Ch. 1781..1790
His Secret Lover Returning from the Dead Chapter 1781
Cohabitation
Meanwhile, Ian had already gone back with Timothy. After having lunch, both of them returned to the apartment, for Ian needed to conduct a conference call with Yvonne in the afternoon.
As for Timothy, he had made an effort to come back together with Ian.
After lunch, Susan returned to her dorm with a heavy heart. After she lay down, her mind was preoccupied with the matter.
It turns out that Yasmin is really Duncan’s sister.
Thinking back to the day she saw the name list, she sent someone to Xenhall to send her a copy of the list of all the children who disappeared back then.
Subsequently, she used her photographic memory to recall Duncan’s details.
Duncan. That isn’t his real name. It should be Shane Snow. The Snow family was probably a family of scholars to have given their children such beautiful names. Unfortunately, their lives were ruined by that maniacal demon. Now that Shane is no longer around, can Yasmin accept the truth calmly?
Susan didn’t dare think about it.
Nonetheless, after lying down for the entire afternoon, she finally made a decision in the evening.
“Ian, after thinking through the matter, I feel I should stay by your side if you’re going to continue managing the company. Timothy is just too careless and won’t be able to juggle so many tasks. Therefore, I plan to move into your apartment too, what do you think?”
Susan had given Ian a call.
While presenting her idea, she was both nervous and blushing till her ears were red.
After all, she was still a young girl in her early twenties.
Luckily, Ian, who trusted her with his life, readily agreed. “Sure, when are you moving? Do you need my help?”
In fact, he even sounded delighted at the news.
At that moment, Susan felt her concerns ease.
“That’s… a good idea. Come over and help me then. Don’t worry, I’ll inform your parents of the matter.”
“There’s no need to, just move over,” Ian plainly rejected.
After lessons had ended, he left class with his bag slung behind his back.
Coincidentally, Yasmin ran into him. When she saw him, she remembered that he had asked her to invite him along whenever she found any jobs. Hence, she called out to him, “Ian, where are you going?”
Stopping in his tracks, he turned around to look at her.
“Is something up?”
“Not really. Remember you told me that you wanted to work part-time while studying? I just found a job as a home tutor. Do you want to join me?”
Yasmin explained her intention in an awkward manner.
The moment the words left her mouth, she was surprised that Ian had no reaction at all. Just two days ago, his eyes lit up curiously upon hearing about the strange ideas she had.
“Nope.”
“Hmm?”
Yasmin was caught off guard by his monosyllabic answer.
By the time she regained her senses, Ian was already long gone.
What’s with that snarky attitude? I’m not going to invite him the next time!
After having her good intentions rebuffed, Yasmin was filled with exasperation, causing her to stomp her feet before leaving.
Meanwhile, Ian headed to the Faculty of Business Administration.
Given that all the girls there had not seen Ian before, the entire dorm was filled with excitement when they realized how handsome he was, to the extent Susan was worried that Ian would be given a shock.
In the end, Ian ignored all of them.
Once again, it was an opportunity for him to demonstrate how his character flaws made him different from an ordinary person.
Whatever he disliked or scorned would be totally filtered out of his mind.
Once both of them had moved some stuff to the apartment, Susan went off at once to buy some groceries.
“Ian, just leave my things there. I’ll unpack them when I’m back. But first, I’m heading out to get some groceries to cook. If you have something to do, please go on ahead.”
“Sure,” Ian agreed obediently.
After Susan came back with the groceries and was done cooking, Ian was still busy working in his room.
Such a routine felt right to her.
“Ian, it’s time for dinner. You can continue later.”
“Mmm-hmm,” he grunted before coming out of his room.
Coincidentally, Timothy had just returned from playing basketball and was drenched in sweat.
The moment he saw his sister and the table filled with a scrumptious feast, he ranted, “Susan, aren’t you being biased? Why haven’t you cooked such a delicious meal for me before?”
Just as he spoke, he sat down and started eating before washing his hands.
The instant she saw it, Susan slapped his hands aside.
“Go and wash your hands. How do you expect everyone else to eat when your hands are so dirty?”
“Okay.”
“Ian, have you washed your hands? Once you’re done, come and have dinner.”
“I’m ready.”
Amidst the warm atmosphere, all of them had a great time together.
With her mind put at ease, Susan slept very well in her new room that night.
His Secret Lover Returning from the Dead Chapter 1782
Red And Black Roses
From then on, the matter gradually settled into a routine. Ever since Susan moved in with Ian, she would meet him at the Faculty of Finance after school on the pretext of going home together.
Naturally, Yasmin no longer had any chance to get close to him.
Thus, the next few months passed uneventfully until Ian bought the building he had his eye on.
When redevelopment was about to start, he headed to the site to check on the progress. On his way there, he ran into Yasmin coming out from it.
“Ian, what are you doing here?”
She called out to him first.
In the few months they had not spoken to each other, Yasmin had lost some weight. She gave Ian an exhausted look while holding a document pouch in her hands.
Ian stopped in his tracks.
I’m here for the building, but what is she doing here? Why did she come out from inside?
He then turned his gaze to the document pouch she was holding.
“I was giving out flyers. Since this building is about to be redeveloped, the tenants have to move out. Hence, the real estate agency I work for is flooding them with rental advertisements.”
While explaining, her voice couldn’t hide the fatigue she felt, leading Ian to furrow his brows.
At the sight of how drained she was, the image of her previous self that was brimming with energy flashed across his mind. He ordered without a second thought, “In that case, stop doing it, and follow me.”
“Hmm?”
Yasmin’s eyes widened in surprise.
