Ch. 1161..1170

Chapter 1161

The youth hurriedly helped his girlfriend up before glaring at Cooper. He snapped, "What gives you the right to hit my girlfriend?"

"She scolded my wife," Cooper retorted in an icy tone.

"She's the one who started it first." The youth fumed. "When she commented that I was going to miss, all my girlfriend did was argue with her. Besides, it's a well-known fact that her father was convicted of sexually assaulting an underage girl. My girlfriend was just stating the truth."

Cooper sneered, "You missed because you suck. You're welcome to cover your ears if you don't like what she's saying. As for her father, he is his own man. What has he got anything to do with her? Considering how worked up your girlfriend was about the news; it makes me wonder if she experienced the same as a child."

The infuriated youth swore at Cooper and felt the urge to beat him up.

Nevertheless, Cooper was a towering one meter and ninety centimeters tall. Despite his elegant demeanor, his aura easily intimidated the youth, causing the latter to dispel the thought of starting a fight. As for the girl, she was sobbing hard as she demanded Cooper to wait there while she called the police.

"Go ahead. I'll be waiting right here," Cooper declared, unfazed by the threat. "Disparaging someone is against the law too. Let's see which of us gets arrested in the end."

Cooper's words reminded the girl that she was the one who started ridiculing Sally first. In fact, the way she did it was extremely vulgar.

She subsequently scanned the surroundings as if she had a scheme in mind.

However, Cooper quickly saw through her and broke into a smirk. "Are you planning to elicit the sympathy of bystanders by playing the victim?"

"Lucian." He gave the boy beside him a look.

Lucian whipped out his phone and played back a recording of what just happened. When the girl heard herself cursing through the phone, her face lost all color immediately.

In that instant, the youth realized Cooper wasn't someone to be trifled with. If the police were to show up, they would likely be charged with disparaging someone.

In the end, the youth frantically left together with his girlfriend.

When the girl had threatened to call the police earlier, Amanda had pulled Sally's hands away from her ears, allowing her to hear everything.

Thus, she hugged Cooper's leg and smiled gleefully. "Uncle Cooper, you're the best! You protected Aunt Sally when someone bullied her. You really are someone who... How should I put it..." Lucian added, "Spoils his wife."

"Yes! Spoils his wife!" Amanda nodded. "I hereby declare that you, Uncle Cooper, are better than my godfather."

Cooper simply smiled and pretended not to have heard the last part of what Amanda said. Thereafter, he went to buy more balls and handed them to Sally.

He said, "There's still the keychain left. We'll leave once we win it."

After grunting in acknowledgment, she looked up at Cooper. When she noticed some emotion in his previously frosty gaze, she felt the urge to say something. Before she could, Cooper flatly preempted her, "There's no need to thank me. I'm not doing this for you."

As one was allowed to choose the keychain, Amanda chose a limited-edition Halloween StellaLou keychain and was ecstatic over it.

With that, she headed off to the carousel ride with Cooper and the others in tow.

As neither Cooper nor Sally enjoyed such a childish ride, they leaned against the railing to wait while Amanda and Lucian were enjoying themselves inside.

The sight of Amanda's elated expression caused Cooper to take photos of her and Lucian with his phone.

After doing so, he finally had time to talk with Sally. "If it wasn't because Mandy likes you a lot and insisted that you come along, I truly have no desire to see you. All this while, I have done everything I can to help you in your quest to prove the innocence of the Loake and Zane family."

With a solemn expression, Cooper continued grimly, "All I asked of you was to protect the children. I didn't need you to treat their lives as your own, but you still failed to do so."

Sally allowed him to reprimand her without a single word of protest.

After all, it was indeed a dereliction of her duty.

Chapter 1162

Cooper turned around and looked down at Sally. "You still have your father and family, but I don't. Those two are all I have left. Now that Genev is gone, what use am I if I can't even protect them?" Sally didn't apologize, for she knew that Cooper would loathe it.

"This is your last chance. If I'm the only one contributing to this relationship and you fail to keep your promise again, there's no point in continuing our collaboration."

After a brief pause, Cooper added in an icy tone, "If I end up losing something, I won't let you off easy either."

"I understand," Sally replied with a lowered gaze.

Ever since Cooper rescued her from the police station, she was cognizant of everything he had done for her. All she had to do in return was to care for the two children. It was a deal that was clearly in her favor.

After spending an exhilarating day at Disneyland and watching the fireworks at night, Amanda fell asleep on Cooper's shoulder.

Since it was inconvenient to return to Baykeep so late at night, Cooper decided to put everyone up at a hotel in Disneyland.

The next day, they went sightseeing around Xedells before returning to Baykeep in the afternoon.

After they got home, the children played in the living room while Cooper and Sally talked by the window. "You haven't told me about your father's case."

After glancing in the direction of the living room, Sally related everything to Cooper.

