Hiding Behind Her Superficiality novel Chapter 552
Chapter 551 Turning Your Back on Him
Arthur had a strong idea in his mind that he wanted to prove. The moment he
pushed the door open, he was greeted by colors that shouldn’t have belonged to
Blake’s room.
Margot explained next to him with some embarrassment, “This room belonged to
Blake at first, but Elspeth moved in here afterward, no? That’s why she stayed in
this room for a while.”
As expected, it’s the same as I thought, thought Arthur. He entered the room
directly, walking around before his gaze fell upon a framed illustration lying on the
desk. The illustration looked adorable, and it seemed to be a casual sketch by
Elspeth. He gently stroked it as a hint of tenderness flitted across his face.
An uneasy thought crossed Margot’s mind when she saw him like this. Don’t tell
me Arthur has feelings for Elspeth. At the thought of this, she immediately shook
her head in an attempt to dispel the idea, but she couldn’t seem to get it out of
her mind. In the end, she couldn’t help but ask, “Arthur, you just said you have
something to discuss with Callum. What’s the matter, actually?”
“It’s about the acquisition of the Winthrop Group.”
Margot jumped at the word ‘acquisition.’ “Acquisition? What happened to the
Winthrop Group? Why does it have to be acquired?”
Arthur purposely pretended to look very sorry. “There’s no way around it. The
Winthrop Group appears to be going strong under Callum’s management, but in
fact, it’s already rotten to the core. I can’t just sit back and watch it go bankrupt,
right? It’s Dad’s life work, after all.”
He tried to make himself seem benevolent and great-hearted with these highsounding words, but how could Margot not figure out the intrigues and plots
behind them? She wasn’t a fool, after all. “Arthur, you can’t do such a heartless
thing. Callum is your brother.” She tried to sound as gentle as she could. “Callum
has done everything he could to look after you over so many years, you know.
Do you think it’s right for you to turn your back on him at such a time?”
“Me turning my back on him? Are you kidding me?” Arthur burst out laughing
unashamedly. “Mrs. Winthrop, I call you ‘Mom’ out of respect, but could you have
forgotten the favoritism you’ve shown over the years?” He would never forget
how Margot and Theodore had Callum join the Winthrop Group as an intern and
named the man the future heir to the company while forbidding him to join the
company just because he wasn’t related to them by blood. They even told me
falsely that they had done all of this for my own good, that I couldn’t survive at the
company with my temperament, that Callum was more qualified to be the heir to
the company with his steady character and would help us as much as possible.
How ironic, he thought. “Since you can’t treat us equally, I’ll do whatever I can to
steal it.”
“Arthur!” Margot placed her hands on his arm. She wanted to talk him out of this,
only for him to shake her off mercilessly. He said, “Don’t touch me! I’m telling you,
I’m gonna acquire the Winthrop Group today no matter what!”
Margot looked like a sorry sight upon being thrown to the floor.
“Arthur, what are you doing?” questioned an angry voice from behind.
Arthur looked back indifferently and saw Callum and Elspeth at a glance. They
were both coming this way, and neither of them looked very pleased. He
shrugged and sat down on the couch nonchalantly, saying, “What am I doing? I’m
not doing anything.”
Elspeth stepped aside and helped Margot up; only after whispering to Margot
and making sure that she was all right did she feel relieved. “Arthur, she’s your
mother and has raised you for over 20 years! Not even a pet dog deserves such
treatment, no?” she questioned in a confrontational tone, losing control of her
emotions.
“Stay out of this, Elspeth. You know nothing about the story behind this,” Arthur
replied nonchalantly before turning to fix his gaze upon Callum. “Callum, surely
you know my purpose in being here today?”
Callum uttered, “Yes, I do, of course.”
“I’ve thought about it. I accept your terms, but there’s a condition.” Arthur raised
his eyebrows. “You have to promise me that you’ll stay out of the business circle
from today onward.”
Callum had studied finance and business management at university, not to
mention he had always been trained to be heir to the Winthrop Group since he
was little. Therefore, forbidding him to do business and be part of the business
circle right now would simply be equivalent to chopping his hands off. Arthur
deliberately proposed such a tough condition just to bring Callum to heel—or
rather to embarrass him.
Just as he had expected, Callum’s face darkened visibly at once. “Arthur, don’t
you go too far!”
“Callum, I’ve accepted your many conditions, no? You asked for 15 billion, so I’ve
brought the money here to you. That’s not a small amount, you know.”
Elspeth let out a chuckle. We’ve been waiting for you to say this, she thought.
Callum’s expression softened a little, though he continued to resist. “Still, that’s
an exacting condition to me.”
Arthur retorted, “Exacting, huh? Callum, don’t forget that I was totally banned
from joining the Winthrop Group back then. Dad has put his heart and soul into
preparing you for the job, but it’s such a shame that you’re so useless that you
can’t even keep the company.” He looked up proudly, feeling incredibly pleased
with the sight of Callum looking like a wretched prisoner. Still, he had a bit of
regret. If only Dad were here. That way, he’d witness with his own eyes how
Callum has sunk so low as to be forced to give the Winthrop Group up to
someone else. On the contrary, his third son, whom he had never thought highly
of at first, founded the Bluestone Corp and ends up inheriting his legacy. Every
dog has its day, eh?
“Arthur, have you prepared the money?”
Arthur frowned at the sight of the man’s worthless appearance. “I seriously
wonder how you managed the Winthrop Group. I’ve never seen you being so
hungry for money before. Tsk, tsk. Perhaps I was wrong about you. I thought you
were such an unfathomable rival…” Well, he’s just a profit-seeking businessman,
after all. “Don’t worry, I’ll give you every cent of the money. But you have to sign
the paper first.” He pushed the contract before him toward Callum with a
triumphant smile.
Callum picked up the contract and leafed through it with a smirk curving his lips.
“What a good brother you are. These unfair clauses are written so well.”
Arthur replied, “Would I dare to hide them from you? That’s why they’re written
explicitly, no?” He had wanted to show some restraint; at least he wouldn’t have
let Callum see through these clauses so easily. On second thoughts, however,
the Winthrop Group was already on its last legs. Even if he had these clauses
written explicitly, they wouldn’t have any impact on the situation, and Callum
wouldn’t dare to argue with him either. That was why he had these clauses laid
out openly.
“Arthur, aren’t you afraid of getting what you deserve for all the bad things you’ve
done?”
