of the Gibson family are always coveting Gibson Corporation. It’s time to let them know that even after I’m dead, I still have descendants who can inherit my family business. They should know this and give up their wishful thinking now.”

Christina looked down. “Okay, I’ll try to arrange it. My fashion studio is opening for business in a few days. Will you be there?”

“Of course, I’ll be there. That is such a joyous occasion.” Timothy grinned. “Let me know the time and address. I’ll find my way there. You don’t have to go through the trouble of sending someone to pick me up.”

Christina nodded. “All right.”

In the blink of an eye, it was already evening. Christina and the two children bade their farewell and left.

Jasper hurried in and whispered beside Timothy’s ear, “Mr. Gibson, there’s news from the detention center. The person inside wants to meet with you.”

Chapter 739 A Formidable Opponent

Timothy believed he had expressed everything he needed to say to Nigel. Why would he want to meet me without any apparent reason?

After a pause, Timothy sighed. “Considering that he voluntarily requested to see me after being incarcerated, I suppose I can grant him this one meeting. Go ahead and make the arrangements.”

“All right, Mr. Gibson,” Jasper responded. “Would you like me to inform Ms. Christina about your visit to Mr. Nigel at the prison?”

Christina had made it clear that she preferred people around her to keep a distance from Nigel.

Timothy glared at Jasper and reprimanded him, “It’s not an important matter. Let’s not bother her, especially considering she’s carrying a child and already occupied with managing the studio and Gibson Corporation.”

Furthermore, since Nigel was imprisoned, their meeting would be brief and limited. Timothy had no reason to be concerned about any potential actions or consequences from Nigel.

“Understood, Mr. Gibson. I’ll promptly respond to them,” Jasper said as he wheeled Timothy into the mansion.

Timothy was in a positive mood, so Nigel’s request did not faze him. “Christina’s studio will reopen in a couple of days. Can you give me some suggestions on what gift I should get for her? I can’t make up my mind…”

After experiencing two fire incidents, Christina finally reopened her studio for business.

Due to previous controversies and numerous complaints from customers as well as legal pressures from several lawsuits, the studio’s reputation had plummeted.

Even today, many people were still spreading negative comments about the studio on the internet.

To ensure a smooth opening ceremony for the studio, Christina decided to only invite her family and a select group of close friends to celebrate the occasion.

Laurel and her other seniors and juniors were caught up with work, so they could not show up. Nevertheless, Christina still paid attention to the proper arrangements of the ceremony.

What surprised Christina the most was that all the designers had made the choice to return to the studio and work alongside her.

Despite Christina’s intention to keep the opening ceremony low-profile, the presence of Charlie and Julia attracted many prominent figures who arrived uninvited. As a result, the initially quiet occasion transformed into a vibrant and extraordinary event.

Christina stood at the entrance, observing the continuous stream of guests. She maintained a polite smile but occasionally glanced at her watch, appearing somewhat anxious.

“Waiting for Dad?” Nathaniel walked up to her, draping his coat over her shoulders. “He should be arriving soon. Let’s go inside and wait. It’s windy here, and you might catch a cold.”

Christina tightly grasped the collar of her coat as she was a little nervous. “My father is visiting my studio for the first time. I want to welcome and introduce him to everyone and tell them he’s my father.”

She wanted to make it clear to them that despite Timothy’s struggles over the past fifteen years, he was not a worthless individual and should not be subjected to mockery or ridicule.

At that moment, Christina caught sight of Jasper wheeling Timothy out of the elevator from a distance.

“Here comes my dad!” Christina’s face lit up, and she walked toward Timothy, taking charge of the wheelchair from Jasper. “I’ll bring you inside, Dad,”

Before Timothy could respond, Nathaniel quickly reached out and grabbed the wheelchair’s push handles,

He then said to Christina, “Come, let me do it. I’ll take care of him.”

Christina did not refuse his offer to help. She stood beside Nathaniel and accompanied them as they entered the banquet hall.

Timothy’s satisfaction with his future son-in-law, Nathaniel, was growing. He could discern that Nathaniel genuinely cared for Christina and was not merely putting on a show.

Upon learning of Timothy’s arrival, Charlie and Julia approached him after exchanging greetings with a few other guests, extending a warm welcome.

“It has been a while, Mr. Gibson.” Charlie let out a sigh. “It’s not often we get a chance to meet each other. If your health permits, how about we have a drink together later? What do you think?”

“I don’t think I can take alcohol, but I’ll drink tea instead. I wouldn’t want to disappoint you, Mr. Hadley,” Timothy responded with a cheerful grin.

Charlie quickly replied, “Let the young ones handle the guest. How about we take a break in the lounge? We can relax, have a cup of tea, and challenge each other in a game of chess to see if your skills are still sharp.”