Follow him? Did I hear wrongly?
Yasmin figured that Ian was behaving strangely because she hadn’t whipped him into shape in the last few months.
Nevertheless, half an hour passed.
“Mr. Hayes, the designs are out. Please take a look at them.”
“Mr. Hayes, we have concluded negotiations with the contractors. They are ready to start work in the next few days.”
“Mr. Hayes…”
In the office that was surrounded by gleaming windows, Yasmin gaped as she watched the staff flow in and out to make their respective reports.
This is extremely shocking! What has he been doing the last few months to end up in such a high position?
Yasmin’s eyes almost popped out of their sockets.
It wasn’t until all the reports were done and everyone had left that she walked up to Ian’s table.
“What’s going on? How are you… a manager now?”
In truth, she felt a little jealous, for she had never found such a wonderful job before, especially one that was both presentable and high paying.
How in the world did he do it?
“Mmm-hmm. However, you shouldn’t let your imagination run wild. I’m nothing more than a low-level assistant. As of now, I’m just helping the boss who bought this building manage things,” Ian explained when he saw the envy and dejection in Yasmin’s eyes.
After all, he was someone that was extremely sharp.
Just as expected, the shock on Yasmin’s face eased upon hearing his reason.
“I see. In that case, you’re really lucky. I heard that the famous Hayes Corporation is responsible for the takeover of this building. In fact, many in the Faculty of Finance dream of working there upon graduation.”
“Really?”
“Really. Considering how big the company is, that’s the best one can possibly achieve.”
While Yasmin was speaking, she couldn’t hide the ambition that glistened in her eyes.
Ian fell silent.
After pondering in his chair for a few seconds, he suggested, “In that case, you can stay by my side.”
Yasmin responded, “What?”
Ian replied, “I’m already working in Hayes Corporation. If I perform well this time, I can officially sign a contract with them. Therefore, you should be my assistant and sign it together with me.”
Ian had never expected that he could tell a lie one day without batting an eyelid.
In the end, Yasmin agreed in delight.
After both of them spent a busy day at the office, Susan called in the evening and asked Ian when he would be coming home. Ian answered, “I’ll be back once I finished work with Yasmin.”
Susan was stumped.
Just as she felt a sudden jolt, her previous worries came flooding back into her mind.
How did Yasmin end up with Ian again?
Susan was filled with frustration, especially when she saw both of them coming home together. Yasmin had given Ian a ride on her electric bike and arrived downstairs of the apartment.
“All right now, we’re here. You should head back up.”
Knowing where to draw the line, Yasmin had no intention of going up.
However, after Ian got off, he checked his watch and instructed, “Let’s go together. Since there’s still work to do, we’ll continue after we finish dinner.”
With that, he headed upstairs without giving the matter another thought.
As Yasmin was rendered speechless, so was Susan who was watching from upstairs.
In the end, Yasmin joined them for dinner in the apartment.
Once they had finished, they went to Ian’s room under Susan’s watchful eye, sat opposite each other at the table, and got back to work.
Susan was so distraught by the sight that she could barely breathe.
Unable to bear it any longer, she cleared up the kitchen and went out. Wearing a pair of earphones and dressed in loose casual clothing, she walked aimlessly around the apartment grounds.
His Secret Lover Returning from the Dead Chapter 1783
Daughter In Law
Back at Oceanic Estate, Sasha had been asking about how Ian was doing.
Ever since he went to university, he seldom called home, as if he was trying to prove to them that he could live independently of them. Even when he did call, he wouldn’t reveal his true situation to them.
As a result, Sasha and Sebastian had to rely on the men Karl had assigned to watch Ian to hear the latest about him.
“Mrs. Hayes, don’t worry. Ian is extremely popular in school. In fact, there are two girls who keep staying by his side.”
When Karl updated them on the situation, he couldn’t resist cracking a joke out of it.
Sasha was both shocked and delighted to hear it.
“Really? What kind of girls are they? Does Ian like them?”
Karl was dumbstruck.
What kind of response is that? Isn’t she worried? Her son is only seventeen and isn’t considered an adult yet.
Karl, who started the topic jokingly, was at a sudden loss when he saw Sasha’s excitement.
Fortunately, Sebastian was there. Having heard the report, he raised his brow before pulling the nosy Sasha behind him.
Sasha was speechless.
Sebastian asked, “Have you investigated it? What’s the situation like?”
“Yes, one of them is Zaylynn Neal, daughter of a businessman in Pollerton. Their family has a reasonably clean background. As for the other, Yasmin Snow, it doesn’t look good.”
A grim expression descended upon Karl’s face at the mention of Yasmin’s name.
Sasha interjected, “Why doesn’t it look good? Is there something wrong with the girl?”
She assumed Karl was implying that Yasmin’s character was questionable. If that was the case, she had to make sure Ian stayed away from the latter.
However, Karl shook his head.
“No, there’s nothing wrong with her personality. Mrs. Hayes, do you still remember Duncan? That girl is his elder sister!”
“What?”
Sasha and Sebastian were taken aback by the revelation.
Duncan’s sister? Why is the world so small for our son to run into his sister?
Sasha could feel her heart sink.
As for Sebastian, his expression drastically changed.
What had surprised him the most was that he had assumed the university was clear of any potential threats to his son. Hence, he didn’t expect to be thrown a curve ball like that.
Is this destiny?
Entering his forties, Sebastian began to believe in fate.
“Sebby, what should we do? Should we get Ian to come back at once? Is that girl trying to get close to him?”
“No, Mrs. Hayes, Yasmin was already studying there before Ian went over. Based on my investigations, the university was in fact her first choice after finishing her high school exams,” Karl quickly explained.
