Chapter 2061 The Confusing Case
Thus, he left her at home and went to the police station himself to urge them to speed up the process.
Fortunately, the arrest warrant was officially issued, and four police officers went to the suburban villa to bring Winnie back to the police station.
As Winnie was only considered a suspect in the case and was required to cooperate with the investigation, they could only hold Winnie for twenty-four hours.
At the police station, Winnie was completely unafraid and full of arrogance. When she spotted Lucian but didn’t see Roxanne, she smirked coldly. “You can’t just pin any charges on me without evidence. Go ahead and investigate all you want. It doesn’t matter to me.”
Even the police officers were angered by Winnie’s arrogance, and they took her to the interrogation room with stern expressions.
Lucian waited at the door. When Bill came out, he shook his head slightly, his expression serious. “According to the forensic report, Ms. Jarvis’ mother had been suffering from the illness for three years. In other words, she had been exposed to mercury very early on. Based on the time of death, Winnie forced Grant to divorce Ms. Jarvis’ mother and entered the Jarvis family a year after the illness began. That means there’s a one-year interval between the two events.”
Lucian’s expression turned grim as he pondered over the words. After a few seconds, he asked, “Maybe Winnie had already set her sights on my mother-in-law from the beginning and secretly poisoned her early on?”
Bill shook his head and refuted that statement. “Ms. Jarvis mentioned her mother’s normal daily routine yesterday. Her mother was always at home taking care of the family and would have been alerted to any strange behavior from random women. I was also considering whether Grant helped Winnie do this, but if that were the case, he would have shown remorse and mentioned it before his death.”
Lucian believed this too.
Grant’s behavior before his death was indeed remorseful.
However, the fact that he took his own life is perplexing. Was he helping Winnie to keep the secret?
This whole case is becoming more and more confusing. Why is Winnie so arrogant and fearless? Don’t tell me it’s really because we won’t be able to find any evidence.
Bill muttered suddenly, “You should try to get Ms. Jarvis to remember more about what happened. We can see if her mother had any unusual behavior back then.”
Lucian nodded. “Mr. Chapman, I’ll go back and talk to Roxanne again. You don’t have to overwork yourself. Please rest more. Thank you very much for your help!”
“Don’t worry; I’m going to watch how these brats conduct their interrogation next. Who knows, maybe I’ll find something,” Bill said. He waved to Lucian before immediately heading back into the police station.
When Lucian returned to the Farwell Residence, he saw his wife anxiously waiting in the living room.
Roxanne was trying to control her emotions and relax her mind so that she could get a good night’s sleep. Despite that, no matter how much she tried not to think about it, her mother’s suffering back then filled her mind. How could she relax?
“How did it go? Did the police find any clues?” she asked eagerly when she saw her husband come in.
Lucian tried to choose his words carefully, not wanting to see his wife’s mood sour again. He smiled and said, “Winnie has been arrested and is being interrogated now. Mr. Chapman is an experienced detective who can often break through the psychological defenses of criminals in critical moments, so we’ll just have to see how tough Winnie is.”
Chapter 2062 Her Life Was Too Hard
Following Bill’s instructions, Lucian asked her about his mother-in-law’s life before her illness.
At that, Roxanne struggled to remember. She had been only five or six years old at the time, and her memories were very vague. She only remembered that her mother had been ill for a long time, but she always smiled sweetly when Roxanne came home from kindergarten. Her mother had also made her all sorts of delicious food.
Moreover, her mother loved flowers and had many potted plants that filled up the entire yard. This led to young Roxanne feeling like the scent of flowers always surrounded her during her childhood.
At that time, Grant had just started his business and had built a small factory. He would often travel around and bring Roxanne back small items and snacks from different places. He also gave her mother many gifts, such as clothes and jewelry. Her parents were very loving to each other, and Roxanne felt so happy.
But then, for some reason, her parents started arguing frequently, and it only grew worse and worse. Her mother’s sadness and anger were of no use. Grant would just break things and leave the house, leaving a mess behind. The young Roxanne could only hide in her room, trembling in fear. She worried that Grant would hurt her mother, but fortunately, he didn’t.
Roxanne didn’t know what agreement her parents eventually reached, but suddenly, they stopped arguing. Her mother became busier and started going out every two or three days, leaving Roxanne alone at home. Although things had calmed down, her mother smiled less and less, and her eyes were always full of sadness. Sometimes, she would hug Roxanne and silently shed tears. That was when her mother began to fall ill. Looking back, those were probably the symptoms of mercury poisoning that had begun to appear. When Roxanne saw her mother’s frail condition, she felt sad as well.
Maybe that was when Roxanne’s desire to become a doctor began to take root in her heart. Her mother’s illness quickly worsened that year, and eventually, she was bedridden. Many household chores fell on the young girl’s shoulders. Her father rarely showed up, and she took care of her mother while trying not to worry her, all while still going to school.
Her mother became increasingly depressed and would often cry uncontrollably. Roxanne didn’t understand at the time, but she did hold her mother tightly and shared in her pain. Those were truly difficult times.
But then, out of nowhere, Grant showed up with Winnie and her two kids, Yosef and Yuliana.
Suddenly, Roxanne had a new younger brother and sister. The entire situation completely shocked and angered her mother, which led to a huge argument between her parents.
During the argument, Roxanne heard the word “divorce,” but her mother refused to consider it, which led to Winnie hurling insults at her.
Before this, Grant had been giving them some money, but this suddenly stopped.
Hence, Roxanne’s mother had to sell everything of value to keep Roxanne in school and maintain a normal life.
What they didn’t expect was for the illness to last for three long years, as it tormented her mother until the very end.
In the end, her mother passed away. After that, Grant forcibly took Roxanne to a villa unfamiliar to her.
Less than a year later, Grant and Winnie shamelessly held a wedding with only a few close friends as witnesses because they didn’t dare to invite many guests.
The memories ended there…
However, Roxanne was deeply trapped in grief and couldn’t pull herself out of it.
“Darling, Darling…”
Lucian called her several times before she slowly came back to reality.
Her tears were about to flow again. “My mother had such a hard life, Honey! If I don’t avenge her, I’ll be failing her as her daughter!”
Chapter 2063 Something Is Fishy About This
He then questioned the two officers in charge of the interrogation, but the results were disappointing.
Winnie had an incredibly strong mental fortitude. No matter how they interrogated her, her expression remained calm.
Bill had been observing her pupils during the interrogation but still got nothing.
“I’ve seen this type of suspect before. They’ve been doing this for too many years, so their conscience and morals have been numbed. They constantly self-hypnotize themselves with a clean memory to suppress the truth. That’s how they can appear so calm during an interrogation—they truly don’t think they’ve done anything wrong,” Bill explained to the young officers.
He then added, “Of course, we can’t wrongly accuse anyone. If we don’t have any new evidence by tomorrow, we’ll have to let her go!”
Both officers nodded. One of them asked, “If time is of the essence, why did we suddenly stop the interrogation?”
Bill checked his watch and nodded. “It’s one in the morning now. Let’s give her two hours of rest before we launch another interrogation. At that time, she should be at her most exhausted state, and it’ll perhaps lead to a breakthrough!”
Realization dawned on the two officers. If the suspect was on guard, the interrogation would be ineffective no matter what methods they used.
Bill had no plans to sleep that night.
By the time dawn broke, Bill and the two officers were all yawning, but the interrogation record in the case file gave no valuable leads. They had hoped the interrogation would reveal some flaws in Winnie’s story, which they could use to find evidence. Unfortunately, it seemed that plan wasn’t working.
“Mr. Chapman, when it’s time to hand things over to the afternoon shift, we might have to release her!” one of the officers said.
Bill nodded. “We have to follow the law. It is what it is.”
As this was not good news, Bill hesitated for a few minutes before finally calling Lucian to tell him about it.
Lucian had just woken up, and on the phone, they discussed some details that Roxanne had remembered from the night before.
“Hmm, what was Ms. Jarvis’ mother doing when she was frequently out for a long time? This is very suspicious!” Bill captured the key point at once.
Lucian had noted this as well the night before. He had asked Roxanne, but she didn’t know anything about it.
“Mr. Farwell, have Ms. Jarvis try to remember more details. Maybe she can recall some important memories. I will talk to the forensic team today and see if we can find any other clues,” Bill said quickly before hanging up without giving Lucian a chance to thank him.
Meanwhile, Roxanne had just dropped off the three kids at school and returned home.
When she saw her husband’s worried expression, she managed a smile and said softly, “I can’t be so panicked anymore. Maybe if I calm down, I can remember more details.”
Lucian nodded and walked up to her, hugging her tightly. As Roxanne savored the warmth of her husband’s embrace, she felt safe and secure.
“Isn’t tomorrow the day of Madilyn’s wedding? I’m not in a rush anymore. After all, Winnie can’t possibly disappear into thin air. I’ll help Madilyn celebrate her big day first,” she murmured to herself.
Chapter 2064 A Changed Woman
Jonathan and Madilyn went to the airport to pick her up.
It had been a long time since Jonathan had seen his sister, so he was a little stunned when he finally saw her.
Even Madilyn, who had only met Frieda a few times before, noticed how much weight she had lost.
However, Frieda didn’t look haggard; instead, she exuded an aura like that of a sophisticated woman.
When Frieda saw Madilyn, she immediately smiled and ran over to embrace her. “Hey, Madilyn! I’m sorry for coming back so late. The project was at a critical stage, so I had to be there.”
Madilyn was taken aback by how tight Frieda’s embrace was and didn’t know whether to reciprocate.
After a few seconds of hesitation, she patted Frieda’s back lightly and said, “It’s okay. We’re just glad you’re home. Everyone will be very happy to see you!”
Jonathan was a little puzzled by the enthusiastic hug. He then noticed his sister rolling her eyes at him. “Jonathan, you finally made the right choice and chose Madilyn. You weren’t seduced by Coralie in the end.”
Jonathan didn’t know what to say. That was a long time ago!
He was a little surprised by the change in his sister’s personality. She seems brighter than before and less narrow-minded. What had happened to her during her time in the north? Is her relationship with Shawn doomed to fail?
There were many questions swirling in Jonathan’s mind, but he didn’t rush to ask them.