Timothy accepted the challenge. “I’m sure you’ll find me to be a formidable opponent.”

They had come a long way from being former partners, then enemies, and now, due to their children’s marriage, becoming in-laws by chance. Despite their past misunderstandings, they respected their differences, and their admiration for each other remained unchanged in their later years.

Timothy shifted his gaze toward Christina. “You go ahead with the preparations. Mr. Hadley and I will catch up in the lounge. It’s quieter over there.”

Christina smiled and nodded. “Sure, if you need anything, just ask Jasper to let me know.”

“Don’t worry, I’ll take care of him,” Charlie assured as he took control of the wheelchair, wheeling Timothy to the lounge in front of all the guests.

“Is it just me, or is that really Timothy Gibson in the wheelchair? Isn’t he the arch-enemy of the Hadleys?” one of the female guests exclaimed in disbelief.

“Have you not been keeping up with the news? Mr. Hadley’s son married Timothy’s daughter, and she gave the Hadley family a set of twins. Despite past conflicts, it’s only natural for Timothy and the Hadleys to reconcile for the sake of their future generation,” another female guest explained.

“I’m not referring to that. Didn’t Timothy die a long time ago? I heard that following his alleged demise, Nigel Gibson, the family’s illegitimate son, capitalized on the situation and exerted control over the Gibson family for more than a decade.”

“Have you been living under a rock? Those were rumors from over ten years ago. Now, it’s Ms. Christina who wields power in the Gibson family. As for that illegitimate son and his family, some have met their demise, while others are incarcerated. None of them have met a favorable fate.”

“Wasn’t it rumored that Ms. Christina was responsible for Anya Gibson’s death?”

“Oh, come on! Look where you are now. Just zip your mouth if you don’t want to offend the Hadleys.”

The two affluent female guests leaned in closer to each other, their voices hushed in whispered conversation.

Suddenly, a strong and powerful voice interrupted their conversation. “Nigel is not an illegitimate child. He is the son of the Stone family. Don’t you dare speak nonsense if you don’t know the truth!”

The two women were taken aback by the sudden reprimand. They traced the source of the voice and looked over to see Azure, dressed in resplendent attire, glaring at them with piercing eyes.

Azure’s scandalous affairs had indeed become the topic of gossip in town, yet people had been careful not to exacerbate the situation out of a sense of respect. However, when Azure herself decided to broach the subject, the atmosphere shifted instantly.

The two affluent women held esteemed positions in society, so they did not feel intimidated by Azure, who had experienced a downfall in her status. “We’re just stating facts. Nigel is the illegitimate son of the Stone family, and Old Mr. Stone doesn’t even acknowledge his existence.”

Azure let out a disdainful snort as she tightly wrapped her expensive fur coat around her. With a proud lift of her chin, she declared, “Whoever told you that Old Mr. Stone refused to acknowledge Nigel was mistaken. Nigel is now officially a member of the Stone family!”

Chapter 740 Hypocrisy

When Christina heard Azure’s voice at the noisy banquet, she had initially thought it was just her imagination.

However, upon turning around and seeing Azure in a heated debate with two other wealthy ladies, Christina felt her mood sink.

She was sure the only Gibson family member she had sent an invitation to was Timothy, so why did Azure show up uninvited? As if that wasn’t bad enough, the latter even had the check to cause a scene at the banquet!

Christina promptly set her glass of juice down and was about to storm off when Nathaniel held her back.

The man had also spotted Azure, but unlike his wife, he could control his temper better. “Old Mr. Stone is here, too,” he mumbled.

Thankfully, Christina quickly caught on to what Nathaniel was implying. Oh, that’s odd… Why would Azure and Barnaby attend the banquet together? Isn’t he eager to break off all ties with her? When did they reconcile? More importantly, why have they decided to make a public appearance? Aren’t they afraid of Sheridan kicking up a fuss? Argh! I can’t make heads or tails of this! However, I’ve got to hand it to Azure… She must be pretty impressive if she managed to melt someone as cold-hearted as Barnaby.

Having noticed how baffled Christina was, Nathaniel spoke up. “Sheridan has mostly been away on business trips, and besides, he has enough problems to deal with. I doubt he knows half of what his father’s doing.”

Ha. I know Sheridan well. Azure wouldn’t be strutting around like she owns the place if he were here. Then again, it’s a pity to see what she has become. The Mrs. Lazuli I knew had always been a classy

and dignified woman. Alas, the cruel reality of life has dulled her shine and changed her mindset, turning her into one of those unsophisticated and narrow-minded ladies who shamelessly flaunt their wealth…

“More than half of Jadeborough’s most influential people are in attendance today. I can’t let her stir up trouble in my turf,” Christina retorted before pulling her hand away and walking toward Azure.

