Melissa asked with anxiety, and couldn't help but to clutch Leila's hands. Uneasiness feeling lingered her, and her senescence worsened it. The evil desire was written all over her face, as she was desperate to make Sheryl disappear in her family.
"Aunt Melissa, tell me. Who does Charles care about most? Who is the person he can't leave without?"
With the abrupt question, Melissa was confused and baffled as to why Leila would ask such questions. However, she began to think about these questions.
Although Charles was her son, Melissa was fully aware of her significance to his life. Worst, the person that her son cared about the most was the one she never favored, making her reluctant to mention her name. It was Sheryl, the woman to whom her son gave immense love and affection. As Charles candidly displayed his feelings, everyone was jealous yet impressed by how he took care of Sheryl.
"His children, of course. He cares about Clark and Shirley very much,"
Melissa answered, playing safe and denial. Curiously, she waited for Leila's further explanation. The anxiousness inside her didn't subside.
"You're right, Aunt Melissa. The kids are the ones Charles cares about most. Imagine this. Do you think Charles will forgive Sheryl if she loses the children?"
A naughty grin almost ground her teeth with this question. Her smile with lurking viciousness was deceitful. No passerby could tell the wickedness that Leila possessed right away.
In pure disbelief with Leila's question, Melissa looked at her. Her mouth was left open, as she didn't know what to say. Feeling frightened, she was out of words.
"What do you mean, Leila? What are you going to do?" Even though Melissa tried to hide her fears, Leila could see her quivering.
'What a scaredy-cat! This pathetic old woman!'
Seeing Melissa's reaction, Leila couldn't help but look down on Melissa. Her disdain towards Melissa grew stronger. Leila hadn't done anything to her, yet it scared Melissa already. Melissa was too coward to kick Sheryl out of the Lu family.
Of course, Leila concealed the disdain she felt towards Melissa. Favorably, hiding feelings was her specialty. After all, Melissa was an alas to her plans to make it successful. She had no choice but to patiently explain, "What I mean is to hire someone to kidnap the children. Then, we will blame Sheryl for it. She is responsible for taking care of the children, especially Clark, but if she loses him, it will be a disaster for her."
Melissa was about to argue, but Leila interrupted, "Of course, the children will not get hurt. It will be a pure act. Nothing will happen to Clark."
Scared quotes lingered Melissa as she heard the word "kidnap." Hesitantly, she deliberated for a while on herself.
'What if those kidnappers hired by Leila betray us? What if they blackmail us and hurt Clark?' she thought, feeling baffled and worried.
No matter what happened, Melissa would never put Clark's life at risk. Although Clark was Sheryl's son and she didn't like Sheryl at all, he was still Melissa's grandchild. Her hatred for Sheryl was the gravest, but she couldn't sacrifice her biological grandson's safety. After all, there was always an accident. No one could guarantee how things would turn out.
"No, I won't let some random people kidnap Clark, even if it is just an act. I can't afford to lose Clark. And how am I supposed to face Charles and continue my life if something truly happens to Clark? It's too risky,"
Melissa said, shaking her head to deny Leila's idea.
Melissa was absurd. But she wasn't foolish enough to put danger on Clark. The apple of her eye was him. Clark was the one who would take over the family business when he grew up. He must not have any accident, even if it was a faked kidnap. What if he was traumatized, and suffered from PTSD? The stakes were too high.
Even though Leila made it clear that it would be an act, Melissa remained stubborn. The old lady's paranoia irritated Leila.
"But it is the only way to make Charles hate Sheryl. He cares about his children so much, and if the kids are missing, he will blame it for Sheryl. I am sure they will have a dispute. They will keep fighting until their relationship becomes tainted. By then, it is our chance. We can make use of the opportunity and drive a wedge between them. Otherwise, we will never be able to kick Sheryl out of the family,"
she said impatiently and annoyed. She began to raise her voice, continuing to persuade Melissa.
"I don't know. I need time to think it through..."
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