Arthur raised his eyebrows with a noncommittal smile. “Why would I be afraid of
that? And besides, aren’t you the one who’s supposed to worry about your
situation right now?Chapter 552 I’m Not Gonna Sign This
Seeing that the man was still unrepentant, Callum slammed the document on the
desk with a frosty gleam in his eyes, saying, “I’m not gonna sign this.”
All at once, Arthur flew into a rage and stopped playing nice with Callum
altogether. “Callum, don’t you dare be so cheeky with me! I’m only willing to
negotiate a collaboration with you now because I still think of you as my brother!
You’ve made so many enemies before who can’t wait to kill you! Do you actually
think they’ll let you off if the Winthrop Group falls into the hands of another
plutocrat?” He sounded like he sincerely had Callum’s interests in mind.
Callum sneered while looking at the man in complete disappointment. “Arthur,
you don’t have to hide your motives with such a high-sounding excuse. You’re
just coveting the Winthrop Family’s fortune and wanting to have the Winthrop
Group to yourself while you’re at it.”
Arthur retorted, “Don’t push it, Callum! It’s fine as long as I’m well-intentioned.
Everything else is none of your business. What qualifies you to blame others
after leading the Winthrop Group into such a state?” He looked down
condescendingly at Callum with the air of a victor. Callum’s smart, but it’s a pity
that something addled his brain and made him bring such a miserable end upon
himself.
“I’m gonna ask you one last question.”
Arthur frowned. “Shoot! Stop wasting our time.” He just wanted to get the
contract signed with no intention of touching on everything else.
“Do you know about Max’s accident at the car race?”
Arthur’s eyes flickered, but his face gave nothing away. “I know that, of course. I
hosted that car race, after all.”
“Did you have a hand in his death?”
Arthur laughed instead of getting angry. “Callum, do you actually suspect I’d kill
my own brother?”
Callum replied, “There’s nothing you’re afraid of doing, no? You even dared to
frame me despite me being your brother. You really think you’ve left no trace of
what you did?” With that, he clapped his hands, upon which Harper carried a
man over and threw him inside.
“Ouch!” cried the man in pain while lying on the floor. After rolling over a few
times, he finally realized that he was surrounded by people. Startled, he got up
immediately.
Arthur’s face darkened the instant he saw the man.
Callum said, “So, Mr. Head of the Organizing Committee, tell me how Max died.”
Having been threatened and oppressed in every way possible, the man dared
not lie at this very moment, of course. Making a clean breast of everything, he
answered, “I really didn’t want to do this! It was Arthur who used my family to
threaten me into tampering with Max’s car. I… I really didn’t mean to kill him!”
“You *sshole,” was all Arthur could mutter menacingly after a long time.
The man held his breath in fear. Obviously, he was too scared to speak after
turning Arthur in.
“Do you know what kind of price you’ll have to pay for framing me?” Arthur said,
threatening the man both explicitly and implicitly with a deliberate emphasis on
the word ‘price.’
However, such a threat didn’t work anymore. Elspeth said impassively, “Stop
intimidating him. I’ve had his family moved to somewhere safe, so your threats
aren’t gonna work on him.”
With his plans going out of control, Arthur’s countenance finally changed for the
first time. “So what? You guys actually have the mind to worry about other things
when the Winthrop Group’s in great peril right now?” He let out a snort of
laughter. “Callum, I’d suggest that you pretend to know nothing. Otherwise, I can’t
guarantee what I’ll do to the Winthrop Group.” In other words, he was threatening
to make them feel sorry for it if they refused to let the matter drop.
Callum said, “I’m probably not the one who cares the most about this. Arthur, I
never thought you’d actually lay a hand on Max, who was usually the most
innocent, just to satisfy your pathetic self-interests. You’re so disgusting;
someone like you should just go to hell.” Then, he threw a glance at the door with
an inscrutable expression. “Do you understand everything now?”
Not knowing to whom Callum was saying this, Arthur followed his gaze and
looked back, only to realize two figures were standing at the door. He couldn’t be
more familiar with them—they were none other than Edmund and Blake. Blake
had disbelief written all over his face, whereas Edmund felt a chill running down
his spine.
Having a bad feeling at once, Arthur curled his fingers behind his back and sent
out a few text messages.
Though he had a bit of a sharp tongue, Edmund’s image had always been that of
a noble and self-restrained gentleman. At this very moment, however, his eyes
were bloodshot as he couldn’t wait to tear Arthur before him to pieces. “I really
never thought you’d actually do such a thing!” he snapped. “Arthur, he’s our
brother! Even if he’s not related to you by blood, you shouldn’t have laid a hand
on him!” Like Arthur, Edmund wasn’t a biological son of the Winthrop Family, so
he could understand Arthur’s gloomy personality. That being said, he could never
forgive Arthur for what he had done to Max. “I previously suspected that Callum
was trying to kill everyone who might vie with him for the Winthrop Family’s
fortune… Little did I think it was your doing, you son of a b*tch!” He punched
Arthur in the face, breaking the man’s gold-rimmed glasses to pieces and
knocking them to the floor.
“You *sshole,” wos oll Arthur could mutter menocingly ofter o long time.
The mon held his breoth in feor. Obviously, he wos too scored to speok ofter
turning Arthur in.
“Do you know whot kind of price you’ll hove to poy for froming me?” Arthur soid,
threotening the mon both explicitly ond implicitly with o deliberote emphosis on
the word ‘price.’
However, such o threot didn’t work onymore. Elspeth soid impossively, “Stop
intimidoting him. I’ve hod his fomily moved to somewhere sofe, so your threots
oren’t gonno work on him.”
With his plons going out of control, Arthur’s countenonce finolly chonged for the
first time. “So whot? You guys octuolly hove the mind to worry obout other things
when the Winthrop Group’s in greot peril right now?” He let out o snort of
loughter. “Collum, I’d suggest thot you pretend to know nothing. Otherwise, I con’t
guorontee whot I’ll do to the Winthrop Group.” In other words, he wos threotening
to moke them feel sorry for it if they refused to let the motter drop.
Collum soid, “I’m probobly not the one who cores the most obout this. Arthur, I
never thought you’d octuolly loy o hond on Mox, who wos usuolly the most
innocent, just to sotisfy your pothetic self-interests. You’re so disgusting;
someone like you should just go to hell.” Then, he threw o glonce ot the door with
on inscrutoble expression. “Do you understond everything now?”
