Ch. 696..700
Chapter 696 The next morning, Sylvia headed to the kids’ room with a bag. Inside the bag were the documents for the kids, Aunt Tonya, and her own.
Isabel and Liam had just woken up, their eyes remained puffy and blurry The girl noticed the bag on her mother. Her mother would only take the bag when they go out to play. Her eyes widened in excitement and got energized. “Mommy, where are we going to play today?”
Sylvia stroked the girl’s head. She said with a smile,“ We're not going to play today. I’m bringing you to visit your uncle at the hospital today.”
Isabel pouted. “What happened to Uncle? Why are we visiting him at the hospital?” “His hand got hurt, but it’s no big deal. He'll recover soon.” “Oh, okay.”
The girl was excited to see her handsome uncle again. She crawled out of bed and got ready for the trip. Sylvia did not even need to help her get ready.
Liam also automatically got up and went into the bathroom
After breakfast, Sylvia brought the kids and Aunt Tonya into the car. An hour later, the car finally arrived outside the hospital.
The girl was the first to get out of the car. Aunt Tonya followed her.
Maybe because today was the day that she brought the kids and Aunt Tonya away from Westchester City, and most importantly away from Odell, her heart had been pounding wildly since the morning. She failed to put the complex feeling in words.
She took a deep breath, held Liam’s hand tightly, and went inside the hospital.
They soon arrived at Thomas’ ward.
He was still in the same patient’s garb but had a jacket outside. He looked a lot healthier than before, but he still looked weak. The weakness did not dampen his outstanding looks and demeanor though.
Isabel's eyes shone brightly from the moment she saw him.
“Uncle!” The girl ran to Thomas.
Thomas carried the girl with his right hand.
Isabel looked at his bandaged left hand and furrowed her brows. “Uncle, what happened to your hand?”
“| got hit by a rock,” he said softly. Isabel felt terrible for him. “Is it painful?”
Thomas smiled. “It's okay now.”
Isabel felt relieved at his assuring words.
Thomas turned to the door. He saw Aunt Tonya and then Sylvia with Liam outside the door.
He curled his lips into a smile and asked, “Packed everything?”
Sylvia hummed a reply.
He added, “I’ve got a car ready. When are we leaving?”
Sylvia had a glance at the corridor. There was no one there, and no suspicious figures were spotted in sight. The wards next door were empty as well. The bodyguards that Odell arranged for her were probably gone. She took a deep breath and said, “Now.”
“Okay. We follow the plan.”
“Okay.”
It was then Isabel asked curiously, “Mommy, what are you guys talking about?” Liam looked up to his mother with his puffy face, questioning her with a baffled look. “Mommy, where are you guys going?” The question choked Sylvia.
She thought of a ton of excuses but when she faced her kids’ innocent and adorable looks, it felt extremely difficult for her to lie to them.
Chapter 697
Just as Sylvia was fighting her thoughts, trying to come up with the best excuse for her kids, Thomas suddenly said, “The weather is good today. Mommy and | are planning to bring you guys to play abroad.”
The word “play” intrigued the little girl as her eyes shone in excitement and she screamed, “YAY!”
Liam asked softly, “Uncle, what about your injury?”
Thomas met the boy’s questioning gaze and said with a smile, “It’s just a minor injury. It won’t affect our schedule.” Liam then turned to his mother. “Mommy, where are we going today?”
Sylvia pursed her lips and reluctantly answered, “We still haven’t decided yet. We'll plan on the way there.”
Liam then lowered his head in silence.
Thomas then shot a glance at Sylvia. “I'll bring them downstairs first.”
Sylvia answered, “Okay. I'll be there in a moment.”
Thomas carried Isabel out of the ward. Aunt Tonya followed him.
Sylvia then said to Liam, “Liam, follow Aunt Tonya and
your sister downstairs. Mommy has to take your uncle’s medicine first. I'll meet you downstairs.”
