Ch. 1131..1140

Returning from the Dead: His Secret Lover Chapter 1131

Indeed, Sasha had brought the children to the Minister of the Naval Force's house.

That was not her original plan.

However, while she was shopping in the mall the other day, she encountered Helma, the one who had given her the card.

They had a brief chat, and when she saw how witty and adorable Vivian and the twins were, she began persuading Sasha to take them to her place.

“Mrs. Jadeson, you're finally here! Quick, come in. Our madam has been waiting for you.”

Like the others, Helma's place was a luxurious villa.

After Sasha led the three children in, the housemaids enthusiastically greeted them and ushered them in.

It had only been over twenty days, but their demeanors were vastly different now.

At their passionate invitation, Sasha could only lead the children in.

Vivian was a straightforward girl. When she realized that the place was not as majestic as Oceanic Estate nor as grand as Frontier Bay in Avenport, she began mumbling, “Mommy, this place is tiny. There's nothing fun here.”

On the other hand, Ian, as usual, did not speak much.

When Matteo heard his sister's grumble, he let go of his mother and went toward his sister instead.

“Be a good girl. We're not here to play. We're here to help Mommy get more information about the military.”

“Really?”

Vivian widened her eyes upon hearing her brother's words.

On the other hand, Sasha was so shocked that she hastily covered her son's mouth.

“Don't be silly. This lady invited you here to play with her grandchild, okay?”

“Okay, Mommy.”

The three children were quick to answer obediently.

Then, the four of them finally entered the living room of the villa to meet the people inside the house.

Oh my goodness!

There are so many people!

That was what the children thought the moment they stepped into the living room.

Even Sasha was taken aback.

“Mrs. Croll, this is...”

“Hello, Sasha. Let me introduce you to them. The few of us often have gatherings. She here is the wife of the police chief. She's the wife of the Minister of Transportation. These two here are the wives of officers in the Air Force in the army. When they heard that I've invited you and the kids, they were overjoyed and had brought their kids here too.”

When Helma spotted Sasha, she stood up and beamed at her.

Sasha was speechless for a moment.

Aren't they all related to the army?

This gathering is more like a gathering of the House's family members.

However, she quickly recollected herself and smiled back. “I see. I'm honored to meet you all. These are my children. My apologies to have brought them all here today.”

She then pushed the children in.

Indeed, they were triplets.

When the women who were dressed to their nines saw the triplets Sasha pushed in, jealousy and envy washed over them.

Yariel is so d*mn lucky!

Not only did he become the House Speaker, but he even has triplets!

However...

“Mrs. Jadeson, how old are they?”

“They're eight,” Sasha politely answered with a smile.

The moment her answer left her lips, the wife of the Minister of Transportation beamed. “Eight? That's fantastic. My son's ten. They can play together.”

“Mine too. My two daughters are twelve, and they're now in the garden with their violins.”

“Mine's a little younger, but she's already Grade 6 in piano.”

In mere seconds, the women were fighting against themselves to invite the triplets to play with their children.

Sasha did not know how to respond to them.

“All right. Let's go to the garden to play. Come on, let's go. Let's go to the garden to play.”

“Okay, Vivi's going too, right? We won't stay here and disturb the adults talking.”

Before Sasha could gather her wits to say anything, the children had quickly said that they would be leaving the adults alone with a bright smile on their faces. Even Vivian, the slowest to react among the triplets, agreed with her brother.

Sasha panicked, but a small hand soon grabbed her palm.

She lowered her head to look at her child.

“Don't worry, Mommy,” said Ian, his voice soft and quiet as he looked up at her.

He really looks a lot like his father.

Nevertheless, his reassurance worked, for Sasha felt her heart climbing down her throat back into her chest.

Right. These children are smarter than the average kids. I don't need to worry that they'll be bullied.

Finally, Sasha let them go.

Once the children were gone, the living room became much quieter. Helma then instructed the housemaid to serve the drinks.

“Mrs. Jadeson, where is your hometown? I think there's a mistake with the buttons of the baniere you're wearing.”

“Huh?”

Sasha froze when she heard the question from the wife of the Chief of Air Force, Dorthea Justly.

There's a mistake with the dress' button?

Sasha then lowered her head to look at the baniere—the dress she was wearing—that Sebastian had just ordered for her.

Returning from the Dead: His Secret Lover Chapter 1132

“I have to tell you this, Mrs. Jadeson. This kind of traditional one-piece dress—baniere—is from Jazona. My hometown, Saspiuburg, especially, has a century-long history with baniere,” Dorthea rambled on as she took off her mink coat with faked casualness.

Sasha quietly watched her.

“Wow, Mrs. Oveson, you're wearing baniere as well? Where did you buy this? It's so pretty!”

“Hear, hear. Mrs. Oveson, the baniere you have on must be an haute couture baniere, right?”