Frieda turned to Madilyn and praised her, “Madilyn, you’re so beautiful and kind. Besides, you’re a doctor who saves lives. My brother is so lucky to have you!”
Madilyn blushed at the compliments and quickly waved them off. “No, no, I’m not that great. Am I…”
Frieda nodded emphatically and then mentioned that she had checked in many things and needed to retrieve them. “I brought you guys a lot of wedding gifts. I’ve basically bought all the good things in the north. There are even some supplements that can help with the early conception of a child.”
Frieda’s personality transformation had turned her into a completely different person.
In the past, she wasn’t this lively to cause both Jonathan and Madilyn to blush.
She had brought so many things back that they couldn’t fit all of them into the trunk of the car and had to place some in the back seat.
When the three of them returned to the Queen residence, Lucian and Roxanne had also arrived.
Roxanne was also surprised by Frieda’s change.
However, Frieda seemed to have forgotten everything from the past as she chatted with Roxanne very naturally.
“Roxanne, I’m doing well in Horbah now. I’m also in the medicinal herb business, but most of them are cultured herbs. By the way, if your pharmaceutical company has plans to set up an agency in each state, can I fight for the spot in Horbah?”
Roxanne was surprised by Frieda’s business acumen. She considered Frieda’s proposal and nodded. “This matter will need to be decided by the board of directors. But if there is such a plan, I will definitely support you.”
Frieda smiled happily, rummaged through her pile of gifts, and finally took out a long box before handing it to Roxanne. “Roxanne, this is a tonic that I had a hard time finding! My mother told me you’re pregnant, so you can use it to nourish your body after childbirth.”
Roxanne looked at her husband, stunned.
Lucian smiled and nodded. “Take it. Frieda means well, after all.”
Chapter 2065 Anything Is Fine
James’ personality had also changed a lot since Yennefer began to recover. He was no longer the dull and serious person he used to be; he appeared a bit carefree and foolish now.
He playfully punched Jonathan as soon as he arrived. “We agreed to be single together, but you secretly got married. That’s not fair!”
Jonathan raised an eyebrow. “If you want to get married, just say the word and there will be women lining up from the city square to the outskirts, no? You said it yourself.”
“Really? When did I say something so arrogant? Hahaha…” James laughed it off. Then he came to Lucian and Roxanne and immediately put away his carefree attitude. He asked with concern, “Lucian, Roxanne, is there anything I can help with?”
He was referring to Roxanne’s mother’s situation.
Roxanne shook her head. “Even the police haven’t found a breakthrough yet, so we can’t rush it. Thank you for your kind intentions though, James.”
Lucian narrowed his eyes and glanced at his wife. “Perhaps James can really help. Don’t forget that he’s been studying psychology. He should at least know hypnosis. If we can hypnotize Winnie, maybe we can get her to talk.”
James nodded. He certainly knew his own abilities when he offered to help.
Roxanne was a little surprised. She had to admit that she hadn’t thought that far and hadn’t considered this possibility.
She couldn’t help but feel a little excited. Maybe we can really do it this way!
“The key is how do we get Winnie to be hypnotized?” Roxanne pondered aloud.
Lucian and James smiled at each other.
Being nice all the time may not always be the best way. Sometimes one has to take drastic actions.
Nevertheless, they didn’t say it outright.
Right then, Elektra finished chatting with Jonathan and Madilyn. She came over to say hello. “Lucian, I notice that Roxanne doesn’t look well. Is she too tired?” After she finished speaking to Lucian, she shifted her gaze to Roxanne and said with a caring tone, “Roxanne, you’re pregnant now. Don’t overwork yourself.”
“Okay. Thank you for your concern,” Roxanne replied politely.
Is it just me or Elektra is standing very close to James? The way they’re standing seems to suggest that they have an intimate relationship. Did Elektra suddenly change her mind and fall in love with James?
Roxanne came up with a wild guess all of a sudden.
But it doesn’t seem like a bad thing. As long as Elektra doesn’t continue to have feelings for Lucian, anything is fine!
After some small talk, Elektra suddenly took out an eye cream and personally tried it on Roxanne, saying that it could quickly eliminate eye bags.
Roxanne felt the warmth around her eye bags and knew that it was accelerating blood circulation, thereby achieving the effect of a warm pack.
She smiled and instructed James, “Record this down for me. Flora Verba Group will immediately research and develop this eye cream.”
James immediately put on a serious attitude when he heard that a new product was coming out. He listened attentively to the important instructions of the chairman of the company.
Roxanne gave a brief introduction to the underlying principles of the eye cream, explaining that it was not difficult to develop and the research institute could probably get it done in a week.
As they chatted, the conversation shifted to business matters.
Madilyn came over and complained about it, then dragged Roxanne and Elektra upstairs to show them Estella’s wedding dress.
Chapter 2066 A Big Gift
Likewise, Elektra couldn’t take her eyes off it.
Estella used a lot of velvet in her design this time and combined it with smooth lines. The skirt had a slightly fluffy look like a white swan about to take off and like an angel descending from the heavens.
Madilyn’s figure had always been good, but this wedding dress made her look even more graceful and regal.
“It’s so beautiful. Estella has really lived up to her role as your goddaughter!” Roxanne praised Estella sincerely. “My daughter is amazing!”
This made Madilyn ask her playfully to focus on her, the bride, instead.
Elektra was surprised to learn that Estella had designed the dress and couldn’t speak for a long time.
“So, this is a one-of-a-kind wedding dress in the world. Ms. Xander, it’s perfect on you!” Elektra also praised without hesitation.
Madilyn was quite pleased in her heart when she heard the praises and had a sweet smile on her lips.
She simply didn’t want to take off the dress after putting it on.
However, considering that there was still some time before the wedding ceremony officially started, she had no choice but to take it off carefully.
After everyone hung around for a while longer, Jonathan asked them to go back and rest well as they would be busy later.
“Roxanne, go home and rest. I know you have a lot going on lately, but I hope my wedding can bring you some joy. Sleep well, and when you wake up, I still need you to do my hair!”
Madilyn’s tone was full of tender concern. When she woke up this morning and learned about the updated situation from Jonathan, she was so angry that she wanted to fight with Winnie.
Fortunately, Jonathan persuaded her to focus on completing the wedding ceremony first.
Roxanne nodded and hugged Madilyn before leaving the Queen residence.
Upon returning to the Farwell residence, Lucian took her to the room to rest. Knowing that she probably couldn’t sleep well, he even gave her a hand massage to help her relax.
Roxanne slept from the afternoon until the middle of the night.
The entire time, she could feel the warmth of Lucian’s body behind her and his arms wrapped tightly around her waist.
The children were picked up by their grandparents and were very well-behaved. They did not make any noise but simply finished their homework, read, and did what they liked.
When Roxanne woke up, she checked the time and saw that it was already three o’clock in the morning.
Lucian was already washing up, so Roxanne got up quickly. She had to make sure that her best friend’s wedding started smoothly at the right time.
This time, they drove straight to the bride’s house.
The villa was brightly lit, and many figures could be seen busy rushing around. After helping Lorraine with some things, Henrietta rushed back to the Queen residence and helped with the preparation.
Yennefer had also come to help Lorraine.
When Lucian and Roxanne arrived, Lorraine had a smile on her face. “Finally, you two are here. Roxanne, hurry up! The bride is waiting for her hair to be done!”
Roxanne nodded and went straight upstairs to her best friend’s room.
Like her own wedding, they started with the traditional wedding customs.
All the tools for hairstyling were already in place. Essentially, Roxanne helping her friend style her hair was very meaningful according to tradition.
After all, this was traditionally something that the mother of the bride would do, but Madilyn had insisted on having Roxanne do it.
Roxanne started to style Madilyn’s hair seriously, coiling it up into a neat updo and inserting hairpins to hold it in place.
Madilyn looked at Roxanne’s serious expression in the mirror and suddenly exclaimed, “Roxanne, I am really so thankful for you in my life.”
“What are you talking about? Don’t be so sentimental. You’re the most beautiful bride today and you should be happy,” Roxanne said sincerely. Suddenly, she remembered something and stopped what she was doing. She took out a document from her bag and added, “Oh, by the way, I promised to give you a big gift! Here are five percent of Flora Verba Group’s shares. It will take effect immediately after you sign it!”
Madilyn was stunned by Roxanne’s casual tone.
Five percent! The current valuation of Flora Verba Group has already exceeded hundreds of billions. It’s like giving away five billion just like that! Roxanne is just too generous!
Chapter 2067 Might As Well Get Together
Roxanne chuckled. “Just sign it quickly. Don’t worry, I’ve backdated it to before you and Jonathan got married, so it counts as your pre-marital asset. This way, you won’t feel inferior when you marry into the Queen family in the future. Do you understand?”
Roxanne had been in the same situation before.
When she first married Lucian, she often felt inferior and insignificant because his family was more powerful.
She gave Madilyn these shares to ensure that Madilyn would feel relaxed when facing her in-laws in the future.
Moreover, Madilyn was an important part of Flora Verba Group. She was responsible for the hospital business, which was actually the most arduous one.
After much persuasion, Madilyn finally signed and agreed to accept the gift.
When Lorraine heard about the gift worth five billion, she was shocked.
She quickly waved her hand and said, “No, no, we really can’t accept it. Roxanne, my daughter and I have already owed you too much.”
Roxanne didn’t bother to explain and simply told her that it was an internal matter of Flora Verba Group and she didn’t need to worry about it.
Lorraine had no choice but to keep quiet.
However, her eyes were filled with gratitude as she looked at Roxanne.
At dawn, the convoy of luxury cars began to depart from the Queen residence.
Lucian was driving the first limited edition Rolls-Royce with Jonathan sitting next to him, and Jonathan’s parents, Zachary and Henrietta, in the back. This was the first time Lucian had driven as the groom’s driver.
James and Elektra were in the second car with James’ father, Jones, and Elektra’s father, Richard.
The two elders were chatting away, while James and Elektra didn’t say much to each other.
Soon, the conversation turned to their children.
“Lucian got married early, and now even Jonathan is married. We’re getting behind!” Jones said to Richard with a laugh.
“That’s right. You two should work on this. You’re not getting any younger!” Richard muttered to the two young people in front.