Upon hearing the whole story, he couldn't resist mocking, "Why would an army officer send a young girl home? I can't tell if your father was a careless idiot or a well-intentioned fool."

"A daughter of my father's subordinate was followed on her way home and subsequently raped," Sally explained. "In order to exact revenge, the subordinate killed the rapist but was sentenced to death because of it. Ever since then, Dad felt bad about what happened to them. That was why my father relented and sent Ninette home when she told him that she was being followed."

After a brief pause, Sally continued, "He also said that he felt sleepy in the car and took a nap. Never once did he set foot in Ninette's place."

"What about the driver?" Cooper inquired.

"He's still in a coma." Sally elaborated, "After dropping Ninette off, the driver was hit by a drunk driver at high speeds. His car was totaled, while the doctor says that chances of him regaining consciousness are slim."

"Running into a crazy drunk driver after dropping her off can't just be a mere coincidence." Cooper sniggered as he lit himself a cigarette.

After taking two puffs, he asked Sally, "Did you come to Baykeep in search of Ninette?"

"Mmm-hmm." Sally looked out the window with her arms folded. "She probably knows what really happened. The only reason the perpetrator hasn't killed her yet is to avoid raising any suspicion." Cooper remarked, "Even if you tell her that, she might not be willing to tell you the truth."

"I still have to try." Leaning against the window, Sally faced Cooper as she spoke. "Someone must have blackmailed her into framing my father. That's the only reason why she dared to do it despite knowing my father's position. Your nephew is a computer expert, so there's a high chance this deal might succeed."

"Ms. Loake, sometimes, being overconfident isn't a good thing." Cooper furrowed his brows as he added, "Besides, my nephew isn't your employee."

Sally flashed a smile. "He loves helicopters. I'm willing to teach him how to fly one."

She then pulled Cooper's wrist over to check the time. "Let's go. We need to get you a new set of clothes. Your current outfit isn't suitable for visiting a bar."

Cooper's eyes narrowed at her words. "Since when did I agree to do that?"

"I've been informed that Ninette's dorm mate is celebrating her birthday in a bar tonight."

"Isn't she underaged?"

"The laws here are less strict. One can enter a bar at seventeen."

Wearing a deep frown, Cooper protested, "If you want to investigate Ninette or trap her into confessing, you should do it yourself. What has it got anything to do with me?" Sally took the cigarette from his fingers and gave it a puff. "You're the honey trap."

Rendered speechless, Cooper gradually put on a blank expression.

Chapter 1163

Despite being past ten at night, business in the bar was booming.

Sally put her clothes away in the locker, then entered the club ten minutes after Cooper. The lights in the nightclub made her dizzy, and the place was deafening with a DJ playing that night. Occupying a booth in the corner, she ordered a glass of brandy from a passing waiter.

From her seat, Sally could see the bar, which was better lit. Cooper was seated atop a stool and sipping some wine.

Dressed in a hoodie and jeans, he oozed genteel charm when he removed his glasses. Even without lifting a finger, his mesmerizing aura commanded one's attention to inspect every inch of him.

Some daring and scantily clad women leaned over and caressed his shoulders, imploring him to buy them a drink.

Chuckling, Cooper obliged them generously.

Sally counted at least ten women approaching Cooper from the moment she sat down. Her gaze hardened further when she noticed how some wrapped their arms around his waist and nuzzled themselves against his chest.

Suddenly, she realized the mistake of having Cooper be the honey trap.

Not long after, Sally noticed the waiter lead a group into the booth before hers. She suppressed her frustration by taking a sip of her brandy.

The group, consisting of university students, drank for a while before starting a game of Truth or Dare, which Ninette lost after several rounds.

Ninette's friend, who was in charge of meting out the punishment, caught sight of Cooper at the bar and leaned in to whisper several words in her ear. As the price of her loss, Ninette made her way to the bar. Upon arriving there, she tapped Cooper on the shoulder. "Hey, handsome."

Cooper turned around to regard her.

Ninette's heart skipped a beat when their eyes met. Within the man's jet-black depths twinkled a hint of mischief, which she thought attractive.

He's not deceptively handsome from the back as I imagined but looks just as good from the front.

Twirling a strand of her hair coyly, Ninette pointed at Cooper's glass. "I'm a little thirsty. Could I have a sip of wine?"

"All right." Cooper slid the glass to her with a faint smile.

Ninette took a sip and, noticing that her classmates were staring from their booth, hastened to explain, "I'm sorry. I just lost a game of Truth or Dare."

"I guessed as much." Cooper lowered his voice. "I'm glad it happened, or I wouldn't have had the chance to meet you."

Ninette's cheeks turned red from his scalding gaze.

Sally was on her third glass of brandy when she saw Ninette approach Cooper at the bar again, this time not because she lost at Truth or Dare. She did so because she was smitten.