Dramatic gasps and praises rang out in the room. Before Sasha could say anything, the other women had begun showering her with praises.

There are haute couture banieres?

Sasha then let her confused eyes flicker between Dorthea's dress and hers.

She remembered that the accessories on her baniere were more traditional, for Sebastian had hired old tailors to make this dress by hand.

Yet, the moment Dorthea revealed her baniere, the other women began praising her in all kinds of ways possible.

On the other hand, all they had were looks of disdain and mockery for the baniere Sasha had on.

Sasha was speechless.

Thus, she ignored them. Right as she was about to head outside, the wife of the Minister of Transportation came to her.

“Mrs. Jadeson, it seems like Mrs. Oveson is quite an expert with banieres. Why don't you ask her to teach you a thing or two about how the buttons of the baniere should be?”

“That's right. Mrs. Jadeson, you have a different identity now. It's fine that you've made this laughable mistake in front of us, but you have no idea how disastrous things would be if you were to wear this to a gathering at the White House!”

“What?”

Sasha blinked at the woman who was about to undo her buttons, completely confounded.

Me? Making a laughable mistake?

Which part of me makes them think that I'm trying to make them laugh?

Finally, Sasha had run out of patience, and the look on her face darkened.

“No thank you. Although I don't know much about banieres, I'm sure my husband does.”

“Your husband?”

“That's right. Most of the banieres at Jazona are manufactured by his company, and he has several stores catering to the foreign ambassadors. Moreover, the tailors he hires are old tailors who come from families who have been making banieres for generations. The baniere I have on me comes from the hands of the oldest tailor. I don't think there's anything wrong with it,” Sasha responded.

Once those words were out in the air, the room fell silent.

Indeed, they had all forgotten who she originally was. While she was currently powerless as the wife of the House Speaker, she used to be the wife of the empire's president.

On the other hand, if not for their husbands, those ladies would be completely powerless and poor.

Sasha did not care that the women were all blushing in embarrassment. She added, “Of course, if you still have doubts about my words, I can always have my husband send a few of these dresses over.”

“A few?”

“Yes. My husband has said that the aesthetics of a baniere is dependent on its fabric. For example, the one I'm wearing is made with kossu. Do you know this?”

Once again, they gasped.

In fact, Dorthea's face had turned colorless.

How could one not know of Kossu?

It was the most expensive and rarest item in silk tapestry. Every inch of the fabric would be of an exorbitant price. No ordinary person would be able to afford it.

Even wealthy women like them might not be able to afford a small piece of kossu.

Yet, what Sasha was wearing was an entire baniere made with kossu.

No one dared to make a single sound after that as they stared at the baniere Sasha was wearing with jealous, furious eyes.

Despite all of the negative feelings swirling in them, they dared not utter another word in fear of embarrassing themselves again.

Outside in the garden, the three children were playing with the other children.

“What's your name?”

“I'm Vivi! Wow, you play the violin very well. What song is this?”

Vivian was a child who sought constant entertainment.

Upon reaching the garden and seeing the two pretty girls playing violin, she quickly let go of her brothers and ran toward them.

Those two girls were the daughters of the Chief of Air Force, Axel Oveson.

When they saw a random girl running toward them, they paused in their playing, annoyed.

“It's not like you'll know what it is even after I tell you the name.”

“Huh?”

Vivian immediately widened her eyes in bewilderment, feeling a little upset.

How would I know if you refuse to say anything? I've heard of many songs, and Ian can play the piano. Moreover, he's really good at it. I always sit by his side and listen whenever he plays the piano.

However, Vivian could only pout before leaving to look for her brother.

“Come back. You're the girl of the Jadesons, aren't you?” the two girls abruptly called out.

Returning from the Dead: His Secret Lover Chapter 1133

Vivian's eyes lit up when she heard them.

“That's right, that's right. But my family name's Hayes, not Jadeson,” she corrected.

Nevertheless, the two girls ignored that.

When they heard that she was the Jadeson girl that her parents were furious at home about, hatred flashed in their eyes, and they began formulating a malicious plan.

“Are you here to play with us?”

“Yes, yes. Let's play hide-and-seek together! It's really fun.”

Vivian was a naive girl, so she was delighted when she heard that the two other girls were interested in playing with her.

Unlike the last time, the girls did not utter anything mean anymore.

However, one of them said, “Sure. As long as you learn how to play the violin, we'll play with you.”

“Huh?”

Vivian's big eyes stared at the two girls in confusion.

They want me to play the violin?

But I don't know how to play the violin.

Mommy sent me to violin and dance classes, but I didn't learn much of anything. I don't have a single musical cell in me. All I know is eating and combing the hair of my doll.

I don't know anything!

With that thought in mind, a stumped look appeared on Vivian's face.

Unfortunately, one of the two girls quickly put the violin in her hands.