Not knowing to whom Collum wos soying this, Arthur followed his goze ond
looked bock, only to reolize two figures were stonding ot the door. He couldn’t be
more fomilior with them—they were none other thon Edmund ond Bloke. Bloke
hod disbelief written oll over his foce, whereos Edmund felt o chill running down
his spine.
Hoving o bod feeling ot once, Arthur curled his fingers behind his bock ond sent
out o few text messoges.
Though he hod o bit of o shorp tongue, Edmund’s imoge hod olwoys been thot of
o noble ond self-restroined gentlemon. At this very moment, however, his eyes
were bloodshot os he couldn’t woit to teor Arthur before him to pieces. “I reolly
never thought you’d octuolly do such o thing!” he snopped. “Arthur, he’s our
brother! Even if he’s not reloted to you by blood, you shouldn’t hove loid o hond
on him!” Like Arthur, Edmund wosn’t o biologicol son of the Winthrop Fomily, so
he could understond Arthur’s gloomy personolity. Thot being soid, he could never
forgive Arthur for whot he hod done to Mox. “I previously suspected thot Collum
wos trying to kill everyone who might vie with him for the Winthrop Fomily’s
fortune… Little did I think it wos your doing, you son of o b*tch!” He punched
Arthur in the foce, breoking the mon’s gold-rimmed glosses to pieces ond
knocking them to the floor.
Looking rather pathetic without his glasses, Arthur staggered and held onto his
assistant next to him for support.
The assistant was afraid, but she nonetheless straightened up and stepped
forward out of her desire to protect her employer, only for Edmund to seize her by
the throat. “I’ve never hit a woman, but I don’t mind making an exception,” he
said.
Frightened by his words, the assistant instantly dodged to one side.
Edmund grabbed Arthur by the collar with a murderous look in his eyes. “Arthur,
why did you have to kill Max? Tell me!”
“Haha! Why would I kill our adorable little brother? It was his fault for being
impetuous. He sped up his car recklessly for that woman’s sake… Car racing is
risky in the first place, you know, so an accident like that happening wasn’t totally
unexpected—”
His words sounded particularly vicious.
Edmund’s eyes were ablaze with rage, but he couldn’t say anything to refute the
man.
“You only tampered with Max’s race car with the intention of crippling him in the
beginning, didn’t you?” Elspeth said, revealing the secret truth while standing
near them.
The smile on Arthur’s face froze instantly. Elspeth was right; indeed, that was
what he had intended in the beginning. Knowing full well that Max and Callum
were close, he had only intended to have Max crippled during the car race so
that he would have one less person making trouble when he seized the Winthrop
Group.
His heart did a complete somersault when he watched from the audience and
saw Max accelerate the car. The head of the organizing committee called him,
saying in a trembling voice that Max would die sooner or later if this went on.
However, there was already no turning back at this point, so he gave the order to
have the race car destroyed if anything were to happen to Max. It wasn’t like he
was immune to the sight of Max lying in a pool of blood; it was just that these
things weren’t worth mentioning compared to his ambitions. Still, he fell into a
momentary trance when the truth was revealed in such a brutal manner.
Seeing that he was beyond redemption, Elspeth shook her head, saying, “Arthur,
you’re the one who really should reflect on what you’ve done. To tell you the truth,
the Winthrop Group is totally fine, but you’re going to be in trouble.”
Upon hearing this, Arthur instantly came to his senses, realizing that all of this
was a trap that they were luring him into.
For the longest time, Blake had been stumbling around the entertainment industry and did not know much about their family issues, but he still knew that although Arthur looked unapproachable, he still loved their family deep inside. However, all of this was just a lie to obtain their family fortune.
“Arthur… I still can’t believe that you’d be able to do something like this.” Blake looked at Arthur’s twisted expression in shock as he said, “Max was the youngest, and he’d always been following in our footsteps. He told me that you were a little quiet, and even though you were nothing but kind to him, it always felt like you weren’t happy about something, so he wanted to make you laugh more.”
Hearing that, Arthur suddenly fell silent.
“He’d always been worried about you and cared for you a lot and would make sure to take out the time to call home even if he was in school, but you never picked up the phone.” Blake took a deep breath. “Edmund was always the one who answered, but what Max asked the most was, ‘How’s Arthur? Is he still unhappy?’ But I never thought you’d actually think about harming him.”
Naturally, Arthur was unwilling to believe him easily, and he scoffed. “Stop lying. Isn’t Callum the person he cared about the most? Don’t bring up brotherhood in front of me right now.”
“Arthur, are you even human?” Edmund threw a punch at his face, sending him to the ground as he practically roared, “All of us could see how kind Max was to you except for you. All you care about is those goddamn stocks and family fortune of yours!”
As Arthur looked at the pain in Edmund’s eyes, the vicious rebuttal that was just about to spew out of his mouth got stuck in his throat. Was he really wrong? However, he’d had enough of constantly being neglected and disdained growing up. When he was a child, it was due to his chubby figure, and once he got older, it was because of Callum. It felt as if he’d never been taken seriously in his entire life.
“No matter what, everything has its consequences. Listen here, Arthur, you will pay for what you did one day!”
Arthur stumbled to his feet and wiped the blood away from the corner of his mouth with his fist. “Okay, I’ll be waiting.”
Upon seeing his unrepentant expression, Elspeth decided not to give him any more chances, and soon, police sirens were heard outside the window.
A look of shock flashed past Arthur’s eyes. “You called the police?”
“We said we’d make you pay, so of course it would be a painful price.”
Not long later, a group of police swarmed into the room and stared at Arthur, who was standing in the center.
He spread his arms and said, “You don’t have any proof that I did anything. It’s useless even if you call the police.”
“Who said I don’t have any proof?” Elspeth slammed a document on the table. “This is the evidence that you violated the contract.”
“I see. No wonder you were waiting for me here.”
It made sense now why she was dead set on not signing the contract earlier.
“I was waiting for the right time.”
Upon saying that, she clapped her hands lightly, and a person slowly walked out from the corner.
It was the person in charge who had been frightened earlier, and he cowered until Elspeth sent him a glare, after which he hurriedly rambled, “I can attest that half a year ago, Arthur instructed me to damage Max’s racing car in the racing competition abroad so that his car would malfunction and cause Max’s death. I also have our call history and transaction records here.”
A crack appeared in Arthur’s expression. “Didn’t I tell you to delete the records?”