James smiled and said, “Mr. Lane, I’m not in a hurry. I’m enjoying this beautiful world with a relaxed state of mind. Marriage is not something I’m concerned about right now.”
This earned him a cold look from Jones.
Elektra, likewise, retorted, “Dad, can’t you see that both Lucian and Jonathan have successful careers, while Roxanne and Ms. Xander are career women too? I need to work hard to achieve something in my career first. I’m not interested in marriage at all yet.”
Richard could only shake his head helplessly.
We have enough money at home, but these young people just want to go out and work.
“If you two still haven’t found anyone in two years, you might as well get together!” Jones said jokingly.
Richard was taken aback for a moment, then he smiled and replied, “Hey, that’s not a bad idea. We both know each other well. James and Elektra grew up together too. It might just work!”
James immediately protested, “Dad, Mr. Lane, don’t start playing matchmaker. I’m not Elektra’s type at all, and I don’t like a girl like her either!”
He then tilted his head and stuck his tongue out at Elektra.
In the past, Elektra would have immediately retorted and teased James, saying she didn’t find him worthy of her either. But this time, she just smiled slightly and didn’t argue.
“Keep your eyes on the road, James!” She tried to change the subject to hide her emotions.
Chapter 2068 Destroy The Evidence
After all, neither of them knew weddings would be so tiring.
Thankfully, after the ring exchange and a passionate kiss between the newlyweds, the wedding ceremony finally ended at three in the afternoon.
“Wow! Who knew Jonathan had such a fiery side to him? Guess I was just too reserved back then!” Lucian teased as he gazed at Roxanne.
To the latter, however, the first kisses between newlyweds were always the most romantic and beautiful.
When Roxanne turned around, Lucian suddenly pulled her into his arms and kissed her fervently.
Needless to say, the woman was taken aback. Oh, my… Thank goodness we’re watching the ceremony from backstage, so there aren’t many people around. Otherwise, what would they say about an old married couple like us behaving so intimately?
Soon, it was time for the wedding reception. Lucian and Roxanne had initially planned on staying for the entire course, but as luck would have it, Bill called to inform them of the latest case developments.
Despite the building anxiety, Roxanne composed herself and waited for their turn to toast the newlyweds.
As soon as the happy couple appeared, Lucian and Roxanne congratulated them and showered them with loving wishes and blessings.
After the toast, Lucian promptly pulled Jonathan aside and whispered something into his ear. Fortunately, the latter was very understanding and expressed his approval.
At the same time, Roxanne turned to Lorraine. “Mdm. Xander, my parents will be bringing the children over in a while. I’ll have to leave them in your care.”
Zachary and Henrietta, too, nodded their heads and reassured Roxanne that everything would be fine.
“Roxanne, there’s not much left to do for the rest of the reception. Why don’t you go off first if you have something on? Don’t worry. Your kids will be in good hands. After all, I’m their godmother!” Madilyn piped up.
Upon hearing that, Roxanne felt even more at ease and immediately left for the police station with Lucian.
Bill, who had long been waiting for them at the entrance, hurriedly approached their car when he saw them driving in.
“After Winnie was released, we found something puzzling about one of her recent activities. She called her daughter, Yuliana, who had apparently hired a few men and are now on their way to Chanaea,” Bill reported. “That’s all the information I got.”
Roxanne’s heart began thudding in her chest. “Do you think Winnie’s trying to destroy the evidence?”
“In other words, her previous quarrel with Grant might not have been an ordinary confrontation. She went to him because there was evidence left in the Jarvis residence,” Lucian said.
Bill nodded in affirmation.
“In that case, who could Yuliana have hired?” Roxanne asked curiously.
Bill and Lucian exchanged knowing looks. Lucian narrowed his eyes ever so slightly and said, “If I’m not wrong, she must’ve hired private investigators to destroy the evidence!”
“As expected of Mr. Farwell! That’s what I thought, too!” Bill replied, albeit with a hint of hesitation. “But why would Winnie do something so reckless when she has just been investigated? That’s a far cry from the calm demeanor during her questioning! Could she be intentionally diverting our attention to the Jarvis residence?”
“Even if that’s her plan, it doesn’t matter. I have enough people to watch over them. The only one who’d work with her at this juncture is her son, Yosef Jarvis…” Lucian muttered.
With that, he called Cayden and ordered him to put twenty bodyguards at Bill’s disposal.
Even though Bill was highly-respected and wielded a good deal of authority in the police station, the fact that he was retired meant that he didn’t have the power to deploy officers at the drop of a hat.
“From the looks of it, we haven’t searched thoroughly enough for my mother’s heirloom! Mr. Chapman, I shall return to the Jarvis residence with Lucian to look around again!” Roxanne was getting increasingly anxious.
Bill nodded and watched as the couple sped away in their car.
Not long after, Cayden brought a team of men to the station as instructed. Pleased with the turnout, Bill smiled and instantly got down to work.
Chapter 2069 Evidence Against Us
Yosef, on the contrary, could only lay on the couch, unable to move because both his arms were in a cast.
Argh! I hate Lucian Farwell! He could’ve hit me anywhere, yet he just had to break my arms… I can’t even use my phone or play cards now!
Upon seeing how uneasy his mother was, Yosef couldn’t help but sigh. “Mom, don’t you think you’re worrying unduly? You were so calm and steady at the police station… Why are you so scared now that you’re back?”
“You know nothing! I’m worried that whatever Roxanne’s mother left behind might contain evidence of our crimes!” Winnie fumed as she glared at her son.
For a moment, Yosef was shocked, but he quickly got over it and grew cold as ice. “What evidence? That has nothing to do with me! I don’t even remember having taken part in anything… You were the one responsible for poisoning Roxanne’s mother to death.”
Needless to say, Winnie was furious at how her son was acting so frivolously.
Oh, the audacity! Does he not know what I’ve done for him? I only did what I did for him and his sister! That’s it… It’s time to lay my cards on the table!
“Oh, you were a part of it,” Winnie muttered as she fixed a steely gaze upon her son. “In fact, you were the one who carried out the deed.”
Yosef was so stunned at his mother’s claims that he would’ve jumped from the couch if it weren’t for his broken arms.
“Don’t spout nonsense, Mom,” he retorted. “I was only five years old then, for goodness’ sake. How would I have helped you murder someone at that age? You should turn yourself in if you’re so scared!”
That, unfortunately, was the last straw for Winnie. Without a second thought, she rushed up to Yosef and slapped him hard across the cheek.
“It’s just my luck to have a son as useless as you! Why is my life so full of suffering? I want you out of my sight once your sister is back!” she yelled before bursting into tears.
Seeing his mother racked with sobs, Yosef gritted his teeth and tamped down his irritation. “That’s enough. Why are you crying when you were the one who slapped me? Anyway, Yuliana’s almost home. It’d be better to have her help you since I can’t do much in my current condition.”
Just then, the sound of car horns rang out from the courtyard.
“Stop crying, Mom. I think Yuliana’s back.”
Winnie’s sobs stopped abruptly as she dabbed away the tears she had so painstakingly squeezed out for the act. She rushed down the stairs to welcome her beloved daughter.
Sure enough, Yuliana had arrived home with four strangers in tow.
The men were in all shapes and sizes, yet they were so ordinarily bland that no one on the streets would give them a second look.
That characteristic, however, was what gave them the best cover. After all, their job entailed helping wealthy folks tackle some of the trickiest cases—from investigating a homewrecker to catching a cheating spouse in the act.
Winnie’s face lit up when she finally saw Yuliana, but the same couldn’t be said for the latter.
“Mom, you’d better be careful,” Yuliana muttered sternly as she marched into the living room with the four men following behind. “You’ve just been released from the police station, so I’m sure your every move will be monitored. You haven’t gone out, have you?”
At first, Winnie shook her head, but it didn’t take long before she started squirming under her daughter’s stare. “I-I did go out for a while last night. Will I really be followed? The police don’t have any evidence, though…”
Yuliana’s face instantly turned black as thunder. “What makes you think you’ll be safe outside? Tell me. Where on earth did you go? Do you think Roxanne will let you off the hook that easily?”
Stunned by how grim Yuliana was, Winnie began to regret her own actions. “I was going to go to the Jarvis residence, but in the end, I got so worried that I passed by it without stopping. T-That isn’t enough to expose me, is it?”
Chapter 2070 She Must Be The Culprit
Upon seeing how miserable her brother was, Yuliana gritted her teeth in frustration.
“Roxanne is trying to wipe us out completely, but she seems to have forgotten that cornered animals are the most dangerous. If she keeps pushing us into a corner, we can hold her three children hostage!” A vicious glint flashed across Yuliana’s eyes.
From what Winnie had said, she could understand how a mother’s worry could be used against her.
“The best course of action now is to find a way to leave Horington first. Once we arrive in Gerton, we can consider going abroad.” Yuliana’s initial plan was to get her hands on Roxanne’s mother’s heirloom, but looking at the situation, she might not be able to do that at this point.
“But it’s obvious that the cops are after us. It won’t be easy for us to leave Horington.” Winne looked worried.
Yuliana nodded. Suddenly, her lips quirked up as an idea popped into her mind.
As night fell, Roxanne and Lucian arrived at the Jarvis residence. Bill led a team of cops, equipped with professional search gear, to thoroughly search the premises inside and out in an effort to locate the family heirloom.
The bodyguards Lucian arranged were also actively digging in the courtyard. They dug deeper than their previous attempt, and soon, they reached a depth of about six feet.
Roxanne continued frowning as she tried to figure out what her mother’s heirloom was.
She went over her childhood memories, attempting to find any clues that might be related to her mother’s daily habits but to no avail.
The heirloom remained elusive despite the professional and thorough search. The fact that Winnie had failed to locate it for years made Roxanne wonder if the heirloom was just a figment of their imagination.
Just then, Bill came in from the courtyard. “I’ve searched everywhere in the Jarvis residence and received some feedback from the neighbors around. Based on my findings, it’s unlikely that the heirloom is in the yard. It’s more likely that it’s still inside the house.”
“Where would it be, then?” Roxanne took a sidelong glance at the building. There are only a few things left in the house, and they have combed through every possible hiding place. Where else could the heirloom be?
Lucian cautiously observed as he walked up the stairs, hoping to discover a hidden compartment.