“Come. You don't need to play a whole piece; you just need to play a few notes, that's all. I'll teach you,” said one of the girls as she lifted her violin.

Oh, that's simple.

Hence, Vivian finally agreed to it.

Her plump, small hands took the violin from them as she began observing the girl carefully to learn from her.

Do.

Do.

Vivian's note was accurate.

Although music performance was not something she enjoyed learning, Sasha had forced her to learn some basic parts when she was teaching Matteo and Ian.

Therefore, she could play a few basic notes.

When the girls heard the perfect note, they paled.

How could she possibly know how to play this?

Why did she lie to us then? Why did she tell us she can't play the violin? Is she here to embarrass us?

The girls became even more furious as the one with the violin swiftly played a complex chord.

Vivian froze.

This isn't a note, is it?

“Miss, this...”

“What's the matter? Can you not play it? This is simple. If you can't play this, we won't play with you. In fact, we'll also tell the other kids that you don't know how to do anything.”

Vivian inhaled sharply as her eyes widened into saucers.

How can she be so mean? How can she tell the other kids that I don't know how to do anything. Won't Mommy be embarrassed if that happens?

At that moment, anger emerged in Vivian's chest, and her eyes turned red.

“Fine. I'll play it. I can do it,” she huffed out.

Then, after adjusting her posture, she pulled the bow.

Squeak!

To her surprise, it was an ugly sound.

“Hahaha!” The moment the girls heard it, they laughed until they were leaning back. They nearly rushed into the house to tell their mother how stupid the Jadeson girl was.

Some people were evil by nature.

By then, Vivian's eyes were brimming with tears, and she could not stop the frown from growing on her face.

No, I can't let them tell Mommy that I'm too dumb to play this.

I can't embarrass Mommy here.

Sniffling, Vivian then adjusted her posture and tried pulling the bow again.

Squeak!

Squack!

Squee!

La—Fa—So—

Vivian tried playing the notes again and again despite the two girls' continuous laughter. Finally, she successfully played the chord.

Instantly, the girls' expressions darkened.

This stupid fool managed to play it?

The two of them were overwhelmed by anger, and just as they were about to suggest more challenging things to stump her, Vivian returned their violin to them.

“I'm not going to play the violin anymore. Have fun playing. I won't play with the two of you.”

Vivian's eyes were bloodshot, but when she gave them back the violin, she made sure to be polite.

After handing them the violin, she turned and fled.

The two girls scoffed. “At least she's smart enough to leave.”

The two of them then began playing their violin again.

Meanwhile, after Vivian ran off, she went to look for her brothers as she kept her hands close to her chest.

Finally, she found Ian.

“Ian!”

The very second she saw him, she could not hold back her tears anymore as she began wailing.

Ian had been staring at an older boy playing his Rubik's Cube when his sister abruptly appeared and began crying in his arms. Instantly, he scowled.

“What's the matter? Did anyone bully you?”

Like his father, the moment a scowl appeared on his face, the temperature around him dropped.

As Vivian wiped her snot, she showed her hand to her brother. “It's bleeding!”

Returning from the Dead: His Secret Lover Chapter 1134

Her small face was a mess of tears, and snot was bubbling out of her nose. It was a heartbreaking scene.

Ian's beautiful eyes narrowed.

Staring at her chubby finger, he spotted a red wound there, and his expression promptly darkened.

“Who did this to you?” he demanded, tugging off his bowtie to wrap it around her finger.

Vivian fell silent.

I've never seen Ian so mad! She recoiled in fear.

“Ian—”

“Did the violinists do that to you? This is caused by the violin strings. Am I right?”

Ian was smart enough to deduce that after glancing at his sister's wound.

Before the girls could brag about that incident to their mother, the air suddenly turned still.

Coming to a stop, they spotted the girl who they scared away earlier.

A young boy about her age with chiseled features tugged her over to them.

“Did you both hurt my sister?” he demanded icily.

Hearing his words, the girls immediately broke into mocking giggles. “Oh, so you ran off because you got hurt. I was wondering why you didn't continue earlier!”

Their words caused Vivian to duck behind Ian fearfully as tears welled up in her adorable eyes.

The last hint of warmth disappeared from Ian's eyes.

“Continue with what?”

“Oh, nothing. When she asked to play with us, we told her we'd play with her if she could play our violin. She couldn't even play the violin but insisted on doing so and ended up cutting her finger!” They burst into loud giggles after explaining what had happened.

Mortified tears rolled down Vivian's fluffy cheeks.

“Oh, I see. Why don't we compete, too? I shall play a piece. If you can learn it, I'll give you this,” an icy voice suggested.

Ian had a smartwatch on his outstretch palm.

“Wow, isn't that a Qubbly watch? It's a popular brand overseas. Only a few of us managed to get it in the country.”

“Yes, you're right!”

Both girls gazed at the watch greedily.

Indeed, the watch was an expensive one.