The pair bonded over drinks, and after chatting for nearly an hour, Ninette's friends summoned her.

Before departing, she gave Cooper her phone number.

He sauntered into the booth in the corner ten minutes later and sat beside Sally, who handed him her brandy. "Did you have a good time?"

"I got her phone number. What do you think?" Noticing that her expression was colder than usual, Cooper surmised she was in a bad mood. "Was this whole thing not a charade of your planning, Ms. Loake?" Sally looked away to light a cigarette. "I should have dragged her to the washroom and interrogated her with force," she declared calmly, irritated by the recollection of Ninette's earlier conduct.

Cooper smiled and looked sideways at the woman savoring her cigarette. Her cold features, made dreamy by the lights and the fog machine, exuded a lethal attraction.

He, on the other hand, was in an upbeat mood. "Are you jealous?" he asked after a sip of wine.

Sally did not answer. With a sudden move, she grabbed his collar and plopped herself onto his lap, scrutinizing him through narrowed, suspicious eyes.

She had always known who Cooper really was.

Despite how closely his eyes resembled Ethan's, she had never seen him as a replacement. Cooper is his own person.

Though the girl's harsh words did not bother her when they were at Disneyland, and she had never expected or wanted anyone to stand up for her, Cooper's behavior that day gave her a funny feeling that she could not put her finger on.

She knew what it was, but she was forced to conceal it as best she could.

Chapter 1164

Sally and Cooper shared only a working relationship; their time shared in bed was only to fulfill each other's needs.

There was no emotion in his eyes when he looked at her, which frustrated Sally. Why do I have to be bound by my feelings, whereas he never misses an opportunity to sweet talk every woman that comes his way?

Lounging back on the couch, Cooper noticed for the first time that Sally was wearing a knitted slip dress with a plunging neckline, exposing a part of her that arrested his attention.

He glanced at her lips before reaching out to touch them. "Are you wearing lipstick today?"

As she did not usually put on lipstick, her naturally pale lips made her look haughty and aloof. Now, with her dark hair and crimson lips, she looked less unapproachable and more vivacious. Sally hummed in response and took a drag before bending down to kiss him.

The menthol from her cigarette cooled his throat.

The stirring music and patrons laughing reminded Cooper they were at a bar. He pushed Sally from him after one more kiss and led her to the storage area to retrieve their clothes. Fortunately, the nightclub was too dimly lit to allow anybody to ogle Sally, which would have displeased Cooper.

After Sally procured the clothing, Cooper asked with a thoughtful frown, "I was the one who was supposed to play the part of the prey, so why did you dress so well for? Do you intend to be somebody's prey tonight?"

"Have you ever seen anybody cover themselves from head to foot when they come to a bar?" Sally retorted as she did up the buttons of her coat.

Then, she turned to Cooper and smirked. "I am never the prey."

Cooper's brow twitched before he smile. "You mean to say that you are the predator. Am I pretending to be the prey, or am I actually one?"

"Aren't you already one?" Sally argued.

As the pair stood conversing outside the storage room, a woman, who had come to retrieve her coat, overheard them. Under the impression that they were laying out terms for their rendezvous, she leaned over in a brash display of confidence.

"Hello, handsome," she crooned as she reached for Cooper's arm. "Count me in."

Before the woman could touch him, Sally caught her wrist and flung it aside. "Say that again," she hissed with a venomous glare.

With a shudder of fright, the woman bolted.

Cooper chuckled. "So many women came over to touch my waist when I was at the bar," he teased. "Why didn't you throw a tantrum then?"

Forcibly reminded of the events earlier that night, Sally scowled harder.

Cooper's phone rang the moment the pair exited the bar.

He fished it out and answered it while Sally walked to the road, hailed a taxi, and stood in wait.

Though the phone call lasted only a minute, she noticed it had resulted in a dampening of his spirits.

Cognizant that the driver was not privy to the discussion she had in mind, Sally asked Cooper instead, "Are we going back to the Zeigler residence or to a hotel?"

"Whichever you like." Cooper bowed his head, appearing to be replying to a text.

Sally gave the driver the hotel's name, then ordered some takeout from her phone.

Aside from its proximity to the bar, the hotel room they booked also appeased her discomfort about overstaying her welcome in the Zeigler residence.

It's not my home, after all.

The hotel's central heating was turned on, which made the corridors nice and toasty. Cooper removed his hoodie upon returning to the suite and asked Sally to bring him a bottle of iced water. Seated at the bar, he informed her, "Edward is dead."

Sally did not register the news immediately. "Who died?" she asked, arriving with a bottle of mineral water with its cap twisted open.

"My people in Jadeborough called to report that Edward had a heart attack on his way back from work," Cooper said as he leaned back and sipped his water.