By then, Sasha didn’t know what else to say. The only thing in her mind was to recall Ian immediately, for she didn’t want to see him get hurt again.
As for Sebastian, he had no plans to take any action after deliberating upon the matter.
“Perhaps, that’s part of growing up for him.”
“What did you say? Do you mean he should experience it?” Sasha gave him an astounded look. she couldn’t understand how someone as sharp as him could utter such words.
“Sebby, have you got it wrong? Why do you think this is necessary? It’s within our power to stop it!”
“Yes, we are capable of stopping it. However, have you considered that since Yasmin is alive, she will find out the truth about her brother’s death sooner or later? When she does, she would still come for Ian.”
Sasha remained silent.
“Therefore, this is something that Ian needs to face. Only by overcoming it will he truly have matured. If it happens sometime later when we’re much older or not around, wouldn’t it be a bigger blow then? If he falls, who will be there to help him get back up? Are you pinning your hopes on Matteo? Or the clueless Vivi?” Sebastian explained patiently when he saw the anxious look on his wife’s face.
In the end, Sasha opened her mouth but nothing came out.
That’s true. What if he falls in the future? By then, there will be no one to support him. Since the storm is inevitable, it would be better for him to sail through it in his youth. At the very least, both of us are still young enough to deal with it.
Finally, Sasha agreed with Sebastian’s perspective.
Karl, too, found that the reasoning made sense.
“Mr. Hayes is right. Furthermore, I don’t think it’s necessary to worry too much about it. Susan and her brother are doing a good job of taking care of Ian. Susan in particular has even discovered who Yasmin is.”
“Really?”
Sasha was stunned.
Susan is truly impressive!
His Secret Lover Returning from the Dead Chapter 1784
A Slap
“That right. Her performance over the last few months has demonstrated that she’s someone extremely competent. Previously, Mr. Hayes had gotten me to test her by letting those men in Pollerton to cause Ian trouble.
“However, Susan noticed their agenda after a single meeting with Ian. Subsequently, I didn’t know what she did, but the men didn’t dare cause any more trouble the very next day. Instead, they complied with Ian’s instructions obediently.”
Karl proceeded to relate all the details of what happened back then at the university. While doing so, he still couldn’t help but feel amazed by what she did.
Even though she looks unassuming, she managed to astound everyone at the crucial moment.
Having heard Karl’s report, Sasha was dumbfounded.
When she turned her head to look at Sebastian and noticed the shock on his face, she asked at once, “Sebby, can she—”
“Probably not.”
After regaining his senses, Sebastian rejected the idea at once.
“Both Susan and her brother were never inculcated with the idea of revenge by Colton. As for the Limmer family, he had never told them about it. Therefore, both of them would not harbor any agenda.”
“And Susan…”
“She probably just wants to help Ian out. Don’t worry. I’m monitoring the situation. If anything untoward happens, I won’t sit idly by and watch,” Sebastian reassured her.
Feeling relieved, Sasha went back to her work.
When Karl saw that he was alone with Sebastian, he asked, “Mr. Hayes, are you really not concerned about Susan?”
“She deserves a chance. Anyway, continue to keep a close eye and don’t interfere. I want to see how she deals with the situation.”
“I will!” Karl acknowledged.
Back in Pollerton, Susan only returned from her stroll when it was late at night.
By the time she got back, Yasmin was already gone, leaving Ian working alone in his bedroom.
“Ian, aren’t you done yet? Are you hungry? Do you want me to cook you some supper?”
After hearing the question, Ian looked up from his computer and gave Susan a glance. “I’m fine, Aunt Susan. You should go to bed first.”
Susan stared at him in silence.
Actually, there’s no need for me to interfere in this matter if I don’t want to.
However, she realized she couldn’t bring herself to do it.
Is it because I feel the need to repay Sebastian for the mercy he showed my family? Or, is it because of the fact that Ian has trusted me without reservation ever since he came to the school? Also, every time he looks at me, he doesn’t see me, a remnant of the Limmer family, as an outsider even though he is obviously someone prominent.
As Ian moved a little closer, Susan could see her reflection in his clear and beautiful eyes.
How can I let someone like him get hurt?
After returning to her room, Susan made a call. “Hello, didn’t you promise to do something for me? I have something for you now.”
“Go on.”
“There’s a student named Yasmin Snow in the University of Pollerton. Just transfer her away to some other university,” Susan stated her request.
Her plan was simple. As long as Yasmin no longer studied at the same university, she wouldn’t interact with Ian anymore. That way, he would be safe.
Little did she expect to return to the apartment a few days later to find Yasmin bawling in Ian’s arms.
“Why did the school expel me? I didn’t do anything wrong. What gives them the right?”
“Calm down, I’ll help you get to the bottom of the matter.”
Even though he was hugging her, Ian didn’t really know where to put his arms.
Given that it was his first time holding a girl and considering how sudden it was, he felt awkward doing so.
In spite of that, he tried his best to comfort her still. Suddenly, Susan, who was standing nearby, caught a glimpse of the cold glint that flashed in Ian’s eyes.
With her face losing all color, she lost the courage to approach them.
As she rushed back to school with the intention of erasing all the evidence of the matter, Ian, who was just as canny, reacted faster than she could. With little effort, he discovered that the university administrator had been bribed.
Leveraging the Hayes family’s influence, Ian got the latter to give the perpetrator up.
Susan didn’t return to the apartment subsequently.
Instead, she spent the night alone in the university’s empty gymnasium.
Curled into a ball, she was overwhelmed by fear and helplessness.