Thus, they agreed without hesitation. “Sure. What are you going to play?”

Ian cast them a frigid glare. “You don't have to know. Just play it after I do. But I have a condition—if you fail to play it, you need to receive a punishment!”

“What punishment?”

“Get hurt the same way she did!” Ian declared icily.

Is he a fool?

The girls shared glances after hearing his ridiculous request.

Vivian hurt herself after insisting on pressing the strings with her tiny fingers, but they were experienced violinists.

They couldn't believe he'd make that request, let alone think they'd lose the bet. Is he that good? Can he even play the violin?

They paid no heed to his words.

After they gave him a violin, Ian placed it on his shoulder and started playing a piece.

Re mi so mi re mi so...

It was a song that stunned all listeners!

He started off with a lively and exciting melody that soon ascended into a birdlike croon. His fingers flew deftly across the strings to create a melodious song that attracted the attention of practically everyone in the garden, including the two girls.

Oh, he can play the violin well! He's really good at it!

They froze in shock. Ian glared at them in the middle of his piece and followed up with a tricky and demanding chord.

He's terrifyingly good! Not even our teacher can do that!

The color drained from their little faces within seconds, stunned by the turn of events.

Two minutes later, Ian finished playing the last note and placed the violin down, casting a petrifying look in their direction.

“Play it now!”

Alas, they clearly weren't capable enough to play the challenging piece.

Their bodies trembled as they turned to make their leave.

Ian was at a loss for words at their cowardly antics.

“Wait, why are you leaving already? You haven't received your punishment yet!” Another tiny figure arrived.

The girls stopped in their tracks when they realized a young boy who resembled the genius violinist was stopping them from leaving.

“Matt!” Vivian called out while clapping her hands in excitement.

Matteo's eyes crinkled into a boyish smile. “Be patient. I'll take revenge for you now!”

“Okay!” Vivian chirped in a happy manner.

Matteo grabbed the girls' hands before they realized what was going on.

This time, the violin strings had indeed emanated a horrendous sound as the girls let out ear-splitting screams at the same time.

Returning from the Dead: His Secret Lover Chapter 1135

When Sasha saw the girls running into the living room, she nearly spilled her drink in shock.

Oh, dear. What happened? Why is there blood all over their hands?

“Mommy, I have a broken finger!” One girl burst into noisy tears.

“Look! Mine, too!”

As their wails resonated in the living room, the women bristled and rose to their feet.

“Broken? What happened? How did you break your finger?” Dorthea jolted up in a mixture of horror and shock before running to her daughters.

Everyone else couldn't hide the surprise on their faces as well.

One of the girls complained, “The Jadeson twins cut our fingers.”

“Yes, he pressed our fingers and slashed them across the violin strings. Mommy, it hurts. We can't play the violin anymore, right?” another whimpered sadly.

The guests turned livid when the girls revealed what had happened.

How can an eight-year-old boy do such a vicious act? They are violinists. Now that their fingers are crushed, their efforts over the years will be wasted!

Dorthea dashed over to Sasha. “Mrs. Jadeson, I demand an explanation!”

Sasha was rendered speechless.

Having no idea what was going on, her heart skipped a beat in panic.

“Mrs. Oveson, calm down. We don't know what happened back there. The most important thing now is to treat their injuries and stop the bleeding. Once they're safe, we can question my children to find out what happened. Is that all right?” she suggested in a careful manner.

Dorthea spat in disgust. “Are you trying to shirk your responsibility? Dream on! Even if you're the House Speaker's wife, you need to provide an explanation. Otherwise, I won't let you leave this villa!”

She then ordered the guards to get the kids from the garden.

The mistress of the house, Helma Bjerre, made no move to stop her.

Sasha blanched. She stood up, about to go to the kids, when the three of them ran into the living room.

“Mommy, someone cut Vivi's finger and bullied Ian. Mommy, are we here as guests? Why did everyone bully us? Let's ask Daddy to bring us home!” Matteo pouted and complained angrily when he spotted Sasha.

His mother was stunned. “Matt? Are you telling the truth?” she asked, concerned.

Matteo raised his sister's hand. “Yes, Vivi wanted to play with them, but they forced her to play the violin. When she couldn't play it, they cut her finger instead.”

Silence ensued.

“There was a boy who forced Ian to play his Rubik's Cube. Ian ignored him and got insulted in return. If I hadn't arrived in time, he would've beaten Ian up!” Matteo declared in a heated manner.

Being the most eloquent speaker among the three of them, he swiftly pushed the blame onto someone else and made them the victims.

They had been discriminated against and attacked back in the garden.

Dorthea was seething in a fury. “Nonsense! You cut my daughters' fingers! How dare you lie and claim they harmed your sister?” she demanded.

Matteo raised his head and retorted smugly, “If you don't believe me, check the surveillance tapes in the garden.”

A hush descended over the living room.