However, just as she was nearly approaching the woman, the latter suddenly turned and left. Christina wanted to give chase, but the two ladies who had bickered with Azure began swarming around her.

“Mrs. Hadley, today’s the grand opening of your studio. You shouldn’t be letting any Tom, Dick, or Harry attend the event!” one of them piped up.

“Didn’t you hear what Old Mrs. Gibson said earlier?” the other added, though with a hint of sarcasm. “Old Mr. Stone has already accepted Nigel into the Stone family, and it’s only a matter of time before she marries into the family too. Aren’t you jealous of her good fortune?”

Even though Christina disliked Azure, it didn’t mean she’d tolerate others making fun and speaking ill of the latter in front of her.

“Many people are attending the event today, but I can assure you that those two aren’t on my guest That said, I wouldn’t be a good host if I chased them away now, would I? As long as everyone stays in their lane, I’m sure there wouldn’t be any problems,” she said coldly.

Having read between the lines, the two wealthy ladies quickly realized what Christina truly meant. However, despite their frustration, they knew they weren’t in a position to retort.

After all, they were the ones who had stirred up trouble first, and they weren’t on Christina’s guest list.

“You’re right, Mrs. Hadley. We shan’t bother you anymore. Goodbye,” the two ladies said before taking their leave, albeit begrudgingly.

Christina wanted to continue searching for Azure, but by then, the latter was nowhere to be found. At the same time, Julia had sent someone to inform the young woman that she wanted to introduce a friend to her.

Left with no choice, Christina went off to look for Julia instead.

After leaving the main banquet hall and roaming around, Azure finally found Timothy alone in the lounge.

Having surveyed her surroundings to ensure no one was looking at her, she hurriedly walked to the table and dropped a pill into the glass of champagne. Within seconds, it dissolved into the liquid before her eyes.

Azure picked up the glass and swirled it gently, a wicked smile tugging at her lips. Satisfied, she spun on her heels and made a beeline for the lounge.

Unbeknownst to her, two little heads suddenly popped out from behind a large floral arrangement. With a slice of cake in each hand and cream at the corners of her mouth, Camila turned to her brother, wide- eyed and anxious. “Lucas, that nasty old witch dropped something into the champagne glass and is heading toward Granddad’s lounge now. What should we do?”

Calm and sensible as ever, Lucas wiped his sister’s mouth with his handkerchief before putting it back into his pocket. “Come on. Let’s follow her and see what she’s up to.”

“Yay! We can finally play a detective game!” Camila exclaimed as she danced around excitedly, her cakes almost smashing into Lucas’ face.

The latter sighed and promptly took one of the cakes away from Camila. “I’ll hold on to this for you first. You can have it back when you’ve finished the other slice.”

With that, Camila chuckled and led Lucas to the lounge by the hand.

Before long, the two children began their stealthy operation of lurking outside the lounge and doing their best to peep through the door crack.

Timothy sat in the lounge, analyzing his chess match while waiting for Charlie to return from answering a call. What he wasn’t expecting, though, was the appearance of an unwelcome guest.

Upon seeing Azure strut into the room, he turned glum and shifted his focus back onto the chess board, clearly having no intention of entertaining the older woman.

Azure knew Timothy was prejudiced against her, but if she wanted to achieve her goal, she’d have to use her thick skin to her advantage.

“Timothy, 1-heard you’d be at Christina’s banquet, so I decided to drop by to see you,” Azure said as she shamelessly sat opposite the man and pushed the glass of champagne toward him. “If I remember correctly, you used to love drinking champagne the most… Try this. I specially picked it for you. Let me know if it’s to your liking.”

Timothy didn’t even bother to spare her a glance as he replied coldly, “Given my current health condition, do you think I should be drinking?”

Realizing how painfully awkward the situation had become, Azure froze. Sh*t. I’ve made such a big mistake! I’d better try to smooth things over…

“Oh, I’m sorry. I thought you had already recovered. In that case, let’s forget about the champagne. What would you like to eat? I can get it for you since you have difficulty moving.”

“Just because my legs aren’t good doesn’t mean I can’t care for myself. Why don’t you cut to the chase?

with There’s no need to suck up to me,” Timothy said as he calmly moved his chess piece and locked eyes Azure.

It was also then that he realized just how much Azure had changed. Not only had her clothes and style become more elegant, but she also seemed less raddled. Her poise and grace, without a doubt, were shining through.

Even though Azure’s motive had been exposed, she felt no shame as she shared her real reason for approaching Timothy.

“Nigel has been behaving well in prison lately, and our lawyers said that it’d be beneficial for his trial if you could write a letter of understanding.”