Sally's face fell. "I checked the report of Edward's examination not long ago. There was nothing wrong with him."

Cooper leaned his weight against the bar. "Perhaps he'd worked too hard, and his body couldn't take it. Or maybe... somebody wants him dead."

Chapter 1165

"I couldn't find anything about anyone having a grudge against him," Sally said. "Perhaps the Gaudette family has evidence of his embezzlement or cheating, and he was afraid that they would use it to threater him. He should be the one killing them; why would they kill him instead?"

Sally had been intending to use the same methods to send Edward to prison. Instead, he ended up dying all of a sudden.

Cooper pondered for a few seconds before uttering in a low voice, "Perhaps the Gaudette family found out that we were investigating Edward and discovered something. They could be afraid that Robert would take advantage of the situation and that Edward would stand on Robert's side, making it disadvantageous for them. Thus, they decided it would be easier if he was taken care of."

He added, "Edward has many matters to take care of at the end of every year. It's possible to pass it off as death from overwork."

"The Gaudette family did not want Mr. Zane to be released because they were afraid that he would help Edward with his embezzlement." Sally pursed her lips, her voice bitter. Apart from discovering that Edward had kept a mistress, she had not found anything else.

Cooper laughed. "I've already gotten what I came for. It doesn't matter if the Gaudette family destroys the evidence."

Sally promptly asked, "What did you find?"

Just then, the doorbell rang. Since Cooper was not answering her question, Sally could only open the door grudgingly. The hotel receptionist was standing outside. Sally's takeout had arrived, and the receptionist had it brought to her room.

Setting down her supper on the coffee table, Sally said, "Previously, I also stayed at this hotel when I came over to Baykeep. The burgers and fried chicken from this store are pretty good." A few hours had passed since Cooper arrived at the bar, and he was actually feeling a little hungry.

Just as he was accepting the food offered by Sally, he suddenly exclaimed, "Why do I feel like there's a hidden motive? Are you trying to ply me with food so that I'd serve you properly later on?" The two of them had always gotten down to business. Ordinarily, Cooper never said much in front of her.

Despite the fact that they were the only two people in the room, Sally was shocked to hear him say something so obscene all of a sudden that she nearly dropped the burger that she was holding. Cooper was amused by her awkward reaction. He laughed quietly. "Relax, Ms. Loake. I was only teasing."

"Well, unlike you, I'm not used to being surrounded by swarms of women," Sally replied tonelessly. "It made you well-versed in flirting with women."

Cooper replied calmly, "I was never interested in women. You were the one who shoved them into my arms."

"Does this mean you prefer men?" Pushing Cooper against the couch, Sally pressed a knee against his jeans. She grabbed at his short hair, forcing him to look up at her.

When she smiled, her unusually slanted eyes would turn upward to form a cold yet beautiful visage.

Although she was a woman, she was rife with sexual tension.

Much like a hunter closing in on her prey, she slowly inched her head closer to his. "Then why are you getting hard for me? Hmm?”

Since she had just smoked a cigarette, her body held a faint scent of mint. The scent tickled his senses like a feather.

Ordinarily, Cooper hated it when someone touched his hair. However, he did not dislike Sally's actions. She inflamed the desire he had suppressed in his heart.

Cooper bit her faintly cool lips. "Are you still eating that burger?"

"Do you want to?" Sally retorted.

Laughing softly. Cooper finally realized why he was so compatible with Sally in bed. It was because she was truly an interesting woman.

They were very much in sync with each other.

After spending a few days in Baykeep with the two kids, Cooper returned to Jadeborough and headed to Specter Corporation to finish up the work that had accumulated.

The next day, he brought Sally to the inspection bureau.

Before Sally could utter a single word, Cooper handed her an envelope as soon as they arrived. "Edward made them use cash to hide their tracks, but I found someone who got me evidence of their wrongdoings."

Sally took out the documents from the folder and had just finished reading them when Cooper told her to get out of the car.

Just then, she saw a taxi pulling up behind them. A young man with a buzz cut and a black down jacket got out of the vehicle.

Chapter 1166

Hurrying over, the young man greeted Cooper and Sally.

It was the young man Robert had pulled strings for. The young man's father, once Robert's subordinate, had died in an accident, leaving him and his mother to fend for themselves.

The young man had wanted to join the army when he turned eighteen. However, due to a previous brain injury, he did not fit the requirements.

Noticing that the young man was steadfast and unyielding, and because he had a good relationship with his father, Robert falsified his medical report and let him join the army.

This was what Robert had instructed Edward to do.

After being threatened by the Gaudette family, Edward sold Robert out and exposed the latter for pulling strings for the young man. As a result, the young man was immediately disqualified from joining military service.

Since the young man was powerless to help Robert, he returned home. It wasn't until a few days ago that he returned to Jadeborough after being brought in by Cooper's men.