The man dared not reply, while Elspeth smiled calmly next to him. “I guess you don’t know who I am.”
After all, what information could be hidden from a hacker?
Finally, a trace of anxiety appeared on Arthur’s face.
“Don’t worry, there’s still more waiting for you.”
Elspeth lifted her eyes and looked at the door, where Jethro, sporting a black tuxedo, entered. It was their first meeting after a long while, but it seemed that he was doing well, and he looked much calmer and composed.
“Arthur, I’m sure you never expected that although it looked like Jethro joined our company for your benefit, he’d already planned to be a spy for us long ago.”
Jethro cleared his throat and answered, “That’s right. Arthur has instructed me to steal Azure Corporation and Winthrop Group’s data many times in the past. Not only that, but he also embezzled public funds, committed tax evasion, and faked his accounts. Bluestone Corp’s operation as a whole is filled with flaws.”
Arthur was enraged by his words. “Nonsense!”
“Officer, here is the evidence that I’ve put together over the past year.”
With that, he placed a stack of documents on the table.
“I see what’s going on now. All of you are turning on me, huh?” Arthur laughed wildly, causing his assistant to tremble with fear at the sight.
Arthur sensed her fright with his keen gaze, and he suddenly lost his mind and stepped forward to grab her neck, his eyes turning red as he demanded, “What about you? Did you sell me out too? Why did you take me here today? Were you conspiring with them?”
His assistant gasped for air, her face turning red from his tight grip. “No, I didn’t… Please don’t suspect me…”
“You didn’t? Then, how are you going to explain what happened today?”
As the police officers watched him go mad, they were about to step forward to stop him when he unexpectedly pulled out a pocketknife and pressed it against his assistant’s throat. “Don’t come over. If you get any closer, I’ll kill her.”
Callum growled coldly, “Arthur, have you gone insane?”
“That’s right, I’m insane. All of you have driven me insane a long time ago! Back when Dad allowed you to enter Winthrop Group but not me, I’d already gone insane!” Arthur let out a crazed laugh, and his fingers slipped, causing the knife to graze the assistant’s neck.
Upon feeling the piercing pain coming from her neck, the assistant broke into terrified wails.
“Stop crying. You’re annoying me. If you keep crying, I’ll end your life.”
In the first place, his assistant was a timid person, and she could only clamp her mouth shut and let out a muffled sob at his words.
“Arthur, what does this have to do with her? Why are you threatening her? Things have already come to this, and it’s only a matter of time before your downfall. Why are you still doing this?”
Upon seeing him lose his mind completely, Elspeth couldn’t help but take a step forward.
“Don’t you dare come over!”
Suddenly, Arthur pointed the knife at her, the sharp end aimed straight at her chest. “I did all of this for you, but you never cared about me and fell for Callum instead. What’s so good about him? Does he love you as much as I do?”
For the longest time, Blake had been stumbling around the entertainment industry and did not know much about their family issues, but he still knew that although Arthur looked unapproachable, he still loved their family deep inside. However, all of this was just a lie to obtain their family fortune.
“Arthur… I still can’t believe that you’d be able to do something like this.” Blake looked at Arthur’s twisted expression in shock as he said, “Max was the youngest, and he’d always been following in our footsteps. He told me that you were a little quiet, and even though you were nothing but kind to him, it always felt like you weren’t happy about something, so he wanted to make you laugh more.”
Hearing that, Arthur suddenly fell silent.
“He’d always been worried about you and cared for you a lot and would make sure to take out the time to call home even if he was in school, but you never picked up the phone.” Blake took a deep breath. “Edmund was always the one who answered, but what Max asked the most was, ‘How’s Arthur? Is he still unhappy?’ But I never thought you’d actually think about harming him.”
Naturally, Arthur was unwilling to believe him easily, and he scoffed. “Stop lying. Isn’t Callum the person he cared about the most? Don’t bring up brotherhood in front of me right now.”
“Arthur, are you even human?” Edmund threw a punch at his face, sending him to the ground as he practically roared, “All of us could see how kind Max was to you except for you. All you care about is those goddamn stocks and family fortune of yours!”
As Arthur looked at the pain in Edmund’s eyes, the vicious rebuttal that was just about to spew out of his mouth got stuck in his throat. Was he really wrong? However, he’d had enough of constantly being neglected and disdained growing up. When he was a child, it was due to his chubby figure, and once he got older, it was because of Callum. It felt as if he’d never been taken seriously in his entire life.
“No matter what, everything has its consequences. Listen here, Arthur, you will pay for what you did one day!”
Arthur stumbled to his feet and wiped the blood away from the corner of his mouth with his fist. “Okay, I’ll be waiting.”
Upon seeing his unrepentant expression, Elspeth decided not to give him any more chances, and soon, police sirens were heard outside the window.
A look of shock flashed past Arthur’s eyes. “You called the police?”
“We said we’d make you pay, so of course it would be a painful price.”
Not long later, a group of police swarmed into the room and stared at Arthur, who was standing in the center.
He spread his arms and said, “You don’t have any proof that I did anything. It’s useless even if you call the police.”
“Who said I don’t have any proof?” Elspeth slammed a document on the table. “This is the evidence that you violated the contract.”
“I see. No wonder you were waiting for me here.”
It made sense now why she was dead set on not signing the contract earlier.
“I was waiting for the right time.”
Upon saying that, she clapped her hands lightly, and a person slowly walked out from the corner.
It was the person in charge who had been frightened earlier, and he cowered until Elspeth sent him a glare, after which he hurriedly rambled, “I can attest that half a year ago, Arthur instructed me to damage Max’s racing car in the racing competition abroad so that his car would malfunction and cause Max’s death. I also have our call history and transaction records here.”
A crack appeared in Arthur’s expression. “Didn’t I tell you to delete the records?”
The man dared not reply, while Elspeth smiled calmly next to him. “I guess you don’t know who I am.”
After all, what information could be hidden from a hacker?
Finally, a trace of anxiety appeared on Arthur’s face.
“Don’t worry, there’s still more waiting for you.”
Elspeth lifted her eyes and looked at the door, where Jethro, sporting a black tuxedo, entered. It was their first meeting after a long while, but it seemed that he was doing well, and he looked much calmer and composed.
“Arthur, I’m sure you never expected that although it looked like Jethro joined our company for your benefit, he’d already planned to be a spy for us long ago.”