Yes, he's right! There must be surveillance cameras in a representative's house.

Finally, Sasha calmed down and shot Helma an icy glare.

The latter had no words.

She thought she could enjoy the show without doing anything but had to relent under the cold gaze and summon her men to retrieve the surveillance tapes.

When the tape was played, everyone saw with their own eyes how the two girls forced Vivian to play the violin.

After Vivian hurt her finger, she went to her brother for help.

How did the girls cut their fingers, then?

The surveillance tapes showed Ian demanding an explanation from them. After they lost the bet, they tried to harm Ian and ended up cutting their fingers in the fight.

“No! Mom, the surveillance tapes had been altered! We didn't cut our fingers in the fight. He was the one who scraped our fingers across the violin strings!” both girls shrieked.

Returning from the Dead: His Secret Lover Chapter 1136

Alas, no one believed their words.

After all, none of them would assume that an eight-year-old boy had tampered with the surveillance tapes.

In the end, Helma had to apologize to Sasha before the latter left with the kids in tow.

“I'm really sorry, Sasha. I thought you could have a good time with the kids here. I had no idea this would happen. Please accept my apologies,” she said, sincerity ringing in her voice.

“It's fine. The kids are just fooling around,” Sasha assured her calmly.

There wasn't a need for her to get mad, after all.

After meeting those officials' wives and seeing for herself how they questioned and provoked her, it was clear that this wasn't a normal gathering.

Instead, this was a trap.

All in all, she should have no cause to feel conflicted.

As Sasha drove back to Oceanic Estate, she asked, “Matteo, be honest with me. How did the girls cut their fingers?”

“Well...”

The smug kids immediately scrunched up their faces at her question.

“Mommy, you know what happened?”

“I want to know the reason.” Sasha glanced in the rearview mirror, her tone stern.

Matteo's head drooped over his shoulders, indicating he was upset.

Yes, he and Ian had tampered with the surveillance tapes. But we did that to protect Vivi and Mommy!

Glumly, Matteo explained everything in detail. Once he finished, he looked up and said, “Mommy, I don't think I did anything wrong. The girls bullied Vivi on purpose. Can't I avenge Vivi?”

“Mm!” Ian indicated that he was on the same side as Matteo.

Sasha fell silent, as she didn't know how to discipline her sons.

They were right to defend their sister, but their actions were too vicious for their age.

If the girls' fingers were broken for real, their daddy would have a hard time handling those representatives in the White House.

She brought them back home without further delay.

That night, Sebastian found out about the incident and summoned Ian.

“Tell me why you didn’t stop your brother today,” he stated sternly.

The eight-year-old boy had never seen his dad this stern. He froze as his mind blanked out.

Sebastian's tone softened. “There are plenty of ways to defend your sister, but resorting to violence is the most foolish way to do it. If I were you, I'd let someone else do the deed for me!”

Ian's eyes widened. After a brief pause, he asked, “How do I do that?”

Calmly, Sebastian whipped something out and tossed it to his son.

“Didn't you take this there? Since you caught everything on tape, you should've edited it and released it to the public. Someone will definitely take action and avenge your sister,” he explained patiently.

Ian stood stock still, his mouth agape.

Sasha had been eavesdropping outside all the while and couldn't stop herself from stomping her feet in anger at her husband's words.

That b*stard! How can he teach his son to do that? Doesn't he know how capable they are now? I can't believe he's teaching them a more vicious way to do that. They are only eight-year-olds!

She nearly lost her mind.

Back in the room, Ian digested his father's words briefly before nodding in approval.

“I might consider that the next time.”

Satisfied, Sebastian asked the second question, “Why did you bring this there?”

His son answered, “You want to know what those people are doing, right?”

“I didn't say that.”

“Isn't that man your subordinate?”

Silence ensued.

This time, Sebastian was at a loss for words.

Like father, like son, indeed.

Sasha held back the urge to push the door open, for she realized their conversation made no sense to her.

Bring what? Did those children bring something there without my knowledge?

About a minute later, the man caved in. “Besides that, what else did it capture?”

“Nothing important to you. The ladies were showing off themselves like fools.”

“Well...”

“Don't worry. Matt and I have installed all the tapping devices we brought there. The ladies went back to their respective houses, so you can find out what you want to know,” the little boy revealed.

He then offered his tablet to his father.

After a shocked silence, Sebastian started choking on his drink.

Indeed, my son is capable!

Returning from the Dead: His Secret Lover Chapter 1137

The night was silent in the Croll residence.

Both husband and wife were arguing over what happened earlier in their house.

“How could you do that? Though the House representatives look down on Yariel, Silas had appointed him to be the House Speaker. How dare you invite his wife and kids to our house before causing such a big commotion? Do you want your husband to get fired?” The Minister of the Naval Force, Desmond Croll, flew into a fit of rage after learning the truth.