Sally had not expected the item Cooper said he had gotten the other night to be evidence of Edward's embezzlement. He had even gotten the young man to come over.

She stared at Cooper, her lips moving as if she had something to say to him.

Glancing at his watch. Cooper said, "Bring these items in to them. There's something else we need to take care of."

"All right." That said, Sally pivoted and entered the inspection bureau.

Afterward, Cooper brought Sally to the court. The Zeigler family's military attorney was already there. Representing Robert, the lawyer filed an appeal against his embezzlement case. Fortunately, the Gaudette family was unable to bring the inspection bureau to their side.

That was the reason why the inspection bureau immediately investigated Edward and discovered his embezzlement. Since he had met with his demise, his property was sequestrated, and the case was suddenly the talk of the town in the political sphere.

The court also reopened Robert's case.

The young man's physician testified to the judge that the former's brain injury was minor and that it left no side effects.

The lawyer provided plenty of evidence. He'd even appealed to their emotions, stating that the young man's father had given his life for the country. On the last day of the month, the court finally ruled that Robert was found not guilty.

It was New Year's Eve, so it would be a new year after that.

Cooper and the two children had their New Year's Eve dinner at the Zeigler residence while Sally went to pick up Robert from prison.

Having just returned from Baykeep, Stefan joined Sally and Robert at Golden Restaurant for their New Year's Eve dinner.

Sally, who was occupying the window seat, happened to glance out of the window and noticed that it was snowing once again.

Unable to visit the prison, she wondered how her father was doing. She also wondered if Cooper and the others were having their New Year's Eve dinner.

It was around ten o'clock at night when they finally concluded dinner. Sally sent Robert home and had Stefan stay with him.

In the meantime, she headed to Cooper's condominium.

Fireworks would occasionally bloom in the dark night sky. They were incredibly beautiful.

As she stared at the fading fireworks and the empty room, Sally's heart felt hollow. She could not resist the urge to call Cooper.

It took some time before Cooper finally answered the phone. "Hello?"

Sally asked, "Have you had your New Year's Eve dinner?"

"We finished half an hour ago. We're currently watching the celebrations on television. What about you?" Cooper murmured.

"We just finished too. Thank you for your help."

The restaurants everywhere were jam-packed that night. If Cooper had not been a regular at Golden Restaurant and called in a favor with the restaurant's owner, Sally and the others would not have been able to dine there.

After a brief interval, Cooper asked, "Did you call me just to thank me?"

Biting her lower lip, Sally glanced at the floor-to-ceiling window. Another burst of fireworks blossomed in the night sky. "There are fireworks here. They're beautiful.”

I miss you.

Sally was unable to bring herself to utter the words.

After all, she tended to be cold and could never speak such mushy words. Besides that, Cooper was not her lover.

Chapter 1167

Just as Sally was about to hang up the call, Amanda's childish voice rang out. "Hi, Aunt Sally. I miss you. Have you had your New Year's Eve dinner yet?"

Sally hummed in response.

"Uncle Yuvan bought me lots of fireworks. Come on over, Aunt Sally. Let's set off fireworks together, okay?"

Amanda covered the phone and spoke in hushed tones. "I'm sure Uncle Cooper wants to see you too."

With that, she ended the call.

Cooper noticed Amanda looking gleeful when she returned the phone to him. It was as though she had achieved a great feat.

He couldn't help but ask, "What did you talk about with your Aunt Sally?"

"I won't tell you." Amanda stuck her tongue out and skipped into her room.

Cooper couldn't help but chuckle as he watched her.

At half past eleven that night, the kids at the Zeigler residence set off fireworks in the garden, lighting the night sky with shining golden light.

The kids screamed in delight as they watched the fireworks bloom like beautiful flowers in the sky.

Cooper vaguely saw his housekeeper greeting a guest at the door, who then began making their way toward the garden just as the kids were having the time of their lives. He was stunned when he saw who it

was.

Sally, dressed in a black turtleneck sweater and jeans, showed up with her hands in her coat pockets.

Cooper thought she looked surreal as she stood under the dim light.

Sally pulled her hands out of her coat pockets, bent down, and scooped Amanda into her arms when she saw Amanda running toward her.

"That was fast, Aunt Sally. Did you come here in a helicopter?" asked Amanda.

"Yes."

Sally walked into the garden with Amanda in her arms and stood before Cooper. "I came to spend New Year's Eve with all of you. Am I welcome here?" She smiled a faint smile. Cooper returned her smile. "Well, what can I say when you're already here?"

Amanda squirmed out of Sally's arms and ran off to retrieve a sparkler from the pile of fireworks. She then had Lucian light it up for her.

Soon, she was running around the garden with the sparkler, looking like a glowing little fairy.

This was Sally's first time spending New Year's Eve with so many kids. She had to smile every so often when a kid came by to greet her, to the point that her cheeks hurt. "Are they being too noisy?" Cooper waited till the kids stopped coming by before asking Sally.