Jethro cleared his throat and answered, “That’s right. Arthur has instructed me to steal Azure Corporation and Winthrop Group’s data many times in the past. Not only that, but he also embezzled public funds, committed tax evasion, and faked his accounts. Bluestone Corp’s operation as a whole is filled with flaws.”
Arthur was enraged by his words. “Nonsense!”
“Officer, here is the evidence that I’ve put together over the past year.”
With that, he placed a stack of documents on the table.
“I see what’s going on now. All of you are turning on me, huh?” Arthur laughed wildly, causing his assistant to tremble with fear at the sight.
Arthur sensed her fright with his keen gaze, and he suddenly lost his mind and stepped forward to grab her neck, his eyes turning red as he demanded, “What about you? Did you sell me out too? Why did you take me here today? Were you conspiring with them?”
His assistant gasped for air, her face turning red from his tight grip. “No, I didn’t… Please don’t suspect me…”
“You didn’t? Then, how are you going to explain what happened today?”
As the police officers watched him go mad, they were about to step forward to stop him when he unexpectedly pulled out a pocketknife and pressed it against his assistant’s throat. “Don’t come over. If you get any closer, I’ll kill her.”
Callum growled coldly, “Arthur, have you gone insane?”
“That’s right, I’m insane. All of you have driven me insane a long time ago! Back when Dad allowed you to enter Winthrop Group but not me, I’d already gone insane!” Arthur let out a crazed laugh, and his fingers slipped, causing the knife to graze the assistant’s neck.
Upon feeling the piercing pain coming from her neck, the assistant broke into terrified wails.
“Stop crying. You’re annoying me. If you keep crying, I’ll end your life.”
In the first place, his assistant was a timid person, and she could only clamp her mouth shut and let out a muffled sob at his words.
“Arthur, what does this have to do with her? Why are you threatening her? Things have already come to this, and it’s only a matter of time before your downfall. Why are you still doing this?”
Upon seeing him lose his mind completely, Elspeth couldn’t help but take a step forward.
“Don’t you dare come over!”
Suddenly, Arthur pointed the knife at her, the sharp end aimed straight at her chest. “I did all of this for you, but you never cared about me and fell for Callum instead. What’s so good about him? Does he love you as much as I do?”
Arthur simply wouldn’t listen to her explanation at all and only spoke to himself. “Lies, lies, and more lies! I did this all for you; it was all so that I could be with you without any worries!”
“You can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make it drink. Don’t you understand?”
Arthur guffawed at her words. “I don’t care. I will make it drink anyway.”
He had completely lost his mind now, and nothing anyone said could affect him.
Seeing that his assistant was about to faint from shock in his arms, Elspeth lowered her voice and asked, “You said you like me, right?”
Arthur did not expect her to ask him this, and he paused for a moment before nodding. “Yes.”
“Since you like me, can you switch her out for me?” Elspeth requested, pointing at the sobbing assistant in his arms.
Arthur was just about to agree when he quickly pressed the knife even closer against her neck. “I don’t believe you. You’re definitely up to something.”
Elspeth felt like laughing at his words. “What can I be up to? Look, there’s nothing on me.” She turned around to show that she carried nothing on her that could harm him before saying, “I’m only worried about this girl. She’s timid, so don’t scare her anymore.”
Despite his doubts, she seemed to make sense.
As Elspeth slowly approached him, Callum suddenly grabbed her wrist.
His expression was somber as he said, “Don’t go. He’s not in his right mind now, and I can’t guarantee that he won’t do anything to you.”
“Don’t worry. I think he’ll still listen to what I say.”
Although she knew that Arthur did not feel particularly strongly for her and only wanted to use her as a means to get revenge on Callum, she could still sense that he had feelings for her and would not hurt her at the very least.
Hearing that, Callum slowly let go of her wrist and watched as she walked toward Arthur. The moment she reached his side, he instantly shoved his assistant away and pressed the knife against Elspeth’s neck. Meanwhile, the assistant was pushed into Edmund’s arms, and she clutched his sleeve tightly, nearly losing her footing.
Instead of fearing the knife in his hand, Elspeth asked in a calm voice, “Okay, Arthur, how do you feel now?”
Arthur was a little shocked as well. He hadn’t expected that she would be in the mood to ask him how he was feeling at this time.
“Aren’t you scared?” he asked in a muffled voice.
“I’m not. Didn’t you say you like me? Since you like me, you will definitely not hurt me, so why should I be scared?” Elspeth chuckled with a bright and cheery smile.
Upon seeing her tranquil smile, Arthur was momentarily distracted, and his next words subconsciously slid out of his mouth. “Go out with me, Elspeth. I don’t need anything, not even Winthrop Group, and I won’t hurt anyone again.”
Although his voice wasn’t loud, it wasn’t soft either. As everyone in the room was tense and feared that he would make an unexpected move, they heard him clearly. At his words, Callum’s eyes darkened.
“But I’ve already said that I don’t like you.”
Arthur shook his head, his expression turning morose. “No, you can try to like me. I’ll definitely treat you well, even better than Callum.”
“But I don’t need you to treat me well.”
Arthur lost his mind once more at her words. “Why? Why exactly do all of you like Callum? Do I look that much worse than him?”
Unfazed, Elspeth looked at his side profile calmly. If she had to compare their looks, Callum’s was elegant and cold, while Arthur’s was as beautiful as the moon. In particular, the scar between his eyebrows contributed to a sense of flawed beauty. However, this moon was as far from her as the Moon orbiting around Earth—it would never reach her heart.
“It’s not your fault that I don’t like you, nor is it mine. We’re just not fated to be together.”
Arthur said viciously, “I don’t believe in things like fate.”
At that moment, Callum had practically lost all his patience. He feared that if things went on, Elspeth would eventually get hurt. The knife in Arthur’s hands was too dangerous, and he couldn’t help but worry for her safety. However, just as he was about to make a move, Elspeth stopped him with a look, indicating that she had a plan.
Elspeth looked at Arthur with an earnest gaze. “Arthur, do you know what kind of person I like, then?”
Arthur cared, of course. He’d always dreamed of being the kind of person Elspeth liked.
“Go ahead. I’m listening.”
“I like someone gentle and kind. The person must be calm and isn’t manipulative.”
“Are you saying that Callum is that kind of person?” Arthur was amused by her words. “He’s nothing but a businessman who only cares about profit. Do you really think he’s innocent if he’s able to make Winthrop Group so successful?”