Liam furrowed his brows.
His gut told him his mother and uncle were acting strange but he strongly believed his mother would never lie to him. He hummed a reply and followed Aunt Tonya downstairs.
Sylvia went into the ward and grabbed all the medicines into her bag.
The plan that they discussed last night was that she would pretend to bring the kids to visit him and he would bring them down for a spin in the garden.
After they had a stroll around the garden, she would then go down and join them, making it look more natural, especially to Odell’s men who were assigned to watch them.
The bodyguards would only assume that they were strolling in the garden and not trying to escape the city. However, since she arrived at the hospital, she did not spot the bodyguards anywhere. Maybe they were slacking off in some stairway, or maybe they were hiding in the dark to avoid her detection.
Sylvia put the suspicion aside and bagged Thomas’ medicine. Right before she left the ward, she slipped and fell on the floor. She frowned because of the pain and when she was about to get on her feet, she spotted a white phone under the bed.
The phone was deep under the bed. Maybe it slipped off from the seam. If she had not fallen on the floor, she would not have noticed it.
It looked familiar, seemingly belonging to Thomas.
He forgot to bring his phone? Sylva crawled under the bed and took it out. Just when she was about to put the phone into her bag, the screen shone.
The phone received a message.
Sylvia had a glimpse of the content.
“Second Master, time’s up. If you don’t reply to me, I’ll tell Odell what you’ve done!” The content surprised Sylvia.
‘What? Second Master? What’s this about?”
The sender’s profile picture and the way it addressed Odell looked and sounded exactly like Tara. Sylvia instinctively tapped on the notification. There were a dozen exchanges between the sender and Thomas, and it all happened in the last two days.
“Second Master, I’m Tara. | know you blocked me on WhatsApp, so | have to text you. | don’t mean anything else, | just want you to save me. Odell locked me up in Lake Victoria Villa. | know you're resourceful. Can you please send someone to save me?”
Next, a few more exchanges followed a few hours after the first. “Second Master, | know you’re Thomas Carter, the second son of the Carters.
“You said you can help me to get back to Odell’s side and told me to stage a play that night, making it look like | was chased by some gangsters. You told me to pretend to fall and be hurt in front of Odell’s car and make him bring me to the hospital. We ran into Sylva at the hospital
shortly after that. “Then, you told me to wear the sapphire ring to Spencer Weiss and pretended that he kidnapped me together with Sylvia. It made Odell choose me because of the ring.
“It might seem like you're trying to help me in those two incidents but actually, you’re trying to make Sylvia leave Odell so that you can be with her, am | right? I’m just a tool to you.
“What do you think would happen if | tell Odell that you
set this all up? Do you think he'll let you go so easily?” Sylvia’s face turned pale after she went through all the messages. Her hand trembled as she continued to scroll down for more.
Chapter 698
“Second Master Carter , | believe you must’ve seen the texts. You don’t reply because my information isn’t worthy for you to save me? Then, let me tell you one more thing
“You know Melanie ? She’s my mother. She’s in prison because she helped me to deal with Sylvia. Before she was arrested, she told me she knew someone mysterious who helped her from the dark and this mysterious person knows Carter Corporation from the inside out. He even grasped Odell’s schedule precisely, knowing when he’s away for work and when he'll be back.
“Because of that mysterious person, | was able to frame Sylvia for pushing that old hag down the hill. | was also able to push Sylvia into the lake because that mysterious person caused a diversion during the event and he even helped me to get a trustworthy hitman for the job.
“Is it safe for me to say that you're that person who helped me?” Sylvia was shocked. Her trembling hands almost dropped the phone to the floor.
She suddenly felt weak and had to lean on the wall to maintain her balance. Her forehead was covered in sweat but she decided to continue scrolling down the phone.
