Chapter 198 Join Forces
Chandler said apologetically, “I’m so sorry for calling you this late at night and disturbing your rest.
I just feel sorry for Joseph, and I can’t get in touch with him. I thought maybe I could express my apologies to him. through you-”
Once again, Deborah interrupted him impatiently, “What are you trying to say?”
Over there, the conversation was repeatedly interrupted, and the pretentious tone was struggling to hold up.
Chandler could only speak directly, “That’s right, last night there was a bit of a conflict between Joseph and my dad
because of an issue I had.
In a moment of impulsiveness, Dad slapped him, and he just walked away. I heard from someone that he went to a bar to drown his sorrows, and I’m really worried that something might happen to him.”
Deborah suddenly realized and said, “Oh, you mean that. Well, you’re overthinking it. Joseph wouldn’t drink just because of such a trivial matter. Last night was New Year’s Eve, and we were celebrating New Year. He was in a good mood, so he had a drink with me.”
There was a noticeable silence on the other end for a while, and the tone became somewhat stiff. “Oh, really? So you’re drinking because it’s New Year’s and you’re in a good mood?”
Deborah chimed in, “Exactly, he’s already asleep by now. You’re really overthinking it. Isn’t it normal for fathers and sons to have conflicts and disagreements? There’s no need to worry about it.”
Over there, someone laughed and said, “Yes, that’s the principle. If Joseph can think like this, then that’s great, and I
can be at ease.”
Upon hearing his insincere tone, Deborah felt like throwing up.
“Alright then, if there’s nothing else, I’ll hang up now?”
Chandler replied, “Alright, Ms. Shepherd, please continue to rest. Sorry for the disturbance.”
Deborah hung up the phone, looked at the mobile screen, and let out a soft chuckle.
Chandler, I’m sorry to have disappointed you. If you have any more tricks up your sleeve, go ahead and bring them
out.
A man driven to desperation could do anything, making it easier for others to find his weaknesses.
Black Manor.
The moment he hung up the phone, the smile on Chandler’s face completely disappeared.
He fiercely gripped the phone in his hand and then forcefully smashed it against the wall.
With a banging sound, the phone fell to the ground, and the screen shattered.
Chandler was furious, his teeth nearly grinding to bits.
What he had gone through, his legs, were now truly and completely ruined.
After much difficulty, the recording was finally obtained, proving that it was Joseph who hit him. He thought that this time, he would definitely be able to bring Joseph down completely.
But the result was different.
Upon hearing the recording, his good father Gerald appeared to be furious on the surface.
In reality, all that happened was Joseph getting slapped.
With just a light slap, everything else was gone.
Gerald even said that Chandler’s legs were already useless before Joseph left.
Now Joseph has changed a lot, so it’s impossible for anyone to be too hard on him.
It must be his leg; he couldn’t stand up in the first place.
He was crippled by Joseph for the second time, but Gerald’s slap could be considered as standing up for him.
Why should I!
Deborah is right; how could Joseph possibly be heartbroken over this and resort to heavy drinking?
He probably gets so happy that he’d even wake up laughing from his dreams.
Gerald is so biased towards him, to such an extent.
And for Chandler and his mother, Jane, being in the Black family was nothing but a joke.
Because of Joseph’s mother’s passing years ago, Gerald felt guilty towards them. As a result, he has been favoring Joseph and indulging him in various ways all these years.
Chandler’s face contorted as he looked at the phone on the ground.
He didn’t feel relieved at all. He grabbed a decorative item from the bedroom coffee table and furiously smashed it on
the ground.
He couldn’t just let it go like this. Joseph had crippled his legs and he must pay a heavy price for it!
Chandler sat in his wheelchair, his eyes filled with malice, staring at the gradually brightening sky outside the floor-to-ceiling window.
A knock on the door sounded from outside, followed by Jane’s voice, “Chandler, are you awake?”
Chandler snapped back to reality and responded, “Mom, I’m awake. I’ll get up now, freshen up, and be right out.”
Outside the room, Jane said cautiously, “Since it’s inconvenient for you right now, Mom will ask the housekeeper to come in and help you with washing up.
Today is New Year, and we’re all having breakfast together as a family. Your dad called Joseph, and he should be back later.”
Chandler almost forgot that he had now become a true invalid.
With both legs disabled, even the most basic tasks like dressing and washing up become difficult to accomplish on my
own.
Chandler clenched his hand tightly on the wheelchair armrest, struggling to control his emotions. It took him a while before he finally responded.
“Alright, let the housekeeper come in.”
After thinking for so long, he could only come up with the idea of making a move on Deborah.
Although it hasn’t been long since the last time Deborah was kidnapped, targeting her again now isn’t really the best approach.
After much thought, Joseph really had no other weaknesses, and there was nothing that could be used against him or any mistakes that others could exploit.
Chandler made up his mind that, even if it meant taking a risk, this time he would definitely get his revenge on Joseph.
With his legs disabled, this pent-up frustration, if Gerald couldn’t help him release it, then he must find a way to vent
it himself.
Before the housekeeper came in, Chandler took out his phone and sent a message to Deborah using an anonymous
number.
He texted: [Your daughter had a near-death experience three years ago, and Joseph was involved. Joseph and Helen worked together on many things, but later, Helen took the blaine for everything. I have all the evidence in my hands. If you’re interested, let’s talk about it tonight.]
The message was sent, and it took about three minutes before Deborah replied.
She texted: [Who are you? I won’t believe you.]
Chandler looked at the message and immediately revealed a satisfied smile.
If Deborah truly didn’t believe, she wouldn’t have responded to this message at all.
*
She came back, which proves that she was shaken inside and also interested in the truth.
Chandler could hardly hold back his laughter as he typed out another message: [Who I am doesn’t matter. Tonight at
8 o’clock, I’ll send you a hotel room number. You can choose whether or not to come.
Don’t worry, there are surveillance cameras all around the hotel. I’m only interested in providing you with evidence from that year, and I have no intention of doing anything to you.]
After a while, a message came back from over there: [Alright.]
Chandler already had a plan in his mind, a deep smile forming at the corner of his mouth as he put away his phone.
Sure enough, she’s just a woman, relying on her pretty face to bewitch men.
As for intelligence, what kind of brains can a beautiful woman have besides her beauty?
Whenever it involves Alyssa, whom she cares about the most, she simply cannot keep her composure.
Joseph didn’t come to Black Manor. Instead, Chandler played the role of a dutiful son for the entire day, accompanying
Gerald and Robert to celebrate New Year.
Comments
The readers' comments on the novel: Torn Between Love and Hate