Arthur was now more than certain that Elspeth only liked Callum because she was deceived by his appearance and his tricks. He knew that he was the right one for her, and he was the only one who genuinely liked her.
However, Elspeth shook her head firmly and said gently, “It’s the complete opposite. That’s the kind of person Callum is. You’ve only seen his craftiness, but you’ve never noticed his worry and concern toward his brothers or his toleration for me, much less the kindness that he hides under a layer of ice.”
This was what she found out after spending so much time with him.
“You’ve known him for over twenty years. Do you really not understand him at all?”
Her words instantly rendered Arthur speechless. Elspeth looked at him, waiting for his response as he fell silent for a long time.
“Arthur, you have to stop doing this,” Elspeth advised him gently. After all the sins he had committed, it was the biggest act of mercy she could offer him to talk to him calmly like this.
Suddenly, Arthur raised his head and asked mindlessly, “Even you think it’s my fault?”
Elspeth opened her mouth, sensing that something was off, and in the next second, a dark, vile look emerged in Arthur’s eyes.
Nobody was on his side. Even Elspeth, whom he liked the most, had never given him the time of her day. Arthur could not explain how he felt—there was heartbreak and desperation, but more than that, he felt completely disheartened by Elspeth.
“I was going to let you go.” Arthur caressed her face with the knife handle. Though his voice was gentle, each of his words was cutting. “But what you said hurt me too much. Elspeth, you’re not worthy of my love.”
Instantly, warning sirens sounded in Elspeth’s mind, and in the next second, Arthur raised his knife and went straight for her face.
Fortunately, she prepared herself beforehand. Upon seeing his abnormal behavior, she dodged backward. However, as she was tightly trapped in his arms, she couldn’t avoid being grazed, and a bright red wound soon appeared on her face, gushing with fresh blood.
Callum instantly felt his heart tighten at the sight of Elspeth’s wound. “Arthur, don’t be reckless, or I’ll never forgive you!”
“What’s wrong? Worried about her? You can save her, but only if you fulfill my conditions.”
Arthur looked cold and apathetic; it was as if he were devoid of emotion and he waved his knife in the air. As he had trained in martial arts while he was in university, he was decently skilled in combat and his previous moves were enough to show how vicious he was. It was now clear that Arthur’s murderous intent had fully emerged.
Callum inhaled deeply before asking, “All right. What are your conditions?”
“First, have all the officers here leave.”
Callum’s gaze swept across the room, but the surrounding officers did not budge.
“Mr. Winthrop, the convict’s mental state is clearly not stable at the moment. We have to stay here to ensure the hostage’s safety.”
When Arthur heard the word convict, his face instantly darkened to a terrifying extent. “Tell them to leave. Don’t make me say it a third time.”
Callum said to the police officers coldly, “Everyone, please leave.”
“But, Mr. Winthrop—”
“Leave!”
Left with no other choice, the officers could only leave, even taking Margot who had difficulty breathing with them as they exited, as well as the person in charge and the assistant who were both paralyzed with fear. Soon, the room was empty except for Callum and the two other brothers of the Winthrop Family.
“I’ve already done as you said. What else do you want?”
Callum did not want to see Elspeth being taken away and falling into Arthur’s grasp for a single second longer.
Elspeth, however, said frantically, “Callum, don’t agree to his conditions.”
Irritated by her words, Edmund barked at her, “You stupid woman! Can’t you just shut your mouth and stand still? Do you know that you’re worrying us even more like this?”
What if she provoked Arthur? The sight of him slashing her face with the knife earlier was already a spine-chilling sight. If something else happened, there was no guarantee he could keep himself under control. He might just end Arthur’s life then.
Hearing their conversation, Arthur couldn’t help but chuckle. “You really are something. Everyone is standing up for you and worrying about your safety; it looks like they like you quite a lot.”
Upon saying that, he let out a deep and helpless sigh. “What a shame. The more they’re like this, the more you’re becoming their weakness, and I can use this chance to do what I wanted to do.”
Now, Arthur had finally achieved enlightenment. Things like emotions were simply all lies. Only wealth, power, and resources were important. Even if he still could not forget about Elspeth, he only wanted to use her in exchange for his own benefit.
Elspeth did not reply, emanating an aura of fury.
“What’s this? Getting mad, are we?”
Arthur had rarely seen Elspeth lose her temper like this. In the past, although he had made her unhappy many times, she mostly showed disdain toward him. Hence, her fury right now was a completely different experience for him.
“So, I can affect your emotions. Is it because you like me?”
They had already come to this point, yet Arthur was still able to flirt with her. He pinched her chin harshly, and a red mark soon appeared on it.
“Arthur, you’re the most disgusting person I’ve ever met.”
At this moment, nothing Elspeth said could stir any emotions in his heart.
“All right, have you thought it through?” Arthur looked at the two frantic men next to him and asked, “Are you sure you want to make an exchange with me?”
“Enough with the nonsense and hurry up.” Edmund watched his actions, his eyes practically blazing with anger.
“Callum, I want you to hand your position as CEO of Winthrop Group to me, and you can never step foot into the business circle for the rest of your life.”
Callum’s face fell when he heard that.
“As for Edmund, I don’t have much of a grudge against you, so I don’t plan on giving you a hard time, but if you plan to take Callum’s side, I won’t hold back on you either.”
Edmund chortled, replying with his usual sarcasm, “I’m not on his side, but I definitely won’t side with an ungrateful dog.”
…
The flashback ended, and Yelena looked at Elspeth, who had been lost in thought for a long time.
“Why aren’t you saying anything, Elspeth? What happened to Jethro?” Yelena asked curiously.
Elspeth snapped back to reality, her eyes lacking any emotion. “Nothing, he just had an epiphany and changed his ways out of the blue,” she replied.
“It seems that Mr. Wilstone’s upbringing is pretty good; at least he didn’t do anything bad.” Yelena breathed a sigh of relief. As the two were chatting happily, a soft voice suddenly sounded beside them.
“Elspeth.”
Elspeth locked eyes with her. Elspeth was smiling serenely, but her gaze was sharp. “Yes?”
“I’ve come to say goodbye to you,” Isabel said with her head lowered.
With what she had done, she couldn’t continue to live by Elspeth’s side. She loathed herself and felt she wasn’t worthy of being Elspeth’s sister.
“What do you mean?” Elspeth wasn’t surprised, but she was a little startled.