Just when everyone was feeling a little defeated, Bill’s phone rang.
It was a call from the head of the bodyguards that Lucian had arranged for him.
The head said, “Mr. Chapman, I’ve got an update for you. Yuliana has been living in the mansion since she returned. A car drove out not long ago, and we’re following it now.”
“Great. Don’t lose them. There are still people in the mansion, right? Keep an eye on them. They can’t possibly rely only on one car!” Bill ordered.
After being reassured by the head of the bodyguards, Bill hung up the phone.
Bill turned his attention to Lucian and Roxanne and nodded. “Winnie seems to be making a move now. There are two things they might do: destroy the evidence or escape.”
Roxanne’s expression changed. “E-Escape? Does that mean they no longer want to sell the mansion?”
“I believe so. When I told Cayden to negotiate the house deal with them, Winnie seemed anxious at first, but after being questioned by the cops, she seemed less concerned about the sale. The change in her behavior might suggest that money is no longer a priority for her. She must be the culprit!” Lucian uttered firmly. A glint flashed across his eyes. “But I won’t let her slip through my fingers, not in Horington or anywhere else.”
Chapter 2071 A Frantic Escape
The surrounding was exceptionally quiet.
Yuliana was certain that they were being watched closely from the rooftops of the neighboring mansions.
She had dispatched two private investigators in a car, not to search for the heirloom, but to distract Lucian from his plan.
She picked up her phone and made a call. “It’s time for you guys to depart!”
In the courtyard, the headlights of another vehicle, which belonged to Yosef, were turned on, and the other two investigators were seated inside. They were about to make a trip to the airport.
Yuliana believed the two cars were heading to the exact locations that Lucian had anticipated and that those two locations must be the primary focus of their pursuit.
Sure enough, not long after they set off, the private investigator reported, “Ms. Yuliana, someone is following us.”
“Ignore them. Try to take a longer route around the city and keep an eye out for the flight departing at ten tonight,” Yuliana ordered.
In the common area upstairs, she turned to Yosef and nodded.
Yosef had shed his lazy demeanor after being warned that if they failed to escape, he might lose not only his arm but turn into a cripple.
The thought of this frightened him deeply. How am I supposed to play poker if I’m paralyzed?
However, he still had no idea why his mother said he was involved in poisoning Roxanne’s mother. I was only five at that time. What could I have done?
Despite his doubts, Yosef decided to act according to Yuliana’s plan. He turned off all the lights upstairs, causing the entire common area to plunge into darkness.
In total darkness, the three of them then quietly made their way down, carrying only their identity cards and wrapping themselves tightly in their clothes.
As it was the middle of winter with bitterly cold weather, dressing in thick layers was not an uncommon sight.
As they got downstairs, the trio continued their walk to the underground parking lot.
The parking lots in the residential area here were not separated but connected to each other. Yuliana was betting that Lucian’s men might not be aware of this.
Hence, they had prepared another car in advance.
In fact, when Yuliana returned in the afternoon, she had already had an escape plan in mind. That was why she had entered the building with a taxi.
She had intentionally rented a luxury taxi at a high price to avoid arousing any suspicion.
Everything went smoothly as they got into the vehicle. Yuliana, who was driving the taxi, closed all the windows tightly before heading to the southern exit, which was the farthest away from the mansion.
As expected, only an elderly security guard was present at the gate. The parking lot system recognized that the taxi had been parking in the residential area for more than five hours, so the guard demanded payment.
Yuliana tossed out two banknotes and muttered, “Keep the change. We have an urgent matter to attend to. Let us through quickly!”
The security guard’s eyes lit up. He nodded before pressing the button on the remote to lift the boom gate.
At that moment, their hearts were racing. Yuliana instructed her mother and Yosef to keep a watchful eye on their surroundings while she stepped on the accelerator and quickly merged the taxi into the traffic.
“No one noticed us!” Yosef scanned around but did not come across any suspicious figures.
Winnie, too, glanced around anxiously. “I don’t see anyone spying on us. Yuliana, where should we go now?”
Yuliana felt her heart about to jump out of her chest. After taking in a deep breath, she replied, “Let’s go to that small pier. We’ll leave Horington and head to Gishwick. It’s closer to Gerton.”
The trio thought they had a chance.
Little did they know that the elderly security guard had picked up the phone and immediately reported the car registration number.
Chapter 2072 Puzzled
“As expected, they’ve resorted to a rather devious escape plan. Two cars set off, one toward us and the other toward the airport. But in reality, they escaped using a taxi from the underground. Anyway, they won’t be able to escape for long,” Bill reported to Lucian and Roxanne after compiling all information he had gotten from the bodyguards.
Lucian was shocked. The bodyguards he had assigned to Bill were highly skilled and professional. They were clearly well-trained.
Lucian’s face remained calm as he nodded in agreement.
He couldn’t help but notice how Yuliana’s escape plan was similar to the one chosen by Jack in the past.
They both tried to leave by water, as traveling by planes and trains had fixed schedules and was easily traceable.
Roxanne was not concerned with these details. As long as Lucian said they couldn’t escape, she was certain that they wouldn’t be able to.
However, the most pressing issue was still the evidence. Without sufficient evidence, it would be meaningless to stop Winnie’s family from leaving.
Where would Mom keep her heirloom?
She racked her brains, trying to remember but to no avail. Roxanne looked at Lucian and asked, “Is it possible that my mother’s heirloom is not in the Jarvis residence?”
Lucian shook his head, denying her speculation.
“It’s simple. Your mother was bedridden in her last few years. Unless someone helped her, it would be impossible for her to take anything out. Besides, she wanted to leave her things to you when you grew up, so she would never put them in a place where you couldn’t find them. Don’t forget, she was also afraid of being discovered by Winnie and Grant.”
After listening to Lucian’s analysis, Bill nodded in agreement.
“But we’ve already searched every corner of the house. It couldn’t be hidden within this reinforced concrete structure. We have to tear down the whole building if that’s the case!” Roxanne became frustrated and continued to look around exasperatedly.
“I was thinking, didn’t you sell the house before? Madilyn bought it back. Could the buyer have found it?” Lucian continued to analyze.
Roxanne shook her head. “No. Although the family bought it, they never lived in it. After they bought it, they emigrated.”
“That… doesn’t seem right? Since they bought the property, which is a fixed asset, why did they emigrate?” Bill frowned.
Puzzled, he deemed it necessary to investigate the buyer.
“Today is Madilyn’s big day. It wouldn’t be nice to disturb her. I’ll ask her tomorrow,” Roxanne said.
Since they wouldn’t be able to find the heirloom anytime soon, Lucian advised her to go back and rest.
As long as they didn’t let Winnie escape, there was still time.
Bill also advised her to leave and let him continue searching, as there was no need for everyone to be there.
Soon after, Roxanne and Lucian returned to the Farwell residence.
An hour later, Bill sent a text message to Lucian, informing him that the boat Yuliana wanted to use to escape was an unlicensed black ship and had been seized by the maritime police. Yuliana’s car was on the way back to the mansion.
Lucian was amazed by Bill’s methods, realizing that they were different from his own.
Bill was a retired police officer who still adhered to certain ethical standards and wouldn’t resort to violence to prevent their escape without sufficient evidence. Until there was enough evidence, Winnie could only be considered a suspect.
Later, even the four private investigators were taken down by the bodyguards and politely sent away from Horington.
Chapter 2073 How Are You Doing Now
Fortunately, Jonathan managed to bring her back inside right when she opened the door.
Finally waking up from her daze, Madilyn suddenly realized her new identity as the daughter-in-law of the Queen family.
The man circled her in his embrace, and his hands began to explore her body.
Madilyn was stunned, for they had only been intimate mere hours ago.
She suddenly became flustered, and she could feel her breathing turning erratic again. “Are there any other customs or rituals that we haven’t completed yet? Does your family need us to greet the elders on the first day of our marriage?”
She quickly tried to change the subject so that the man wouldn’t continue to tease her.
If they were to make any noise this early in the morning, it would be really embarrassing.
Jonathan shook his head, and he suddenly leaned closer.
Madilyn quickly covered his mouth with her hand. “No, I haven’t washed up yet. Honey, don’t do this.”
Jonathan’s mouth curved into a playful smile. “Hmm… Who was the one who took advantage of me while I was drunk back then?”
Madilyn was rendered speechless. She shot a glare at the man. “Honey, let’s wait until tonight. There must be things that we have to do today. I’m going to wash up!”
With that, she ran into the bathroom in a hurry.
Roxanne was getting impatient, and after checking the time, she immediately called her best friend at eight-thirty in the morning. Madilyn wakes up at about this hour.
She started off by asking Madilyn about the wedding. Madilyn said that everything was going well, and she was not uncomfortable living with the Queens.
Only after that did Roxanne ask Madilyn about some details regarding her purchase of the Jarvis residence.
“Madilyn, who did you make the deal with? Why did they move abroad right after buying it?”
“Roxanne, do you remember Ms. Vasque? She was your mother’s best friend. She bought the place from Grant and didn’t live in it. In fact, she was just waiting for you to buy the house when you’re back. Ms. Vasque was only willing to sell the place to me after I made my intentions known to her,” Madilyn explained.
Roxanne’s face froze.
How could I forget Ms. Vasque?
Rachel Vasque used to be Roxanne’s neighbor and had a very good relationship with her mother. After her mother became ill, Rachel would visit her several times and even give Roxanne some pocket money. However, Rachel seemed to have moved away from Horington because of her husband’s work transfer.
If it’s her, then everything makes sense. Although Ms. Vasque bought it, she didn’t need to settle down, so she left the country with her family.
“Madilyn, can you still contact her now? I have something very important to ask her.” Roxanne grew anxious, thinking that her mother might have left clues about her heirloom with Rachel.
The secret would be safely guarded by Rachel, waiting for the day when Roxanne would finally come to look for the truth.
Sensing the urgency in her friend’s voice, Madilyn immediately nodded and said she would search for the contact number that Rachel had left behind during the transaction.
After a short while, Madilyn obtained the number from the agent and quickly passed it to Roxanne.
Excited to have the number, Roxanne immediately called and waited anxiously on the line for Rachel to answer.
The line rang for quite some time before Rachel finally picked up.