It wasn’t until the next day that her brother, Timothy, found her. Before saying a word, he greeted her with a forceful slap.
Slap!
Susan almost lost consciousness from the impact.
“Susan, what are you doing? I have noticed that you’ve been acting weird lately. Despite being his aunt, you are especially close to him. In fact, you even moved in with us. Susan, what’s going through that mind of yours? Tell me, what are you planning? How can you be that shameless?” Timothy roared as his finger almost stabbed her in her face.
Susan turned pale at once.
Covering her face, she ignored the pain she felt and denied it frantically, “I wasn’t thinking of anything at all, Timothy. It’s not what you think. I did that just because… because…”
“Because of what?”
Suddenly, Yasmin appeared at the scene.
However, she wasn’t alone. Behind her were many parties from the school, including members of the student council, Susan’s teachers, classmates, etc.
His Secret Lover Returning from the Dead Chapter 1785
Humiliation
“Susan, it turns out that you’re the one behind this mess. Why did you get the school to expel me? What did I do wrong? How dare you bribe the school administrator? Susan, you have truly outdone yourself this time,” Yasmin thundered at Susan in front of everyone.
After all the teachers and students recovered from their shock, they glared at Susan in disbelief and anger.
As she felt a chill down her spine, Susan’s face was white as sheet.
“I… I didn’t get the school to expel you.”
“No? Do you deny it still? Ian helped me to find out the truth, the administrator had confessed to it. And yet, you still plan on shirking responsibility? Susan, are you unwilling to repent until it’s too late?”
Yasmin’s threatening voice rang out, rendering Susan speechless.
In the end, she was apprehended by the teachers under everyone’s scornful gazes.
By the time Ian arrived after receiving the news, the school had already dropped the bombshell on her. Due to the gravity of the offense, which was to bribe a teacher into harming other students, Susan ended up being expelled as punishment.
With that, her reputation in school was ruined.
“What are you doing? Who asked you to gather the teachers? Didn’t I tell you to wait for me to clarify the matter with her first?”
Outraged by the conclusion, Ian turned around and questioned Yasmin, who was still at the school office.
Yasmin recoiled in shock, for she had never seen him flare his temper before.
“What’s there left to ask? Hasn’t the matter been laid bare? Besides, you’re the one who helped me investigate it. How can there still be a mistake? Therefore, what’s wrong with my actions?”
Not only did she not repent but also felt that she had done the right thing.
Ian’s flushed red in anger.
Just when he was about retort, he was forced to swallow his words at Yasmin’s accusation that it was he who discovered the truth.
In the end, Ian gave up arguing with her and went to look for Susan instead.
Meanwhile, Susan had returned to her dorm after receiving the notice of her expulsion. When she wanted to clear her belongings, her friends and classmates of old stopped her.
Not only did they ridicule and berate her but also threw things at her.
“Susan, you’re truly disgusting. What does your nephew’s relationship have anything to do with you? Furthermore, how can you bribe the school administrator to expel her?”
“Exactly!”
“You’re such a disgrace!”
Overwhelmed by the humiliation, Susan’s body trembled to hard that she could barely maintain her balance.
Arriving at the crucial moment, Ian saw what had transpired and pulled her to his side before she collapsed.
“Aunt Susan.”
“Look, look, her nephew is here. Come to think of it, something seems to be off with both of them. Tell me guys, don’t you think that there’s something fishy going on?”
“Now that you mention it…”
No one had expected Ian’s appearance to cause the crowd’s wickedness to intensify.
On top of hurling baseless accusations at both of them, some even began to ridicule Ian, causing Susan to narrow her gaze.
Finally, she raised her head in defiance before sweeping a piercing gaze across the crowd. “What are you talking about? Let me warn you of the legal consequences of your words. If I hear another filthy word from anyone of you, I will sue you for libel and make sure all of you are thrown into prison penniless.”
While they were humiliating her, she endured it in silence.
But the moment they involved Ian and started to ridicule him, she lashed out at them just like a cornered beast.
As a result, all of them were cowed into silence.
While supporting her, Ian stared at the group. “All of you, listen well. It will do you good to not make boundless allegations. Since both of us are members of the Jadeson family, you had better think of the consequences before you start spreading rumors.”
The very next second, silence descended upon the building.
The Jadesons? Did this young man just say that he is a member of the Jadesons? No wait, before everything happened, we only knew that Susan Jadeson was his aunt. However, we never bothered to give their family name more thought because the siblings kept a low profile in school ever since they arrived. Oh my god!
At that moment, everyone could feel the emotions raging in their hearts.
As they checked the Jadeson family’s profile online, the first thing they saw was the head of the family, Yariel Jadeson. Subsequently, they realized he went by another surname, Hayes.
The revelation stunned everyone.
Oh no, we have gotten ourselves in hot soup!
How can a member of the Jadesons do something like that? Given the power they wield in the country, how did their children end up that way?
In just half an hour, public opinion within the school changed entirely.
His Secret Lover Returning from the Dead Chapter 1786
Do You Blame Aunt Susan
Similar to the last time, Susan had also been brought to the apartment by Ian. After he fetched a basin of hot water for his aunt to wash up with, Ian proceeded to inspect the wounds she had on her before he hastened along to find her some first aid.
“Hang on, Ian. There’s something that I’d like to ask.”
With her eyes in a state of consistent puffiness, Susan called after him, and only then did Ian turn around to still himself in front of her.
“Go ahead.”
“I-I would like to know if you were ever angry? Over this matter?”
With her head raised, the barely twenty over year old girl could no longer hold herself together when she finally dropped that question, and from her eyes, tears came pattering off as soon as she did.