“Gilbert and I have agreed that he will send me to study abroad, and I promised to work for him when I return to the country and return the money to him…”
Isabel would benefit from this decision. Elspeth rose to her feet and adjusted her shirt collar while saying softly, “Then live your life well abroad. If something happens, be sure to tell me. I will always be your sister.”
This sentence made Isabel burst into tears. “Elspeth, do you really not hate me? You know, it was me who leaked the information to the media. I was the one who gave Miss Joneson the drug and even colluded with Arthur to steal information from Winthrop Group… I did so many bad things. Why don’t you hate me?”
Even Yelena gasped when she heard this.
“Isabel, you!”
Elspeth gazed at Isabel’s tear-stricken face feeling both disappointment and heartache. “I don’t hate you. I’m upset, but I don’t want to go against you.”
At that, Isabel fell to her knees with a loud thud.
After Helena left, Elspeth was the closest person to Isabel. Despite her foolishness, Elspeth never blamed her and always treated her like a younger sister. This time was no different; even though Isabel had betrayed her, Elspeth didn’t openly blame her. However, Isabel knew that some things couldn’t be undone.
“You’re my sister, so how could I blame you?” Elspeth sighed. “Although you were led astray, at least you’re willing to turn back. How could I bear to abandon you?”
Isabel looked up with tears in her eyes.
“I also want to thank you for telling me the truth in time.” Elspeth smiled.
The night before Arthur’s visit, Isabel showed up in tears and spilled everything about her betrayal and Arthur’s scheme with the Winthrop Group. “I don’t expect you to forgive me, but I hope I won’t cause you any more pain,” she concluded. Elspeth realized that despite her mistake, Isabel was still a good person who had been misled. She had no intention of digging deeper into her past, especially since Isabel had also been truthful with her.
“Thank you, Elspeth.”
“You’re welcome. If you encounter any difficulties over there, be sure to tell me.”
Isabel nodded tearfully, hugged Elspeth, and left.
Yelena watched her leave and snorted. “I don’t get why you’re being so nice to her. She already betrayed you like that. If it were me, I’d give her a piece of my mind and kick her out.”
“That’s because you’re still young and inexperienced.” Elspeth tapped Yelena’s head lightly. “Okay, let’s stop talking about it. It’s all in the past. By the way, how are you and Hank doing?”
Elspeth knew that Yelena didn’t come over just because of this incident. Sure enough, as soon as she asked, Yelena giggled. “You really understand me. We’re doing pretty well lately, except for his mother…”
Yelena looked uncomfortable, making Elspeth think Hank’s mother was being difficult. She couldn’t help frowning and said, “Is his mother bothering you? Let me tell you. If his family is not good to you, you can leave him anytime. Yelena, you can have any man you want. If his family dares to pick on you, just kick him out.”
Yelena knew Elspeth had misunderstood and quickly shook her head. “His mother hasn’t been unkind to me. On the contrary, she’s been a bit too nice to me.”
She twisted her fingers and blushed. “She’s been pushing me to hurry up and get married so we can have children, but I think it’s too soon, so I haven’t agreed yet. But his mom has misinterpreted it, and she thinks Hank’s keeping another woman on the side and doesn’t want to tie the knot. Now, they’re fighting non-stop.”
Thinking about those things gave her a headache. Simone actually liked her more than she had imagined. She had thought that Hank’s family would surely pick on her because she was involved in the entertainment industry, even though she was the heiress of the Sullivan Corporation. The Sullivans and the Damazios were like night and day, and there was no possible comparison at all.
Yet, Simone actually treated Yelena better than her own son and didn’t have any dislike for her.
Elspeth chuckled when she heard that. “Isn’t that a good thing, though? I thought something bad had happened to you.”
“So, Ms. Balkan is planning to get us engaged this weekend…” Yelena felt a bit overwhelmed because she was currently occupied with filming and didn’t have much free time. Nonetheless, Simone was insistent that Hank and Yelena should get engaged soon.
Elspeth was slightly surprised. “Engaged? Why the rush?”
“Yep, Ms. Balkan wants us to get engaged early and make sure everything’s secure, so we don’t mess things up.” Basically, Simone didn’t want to risk losing the perfect daughter-in-law. Yelena took out a beautiful red card from her bag, which was simple but stunning with the words ‘Engagement Invitation’ printed in gold.
“I came here today to give you this engagement invitation. You must come this weekend.” Yelena blinked her eyes eagerly, filled with anticipation.
“Okay, I’ll definitely attend.” Elspeth smiled, and then she saw someone coming in at the door.
Hank walked in, looking a bit grubby, and gave a slight nod of courtesy to Elspeth before turning his attention to Yelena. “Why didn’t you tell me you were coming here? I had to ask your assistant to find you,” he said calmly but with a hint of blame in his voice.
Yelena stuck out her tongue at him.
“I came to see Elspeth in a rush because she went through something a few days ago, and I haven’t had the chance to comfort her yet,” she explained. She knew that Elspeth didn’t seem to require any comforting, but it was just her own assumption. However, as a good friend, she felt obligated to alleviate her friend’s emotional pain.
“Okay.” Hank smiled helplessly. “I’m here to take you home for dinner. My mom said she wants to see you.”
Yelena immediately looked distressed. “It’s the weekend today! I’ve already had dinner at your house five times this week.”
“My mom said she must see you, and if she doesn’t, she won’t be able to eat well.” Hank shrugged, looking helpless.
“Come on…” Yelena sighed deeply. “But every time I go to your house for dinner, she always puts heaps of food in my bowl. I’ve gained three pounds already, and even Larissa scolded me today for not knowing how to manage my figure as a celebrity.”
“I’ll ask my mom to prepare some diet meals for you,” Hank replied. While he felt sorry for Yelena’s situation, he also knew that maintaining her figure was crucial for her work. He didn’t want to hinder her dreams, so he had to find a way for her to eat more healthily.
“Great!” Yelena jumped up from the couch. “Elspeth, Hank and I are going home for dinner now. I’ll come and chat with you next time.”
Elspeth nodded with a smile. “Okay.”
“Let’s go. Cecelia is already waiting at home.” Hank picked up Yelena’s coat from the couch.
Yelena gossiped with Elspeth when Cecelia was mentioned. “Elspeth, let me tell you. Hank’s childhood friend has such an interesting love story. It’s as thrilling as a novel. If I have time, I’ll share her story with you,” Yelena gossiped.