“Hello, Ms. Vasque. I’m Roxanne Jarvis. Do you still remember me?” The hint of anxiousness in Roxanne’s voice was palpable.
There was a momentary pause on the other end of the line.
Then, a soft voice answered, “Roxanne, have you finally returned to Horington? How are you doing now?”
Chapter 2074 Crucial Detail
A scene from the past appeared in her mind.
In that scene, her mother and Rachel were chatting with each other while eating cakes under a tree. As the sun dipped into the horizon, she appeared from the corner where her kindergarten was located and rushed home. The journey was less than a hundred meters.
Then, upon arriving at her home, she’d shout, “Mommy, I’m home!”
Back then, her mother was healthy, angelically beautiful, and always smiling.
During that period, Rachel was still young as well. She had just married not too long ago and hadn’t given birth to any children yet. She often sought guidance from Roxanne’s mother about domestic issues.
It’d be nice if our life back then could continue forever, but Grant destroyed everything.
After a long while, Roxanne returned to her senses and told Rachel everything had been going well since she returned to Horington.
Rachel asked, “When you married the son of the Farwell family, I was happy for you. After I heard you divorced him from someone, I wanted to find you, but I couldn’t contact you. Many years have passed since then. Roxanne, it’s a pity what happened to your mother.”
Her caring voice warmed Roxanne’s heart.
Roxanne told the older woman what happened during the years after her divorce. She also mentioned how she remarried Lucian, her children, and unborn babies.
Her intention was to put Rachel at ease.
Of course, Rachel was happy for the younger woman. “Your mother must be watching over and protecting you from the heavens.”
Roxanne believed that as well. “If you have time, you should come to Horington for vacation, Ms. Vasque. Or, if I have time, I’ll visit you. Right now, there’s an important thing I need your help with.” I almost forgot why I called her!
She asked the older woman about the object her mother left behind.
Rachel went into deep thought before asking, “Is the tree in the courtyard still there?”
“I thought about it too, but the tree died many years ago. Even after digging up the ground around the tree, I found nothing.”
“In that case, I have an idea, but I don’t know if you’ll find anything there. Is the wedding photo still around?”
Roxanne nodded. “It is, but I searched through it, too. There’s nothing in the frame.” Even if I didn’t, Winnie would’ve searched through places like that, including the television cabinet, ceiling light, and fan.
“Is that so? Then I’ll try to recall where it might be to the best of my abilities. Your mother treated me very well back then. We were like sisters. I really hate Grant!”
“Take your time with it, Ms. Vasque. There’s no need to rush. When you do remember where it is, call me. Here’s my number…”
After that, the two women continued their sentimental conversation.
At the side, Lucian furrowed his eyebrows. Before Roxanne could react, he pulled her hand, brought her downstairs, and drove to the Jarvis residence.
He abruptly thought about a crucial detail when the wedding photo was brought up.
The picture frame wasn’t made of ordinary wood. Instead, it was mahogany, and the frame itself was very thick.
If one were to empty the frame, one could hide a tiny item inside.
Chapter 2075 Blue Ring
He didn’t want to wait any longer to discover if his mother-in-law’s heirloom was hidden in the photo frame.
A grim expression was set on Roxanne’s countenance. Her heart was racing. Winnie cares so much about the object Mom left behind that she’s still searching for it after failing for more than a decade. Whatever it is, it must be important. Perhaps it’s evidence that she killed Mom. I really want to know how she inflicted a slow-acting poison on Mom because they didn’t interact with each other directly back then!
Ten minutes later, they arrived at the Jarvis residence.
It was morning, but Bill was still searching around with the bodyguards. They knocked on the walls, trying to locate a hidden storage space.
When he saw the couple rushing in, he asked, “Did something happen?”
Lucian shook his head, zipped through the living room, and entered his mother-in-law’s room.
Seeing that the wedding photo was still affixed on the wall, he became more at ease.
The picture was hung relatively high, so Roxanne grabbed a chair for Lucian to stand on before he carefully lowered the picture frame.
This is heavy! The mahogany frame must be expensive.
Confusion swirled in Bill’s eyes as he watched the couple. A few seconds later, he understood something.
“I examined the picture before but didn’t notice how unusual the frame was.” As a famous, experienced cop, he could swiftly realize what he had missed.
Lucian nodded. Like last time, he quickly removed the heavy mahogany frame columns.
Then he brushed his hand along the columns and grinned. The difference in weight is subtle, but I can still tell one side is lighter than the others.
He proceeded to lay three other frame columns aside and inspected the one in his hand scrupulously.
No one could notice anything odd about it because its peculiarity couldn’t be spotted with the naked eye.
However, Lucian used another method to detect it. He knocked on the column from top to bottom while listening to the sound it produced attentively.
Knock, knock. Knock, knock…
For the most part, the produced sound was dull and quiet.
Near the end of the column, that sound became crisper.
Promptly, Lucian and Roxanne exchanged a look of delight.
Bill was visibly elated. “You two found it! That section of the column has clearly been hollowed out. Wait for me. Don’t break it open with brute force. I’ll go grab some tools before we figure out how to saw it open.”
Lucian nodded in agreement because whatever was hidden within might be damaged if the column was shattered haphazardly.
Moments later, Bill returned to the room with a tiny saw and meticulously cut the column.
By the end, the sawn-off section revealed a tiny, concealed tube, which had almost been damaged during the process.
The tube was lodged inside that hollow section of the column. Its ingenious design prevented it from making any sounds.
“There should be a piece of paper hiding inside. Maybe all the answers are written there.” Looking at the tube, Lucian slowly removed it from the column.
When he did, he noticed the tube had a hollowed center.
It was then a faint blue light flashed before the trio’s eyes.
Bill was fast and caught the ring falling to the ground in time.
Then he opened his palm and handed the ring to Roxanne.
Lucian’s attention was also drawn to the ring. As he stared at the blue ring in his wife’s hand, he exclaimed, “This is a priceless sapphire!”
Chapter 2076 To My Dearest Daughter
My daughter, I love you so, so much. You gave me the courage to accept my fate. I know my life is slipping away, but I’m not afraid at all.
I don’t understand why this terrible luck befalls you. You were only three years old. You had only learned how to jump, how to speak with standard pronunciation, and how to call me Mommy. Yet, so soon after, you would have to learn how to face the threat of death. It makes me angry at how unfair your life is. I pray to the heavens that you’ll keep living no matter how. If the price I must pay for that wish is to be banished to hell, I’ll gladly accept it.
You had a congenital genetic disorder. I took you to visit many doctors, and I finally found a way to treat you. However, the medical fee required for the treatment is a million. I didn’t have the money, so I asked your father for help.
Your father’s cheating on me. He thought he hid it well, but I knew. I was heartbroken and devastated. I’ve lost count of the nights I spent crying about it.
However, in order to obtain the necessary fund for your treatment, I must endure the pain patiently to draw more money from him.
I didn’t expect him to do such a heartless thing even though he promised he’d die of old age with me. He aimed to exploit my kindness and lied to me about picking up an orphan. I knew the child belong to him and his mistress, but I didn’t say anything about it.
Your father kept asking me to take care of that child. Back then, I had to obey him to get the money I needed to save you. Each time, I’d ask for tens of thousands from him. He would mock and humiliate me mercilessly. I knew his mistress was secretly controlling him.
Finally, I gathered one million from him. It was time for your treatment. The doctor said the surgery might negatively affect your body afterward, so I was concerned you would suffer sequela. It wasn’t until you woke up and cried for me that I relaxed.
Then, I noticed something was wrong with my body. I’m confident I was poisoned by that homewrecker. After thinking about when she could’ve done it, I realized it must’ve been when I cared for her child. I visited him twice every week, but I stopped once you recovered.
I’m getting incoherent now, my daughter. At the time of writing this, my eyesight has weakened considerably. Of course, I don’t want things to end this way. I want to keep living and watch you grow up. I’ve been obedient to your father because I hope he’ll at least be a responsible dad to you.
Roxanne, I’ve just learned the homewrecker’s name. She even gave birth to two children. I’m worried they’ll bully you when they grow up. However, I can’t hold on any longer. The happiest moments of my life were when you cheerfully returned from kindergarten and hugged me.
I hope you’ll grow up happily. In the future, don’t end up like me and marry the wrong man. Also, I hope you’ll have your own career.
Roxanne, my good daughter, I’ll always love you. Even when I die, don’t get sad. Instead, you must learn how to survive. I’ll be watching over you from the heavens.
I think I may leave this world soon, Roxanne. Now that Rachel has left, I feel a little lonely. Aside from you, there’s nothing else I’ll miss about the world.
I hope you’ll one day wear that ring, Roxanne. My mother passed it down to me, and now I’m passing it down to you. Once you’ve become capable after growing up, avenge me. Don’t forgive any of them!
Remember to marry the right man, Roxanne…
Chapter 2077 Tears
Sorrow flooded her heart as she muttered, “My mom’s life was filled with so much agony!”
She turned her teary eyes to her husband, looking like a frightened little animal trembling helplessly.
Even Lucian couldn’t stop his warm tears from streaming down his cheeks after reading the will.
Rage then colored his countenance as he gritted his teeth and spoke with murderous intent. “We must avenge your mother, Darling! Winnie is a monster wearing a human’s skin!”
After Bill read the will, he remained silent for a long while.
Hugging Lucian, Roxanne continued to sob. I finally understand what happened to Mom now that I’ve read her will. I was too young back then to remember much, but now I know she wasn’t a puppet controlled by Grant with love. To collect enough money to pay the exorbitant treatment fee for my congenital disorder, she obeyed him and took care of little Yosef. She even noticed she was being poisoned and speculated that Winnie directed Yosef to do it. Why were you so foolish, Mom? Why didn’t you expose them when you knew you were being poisoned? If not for me, perhaps your fate would’ve been different. Yet, I understand how you feel now that I have my own children. I’ll also sacrifice anything for them, even my life.
Here, she put on the ring. I’m all grown up now, Mom. I also have a husband and children. Don’t worry. I won’t be bullied anymore. I will avenge you, Mom. There’s no way I’ll let Winnie get away with this scot-free! I promise!