Helma panicked at once. “No, I was just... I wanted to teach his wife a lesson after he took that position away from you. But—”

“Teach her a lesson? Did you manage to do that?”

“No,” Helma replied guiltily and hung her head low. “But this time, I manage to pull two Air Force officials' wives and a few other House representatives' families to our side. After what happened today, they will definitely remember that woman.”

“Really?” Desmond perked up.

“Yes. Think about it. Axel's daughters got their fingers cut. They will definitely blame this on the Jadeson children. You'll have someone to back you up, right?” she suddenly suggested, her voice menacingly cold.

That was her ultimate goal of organizing the gathering today.

The Croll family had been vying for the House Speaker position for years. However, after Jonathan resigned, Devin took over that position.

Now that the chance had arrived, they wouldn't let it slip away.

Hence, when that useless Yariel Jadeson was elected to be the House Speaker by force, they got prepared to usurp the position.

First, they had to make sure all the House representatives were on their side.

Finally, Desmond relented and nodded. “Fine. Keep in touch with them. Anyway, you can invite two of them to Golden Heights. Pick those who can be of help. I'm sure they'll be grateful for that.”

“Yes. Those officials' wives can't enter Golden Heights even if they want to,” Helma responded with a smirk.

At the same time, her words rang out of Ian's tablet in Oceanic Estate.

Golden Heights again?

Sebastian raised his head and furrowed his brows.

“What is Golden Heights all about? Why do the women sound like druggies who can't wait to get more?”

Druggies? What a strange metaphor.

Mark flashed an awkward smile. “Mr. Jadeson must've misunderstood. Golden Heights isn't a place; it's a circle.”

“Circle?” Sebastian repeated curiously.

“Yes. It was established by the Limmer family,” came the answer.

“The Limmer family?” The man in the study seemed stunned to hear Mark's answer.

The country's first president was a Limmer. After democratic elections were held, they slowly retreated from the limelight. It was rare to hear of them now.

Why did Golden Heights appear all of a sudden?

Sebastian scrunched up his brows. “You mean the Limmers are behind this Golden Heights, too?”

“No, there are no Limmers in Golden Heights. The officials' wives desperately wanted to join the circle, for it would mean an ascension of their statuses. Only a selected few would get to enter Golden Heights,” Mark explained, emphasizing his last point.

Sebastian arched a brow. He finally understood what Mark was getting at.

Golden Heights was where the cream of the crop in Jadeborough gathered. Though they were ladies, it was clear that they were avoiding the White House and gathering in another spot with this excuse.

That was a horrible thing to find out!

The rich and powerful were in contact secretly. They could usurp the Jadesons and even the White House swiftly if they wanted to!

Sebastian's palms were wet with sweat.

Before he could say anything, a text arrived on his phone.

Karl: Mr. Hayes, Edmund has been abducted in Bellridge. It might be related to the casino.

Sebastian: ...

Benedict received news about Edmund's abduction, too.

He immediately yelled without thinking, “Are you out of your mind? Why did they abduct him? Didn't you tell them we're on the same side?”

Clearly, he was too shocked and angry to think twice.

His subordinate who called him sounded helpless, too. “Yes, we've said that, but they refused to listen and claimed that Mr. Edmund killed the owner of Diega Casino. As a lot of people went missing after the fire, they assumed Mr. Edmund was a spy and took him away.”

Returning from the Dead: His Secret Lover Chapter 1138

“Nonsense!” Benedict barked.

Alas, he couldn’t really do anything about it.

In the end, he made a call and booked a flight to Zarain with one thought in mind—to save his son.

There was no way Edmund could be the spy.

He didn’t even know when exactly his father hooked up with those people!

Thud!

Another punch landed on his belly. The man tied to the chair trembled and lowered his head in anguish.

“You’d better spill, or else you’ll die in this basement,” the attacker warned.

Curling into a ball, Edmund couldn’t utter a word for some time until the pain subsided.

He finally looked up, his face damp with cold sweat.

“I said, I don’t know who you are. I’m not a spy!” he answered weakly.

“You don’t know us?” The man chuckled icily before tossing a stack of photos in front of him.

Edmund’s gaze landed on the photos. His eyes turned saucers when he realized who the person in the pictures was.

“What? My dad—”

“You don’t know? Ha! Your dad has taken a lot of money from us. By the way, we helped him get to his current position, too!” the man reminded with a sinister smile.

Edmund’s already pale face somehow turned paler at his words.

“No, impossible. My dad isn’t like that. He’s a key official! There’s no way he’ll do something like this. You must be spouting nonsense and lying to me!” he declared, on the verge of losing control.

The mocking smile on the man’s lips widened as he gave Edmund a pitiful gaze.

“Oh, do you seriously think that a fool like your dad achieved success through his own means? How naïve of you,” he hissed in a nasty manner.