“| wondered why that b*tch was so lucky enough to survive the lake. She was crippled when | pushed her down. But now come to think of it, it's also part of your plan, am | right? You saved her. Your elaborated plan started the moment my mother arrived in Westchester City and offered to help me to separate Odell and Sylvia. It’s all you pulling the strings. Second Master, | have to say you're good at this but what if Odell finds out about this? Do you think he'll let you go?
“Second Master, | want to be out of the house by this time tomorrow. Please arrange for someone to bring me out, or I'll tell Odell about what you've done!” While Sylvia was still going through the messages, a cold voice of a man came from the door. “What are you looking at?”
The phone slipped off Sylvia’s shaking hands and fell to the floor. Thomas stood in front of the door and stared at her with his caramel eyes. Sylvia leaned against the wall to keep herself from falling. “N-Nothing.” Thomas saw the phone that fell off from her hands.
Sylvia’s gaze shrunk in fear and immediately said, “I fell down just now and saw the phone under the bed. | believe it’s yours, so | picked it up.”
Thomas looked at her pale face. His gaze shifted as he asked, “How did you fall?”
He walked closer to her as he spoke , his gaze remained warm and caring, but Sylvia felt otherwise.
His warmth and care felt like a cover for something terrifying underneath, and it terrified Sylvia.
Her body trembled uncontrollably as she stuttered , “M Maybe because of the slippery floor...”
“Are you hurt?”
“N-No.”
“Good.” Thomas wore a smile and continued, “Isabel and Liam are waiting downstairs , hurry up. I'll take care of the rest.” “O-Okay.” Sylvia anxiously walked past him and ran as fast as she could.
She had to rejoin Aunt Tonya and her kids to bring them away from this dangerous man.
Thomas stood still and watched Sylvia scuttle away. The warm gaze suddenly turned frosty. He then bent over to pick up the phone on the floor, which he planned to abandon in the first place.
When he tapped on it, it was showing the chat window she had with Tara.
A few seconds of silence later, he tapped on the phone and dialed a number.
Sylvia ran out of the hospital without pause and headed to the parking lot.
There were a lot of cars there, so it was difficult for her to locate Aunt Tonya and the kids at first glance.
She shuttled around for a while before she finally spotted the silver MPV that Thomas mentioned.
Aunt Tonya and the kids should be inside.
Sylvia went over and tried to open the door.
“Aunt Tonya, hurry up and bring the kids—” Before she could utter the word “down”, she was shocked by what she found inside.
There was no one in the car. Aunt Tonya and the kids were nowhere to be found.
Chapter 699
Sylvia frowned, but before she could wrap her head around the situation, she was shrouded by an elongated shadow from the back.
She froze for a split second and then quickly turned around. Thomas was a few steps away from her, wearing a grin and looking at her with a warm expression. At the next moment, he asked, “Have you seen the texts?”
The sun was hanging high up in the sky. It was a scorching hot summer day. His eyes were as warm as before but she felt otherwise. She was quivering in fear and sweating nervously. She feigned ignorance and asked, “Thomas , where are Aunt Tonya and the kids?” “They are in another car.”
“Where's that?”
“Don’t worry. They're being taken care of,” he said with a smile.
“| can take care of them myself. Tell me where's the car.”
Thomas went closer and stroked her head. His smile
remained as he said, “Don’t worry. When we reach the airport, you'll be able to see them.”
Sylvia feigned a silly smile and said, “They aren't used to traveling abroad. Aunt Tonya has airsickness . | have to give them some pills before we board.”
“Don't worry. I’m sure someone will take care of that as well. I’m sure they'll travel comfortably.” “| know you'll take care of them but if Isabel and Liam don’t see me, they'll throw a tantrum.” “I'm sure they’re sleeping now and | assure you the first thing they see when they open their eyes is you.”
Sylvia’s expression changed. “What did you give them?!” Thomas stroked her head again and said softly, “Some candy to make them sleep. It won’t harm them, don’t worry.”
Sylvia was worried sick!
