Meanwhile, the Stewards’ Mansion.
Charles received a call from his subordinate, who reported that Stella had gone to Clarence’s
apartment. He asked them to keep an eye on her.
After hanging up the phone, Charles peered out of the window. He stood up, walked out of the study,
and sat in the car that was parked in the garden.
The place where Jeffrey was locked up was a warehouse that was not far away from the Stewards’
Mansion. In the past, it was used to store some old junk. In the recent few years, it was abandoned.
Usually, no one would pass by this place. Hence, after Adolph had run away, Charles moved Jeffery
here.
In the warehouse, Jeffery was lying on a single bed. Not far from him, a movie was played on an old
TV.
It wasn’t a messy place nor a clean one.
Food junks and newspapers were everywhere on the table and the floor.
Occasionally, a cleaner would come to clean up.
With his broken leg on the bed, Jeffrey was humming a song in leisure as if he didn’t feel upset about
being locked up here at all.
Shortly after, the door of the compartment was open. The slight of the street lamps fell in.
Jeffrey suddenly sat up, squinting at the person who entered.
Charles walked into the warehouse, and his bodyguard behind him immediately turned on the light.
Jeffrey could hardly open his eyes in the dazzling light. Raising his arm, he blocked it.
Charles cast a glance at his bodyguard, and the latter understood. He turned around, left, and closed
the door of the warehouse.
Charles walked to Jeffrey, sitting on the sofa opposite, “Have you made up your mind?”
Jeffrey giggled. His fingers rubbed and made a posture to mean the money, “Haven’t I told you? As
long as you could give me this much money, I’ll answer whatever you want to ask.”
“You are quite greedy.”
“I have to. I’ve been raising a money-losing proposition since her childhood. Finally, she married
someone and could lead a good life. How could I know she was an ungrateful woman? She doesn’t
want to give me a penny at all. I must rely on myself.”
Charles said slowly, “Aren’t you afraid even you could get the money but you are unable to spend it?”
Jeffrey answered carelessly, “I don’t care. Just give me the money. Even if I’ll die, I must die with the
money in my arms. I’ll try my best to find better parents in my next life.”
Charles snorted, “You are quite philosophical.”
“Hee hee... As long as you give me the money, everything will be fine.” Jeffrey added, “You won’t suffer
a loss. Besides, I still have something for you. As long as I got the money, I’ll be like a dead person and
vanish in front of you. I’ll never show up in front of you again. If you don’t give it to me, you can’t blame
me to expose your secret.”
Clarence remained calm, “What secret do I have?”
Jeffrey’s face, which was burned by the fire, twisted under the dim yellow light of the warehouse. His
smile became creepy, “You are not Charles Steward. Even if you are trying your best to imitate him,
you are not him.”
Charles squinted, a murderous light flashing through his eyes.
Jeffrey said, “Since I dared to answer you, I’m not afraid you will kill me. As for the man who has
escaped a few days ago, you should still remember him. I’ve already told him about this secret. Once I
died, he would disclose this secret in public. But, If I got the money, I'll split it with him. Anyone smart
would like to do the deal. What do you say?”
“Will others believe you as long as you said I’m not?”
“Of course I have the evidence.” Jeffrey grinned, “The evidence is in my wife’s graveyard. Charles
Steward had never expected that his wife would marry me one day. Hahaha... When I die, I’ll tell him
about it. I look forward to seeing his expression. It must be awesome!”
Charles stood up, looking at him as if he was looking at something dead, “One more question, if you
answer me, I’ll give you whatever you want.”
Jeffrey was quite generous, “Let alone just one question, even if you ask me a hundred, I’ll answer
you.”
“Who is the father of Stella’s younger brother?”
Upon hearing it, Jeffrey looked as if he had heard a joke. The scars on his face became more
ferocious, “Of course I am.”
Charles asked, “Are you sure?”
“Well, your money isn’t enough for me to answer this question.” Jeffrey showed him another number
with his fingers, “Give me this amount as an extra, I’ll tell you.”
Charles didn’t speak again. He left with a cold look.
Jeffrey leisurely lay back to the bed. Looking at Charles’s receding figure, he yelled, “Turn off the light.”
Only the sound of closing the door of the warehouse responded to him.
Jeffrey could only drag his broken leg to turn off the light himself.
He peered out through the crack of the door, only to find that Charles sat in the car and left.
Jeffrey spat in his direction.
Inwardly, he cured about this faker.
Jeffrey was always hiding from the usurers, so he knew how to lie. Just now, he said he had told
Adolph the secret, which was fake. He even believed that he couldn’t make as much money as he
expected. How would he be willing to split it with another man?
...
Back to the apartment, Stella drank a glass of water, feeling starved.
From the afternoon until now, she hadn’t eaten anything.
She opened the fridge, only to find the ingredients that she had bought last time.
She decided to make do with them.
At least, she could make some food.
While she was getting some water, Clarence showed up behind her. He wrapped around her waist
gently, “How did you know I haven’t had dinner?” he asked.
Stella was amused.
She said, “I’m cooking for myself.”
Clarence raised his eyebrows, “Aren’t you on a diet so you don’t have dinner?”
Stella indeed had said that before. Occasionally, if she had some snacks in the afternoon, she wouldn’t
feel hungry at night. Then she wouldn’t be on diet in the evening.
“I was just saying. Don’t take it so seriously.”
She answered in the way that the wretched man always spoke to her.
Clarence said, “Okay, I see. If you say you don’t want it, it means you want it actually.”
Before Stella could retort him, he pulled over her shoulder, opened his mouth, and bit on her lips.
Feeling the pain, Stella wanted to push him away. Clarence grabbed her raised waist, pressing her
against the marble worktop.
After the long kiss ended, Stella panted, “You are too annoying. I’m still cooking. Leave me alone!”
Clarence curled up his lips. He took a step back and left her some space.
Stella turned around. After a moment, she said suddenly, “You said Amanda Bryon and her family will
move abroad. Have they left already?”
Clarence leaned against the wall next to her and answered indifferently, “Not yet.”
Stella looked over at him, asking in confusion, “Why not?”
“Haven’t I told you before? It’s not that easy to migrate abroad. They’re still waiting for the paperwork.”
Stella withdrew her gaze, “I see. You’ve told me so affirmatively back then. I thought they would leave
pretty soon.”
“Do you want them to leave or not?”
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