Is he upset? That was what she wanted to know.
She supposed that Yasmin was someone that he fancied, so would he be resentful of her for forcing the former to quit school?
Susan regarded him unflinchingly as he listened, only to see a look of serenity about the boy.
“Why should I be? I know that you must have your reasons for doing what you did, Aunt Susan, so all I want to hear is an answer from you. Just tell me what it is.”
His calmness was astonishing, seemingly never in doubt whatsoever as to whether she might be acting in his best interest, as though what she had done behind his back was something that was merely pedestrian.
Susan was dumbstruck.
All of the grievances she had piled up inside finally proved too much for her to handle, bursting forth from her chest like a river that had overflowed its embankments. Sprawled over the table in front of her, she then started to bawl uncontrollably.
How could she not be considered a child? She had only just turned twenty-one.
Susan’s crying persisted for a good several minutes before she gradually recollected herself. Throughout, Ian stood steadfastly beside her with nary a word and refrained from interrupting until her emotions finally settled…
“I-I did this because… I feared that she might harm you,” she eventually said between snivels.
“Harm me?” Ian sounded somewhat surprised. “Why? Do you think that by allowing her to work with me this past period, she was going to affect me in some way?”
“No… It isn’t like that. It was because… she’s the older sister of one of your late associates, Ian. Do you remember Duncan, that good friend of yours? She’s his sister.”
Susan finally revealed that secret to the one before her.
After she finished, she kept those pair of teary eyes transfixed upon him extremely nervously, as though fearful of what sort of effect that revelation might have on him.
In truth, her predictions were spot on.
That youth staggered backward and regarded her with eyes widened when he heard it. He held that expression for a brief couple of seconds and became pale as a sheet.
It was truly unsettling.
“Ian…”
Susan was so spooked that she instantly felt an impulse to slap herself, but like water that was thrown out, there would be no taking back the words that one had uttered.
In the end, Ian lumbered off stiffly back to his own room and shut the door behind him. He did not reemerge again the rest of the night.
Scared witless, Susan was completely beside herself while she kept vigil outside his doors. Many times over, she tearfully pleaded with him to come out, but her efforts proved futile as there was no discernable reaction elicited from within.
When Timothy returned and got wind of that matter, he got so upset that he nearly wanted to strike his own sister.
“What have you been doing all this time? Why haven’t you brought this up for discussion with the rest of us? This is just great, the way the situation has evolved. You can’t even go back to school, and should anything happen to him, you won’t even have a place here with the Jadesons either!” he raged on in a right fit.
That was correct. The one thing that that pair of siblings dreaded the most was not being able to remain with the Jadesons.
Susan turned impossibly ashen-faced.
Amidst their relentless squabbling, the door that had been closed the entire night suddenly opened.
“Are you all right, Ian?”
Susan immediately left her own brother behind and ran over when she saw that, meticulously scrutinizing from tip to toe the youth who had finally reemerged.
She was genuinely concerned for him.
Okay. He’s okay. The Ian who stepped out was not in as bad a shape as she had imagined.
“I’m fine,” he replied, pursing his mildly dehydrated lips. “You don’t have to worry about that issue with school, Aunt Susan. I’d take care of it for you, so you should head in for class later with Uncle Timmy as usual.”
Susan did not know how to respond to that.
“Also, don’t concern yourself too much about Yasmin, as I don’t think we did her brother wrong in any way. It’s beyond my control even if she were to really find out about it in the future and choose to hate me for it.”
It was unexpected that he would have gained such clarity and repose after spending the night processing this.
Susan was instantly delighted.
“This is just wonderful. I’m glad that you think this way, Ian. Sorry for underestimating you, thinking you to be more fragile than you actually were. For that, I owe you an apology,” that magnanimous and understanding aunt immediately apologized to her own nephew.
Surely Ian would not blame it on her.
The ability to assess issues with a greater sense of objectivity was something that came with age, so perhaps he had indeed grown in maturity in this respect over the years, compared to how he was in the past.
Henceforth, the trio’s relationship reverted to the harmonious way that it formerly was.
His Secret Lover Returning from the Dead Chapter 1787
Some People Should Not Be Alive
Over in school, Yasmin awoke in the dormitory the next day to a message on her phone sent from that person.
Anonymous: I’m sorry to have to share with you a piece of unfortunate news this early in the morning, Ms. Snow. Susan Jadeson had not been made to leave this school because the son of Sebastian Hayes had helped her get the orders for her expulsion rescinded. As such, she remains a student here as we speak.
That came to her like a bolt out of the blue, and at that moment, the embers in those eyes that just roused from her slumber reignited with a surge of fury.
Why? Why did he keep this woman around? I haven’t even called him to account yet, so why did he still want to help her?
With her hands gripped tightly around that phone, the enmity that had been dormant inside her bones for a very long time started to seep back up to the surface. Even the joints between her clenched fingers started to crack audibly in tandem.
Anonymous: Whatever you’ve been doing isn’t going to get this done, Ms. Snow. The Limmer family had basically been tamed by Sebastian, so they’d naturally seek to protect Eddie’s legacy. The only way for you to get revenge for your brother is to up the ante!
Lost in her thoughts for some time, Yasmin then tapped in and sent out a few lines via her phone.
Yasmin: What do you suggest?
Anonymous: First thing’s first. We would, of course, have to rid ourselves of Susan. She’s too sharp, so we won’t be able to take out that brother of hers either with her in the way.
Yasmin gasped.
Anonymous: Relax. You won’t have to do this yourself for the Limmer family has enemies aplenty, so there would be numerous others who would pull the trigger on them even if you didn’t. Your job would be to cause her to let her guard down by continuing to win her trust.