"A little." Sally's heart warmed as she stared at the kids having fun in the garden. "But it livens up the mood for New Year's Eve."

She enjoyed soaking up the lively atmosphere despite her reserved personality.

Cooper removed his scarf and wrapped it around Sally's neck as he felt the weather getting chilly.

Sally's heart warmed as she tugged at the scarf and caught a whiff of his scent.

As they stood side-by-side watching the children frolicking in the snow, she turned to Cooper. "I never thought you'd manage to uncover so much, given your busy schedule."

After all, the end of the year was always the busiest time for large corporations.

Sally always spotted Cooper working during his free time, even when he was on holiday with the children at Baykeep.

Cooper replied, "I'm a man who keeps my word. I promised you, didn't I?"

He wasn't a philanthropist. There were things he would take into consideration before coming to a decision.

It would be beneficial for both parties if he could clear Robert's and Pablo's names as soon as possible and reinstate them to their former positions, as this would make the Gaudettes wary and deter them from making any rash moves.

He added, "I don't want to see my niece and nephew living in constant danger either."

Hence, he had to find a way to get rid of the Gaudettes.

Sally knew Cooper was smart, but she never thought he would be able to anticipate the Gaudettes' next move and take care of things beforehand, catching them off guard.

Brave, handsome, and capable. No wonder women flock to him.

A thought suddenly occurred to Sally. She turned to Cooper and said, "You've known Armand so many years now. Who do you think is smarter? You or him?"

Cooper uttered, "We wouldn't be in this mess if I were the smarter one."

Sally caught on immediately as a faint smile formed on her lips.

Cooper narrowed his eyes as he caught her smiling. "Why do you ask? Did something occur to you?"

Chapter 1168

Sally didn't think it was a good idea to voice out mere speculations.

"I like men who are smart and brave." Sally cocked her head to the side. "I'm just curious. Why do I fancy you when Armand is the smarter one?"

It seemed as if Cooper never expected to hear something like that from Sally.

At that moment, the kids were counting down excitedly. "Ten, nine, eight... One!"

A dazzling display of fireworks lit up the night sky as the clock struck twelve. The kids cheered in delight as they welcomed the new year.

Sally turned to face Cooper and kissed him on the lips. "Happy New Year."

Cooper bore his dark eyes into her. "Sally, I'd rather you see me as Ethan's stand-in than have you develop feelings for me."

"My heart has turned into a cold hard stone. You know very well why I chose to marry you. I'm just saying. Why are you being so sensitive?" Sally smiled. "Liking someone has a broad range of meanings to it. Besides, I'm not the type to stick around when I'm no longer wanted either."

She maintained a calm and collected demeanor despite the circumstances, and that managed to convince Cooper. "Glad you think that way."

The kids went to bed right after the firework display.

Sally and Cooper also returned to the guest room the housekeeper had prepared for them. Checking her phone, Sally saw the new year greeting Stefan had sent.

She replied to his message and even sent him a monetary gift as a blessing for the new year.

She still remembered what Cooper said that night, but she had been hesitant since Stefan had never traveled overseas. Moreover, her father had instructed her to look after Stefan.

I won't be in contact with Cooper once we settle the Gaudettes, so Stefan won't have to harbor any more ill feelings toward Cooper. I'll need to have a proper conversation with Stefan sometime soon.

A push notification from her news app appeared on the screen. She tapped on it as the headline caught her attention immediately.

Benson Corporation was one of the biggest real estate companies in the country.

Jimmy would emerge as one of the top ten richest men in the country every year. Hence, the news media were flocking to report about his company when things went wrong.

Sally waited till Cooper was done with his phone call before she commented, "I saw the news about Benson Corporation."

Cooper replied, "It was Bertilla who called me. He discovered that Jiminy had been scammed after investing his money overseas and lost over two billion in cash."

Jiminy had poured all of his liquid assets into this investment.

Surely, he never expected to get scammed.

New Year's Eve was supposed to be a happy day whereby families gathered to welcome the new year. However, Benson Corporation was declared bankrupt on New Year's Eve as the stock price crashed, sending Jiminy into debt.

Cooper frowned. "Mr. Benson is a shrewd businessman who has been doing business for decades. He wouldn't have invested billions without exercising due diligence."

Sally didn't know what to say to Cooper as she wasn't well-versed in running a business.

After giving it some thought, she spoke up. "Maybe the Bensons are being targeted. The scammer must have known that Mr. Benson was a cautious man and devised a trap just for him." Sally thought of it that way because she had employed similar tactics to bring down Specter Corporation back then.

Sally continued, "If Armand had not been helping you behind the scenes back then, it would have been a piece of cake for me to employ someone else to bring down Specter Corporation for me with my father's status."