Then she turned to Lucian with a resentful scowl. “Let’s pay Winnie a visit now! I refuse to believe she’ll remain fearless and never admit to her crime!”
Nodding, Lucian glanced at Bill.
Bill said, “The will can’t be used as evidence. However, you can utilize its contents to bait Winnie into confessing. As for Yosef, he likely won’t be charged with any crimes. He was too young back then, so he couldn’t have committed the crime intentionally.” Even though I’ve seen plenty of cases over the years, I still can’t help but be touched by the sacrifice of Roxanne’s mother.
Without delay, Lucian and Roxanne set off to look for Winnie.
Dots were spotted on the will Roxanne was holding tightly. They were likely her mother’s tears when the will was written.
Lucian drove to the mansion on the outskirt as quickly as possible.
At that moment, the mansion was filled with silence. After their unsuccessful escape last night, Winnie and her children were devising a new getaway plan inside.
They even locked the iron gate with chains, making it difficult for anyone to break in.
Lucian and Roxanne frowned when they saw that upon alighting from their vehicle.
Swiftly, he called his head bodyguard. “Take down this iron gate!”
Chapter 2078 Cruel
Lucian and Roxanne stepped past the gate.
Yuliana rushed downstairs, shocked. When she saw the couple, she exclaimed panickily, “What are you two doing? It’s illegal to break into someone else’s home! I’m going to call the police.”
She raised her phone, acting as though she would make the call.
Furiously, Roxanne darted toward Yuliana, snatched her phone, and smashed it on the ground. It feels so good being the baddie! I’ve been the good guy for my entire life. It’s because of my kindness that I keep getting taken advantage of. However, I know that when dealing with shameless people, the best strategy is to be even more shameless than them! This way, they won’t know what to do!
Yuliana was startled for a few seconds and was unable to stop Roxanne’s advancement.
“Come out, Winnie!”
“What are you doing, Roxanne? Get out of—”
Slap!
Roxanne slapped Yuliana’s cheek as though announcing she didn’t plan to interact with the family reasonably. So what if I’m being violent today? I’ve lost all my patience after reading about the agony my mother had to live through until her life was taken by Winnie!
Yuliana was astonished by the slap. When she returned to her senses, she tried to halt Roxanne from venturing deeper into the building, but the bodyguards stopped her.
Lucian supported his wife’s actions tacitly.
Fear struck Yosef when he saw Roxanne. However, he couldn’t leave the couch in the living room due to his plastered arms. All he could do was squirm about on the furniture, which made for a humorous sight.
Meanwhile, Winnie dashed into the kitchen, terrified.
Seconds later, she returned with a knife in her hand and a vicious scowl on her face. “What are you trying to do, Roxanne? I know you want revenge, but you haven’t been able to. Isn’t that right? If even the police can’t do anything to me, what can you possibly hope to achieve? I suggest you leave this place right away! Otherwise, I won’t hesitate to use this knife!”
The situation suddenly turned tense.
Then Lucian entered the room, with his bodyguards pushing Yuliana forward, and appeared before Winnie. Immediately, he caused the older woman to experience an emotional breakdown.
“Be sensible, Winnie. If you don’t want Yosef and Yuliana to see blood today, give up on this pointless resistance right now!” He emphasized every single word he uttered.
The murderous intent on his face certainly dissuaded anyone from doubting him.
In the past, Roxanne might’ve been afraid of the sharp knife.
However, driven by boundless hatred at that moment, she scoffed and stepped closer to Winnie.
Gritting her teeth, she interrogated, “I found the will my mother left behind, Winnie! I dare to visit you today because I have the evidence that proves you were the one who poisoned my mother! I just don’t understand how you can be this heartless. You’ve already replaced my mother and snatched Grant that garbage from her. Why did you still kill her?”
Winnie was shocked by that revelation. Her eyes darted around as she denied, “I didn’t! You’d better watch your mouth. I don’t believe your mother’s will contains anything that proves I’m the culprit!”
“Still denying your crime, are you? It seems you won’t admit your fault until I make you!” The animosity swirling in Roxanne’s eyes was so intense that it frightened Winnie.
If she’s looking at me like that, it must mean she has evidence to incriminate me!
Winnie turned to her daughter as though she was waiting to be rescued.
Yuliana was taken aback, too. It’s been more than a decade! Did Roxanne’s mother really leave evidence of Mom’s crime behind?
“You’re a cruel woman, Winnie! You charmed Grant with your sweet nothings and used Yosef to force my mother to accept you! Grant brought him to my mother because he’s a foolish man! Do you know why she helped you and that cheating b*stard to take care of Yosef? It’s because she was saving my life!” Promptly, Roxanne stood before Winnie.
The bodyguards speedily disarmed Winnie and seized her arms.
Chapter 2079 Experience The Pain
An idea popped into her mind and she defended herself, “What nonsense are you speaking of, Roxanne? When did I do such a thing? Don’t spout baseless accusations like that!”
Unbeknownst to her, she had already fallen into Roxanne’s trap.
“You didn’t do it? So you’re saying you didn’t use Yosef in your scheme? I know you poisoned my mother with a small amount of mercury two or three times a month. The accumulated toxins in her body were enough to kill her in just a few years. I can’t believe you would use your young child for this wicked plan. Were you even worried he’d ingest it by mistake?” The rage and hatred burning in Roxanne’s eyes were so intense that it scared Winnie.
The older woman couldn’t help but avoid eye contact with the younger woman and trembled.
“How dare you still defend yourself, Winnie! A few days ago, I couldn’t do anything to you. However, I’m here now because I have enough evidence to prove you used Yosef to poison my mother! The police are on the way, so just wait for your doom!” Despite Roxanne’s overwhelming contempt, she still retained her rationality.
Instead of stopping his wife, Lucian recorded the conversation.
Yuliana was bewildered. I knew Mom poisoned Roxanne’s mother, but I’d never heard of the details before.
Yosef was even more dumbfounded. Did I really help Mom poison someone else in the past?
An abrupt silence ensued before Winnie exploded in anger, “So what if I did it? I don’t believe you have enough evidence to confirm that I poisoned her! The water dispenser she used back then disappeared a long time ago! Yosef was still young back then, so he can’t testify to anything. Even if you examine her corpse now, the most you’ll discover is that she’s poisoned! There’s nothing you can do to me! I’m not afraid even if you call the cops!”
I’ve never been driven into a corner by anyone before, and I certainly can’t stand Roxanne’s arrogant attitude!
Following the admittance of her crime, she smirked coldly and mockingly.
Roxanne was stunned. Now, I’ve learned the whole truth. My guess is that Winnie probably failed to convince Grant to let her stay in his place at the start. Hence, she devised a plan to use Yosef to compel Mom to accept her. After that, Grant lied about picking up an orphan and kept Yosef somewhere else. Then he asked Mom to take care of Yosef, which she occasionally did. During that time, Winnie concocted her diabolical plan. She poisoned the water dispenser with a small amount of mercury. Mom has no reason to be wary of a young child, so every time Yosef served her a cup of water, she would be poisoned. In reality, Mom noticed the poison only after drinking the water once or twice. However, in order to keep gathering the funds for my ludicrously expensive treatment fee, she hid the truth to avoid falling out with Grant. Thus, time and again, she allowed herself to be poisoned.
Roxanne felt as if her heart had been torn apart, tears gushing out of her eyes.
“You’re an animal, Winnie! Since you’ve admitted to your crime, you should understand why I came here before the police did! It’s because I want to kill you with my own hands!” She pulled out six silver needles and attacked Winnie.
In a flash, she stabbed the needles into different spots on Winnie’s body.
Winnie only experienced minor pain when she was stabbed.
However, when all needles were in position, she abruptly shook violently and felt as though blood would explode from her brain.
An agonizing burning sensation rapidly spread throughout her body, making her feel as though her bones had been broken. The pain was so unbearable that even her soul trembled.
It was the last move of Cerulean Needle Technique.
If Roxanne were to use all eight needles of the move, Winnie could die from the pain.
However, Roxanne only used six because she merely wanted Winnie to experience the pain her mother had to endure in the past.
Even though it only lasted a little over ten seconds, Winnie was already wailing and shrieking.
Now, you know the pain Mom had to live with every day until she passed. Roxanne gazed at Winnie coldly.
“Ahh! What did you do to me, Roxanne? Yosef, Yuliana, save me! Save me! It’s so painful! My entire body… My blood… It feels like it’s burning! Ahh!”
Chapter 2080 Rest In Peace
She bit her lip so hard that blood spurted out. Her face contorted as her eyes appeared to be on the verge of popping out of her skull.
With a sinister sneer, she glared at Roxanne. “So what if I poisoned your mother to death, Roxanne? She only has herself to blame! That b*tch refused to divorce Grant and kept taking money from him! She’s no better than me! Hahaha…”
Anger rushed into Roxanne’s mind again as she grabbed the seventh needle.
However, Lucian stepped toward her and grabbed her. She’ll become a murderer if I allow her to be blinded by her rage.
Yuliana’s eyes reddened from anger as she witnessed her mother writhing in pain. “How dare you treat my mother like this, Roxanne! I’m going to kill you!”
Roxanne had calmed down by then. Winnie’s pain only needs a few minutes to recede. Since her confession to the crime has been recorded, it’s unlikely she can defend herself before the police in the future. She’ll get what she deserves. I hope it’ll be a life sentence for her so she can rot in prison until she dies.
Out of nowhere, Winnie pounced toward Roxanne and Lucian with a short dagger in her hand.
With a malicious smile, she spat, “Since you’re such a dutiful daughter, how about I send you to your mother so you can be filial to her now!”
The bodyguards’ momentary negligence allowed danger to approach Roxanne.
It was then Yuliana struggled fanatically to cooperate with her mother.
Lucian’s expression darkened as he pulled Roxanne to his back. As he watched the blade approach him, his pupils constricted.
He raised his leg and kicked Winnie’s arm away.
In an instant, the dagger flew out of Winnie’s grip.
When the bodyguards finally reacted to the situation, they hastily restrained Winnie.
Surprisingly, she tore herself away from their hands and sprinted to the highest floor of the mansion.
“You’ll never have your revenge, Roxanne! You’ll never—” Seconds later, Winnie fell from the rooftop.