That person who hid in the shadows was like a venomous snake. It only took a moment’s hesitation from Yasmin for him to latch onto her inner thought strains.
In that same instant, Yasmin felt a chill down her spine and very much wanted to turn him down.
However, thoughts of the younger brother she had not seen in ages immediately manifested inside her mind. To think he would finally show up inside a photograph, strung to death inside a prison.
To add to that, there was that microchip that was implanted in his brain, all gory and gruesome…
How could she not be seething about that?
She definitely was!
Before he went missing, he was still a baby cooing in my arms.
In the end, the girl closed her eyes and sent over her worded response. Understood…
How many have lost their loved ones and everything to their name because of you Limmers? Why do you and your brother think yourself deserving of such a good life? You had this coming to you, Susan Jadeson.
Unto the end, there was only a frigid bitterness in her eyes.
Elsewhere, Susan indeed managed to stay in school.
After Ian’s had his own identity made public, their academic peers became apprehensive about indulging in any more idle chatter about the relationship between the pair.
As for the school administration, he conversely opted for a more forceful approach by tapping on his identity as the future heir to the Jadesons. As a result, the school dared not take this issue any further even without elaboration on his part.
That was how Susan got to return to school the next day as if nothing ever happened.
“Are you going to apologize to Yasmin, Susan?”
After the dust had settled, that became the more indecisive Timothy’s new preoccupation.
The notion of going forth to apologize never crossed Susan’s mind as she remained uncertain as to how her arrangements to transfer Yasmin got flipped into an expulsion for the latter.
Susan was intent on seeking out clarification from the chief administrator but unexpectedly ran into Yasmin on her way over to the school’s administrative building.
“I’ve, uh… already heard that you did not ask the school to expel me, and only arranged to have me transferred to a better school. I’m sorry that I was mistaken about that. Would you be able to forgive me?”
She approached, hemming and hawing before she abashedly offered up an apology.
That was, indeed, how Susan handled that; by getting that person to arrange to have her counterpart transferred to North Chanaea University, a school more prestigious than the University of Pollerton and one that Ian himself had wanted to enroll with previously.
In her esteem, she wanted to prevent the former from harming Ian but not necessarily by ruining her. Besides, with the girl’s grades, she probably deserved something better.
Susan quietly regarded her. “It’s okay.”
That was a breath of relief for Yasmin, and immediately, a massive weight off her own shoulders.
“That’s good to hear. In that case, Susan, I’d like to buy you lunch as a means of making it up to you. Also, why don’t you ask your brother and Ian along as well?”
“Huh?”
Seeing the girl become so friendly all of a sudden took some getting used to for Susan.
Hasn’t she always been quite aloof? Never mind buying anyone lunch, word has it that she had hardly ever exchanged pleasantries with anyone at school.
That made Susan a little apprehensive.
“Are you… reluctant, Susan? Could it be that you’re still upset with me? In that case, shall I put up a notice on the school’s forum and issue a formal apology to you?”
An anxious Yasmin then fished out her phone and started to create a post.
When Susan saw that, she felt compelled to stop her.
“It’s not that. I’m just thinking that it might cost you a bit if you were to foot the bill for all four of us. Are you going to work this week? Would you have enough to spend?”
Being as magnanimous and understanding as she was, she began to banter away, deciding to let this episode pass.
Her words elicited a bright smile from the girl opposite her…
His Secret Lover Returning from the Dead Chapter 1788
Ingratiation
That same afternoon, the lot of them gathered for lunch together.
The venue chosen was a small eatery just outside of the school grounds, and a thoroughly unremarkable one, at that.
When Susan arrived, she saw that the environment was not the best and was concerned about whether it would be to Ian’s liking. Hence, she decided to draw out a piece of tissue to wipe down the stool for him.
Before she was able to get down to it, however, Yasmin was already one step ahead.
“Allow me.”
With keen eyes and quick hands, she grabbed something and started to give the seat Ian was about to occupy a good cleaning up.
Susan was stunned to see that the item used was a pristine white handkerchief that was obvious at one glance to be something that she had brought along herself.
Ian was likewise astounded as well.
He was not quite as at ease with himself as he was before when they met up after he had learned of the girl’s background. What he felt then was a cautiousness tinged with a hint of contrite, as though he was fearful of hurting her again if he was not careful.
That girl though, behaved as if nothing was amiss, and went about ingratiating herself with him as she always did.
Does that mean that she hasn’t found out about what happened to her brother?
There and then, Ian felt relieved inside, and that sentiment was naturally reflected in his demeanor which had reverted to being as upbeat as it used to be.
“Okay.”
Regarding her with gentleness, he settled himself down into the chair.
Across from him, Susan watched as she awkwardly clutched onto that piece of tissue in her own hand, and for a considerable time thereafter, she remained ill at ease.
In spite of that, she was nonetheless the considerate type and was thus happy to see the duo back on good terms. Although Ian made no mention of it these past two days, she and her brother knew well how downcast the former felt.
“All right. What would you all like to have? I’d go place the order for us.”
“Okay. I’d like some spicy sliced beef.” Yasmin unreservedly named the dish that she herself wanted.
Such a spicy dish? Thought the amused Susan as she jotted it down.
Next up was her younger brother Timothy and Ian’s turn.
“…I would like to have a…”
“You’d want a gumbo because I bet you seldom have it. I used to have that a lot on my previous visits here and what’s great about the one they serve here is that it isn’t spicy.”
Yasmin spoke up again. This time, to offer a recommendation to Ian as a regular patron at this joint and emphasize the fact that it was not spicy.