Cooper caught on. "The Bensons are not involved in politics. There's no reason for the Gaudettes to bring them down."

"That's precisely why it was so easy for them to take the Bensons down-because nobody in the Bensons was involved in politics." Sally crossed her arms and leaned on the couch. "I found that Charlotte had a boyfriend before this, but Eurydice's cousin, Beatrix, stole him away. Charlotte has been holding a grudge against her ever since. Beatrix was visibly upset after Charlotte taught her a lesson that day. I could also tell that Beatrix's the type to bully others."

Cooper instructed Bertilla to look into the Lowes as Sally was speaking. He received their information shortly after.

After quickly scanning through the pages, he narrowed his eyes. "Beatrix's father runs a multinational logistics company and is very wealthy. They're probably the ones supporting the Gaudettes financially behind the scenes."

Sally replied, "It's likely that Beatrix went to Eurydice for help after being bested."

Benson Corporation was just small fry to the Gaudettes. They could have brought the corporation down with a snap of their fingers if they wanted to.

Chapter 1169

A nightmare jolted Johanna awake. When she woke up, her body was drenched in sweat, and she couldn't see anything in front of her.

Only after catching whiffs of the faint milky fragrance did she recall she had returned to Jadeborough. She also remembered that yesterday was New Year's Eve, and she had drifted off to sleep in Timothy's arms while hugging Asel.

Her anxiety gradually dissipated. She groped around to get off the bed to go to the restroom.

Johanna had been back for a few months now.

During this period, Timothy had brought her to visit eye specialists at various hospitals. Unfortunately, those doctors couldn't figure out why she lost her vision.

Timothy had forked out a lot of money to hire the best ophthalmologist in the world, but even the doctor couldn't treat Johanna's blindness.

Perhaps having experienced the ordeal of being kidnapped had numbed her, for Johanna didn't panic or feel devastated even after she became blind.

She felt at ease as long as she had Timothy and Asel by her side.

She had also slowly gotten used to being sightless. As Johanna grew familiar with the mansion's layout, she could move around like a normal person as long as the housekeeper didn't shift things around. When she brushed her teeth, she accidentally touched the tip of her tongue with the toothbrush, prompting her to retch and suddenly feel uncomfortable.

The discomfort didn't go away even after she finished washing up and went downstairs.

"Mrs. Jensen," the housekeeper, Loraine Langdon, greeted when she saw Johanna descend the stairs. "I made pasta. Should I prepare a glass of warm milk for you?"

Johanna hummed in response.

"Where's Asel?" Timothy would usually wake her up and accompany her and Asel to have breakfast downstairs.

However, Timothy and Asel weren't there when she woke up that day.

Loraine placed a plate of pasta before Johanna and answered, "Today is New Year's day. After Asel finished her milk, the nanny brought her outside to play. I think Mr. Timothy went out because something came up at the office. He left in a hurry and didn't even have his breakfast."

As Johanna had lost her vision, Timothy rarely went to the office nowadays. He would only visit the company during an emergency and spent the rest of his time keeping her company at home. Johanna didn't expect he would have to work even on New Year's day.

She hadn't recovered emotionally since her return to Jadeborough. In addition, she hadn't gone out for a long time since losing her eyesight. It felt like ages ago since I last contacted Genevieve. With that thought, Johanna planned to bring Asel to Swallow Garden to visit Lucian and the others after Timothy returned from work.

Loraine brought the heated milk over. Johanna took a sip and caught whiffs of the warm, fresh milk's scent. Right when she was about to gulp down the milk, her stomach churned.

She hurriedly asked Loraine to pass her the trash can before lowering her head and puking out the little food she had just eaten.

Loraine poured her a glass of water and asked concernedly, "Are you all right, Mrs. Jensen?"

"I'm fine. I'm just feeling a little nauseous after drinking the milk." Johanna rinsed her mouth with water. The discomfort in her stomach lingered. "Bring me a glass of orange juice."

"Sure."

Loraine took out an orange and placed it in the juicer. Two minutes later, she served the glass of orange juice.

She noticed Johanna consuming half a glass of the orange juice in one gulp and adding more condiments to the pasta than usual. As someone with experience in that area, Loraine realized something. After hesitating briefly, she leaned closer to Johanna and whispered, "Mrs. Jensen, did you not use any... protection when spending the night with Mr. Timothy lately?"

Johanna was momentarily taken aback, but she swiftly grasped what Loraine meant.

Blushing slightly, she replied, "We didn't."

Loraine chirped, "That must be it, then. After you finish your meal, I'll bring you to the hospital for a health examination."

"Okay." Johanna was feeling under the weather and was full after taking only a tiny portion of the pasta. Then, she went upstairs to get changed. When she was done, the driver chauffeured them to the hospital.

Johanna leaned against her seat and caressed her lower abdomen.

