The Man Who Waited vs. The Man Who Wasted novel Chapter 355

Naturally, Jocelyn had no intention of throwing Sarah under the bus.

"Adrian, if I wanted to ruin you, I would have done it that day at the club. Why would I have bothered covering for you?"

Adrian forced himself to calm down and think it over.

She had a point.

Jocelyn had helped block Audrey that day. If she really wanted to destroy him, she wouldn't have lifted a finger.

"If it wasn't you, then it must be your best friend! I can't believe she's working at Vanguard Tech now."

Jocelyn remained unhurried, carefully planting a seed of doubt.

"Are you sure it wasn't your beloved fiancée?"

"How could it be Audrey?" Adrian blurted out. "Why would she do that?"

"Because she doesn't want you to know she hired someone to follow you," Jocelyn suggested smoothly. "So, she had the photos taken and mailed them to herself. That way, you'd never suspect her."

"It conveniently ensures your grandmother sees the evidence, completely clears Audrey of any suspicion of stalking you, and leaves your grandmother to do her dirty work and punish you."

Adrian went dead silent, pondering her words.

It actually made a twisted sort of sense.

Jocelyn struck while the iron was hot.

"The point right now, Adrian, isn't figuring out who took the photo. It's figuring out how you're going to survive your grandmother's wrath."

"So, instead of wasting your breath yelling at me, you'd be better off strategizing your next move."

With that, Jocelyn hung up.

Adrian didn't call back, presumably too busy figuring out how to save his own skin.

Jocelyn immediately texted Sarah.

[Did you pay for overnight shipping? That was incredibly fast. Adrian is going to have a brutal time surviving today.]

Sarah replied seconds later.

[Revenge is a dish best served swift and brutal. It feels so good.]

Jocelyn: [Me too. I'm treating you to a massive dinner when you get back.]

Sarah: [I want soup from The Willow Garden.]

Jocelyn: [Deal. You can eat until you burst.]

Meanwhile, at Oakhaven Estates.

Eleanor had just returned from checking on the situation at the cosmetic surgery clinic.

She had been so enraged by the photograph that she had nearly fainted earlier that day.

Fortunately, after cashing in countless favors, she finally had some positive updates on the clinic's PR crisis, which slightly improved her sour mood.

Michelle secretly rolled her eyes.

How was any of this her fault?

She had never had an ounce of authority in this house; the old woman dictated every minor detail.

Yet the moment things went south, all the blame was conveniently dumped on her.

Michelle's resentment toward Eleanor was growing by the day.

She had spent her entire life playing the submissive daughter-in-law, bowing her head and walking on eggshells. When would she finally be free of this misery?

Eleanor rubbed her temples, thoroughly agitated.

"Go upstairs and tell Adrian to come down. I need a word with him."

Michelle murmured an assent and turned to leave.

"Did I tell you that you could leave? I wasn't finished speaking."

Michelle stopped in her tracks, radiating silent fury, but she didn't dare lash out.

Eleanor was the undisputed Dowager of the Lowell family.

She held the purse strings tightly in her fist, and crossing her meant financial ruin.

"Call Audrey and try to talk some sense into her," Eleanor commanded. "You never shut up on a normal day—put that mouth of yours to good use when it actually matters."