Edmund bit his cheek so hard it was starting to bleed.

Soon, another man came in and saw his reaction. Inching nearer to his accomplice, who had just beaten Edmund up, he whispered, “He doesn’t look like he knows his dad is on our side.”

“What do you mean?”

“Benedict has been uncooperative on various occasions, especially now that he’s the Senate Speaker. Why don’t we keep his son here?”

A sinister gaze landed on Edmund, and he instinctively recoiled in fear.

His struggles were futile, for the men strode over to grab his collar.

“Mmph…”

“You don’t know about your dad and us, right? Let’s go. We shall find out how he’ll react after finding out what we did to you!” They guffawed and dragged him out roughly.

In a hotel in Bellridge.

It took two whole days for Sabrina to realize that the annoying man who refused to leave her side had disappeared into thin air.

Where is he?

She was in a daze.

In fact, she had been in a daze after being rescued from the forest and regaining consciousness.

Though she wasn’t in a trance, it seemed like she had lost all interest in life. For the past two days, she was either asleep or sitting still in a spot.

It was as though one was watching a withering flower that was about to die soon.

Until one day, Edmund’s subordinate rushed into her room.

“Mrs. Jadeson, bad news. Mr. Edmund is in trouble. I need to find help to rescue him and can’t stay with you. Why don’t I book a flight ticket for you so you can return to the Jadeson residence?” he asked anxiously.

An eternity seemingly passed before Sabrina’s gaze moved from the sight outside the window to the man.

“What?” Her voice sounded raspy, for she hadn’t spoken for a while.

The man bristled angrily. “I said, Mr. Edmund is in trouble! I’ll ask someone to give you a ride to the airport later.”

As soon as his words fell, he was about to leave.

However, before he could do so, she pulled the blanket away from her body and rose to her feet.

“Ms. Sabrina?”

He didn’t receive a reply.

The woman came to a stop before him and stood, rooted to the spot.

As she seemed lifeless, brainless even, he had no idea what she was getting at.

When he stepped out, he realized she had come after him.

“Ms. Sabrina, are you coming with me to save Mr. Edmund?”

“Where is he?” she finally asked.

Her voice was cold, and she didn’t bother with the formalities.

Returning from the Dead: His Secret Lover Chapter 1139

In the end, the man brought Sabrina along with him, for the Coopers didn’t even know where Edmund was.

The thugs at the casino were criminals and had significant influence there. No one knew where they would take Edmund.

After bringing Sabrina to the street where Edmund was abducted, the man whipped out his phone to find out if there were any updates.

“Do you know where the casino is?” Suddenly, the woman standing beside him parted her lips and posed that question to him.

The man turned at his shoulder and replied impatiently, “Isn’t that—”

Before he could finish, a beggar next to him interjected, “Yes, I do.”

Sabrina pulled out a stack of cash and tossed it to him. “Tell me where their hideout is,” she demanded coolly.

Both the man and the beggar fell silent.

It took the beggar a while to regain his composure and gather the bills in delight.

“I shall find out now. Wait for me!” He then scrambled to his feet and dashed off.

The man’s jaw hung wide in surprise.

The beggar obviously won’t come back!

He had never seen such an arrogant and foolish decision.

However, around ten minutes later, the beggar returned, much to his surprise.

“I’m sorry, miss. I’ve asked around but didn’t find out what you want to know.”

“Why?”

“I’m a newcomer who doesn’t know many people here. If you wish to know, you might need to ask someone who has been around here for a long time,” the beggar revealed honestly.

The man decided to dismiss the beggar and come out with another plan.

Is she joking? After Mr. Edmund was abducted, we’ve exhausted all means but still failed to find where he was. Can a measly beggar tell us where the thugs are?

“All right. Tell them I shall reward anyone who has information I need with five hundred grand!” After making that announcement, she grabbed a few stacks of bills from her pocket and flung them to the ground.

The beggar swiftly gathered the bills and dashed away excitedly.

The man from the Coopers was utterly dumbfounded upon seeing that.

When the beggar disappeared from sight, he found his voice and inquired, “Ms. Sabrina, does this work?”

Sabrina pinned him with a withering look. “Why not? Money makes the world go round. Haven’t you heard of that?”

The man fell silent.

Yes, I’ve heard of that. But that’s not the point. How did she know the beggar would return? I can’t believe she offered five hundred grand as a reward. Is she that rich?

No wonder he was shocked, for this was the first time he saw someone more extravagant than Edmund.

He couldn’t quite believe his eyes.

Sabrina might be a Hayes, but she was also famous in the underworld.

Back when Frederick brought Sebastian back from Sumanthova and left the company to the latter, she got really upset and changed her attitude completely. After a scum cheated on her, she let herself loose completely.

She used to stay out all night to frequent casinos, nightclubs, and black markets.

Frederick nearly had a stroke from her actions.