Susan turned her gaze toward the young man seated across from her when that voice faded off.
The dark pupils of the usually lukewarm youth’s pretty eyes lit up when he heard those thoughtful words, just as she had anticipated. She could sense the elation about him in spite of where she was.
She lowered her eyes, but this time, there was no smile on her lips. As she kept her head down and earnestly scribbled away on the order chit, the grip on her fingers had tightened around the pen quite considerably.
She had no other desire, save for a simple wish that every smile that bloomed upon the face of that innocent young man from their family would not be rewarded with disappointment.
Everyone very much enjoyed themselves over that meal.
Once they had their fill, it was time to return to class. Coming out, Yasmin was excited to see a moped parked not too far away.
“Hey Ian, let’s go back in that.”
“Great idea!” Ian readily agreed once more.
While the siblings watched that pair depart, Susan’s eyes narrowed where she stood. She then instructed her brother beside her, “Keep an eye on him.”
“What for?” asked Timothy.
“I’m asking you to check in on him more regularly. Your faculty’s closer to his, so do drop by his place whenever you’ve time to spare. It’s not as though you are unaware that he still doesn’t know how to navigate relations with others.”
“Got it,” Timothy scratched the back of his head before he finally assented.
A couple of days later, it seemed that everything was progressing as it should. In response to Yasmin’s initiation, Ian had her take on the role of his assistant once more.
Certainly, owing to the revelation of his identity, she was also in the know that he was the one who was really calling the shots over that building project.
“Isn’t your father extremely bold? You’re not even eighteen, and already he’s putting you in charge of such a huge project for the company, just like that?”
That weekend, both of them made another trip to the office building. When Yasmin looked out at the construction works that had already begun beyond the windows, she could not resist asking that of the young man behind her.
Hailing from a wholly different world made her rather curious about the lives of people from wealthy families like his.
Pursing his lips, Ian placed down the work that he was busying with on hand.
“My Dad just wanted me to have the opportunity to go through the paces. Besides, my aunt is currently a little unwell and has gone to Jetroina to receive treatment. With my uncle unavailable to come into the office at the moment, et all, I’m just doing my part to help out,” he very candidly shared with her his family matters.
There was an element of recompense in the way he was treating her right now because of what happened with her brother. It could be said that he would be amenable to answering any questions she may have, or acquiescing to whatever she needed him to do for her.
The current state of affairs suited Yasmin just fine, especially in the absence of Susan’s interference during this stretch.
“Is this document meant for the engineering team, Ian?”
“It is.”
Lifting his head to look at the copy of statistics in her hands that he had just come up with, he nodded.
He had been personally overseeing those as he wanted to ensure that nothing went awry, seeing that this was his first time being in charge of a project, after all. After these were complete, they would be collected by the representatives from the engineering department who would come by to pick them up for themselves.
However, that afternoon, that girl decided to volunteer herself for the task.
His Secret Lover Returning from the Dead Chapter 1789
Susan In Trouble
“How about I have it sent over since we’re in the vicinity? They seem like they are going to be quite busy today.”
“Oh, okay.”
In the end, Ian went along with it,
Perhaps, he was also in agreement that there was not too much ground to cover.
Never did he know, however, that the moment she took the item downstairs and exited that building, she immediately made a call to someone she had long wanted to reach out to.
“Are you busy right now, Susan? I’ve something that I’d like to have your help with.”
“Huh?” Susan, who was busy revising for her examinations in school, let out a look of surprise when she received that call.
Help? What sort of help? Isn’t this girl currently working with Ian? What else could she have that would be in need of my assistance?
“The situation’s like this, Susan. Ian just passed me a set of data sheets that he said are the accounts for the project. As you know, I don’t work on stuff like that and it’s giving me a headache. That’s when I thought of you. So could I like, get you to offer me some pointers?”
Through the phone, Yasmin seemed to have picked up on Susan’s doubts, and as such, took the initiative to elaborate further.
As things stood, it did not seem proper for Susan to turn her down under these circumstances.
Hence, that girl returned to school to seek out Susan some twenty minutes later, clutching a stack of data sheets in her arms.
“That many?”
“Um-hum,” replied Yasmin as she wiped the sweat off her own brow. “To be honest, Susan. I wanted to make a good impression of myself at Ian’s company now so that I might have a chance to work there after I graduate.”
She regarded her counterpart with a mixture of urging and self-consciousness. More significantly there, was the display of resolve she had.
“I see. It’s good thinking on your part. Actually, I’m planning to intern with them over the summer holidays myself. That’s why I’ve been in discussion with the lecturer to secure my qualifications earlier in order to facilitate my own entry,” Susan chuckled.
Without any semblance of guardedness, she also shared her personal plans in their entirety.
At the tender age of just twenty-one and having been raised by her own parents thinking that the world was a place filled with warmth and love, how could she have thought anyone capable of such deviousness?
Her wariness from before had stemmed purely out of protectiveness over Ian.
Yasmin lowered her eyes to conceal the enviousness and contempt that was madly entangling her like vines. Some parts of her heart had ultimately begun to succumb to the darkness that was slowly but surely devouring it.
“Is that so? Splendid. Let us work hard toward our goal together then.”
“Okay. Sit tight for a bit while I get this ready for you, and oh, don’t tell Ian. Just say that you did it yourself. I’ll teach you some basics on finance and accounting matters later.”
Susan made sure to offer a reminder before she got down to sorting out that set of data sheets.
While Yasmin waited by the side, her phone suddenly rang about five minutes later.
“Hello?”
“When will our supplies be arriving, Ms. Snow? We need them to get cracking.”