It was as though time had frozen. Yuliana slumped to the ground while Yosef’s eyes remained wide open. Both were astonished for a long while.
Winnie had committed suicide by jumping off the building.
By the time Bill arrived with the police, Lucian and Roxanne were already waiting inside their car beyond the mansion premises.
Yosef and Yuliana were brought away by the police to be interrogated.
After Bill asked the police officers to inspect the scene, he approached Lucian’s vehicle and assured the couple, “Everything’s fine. It’s over. Winnie’s death will be ruled as suicide by jumping. Both of you can return home now. I’ll contact you two if there’s any progress afterward.”
Lucian nodded and handed the recording pen to Bill, who accepted it with a nod.
Bill stepped away but returned to inform, “Also, we’ve discovered Yuliana may have been suspected of illegally siphoning public deposits a few years ago. She had stolen a considerable amount of money. If the case is formed, she’ll spend a few years in prison.”
Again, Lucian nodded.
During the entire process, Roxanne was in a slight daze as she clutched the ring in her left hand. Mom, Winnie’s dead! You can rest in peace now!
Chapter 2081 Without Regrets
It was a sunny day when she relocated her mother’s grave. A prestigious priest performed a ceremony and lowered two urns into the grave.
“Children of the deceased, please step forth!” shouted the priest.
Lucian and Roxanne approached the grave before paying their respects.
Behind them, Archie, Benny, and Estella appeared mournful. Estella was even crying.
Standing beside the children with sorrowful expressions, Elias and Sonya wished their in-laws would rest in peace. We promise we’ll take good care of your daughter.
Jonathan and Madilyn stood slightly further behind sorrowfully.
They were touched after they learned the truth behind the death of Roxanne’s mother.
Even though they were newlywed and shouldn’t have attended the funeral, they still did.
Meanwhile, James and Elektra had just arrived to the left of Jonathan.
Behind the youngsters were their elders, which included Zachary, Henrietta, Lorraine, Jones, and Yennefer.
Everyone had a somber expression as they mourned the death of a great mother.
The priest continued to chant something until he eventually gestured at the crowd. “Everyone, please pay respect to the deceased…”
The crowd followed the priest’s instructions and completed a series of actions until the ceremony ended.
The instant it did, Roxanne couldn’t help but sob as her body went limp. Lucian had to hold her tightly.
Back then, her mother didn’t receive a funeral like that, so she finally held one that day.
Everyone approached Roxanne and offered her words of comfort as well as encouragement.
She looked at all of them with gratitude.
As Lucian gazed at her gently, her children hastily surrounded her.
Slowly, Roxanne calmed down. I bet Mom hopes that I can live happily every day.
Hugging her children, she assured them that they had nothing to worry about. Then, she thanked everyone for attending the funeral with her in-laws and her husband.
By the time they wrapped everything up and returned to the manor, the sun had descended below the horizon.
Just as Roxanne sat down, her children flocked to her quietly and obediently.
Sonya brought a bowl of soup from the kitchen and served it to Roxanne. “You should drink some, Roxanne. It’ll relieve your exhaustion.”
After nodding, Roxanne drank the soup.
Then she comforted her children and asked them to return to their rooms to do their homework.
Upon receiving a call from Cayden, Lucian said to Roxanne, “Yuliana will likely be sentenced to eight years in prison and have all her properties seized. As for Yosef, he may be imprisoned for three months due to illegal activities.”
Roxanne nodded indifferently.
She had moved on from the past after the funeral. From today onward, I’ll continue my journey solely as Lucian’s wife and the daughter-in-law of the Farwell family. I’ll live life to the fullest and without regrets.
As she laid her hand on her abdomen, she began looking forward to Seward’s and Noreen’s births.
Chapter 2082 Extra 1
In the obstetrics and gynecology department of Flora Verba Hospital, Roxanne felt wave after wave of contractions squeezing her abdomen. The sweat dotting her forehead, the deep crease between her brows, and her tightly-clenched jaw showed her fight to keep the pain from showing on her face.
Lucian held her hand tightly with his right hand.
From his wife’s iron grip, he could guess the intensity of the pain racking through her. Lines of worry etched on his face. His eyes were filled with distress.
Lowering his head, he brushed his lips against Roxanne’s forehead, trailed it to the tip of her nose, and finally stopped at the corner of her lips.
“Darling, hold on. You can do it. Archie, Benny, and Essie are all waiting outside. They’re all shouting encouragements at the top of their lungs,” Lucian kept cheering her with a gentle tone.
Roxanne nodded. A blissful smile stretched across her face. “I know. Don’t worry. It should be faster this time.”
Beside her, doctors and nurses stood alert and ready.
After all, their director was delivering a baby, so the pressure on their shoulders was heavy.
Soon after, the doctor gently urged, “We’ll be pushing her in now, Mr. Farwell. Please wait here.”
Lucian nodded before slowly releasing Roxanne’s hand. He turned around, left the delivery room of the obstetrics and gynecology department, and waited in the hallway.
Elias and Sonya were already pacing up and down. Their anxiety was written across their faces.
“Daddy, is Mommy in pain?” Estella ran toward her father with tears streaming down her cheeks. Her worry was evident since she had heard her mother cry out from pain earlier.
Despite having some basic knowledge about a delivery, Archie and Benny were nervous too. Their gazes were pinned on their father as they waited for his answer.
“She’s fine. Don’t worry. We have to trust your mommy since she’s the best. You’ll get to see your brother and sister before long!” Lucian comforted, trying his best to look calm.
Elias was suddenly reminded of something and immediately ordered Sonya, “Prepare the seaweed soup now! Roxanne can have some right after delivering the baby.”
Lucian asked with a frown, “Can she drink it immediately after giving birth?”
“Of course, she can. I even prepared some mushroom soup for her. She will have to replenish all the nutrients her body has lost as quickly as possible. A natural birth is much easier than a C-section,” Sonya said before turning on her heels and getting busy with the preparations.
Lucian continued to assure the children and did his best to answer all their questions about their soon-to-come siblings.
Not long after, Madilyn and Jonathan also arrived at the hospital.
“How long has she been in there, Lucian?” Madilyn asked.
“Not long, just two minutes.”
After hearing Lucian’s reply, Madilyn hurriedly raced into the medical staff’s changing room and changed into a sterile surgical gown. When she was done changing, she strode toward the delivery room. Then looking over her shoulder at the kids, she said, “I’m going in to take care of your mommy, kids. Don’t worry! Everything is going to be fine!”
The children nodded and yelled, “Thank you, Aunt Madilyn!”
Shortly after Madilyn entered the room, the cries of two babies could be heard through the wall.
Everyone’s expression in the hallway froze briefly. Once it registered in their brains, joy filled their eyes.
“Finally, the babies are here! Please let Roxanne and the babies be safe and healthy,” Sonya prayed under her breath.
Jonathan turned to Lucian and congratulated him, “Congratulations, Lucian, on getting another boy-girl twin!”
Lucian’s smile widened.
The children cheered happily, “Mommy gave birth! Our brother and sister are here! How awesome is that! Mommy’s the best!”
Madilyn rushed out of the delivery room and took off her face mask, revealing a happy smile. “Both Roxanne and the twins are healthy. The twins are in good shape. I can see the healthy blush underneath their fair skin. They weigh around two point seven-five kilograms each. That’s a healthy weight. Congratulations.”
Chapter 2083 Extra 2
Compared to the first time delivering Archie, Benny, and Estella, she felt the second time was as though unloading goods. Her bulky body became lighter, and her endocrine secretion wasn’t a mess anymore.
After delivery, Sonya prepared all kinds of supplements for Roxanne to an overwhelming extent. Roxanne couldn’t handle her mother-in-law’s enthusiasm and asked her husband to talk to his mother about nutritional balance.
Soon after that, she started on the path to regaining her figure.
Naturally, the rest of her time was spent accompanying Seward and Noreen. It was hard-earned free time after she utilized her identity as a newborn mother.
The reason was the twins were much too pampered.
The entire Farwell family revolved around them. Every day, Lucian would carry them in each of his arms to bake under the sun to treat their jaundice. He would feed them baby formula at a fixed time each day and change their diapers. The process was enjoyable to him.
He even took up the position as a nursing teacher and taught Archie, Benny, and Estella how to care for their younger siblings and their different cries. His guesses were quite accurate.
After school, once Archie, Benny, and Estella arrived home, they would start to teach their younger siblings to speak and memorize poems, completely disregarding that the twins were mere babies.
Sonya’s sole duty was to bathe the babies. She had specific steps and routines for the process, including the water temperature, the brightness of the lighting, the bathing routine, et cetera.
Every bath time, she would hum nursery rhymes to get the babies to laugh. Once the babies laughed, her mood would brighten for the whole day.
Sharing photos with her friends and showering praises on her newborn grandchildren had become her daily habit.
Elias had it the worst. He had always been the uptight parent yet amicable grandparent, so he couldn’t find a definitive role. Being a good grandfather was his dream, but no one was willing to give him the opportunity. At last, he took up the role of a bottle disinfector and milk formula maker.
The twins grew up quickly. Their fair and chubby appearance gained crowds of onlookers every day.
Their godmother, Madilyn, was their most frequent visitor. She would take over Lucian’s job every visit as though she wanted to get some practice in advance.
Occasionally, Jonathan would drop by and take on his role as their godfather seriously. He would learn some baby-caring skills from Lucian with utmost patience and sincerity.
Undeniably, the elders of the Queen and Lann families, including Lorraine, couldn’t help but visit the twins.
Sometimes, they couldn’t seize the chance to carry the babies, or the twins would be asleep, so they would spend their time playing with Archie, Benny, and Estella instead.
All five children inherited good genes. They were beautiful and adorable in their own way. They had high intelligence and exceptional talent. The elders were envious.
In turn, they would pressure Jonathan and James. Not only did the two men receive a nagging, but they were also urged to have a baby of their own.
Not long after, Jonathan and Madilyn zealously discussed having a baby and started working overtime at night to land one.
In contrast, James had a long face. He didn’t even have a girlfriend. How was he going to have a baby out of the blue?
However, anyone who paid attention would notice Elektra had been trying to get closer to James as of late.
Roxanne wasn’t surprised in the least by the news. Instead, she would jokingly tease her husband to help the two so that Elektra would put an end to her antics.