Later, Sebastian exiled her, and she had to spend six months on that island. To survive, she was forced to deal with those people and learned to be as boorish as them.

Thus, Sabrina knew them inside out.

Indeed, the beggar’s return was twice as fast, and he had a few experienced beggars at his heel.

“Miss, here you go. They have the information you need,” he reported.

“Okay,” Sabrina replied with a nod.

She glanced at the beggars silently.

They promptly spoke up. “They are hiding in that apartment. I can bring you there.”

“Miss, are you looking for that young man they abducted two days ago? I saw that. If you’re going to save him, do you need me to seek help?”

“I can help, too. Do you need weapons?”

The subordinate from the Cooper family’s jaw dropped at their words.

Now, he finally realized why Edmund adored her, though she was difficult and testy.

In the end, Sabrina got a car and the latest pistol, while that subordinate led a dozen beggars to sneak into the thugs’ hideout.

He couldn’t quite believe he was doing this.

Returning from the Dead: His Secret Lover Chapter 1140

They arrived at the apartment shortly after.

To their utter surprise, a familiar figure was already waiting there.

“Isn’t that Mr. Edmund?” the man shrieked in excitement. He got out of the car and ran toward Edmund swiftly.

Sabrina spotted him behind the wheel of her bike and hit the brakes. At once, the engine stopped roaring.

The man was indeed Edmund in the flesh.

However, he was in a terrible state. Besides his swollen face, he was trudging forward with one hand on his stomach, and his body bent slightly.

Did they beat him up?

Sabrina narrowed her eyes.

Edmund had spotted them as well. “W-Why are you here?” he asked weakly after coming to a stop.

He focused his swollen eyes on the woman on the bike as something glinted across his gaze.

His subordinate immediately supported him. “We’re here to save you, Mr. Edmund. You’ve been missing for two days. Mr. Cooper is back in Jadeborough and couldn’t make it here. I was so worried!”

“So you got the beggars to save me?”

Edmund swept his gaze over the bunch of beggars behind the man.

The latter nodded profusely. “Yes. Don’t look down on these beggars. They were the ones who told us where you are. Mr. Edmund, Ms. Sabrina is indeed amazing. I didn’t even think of this.”

Edmund didn’t bother to answer to his subordinate.

He glanced at the woman on the bike, biting back the pain flaring through his body.

To his surprise, she was clad in a hotel robe and slippers. If she wasn’t staring at him without a word and he could feel the icy vibe emanating from her, he would’ve thought she was an innocent little wallflower.

However, she wasn’t. He knew that she was a rose, one with pricks at that.

“Did they beat you up?” Sabrina questioned.

“Mm,” came his curt reply.

“Do you want me to kill them?”

Indeed, when Edmund trudged over to her, blinded with pain, the first thing she asked was whether he wanted them dead.

He stopped in his tracks, speechless.

A few seconds later, he pressed one palm to his chest and glanced at her, appearing to be in misery.

“No. my dad is here. He’ll handle it. Can you bring me to the hospital?” He shot her a wretched look.

At once, a trace of reluctance and displeasure appeared in Sabrina’s eyes.

She begrudgingly nodded. After all, he couldn’t even stand on his legs, and there didn’t seem to be any cabs available in the vicinity.

Without further delay, Edmund climbed onto her bike.

“Mr. Edmund, why are you riding her bike? Didn’t we—”

“Wait for my dad to arrive. He’ll be here soon,” Edmund cut his subordinate short with a brusque order.

He then flung his arms around the woman’s waist in a natural manner.

“What are you doing? Let go!” Alas, she slapped his arms away as though he was a plague, her expression furious.

Edmund pressed his lips together quietly. Fine, I won’t touch you.

He retracted his hands obediently and sat behind her.

Sabrina relaxed and started the engine to head to the hospital.

She wasn’t about to allow any man to touch her, for she was a married woman. There was no way she’d lay her hand on another man.

Her face was grim, but on the way to the hospital, the man nearly slipped a few times off the bike. It might be from the pain or something else. She had no idea.

In the end, she had to grab his hands and put them around her waist.

“Sit tight. You don’t want to fall, do you?” she hissed.

“Okay…” the man answered in a weak voice.

Was that a hint of delight in his voice? I must be hearing things!

Sabrina shook her head, trying to ignore the warmth spreading over her back. She floored the accelerator without hesitation.

Two hours later, they rolled to a stop in front of the hospital.

“Miss, how are you related to the patient?”

“What is it? Shoot!” Sabrina demanded impatiently after having to wait for a long time.

The doctor recoiled in fear and pointed at the CT film hastily.

“He’s seriously wounded. Look, his ribs are broken, and his lungs are bruised, too. He should stay in the hospital for the time being to recover.”

“Huh? I have to stay here?” Before she could say anything, Edmund blurted out in surprise, seemingly in a dilemma.

He was lying in bed when he said that.