Although Timothy accompanied her to sleep every day upon her return, they didn't get to share many intimate moments because Asel would get between them.

Due to her mood swings, her menses also became irregular.

The color drained from Johanna's face as she was abruptly reminded of something.

Coincidentally, the car came to a halt at the hospital's entrance. Loraine had gotten out of the vehicle and was about to help Johanna out of the car when she was met with the latter's ashen face. Shocked, she asked, "Mrs. Jensen, you look very pale. Are you feeling sick?"

Chapter 1170

Johanna regained her senses and forced a smile at Loraine. She exited the car with the latter's assistance before heading to the hospital together.

General Hospital was Forlisle Medical's shareholder, not to mention Timothy was the boss. Hence, Loraine didn't even need to queue for a number. After mentioning Timothy's name, the nurse brought them directly to the gynecologist.

The doctor questioned Johanna about her menses status before telling Loraine to bring Johanna to carry out a urinalysis.

After waiting at the urinalysis center for around ten minutes, Loraine acquired the test result. Upon inquiry, Johanna was informed the result returned positive. She was indeed pregnant.

Then, the doctor told Johanna to undergo an ultrasound scan in the ultrasound room.

She carefully lay on the bed and lifted the hem of her sweater, shuddering slightly when she felt the icy cool gel on her tummy.

After some time, the doctor beamed at Johanna and said, "The fetus is developing well and looks healthy."

Johanna couldn't help but ask, "How long have I been pregnant?"

"When was your last menstrual cycle?" the doctor asked. Then, she calculated the date according to the size of the fetus. "Around nine weeks."

Nine weeks. That's a little over two months. Johanna was relieved after hearing the doctor's reply. Honestly, I think I was just overthinking it. I requested the contraceptive pills from Frank at Lostaria. One pill prevented me from getting impregnated for two months. Although Zephyr frequently copulated with me, there was no way I would get pregnant after taking the medication.

"Thank you." Holding the pregnancy test report, Johanna left the room while leaning on Loraine.

However, the female doctor appeared apprehensive after the door was closed. She turned to the other end of the office and saw a slender hand parting the curtain, revealing the figure of a tall man. Then, he ambled toward her.

That man, dressed in a black woolen coat, had a gentle and elegant appearance, but his purple eyes were vacant and inexpressive.

He slowly approached the female doctor and asked tenderly, "Is it a boy or a girl?"

"It's a girl. T-The fetus is developing well," the female doctor stammered a reply while handing him the actual pregnancy test report.

Zephyr received the sonogram and looked at the fetus in the image. The fetus was tiny, but her head and limbs were clearly visible. Her petite body was curled as she slept soundly.

Zephyr had never seen an unborn baby's sonogram, so that was his first time doing so.

Despite once being a child himself, he deeply loathed his childhood and had never been fond of kids. Still, seeing this approximately thirteen-week-old fetus with limbs, who also happened to be his child, invoked an incredible and indescribable feeling within his heart.

He never knew a tiny fetus could be so cute.

Zephyr stared at the sonogram for a long while before folding it and keeping it in his pocket. Then, he took out a check and placed it on the table.

"This is your remuneration."

The female doctor glanced at the check and uttered fearfully, "Mr. Jensen is this hospital's boss-■"

"I know." Zephyr flashed a faint smile, seemingly unfazed by that. "You'll do the pregnancy checks and health examinations for her whenever she comes to the hospital in the future. I'll take care of the rest." Without waiting for the doctor to respond, he leaned down and added in an undertone, "If she and the baby are fine, I can guarantee you and your family will live a lavish life. Conversely, if you mention anything inappropriate to others, I'll skin all your family members alive. Do you understand me?"

His magnetic voice was deep and pleasant to the ears, but the words he spoke using that low and gentle tone were frightening and baleful, causing the female doctor to be scared out of her wits and on the verge of tears.

She had a feeling Zephyr was a man of his word.

Zephyr was pleased when he saw the female doctor, who was trembling all over, nod and accept the generous check.

Before taking his leave, he handed her a piece of paper, and written on it were what seemed to be the names of a few ingredients of a medication. "Can she be injected with this medication if she's pregnant?” The doctor read the name of the medication on the paper and shook her head. "It would be best to avoid this medicine. The fetus is still very fragile at this stage. The ingredients of this medication can easily stop fetal growth."

"Okay. Thank you."

After that, he politely inquired about the types of food a pregnant woman should avoid. Only then did he exit the doctor's office nonchalantly.

A car had been parked around the corner of the hospital's side door for a long time.

Zephyr strolled out of the hospital, opened the car door, and entered the vehicle. Then, he took out the sonogram from his pocket.

Mixed emotions flashed across his impassive eyes as he looked at the fetus sleeping calmly in the placenta.

Zephyr could even feel his heart turning soft at that instant.