The entire Farwell family lived every day in the symphony of laughter.
Time flew by, and in the blink of an eye, six months had passed.
Chapter 2084 Extra 3
In fact, she was once mistaken for an undergraduate.
Of course, she looked like that mostly because of her diet control and persistent workouts.
Taking care of Seward and Noreen this time was a piece of cake. In just six months, the two babies had become fair and chubby. They were absolutely adorable.
Seward was the only one among the other children who resembled Lucian the most. He had beautiful double eyelids and bright eyes, like a miniature version of Lucian.
Sonya expressed her amazement every day, saying she was seeing the younger version of her son again.
Meanwhile, Noreen’s features were comparable to Estella’s. They fit the beauty standards perfectly. And when she smiled, she looked like an angel.
The three older children were busy taking care of their siblings every day. They taught the babies how to say “daddy” and “mommy,” crawl, and eat with their hands.
Envious of Roxanne, Madilyn would always stop by the manor and play with the children. She badly wanted to take a few of them away to spend some alone time with them.
One day, Madilyn and Jonathan arrived at the manor together with two sets of cute baby outfits she had washed personally.
Upon seeing Seward and Noreen, Madilyn quickly lifted them up and planted kisses on them.
She could not wait to help them get changed into the new outfit.
Jonathan warned, “Calm down. Let’s turn up the heater first.”
Madilyn nodded in response. It was then Roxanne slowly descended the stairs. Since she was used to seeing them in the manor, she simply greeted, “You’re here!”
“Roxanne, come look! I bought two sets of clothes and shoes for your babies.”
Smiling, Roxanne went over to have a look. Sure enough, they were perfectly suitable for the babies. She praised her best friend for having great taste.
“You don’t behave like a mother. Shouldn’t you be worried about things like this?” Madilyn rolled her eyes.
Roxanne simply put on a teasing grin while turning to look at Jonathan.
He quickly reminded Madilyn, “Have you forgotten? Estella owns a kid’s clothing brand. Ever since Sewardand Noreen was born, Snuggly has been releasing many new products for them.
”
Madilyn could only sigh inwardly. To her, the industry chain of wealthy families was terrifying, so much so that they did not have to worry about anything.
After getting the two babies changed, Madilyn quickly took some pictures before chatting with Roxanne.
“It’s true. I dreamt of a goddess last night. How I wish I can get pregnant with one,” Madilyn complained, blaming her womb for not doing a good job.
She did not have a major family business to inherit. In fact, she really loved children.
Roxanne took Madilyn’s arm and examined her pulse.
A few seconds later, Roxanne’s eyes lit up with joy. “Looks like the goddess has given you what you wanted! Congratulations! You’re pregnant!”
“Stop joking around. How can there be such a coincidence?” Madilyn simply thought her best friend was just teasing her.
However, Roxanne turned to Jonathan and nodded seriously.
Delight instantly spread over Jonathan’s face. “Really? You’re pregnant? That means I’m going to be a father soon!”
His gaze was filled with surprise, but the way he looked at Madilyn overflowed with tenderness.
Stunned, Madilyn asked again, “Are you sure?”
Roxanne nodded firmly. “You’re really pregnant. I’m not teasing you. It’s my turn to take care of you this time.”
Chapter 2085 Extra 4
Lucian had absolutely no objections, while Roxanne was displeased.
Lucian spent more time with the children every day than she did. In the future, they would look for him more instead of her.
Roxanne needed to reconnect with them and rediscover her place in their hearts. She needed to put more time into taking care of Seward and Noreen.
Without realizing it, Archie, Benny, and Estella had grown taller.
Moreover, each of them was beginning to make achievements in their lives.
Archie won first place in a national poetry competition and appeared on the country’s most famous TV station program, becoming the famous genius child everyone recognized.
Benny, on the other hand, led thousands of expert technicians to build a defense system when foreign hackers tried to attack the enterprise network of Chanaea’s key domestic companies. In the end, the defense stopped everything.
The government officials privately paid Benny a visit and awarded him a special medal. They told him to keep it a secret and that he could join the government’s network security department when he was older.
Estella was incredible, too. As branded kid’s clothing swept over the entire country, Snuggly became more popular. Many local celebrities’ children wore her designs, which served as free publicity.
Even the organizer of Faulkay’s fashion week sent her several invitations, but they were rejected by Lucian.
Seward and Noreen were starting to learn how to walk. With the help of their older siblings, they picked it up fast.
During Madilyn’s ten-month pregnancy, Roxanne helped out a great deal. In fact, Lorraine was not as experienced as Roxanne. After all, the latter had given birth to five.
The moment the baby’s cries rang out, Jonathan, who had been waiting in the hospital corridor, was wild with joy.
His son was born.
Jonathan had decided to give his son the name Harper Queen, and his nickname would be Tappy.
With more children entering the world, their lives became more lively.
Jonathan and Madilyn even planned to give birth to twins next year in order not to lose to Lucian and Roxanne.
Meanwhile, Elektra slowly entered a dreamlike state under James’ hypnosis.
It was what she asked for when she realized there were some fragmented memories in her mind that could not be pieced together.
The most puzzling thing was that she remembered liking James since high school when all of a sudden, her feelings were transferred to Lucian.
With the help of James’ gentle voice, the scene from the past appeared in Elektra’s mind.
Back then, she had invited James for a hike. She had prepared to confess her feelings to him that day.
That was because her family had arranged for her to study abroad instead of at a local university. If she did not confess that day, she would never get the chance to do so.
However, an accident happened that day.
When she was taking a picture with James, she accidentally pushed him, causing him to fall from a rock that was in a high place.
She rushed forward and pounced on him, feeling utterly guilty and remorseful.
It turned out that James was caught among some vines, while she continued rolling down the mountain until she knocked her head against a rock.
By the time she woke up, she heard Lucian calling out her name. At that moment, her mind was blank. All she remembered was Lucian.
When she woke up from her hypnosis, her eyes were wet, and tears kept flowing down her cheeks as she stared fixedly at James.
“What’s wrong? What do you remember?” James’ gaze was filled with tenderness and concern.
“James, I need to ask you something. Why didn’t you come looking for me when we fell from the mountain back then?” Elektra asked him angrily while staring at him with resentment.
James paused for a few seconds and scratched his head before finally recalling the incident. Only then did he smile and say, “I was stuck at the upper half of the mountain, so I asked Lucian to rescue you first. You can’t blame me for that. I couldn’t save you.”
So, that’s what happened.
That was when Elektra realized she had lost her memories after the fall.
Tears rolled down her cheeks as she threw herself at James and hugged him tightly.
Chapter 2086 Extra 5
Three figures could be seen riding their bicycles on the road of Chanaea’s best educational institute, chatting and laughing at the same time.
Two of them were twin brothers. They had chiseled faces, sharp eyebrows, and eyes that sparkled like the stars in the night sky.
The girl, on the other hand, had exquisite features and exuded an elegant aura. She looked like a fairy who did not belong to the real world.
Their names—Archie, Benny, and Estella—were simple names, yet they were constantly brought up by parents in the country.
Three of them were the youngest students in the educational institute.
Their appearances constantly attracted everyone’s attention in the area. Discussions would even erupt around them.
Not only were they praised for being good-looking, but they were also praised for their titles.
At that point, Archie was known as the country’s best ancient Chanaean researcher. In fact, he was equipped with the ability to mentor students.
Meanwhile, Benny had become the national security department’s special adviser. However, that identity was a secret. Only a few people knew about it. To the public, he was a famous archeologist.
Estella’s identity was even more impressive, for she had many titles in the fashion industry. A few years ago, she successfully held her fashion show in Pillere. After that, her clothing brand was released globally. Since then, many A-list celebrities fought to have her design their outfits at a high price.
As they talked and laughed among themselves, they responded to the other students’ greetings with a smile.
When they were arriving at the institute entrance, they quickened their pace at the sight of their family’s car.
Roxanne, too, spotted the trio. She brought Seward and Noreen out of the car so they could wave at their older siblings.
“Archie, Benny, Essie, we’re here!”
Coincidentally, it was Seward’s and Noreen’s ten-year-old birthday. They had come to pick up their older siblings for the celebration.
A blissful smile formed on Roxanne’s lips. The five children were her most precious treasure in life.
Her face did not seem to have changed much over time. Rather, she looked more graceful and beautiful.
Even her figure was the same as how it was ten years ago. It made everyone around her jealous, including Madilyn.
Sitting in the driver’s seat was Lucian. He slowly opened the door to reveal his gentle and mature gaze that was no longer hostile.
Archie, Benny, and Estella parked their bicycles and quickly walked over to the car.
While Lucian reached Roxanne’s side, he subconsciously reached out to take her hand affectionately.
Sensing that, Roxanne looked up and stared at him with the same gaze.
Seward and Noreen sprinted to their older siblings.
Archie and Benny were almost Lucian’s height, while Estella’s looks resembled Roxanne’s when she was younger.
The car was a customized seven-seater. It fit all seven of them perfectly.
Throughout the drive, the car was filled with joyous chatter.
“Daddy, Mommy, I have a big secret to tell you. You know how Archie and Benny have many admirers, right? Recently, I realized they’re interested in the same girl.”
Estella suddenly revealed a piece of exciting news, which invoked warning looks from her older brothers.
“Oh? Is that so? What’s she like? I want to know what kind of girl can make both Archie and Benny fall for her.” Roxanne simply cast the boys a calm gaze.
Lucian, too, glanced over with curiosity written all over his face.
Immediately, Archie’s and Benny’s faces flushed red.
“N-No. Don’t listen to Essie spout nonsense. We just admire her, that’s all,” Archie explained frantically.
At the same time, Benny quickly recollected himself and smiled, looking just like a younger version of Lucian.
“I like her. She’s quite outstanding. I’ve told Archie about it, and we’re competing fairly.”
Hearing that, Lucian and Roxanne exchanged happy glances.
“It’s fine. Pursue her if you like her,” said Lucian with a nod.
“When can you introduce her to me?” A memory from twenty years ago suddenly came back to Roxanne.
My history with Lucian started in school as well…
la novela ya finalizo ,,pregunto
la novela ya finalizo ????????,,pregunto favor