Her kids were her whole world!
She threw a sucker punch at him, trying to force him to hand over Aunt Tonya and the kids. However, her punch was stopped in mid-air.
She followed up with a second punch but it was stopped too.
His hands were surprisingly huge given his slender
figure. He was able to catch both her hands easily.
He was strong, so strong that Sylvia could not retract her fists.
Sylvia widened her eyes in realization. Thomas was not weak at all. He had been pretending to be weak from the start to lie to her!
Thomas lowered his head closer to her face and whispered, “Sylvia, you promised you’d leave Westchester City with me. If you don’t keep your promise, I’m going to be mad.”
The horrific realization put tears in Sylvia’s eyes. Her voice trembled as she said, “I promise you, Ill leave with you. Please let Aunt Tonya and my kids go!”
Thomas raised his bandaged left hand and stroked her cheek near the edge of her eye. “As long as you leave with me, I’ll give you everything.”
Sylvia stared at him with utmost anticipation. “Then, can you release Aunt Tonya and my kids?” “There’s a junction near the airport. I'll let you see them when we're there. Feel free to bring them along but if you’re having a second thought, | can send them back to Odell.”
Sylvia nervously said, “Okay, okay! I'll leave with you.”
Thomas grinned and kissed her sweaty forehead.
Chapter 700
Meanwhile at Carter Tower, in the top floor office, the man had just gone through a pile of documents and wanted to rest his eyes for a bit.
It was then his phone rang. It was from Jacob. He put the phone near his ears and heard Jacob’s anxious voice. “Sir, Ms. Avery is looking for you.” There was an obvious disgust in his expression when he heard the name. “I’m not seeing her.”
“Ms. Avery said she wanted to talk to you about Second Master Carter. She said he was the one who planned for Spencer Weiss to kidnap her and madam. She also said that Second Master Carter did more than that. He has been pulling the strings from the dark since Melanie arrived in Westchester City and before she pushed Madam Carter down the hill. He has been plotting from the dark.”
Odell’s expression turned cold. “What has he been planning?” “She refused to say. She’d only say when she sees you.”
“Keep an eye out for her. I’m coming right over.”
He bolted up and strode out of the office.
Twenty minutes later, his car stopped in front of Lake Victoria Villa. Odell got out and strode into the house.
There were several bodyguards in the yard, who he assigned for her since he found out Tara impersonated Sylvia using the sapphire ring. However, since he was still dealing with the “Carter Crisis”, he did not have any spare time or energy to deal with her, so he ordered his men to watch her first.
Two days ago, when Tara learned that he overcame the crisis, she threw a tantrum asking for a meeting with him but he told his men to send her home.
Her presence disgusted him. He was afraid that he would lose control and end her life upon meeting. He also told Cliff to inform her that he knew she impersonated Sylvia and told her to be ready to pay the price for fooling him for so long.
She must be scared, hence her decision to tell on Thomas.
Soon, his towering figure entered the gate. He did not go inside the house though. He sat down on the chair by the tea table in the yard.
Awhile later, two bodyguards escorted Tara out of the
house.
She wore a white dress and had heavy makeup on.
Probably because she had been living in fear for many days now, her skin looked rather dark and was slimmer than before. Even the tight dress looked loose on her.
Her eyes were glued to the elegant and handsome man at the tea table as she paced weakly toward him. It took her longer than usual to reach his front.
Odell frowned. His disgust for her was showing through his furrowed brows.
The expression scared Tara. It turned her legs weak and she fell to her knees in front of him.
“Odell, | was wrong, I...”
Odell shot a stern glare at her.
The glare silenced her for a moment. She then meekly said, “O”
Odell’s expression turned frosty. There was an obvious hint of killing intent in his presence. Tara knew the disgust he had for her.
He barely looked at her even before he found out about the sapphire ring, and now that he learned the truth, he probably wanted to tear her apart with his bare hands.