“Huh?” Yasmin shot up onto her feet when she heard that.
That got Susan’s attention as she, too, lifted her head. “Is something wrong? What happened?”
“There are some supplies that were due to be delivered to the site that has yet to arrive, and I wasn’t aware that they’re waiting to have them to work with. I may have to head down to the work site to look into it.”
“No worries. You go on ahead. Just come by to pick these up after they’re done.”
“But this one’s quite urgent as well,” Yasmin was sweating buckets and appeared to be a little flustered.
Seeing no alternatives, Susan could only offer to help deliver those data sheets on the girl’s behalf.
That greatly pleased Yasmin.
“Would you really? That’s terrific. In that case, shall I wait for you over at the work site?” she said with a look of gratitude.
Susan happily obliged.
Very soon, that girl was gone. On her own part, Susan focused herself on filling up those data sheets before she rode away with them on a bicycle from the school premises.
At this juncture, she decidedly refrained from bothering Ian.
Firstly, because she was studying for her own examinations.
Secondly, she had seen how much he cared about Yasmin and wanted to give them some space. As far as that young man was concerned, she had always tried her utmost to satisfy him.
That fateful day though, something was to happen to her after she entered that building that was under construction in the Old Town which she had not been in a very long time.
Crack!
She blanked out when the cement board gave way asudden beneath her feet, and the first thought that came to her mind was whether Ian would be able to complete his project in a timely manner if she were to meet with an accident there.
“Hey! Come quickly! Somebody has fallen in!”
The workers on site were in a frenzy when they witnessed this.
Not far away, a girl who had long since been observing this from a distance saw the slender figure clad in light blue cast adrift like an untethered kite.
She shuddered all over.
Bang!
After Susan dropped into that massive foundation hole that was dug up, she vanished so quickly that it left Yasmin shell-shocked.
When the latter was able to react, she broke into a frantic run, only to discover that it was a channel meant for the induction of cement. By the time she arrived upon that large mass of viscous slate, the girl who was in the prime of her youth was already nowhere to be seen.
The former’s strength deserted her…
His Secret Lover Returning from the Dead Chapter 1790
She Is Not Dead
The entire site ceased operations when Ian arrived.
None of the workers had experienced such a terrifying ordeal that they didn’t know what to do and remained frozen in place even after Ian showed up.
“What are you guys still standing there for? Get down there and start looking!”
The young man flew into a rage at the sight.
A ghastly look crossed his handsome face as he prepared to head down himself too.
Suddenly, someone grabbed onto him.
“You can’t go down there, Mr. Ian. I’ve already called the fire department.”
It was Yvonne.
That caused Ian to come to a stop and keep his eyes low, but he couldn’t stop quivering.
The firefighters soon arrived and went down to begin the search immediately.
Meanwhile, Yasmin finally returned to her senses. Despite feeling chills all over her body, she mustered up the courage to walk over slowly, wanting to know what had happened.
Indeed, she had deliberately gotten Susan to come over.
The young woman had been struggling with herself ever since that anonymous character contacted her many days ago. She didn’t want to do this, but ultimately, she did.
As she walked over and noticed how many firemen in yellow uniforms had entered the huge concrete canal but there was still nobody to be found, her face turned white like a sheet.
At that very moment, a worker came this way. “The lady left this on the floor before falling in there, Mr. Ian.”
It was the document Susan had dropped.
As soon as Yasmin saw that, all the color drained from her face, and her body turned ice-cold.
“A data sheet? Why would she have this?”
“I’m surprised too. I thought I saw you give this to Ms. Snow,” Yvonne added.
In a mere matter of seconds, they both turned to Yasmin frostily.
“What did you do?”
This time, Ian didn’t even bother saying the woman’s name first.
Moreover, his voice sounded much grimmer compared to how gently he usually spoke to her. A chill ran down Yasmin’s spine as she saw how differently the young man behaved.
So, this aunt of his matters the most to him?
While initially filled with fright and panic, Yasmin suddenly found herself calming down after being questioned.
“I… I wasn’t sure how to write some of the data, so I asked Susan for help. Then, someone from her site called me to say that materials needed for the renovation haven’t arrived, so I came back.”
“So, you had Susan bring the document here?” Yvonne asked quickly.
Yasmin nodded. “Y-Yes. I didn’t want her to, but she insisted because she didn’t want to trouble us.”
She tried her best to push all the blame on Susan.
In truth, everything she had said seemed legitimate, for she had already come up with the details while laying out this scheme.
Surprisingly, Ian said nothing more.
He merely retracted his gaze, clutched the document tightly, and turned around to focus on the canal below.
Seeing that, Yasmin heaved a sigh of relief.
Susan remained missing two hours later.
Ian’s body began to sway as he heard that.
“Ian!”
“Are you all right, Mr. Ian? Calm down. We’ll find her,” Yvonne assured, hastily holding onto him.
But realistically speaking, if the woman couldn’t be found here, the only other place she could possibly would be at the very end of the canal – inside that huge concrete mixer.
Ian’s mind buzzed as his face paled terrifyingly.
“Ian?”
Yasmin called out to him right after noticing that he was about to head below while staggering.
Yet, as soon as her words fell, the young man turned his head and glared at her viciously.
“You’d better wait right here.”
In that instant, Yasmin dared not move an inch, but she could feel a shiver hit her again.
He definitely doesn’t mean anything good by that. He’s saying he’ll deal with me when he finds her.
Thinking that, fear surged through the young woman once more.
A few minutes later, Ian, who had personally made his way down the hole, arrived at the end of the channel and stared at the fearsome-looking concrete mixer.