Elspeth laughed in response. “Sure.”
Then, Yelena seemed to recall something and stroked her chin. “But I have this feeling that her boyfriend looks familiar. It’s like I’ve seen him somewhere before.”
“You look really beautiful today!” Elspeth smiled and hugged her.
Yelena whispered in her ear, “Do you remember the person I told you about last time? The one who looks a bit familiar. He’s here today, too.”
“What about him?” Elspeth didn’t understand why she kept mentioning this person, but she was curious about why.
“Oh, you’ll see when you go over there.” Yelena had asked Hank to take care of the guests while she led Elspeth away.
They walked to the backyard, and Yelena pointed to a nearby pavilion. With a slightly complicated tone, she said, “Look. Isn’t that person very familiar-looking?”
As Elspeth followed Yelena’s finger with her sight, she spotted Yozan donning a pristine white suit. He exuded sophistication and poise, with captivating eyes and a sparkling diamond stud earring glinting in his right ear.
Yozan was deep in conversation with a companion, who was also a handsome man but who paled in comparison to him.
Suddenly, Yozan appeared to sense someone’s gaze fixed on him and turned to lock eyes with Elspeth, creating an unusual and peculiar atmosphere between the two.
Elspeth quickly turned her head and asked, “Who is he?”
“Yozan Harley is his name, and according to Hank, his family has a notable background, tracing back to the royal lineage of Eden for three consecutive generations.”
It was no surprise he looked striking with his mixed-race heritage, but what caught Elspeth off guard wasn’t his appearance. Rather, it was the uncanny resemblance of his eyes to hers. They displayed a tender yet distant expression, but his nose was more elevated than hers, and his facial features were more defined.
“Am I mistaken, or do you bear a striking resemblance to him? Initially, I didn’t pay much thought to it, but I noticed a remarkable similarity between you both upon closer inspection. Not only in appearance but also in personality. Frankly, had I not known about you and the Joneson Family, I would have found it hard to believe.”
Elspeth had kept many things from Yelena, who tended to spread gossip. One of these things was that her biological father was still unknown. Though the townspeople of Damoria knew of her relationship with Callum, they were hesitant to criticize the couple due to the Winthrop Family’s power and her own influence. Nevertheless, there were criticisms of their relationship being incestuous behind closed doors. Elspeth felt powerless to argue against these rumors unless she could find her true father. Even if she were to produce a paternity test proving there was no blood relation between her and Callum, she knew that people would still doubt it.
However, Yelena’s accidental reveal gave her a valuable clue, and Elspeth knew she had to talk to this man.
As Elspeth and Yelena were getting closer, suddenly, there was a splash from the river. Elspeth’s face changed drastically. “Someone fell into the water!”
It seemed like some people were having fun in a small boat on the lake. Someone had lost their balance and fallen into the water.
Although everyone around them gasped in shock, no one made a move to rescue the drowning individual. The men in the pavilion simply looked into the distance and had no intention of saving her. Without hesitation, Elspeth jumped into the water and swam to the center of the lake to retrieve the woman, who was almost out of oxygen from inhaling water. At the same time, Yelena shouted, “Elspeth!”
When Elspeth reached the woman, she wrapped her arm around the drowning woman’s waist and started to swim back to shore. However, as a result of coming into contact with cold water, Elspeth began to feel a chill in her body. Additionally, the physical symptoms from her previous miscarriage had not fully subsided, and now they were resurfacing. Her face became pale, and she experienced a subtle ache in her waist and body. So, she could only watch as the woman in her arm slipped away from her grasp.
When Elspeth grabbed the woman’s waist just now, she noticed the woman’s slightly protruding belly. Having been pregnant before, she recognized that the woman was likely three months along. Ignoring her own potential danger from inhaling the cold water, Elspeth urgently shouted for help, “Please, help! She’s pregnant!”
As expected, she accidentally swallowed two mouthfuls of cold lake water, causing a sharp pain in her throat.
The man in the pavilion, who had previously ignored the situation, suddenly sprang into action upon hearing that the woman was pregnant. He used his immense strength to swim over and pull both women to safety. When passing by, Yozan noticed Elspeth’s pale face and was surprised. However, he simply reached out to her and pulled her out of the lake.
Yozan had impressive arm strength and managed to rescue both people, despite the effort it took. The staff arrived promptly at that time, with a private doctor standing by with a grave expression to provide emergency medical treatment to the two people. The Sullivan Family’s private doctor knew Elspeth and was about to come over to attend to her, but Elspeth coughed a few times and pointed to the unconscious girl on the ground, saying, “Treat her first. She choked on water, and her condition is more critical.”
The doctor followed her orders and crouched down to examine the girl. Elspeth couldn’t resist reminding him, “She’s pregnant. Please check if the child in her belly is okay.”
At that moment, the assistant also handed two towels to Elspeth, who gave one to Yozan. Yozan turned his head to look at her before taking the towel and softly saying, “Thank you.”
“I should be the one to thank you. If it weren’t for you, I might have died,” Elspeth replied with a smile. She first wrung out the water from her hair. Then, she began to wipe it dry with care. Luckily, she wore a black dress today. Otherwise, she might have embarrassed herself if it had gotten soaked through.
“Thank you for saving Elspeth. Don’t worry. My private doctor is very capable and will ensure Cecelia’s safety. However, both of your clothes are wet and cannot be worn. I have prepared spare clothes for you in the villa. Elspeth, you can wear mine, and as for Yozan, if you don’t mind, Hank has a new suit that you can wear.” Yelena sincerely thanked Yozan upon seeing that Elspeth was safe.
Elspeth suddenly realized that the girl who fell into the water was Hank’s childhood friend, Cecelia. Therefore, Yozan must be the male lead in that love story Yelena had mentioned. However, Elspeth didn’t have time to gossip at the moment. If this girl had fallen into the water due to her own mistake, it was still just an accident. However, if not…
Daring to cause trouble at Yelena’s engagement party, huh? The perpetrator must have a death wish.
Elspeth’s eyes turned cold, and she turned to the assistant, ordering, “Go and check who was on the boat in the middle of the lake today.”
Yozan was slightly stunned. He didn’t expect her to have such meticulous thoughts in her mind. They really seemed to think alike.
Yozan had noticed the slight resemblance between their features in the lake earlier, and now that he had a closer look at her, he realized they were indeed extremely similar. She was like a female version of him. He wondered, Could it be that all of this was not just a coincidence?
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