Chapter 153
Vincent was reviewing documents in the CEO’s office at Fletcher Group when his phone buzzed with an incoming message.
He glanced at it and saw a photo of Melvin and Stephanie,
The text was sent from an unfamiliar number.
Few people had his private number, and the person sending such a photo must have a grudge against him or Stephanie.
Considering the possible culprits, Nancy came to mind.
Vincent scoffed, deleted the photo, and blocked the number.
Such a person wasn’t worth
his response.
Earlier, Stephanie had informed Vincent she would be having lunch with Melvin. She needed Melvin’s help, and a lunch meeting seemed reasonable.
Since it was Melvin, Vincent was at ease.
He texted Stephanie: [Eat well at lunch.]Content bel0ngs to Nôvel(D)r/a/ma.Org.
Sitting in the passenger seat, Stephanie smiled and replied: [Sure, I’ll eat your share too. Your favorite Crab Rangoon!]
Vincent chuckled at her message, but his thoughts were interrupted by a knock on the door.
“Come in,” he said, and then Zane entered.
Zane’s expression was grave. “Mr. Fletcher, we have a problem.”
Vincent-narrowed his eyes, and his relaxed demeanor vanished. “Speak.”
“Olivia has been swapped. The person we’ve been monitoring is a surgically altered decoy. Last night, she got drunk at a nightclub and confessed she was a stand-in. We then discovered that the real Olivia had already escaped,” Zane explained.
“Did the stand-in reveal who orchestrated this?” Vincent asked.
Zane took a deep breath. “No, she self-destructed shortly after confessing, obliterating her head. We found an explosive chip in the remains, likely hidden
in her teeth or under her skin. Twilight Corps commonly uses this method. I suspect Olivia has close ties with them.”
Vincent pursed his lips together, his face becoming a mask of icy determination. “Ask Twilight Corps leader for an explanation, or we’ll become enemies.”
Zane nodded. “Got it.”
“Send someone to investigate the whereabouts of Nancy. I don’t want to see her in Jacaster again, Vincent instructed.
“Understood,” Zane replied.
He wondered if Twilight Corps dared to oppose Storm Corps so blatantly.
The last clash between the two organizations was because Hayden sold confidential information to Twilight Corps under another identity. The leader of Twilight Corps had since explained, quite earnestly, that he was unaware of Hayden’s other identity.
Vincent had always doubted Hayden but never found solid evidence until the latter was fatally shot while saving him.
He felt a sense of unease as if an unseen hand was constantly manipulating the chessboard, making them mere
pawns
Meanwhile, near the lobster roll eatery on West Avenue, Nancy was observing from a black car
She saw Stephanie and Melvin talking seriously over some reports, and Stephanie seemed solemn.
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After that, they chatted for a long time. When the lobsters were served, Melvin even deshelled them for Stephanie.
Nancy was full of jealousy and hatred in her heart. She thought, “How could Stephanie enjoy Vincent’s love while flirting with another man?”
Furious, she called a p a p a r a z z o, hinting at a scandalous scoop at the lobster roll eatery.
However, upon hearing it involved Stephanie and Melvin, the p a a z z o declined, “It’s over for me if Mr. Fletcher feels offended.”
Incensed, Nancy snapped photos herself and uploaded them online.
She used a SIM card that was not registered under her ID card. Hence, nobody could trace her.
After that, she broke the SIM card and discarded it before driving away.
She expected the scandal to spread online. To her dismay, when she checked later, the internet was filled with comments condemning her as a schemer and delusional
Soon, the photos and comments were quickly removed.
Nancy was furious and certain this was Vincent’s doing. She couldn’t believe how besotted he was, completely under Stephanie’s spell
In a fit of rage, she smashed her phone to pieces.
She was determined to win Vincent back.
It was 9 p.m. at the hospital Disguised as a janitor again, Matilda sneaked into the hospital ward while the caretaker was away.
She quickly checked under the bed for the hidden pill and, finding it still there, felt a rush of triumph.
Swiftly, she retrieved the pill and checked for anyone around.
Once she confirmed there wasn’t anyone around, she immediately moved to the bedside and pried open Abigail’s mouth to stuff the pill into it.
Just then, the door creaked open.
Matilda immediately assumed a sweeping pose.
The caretaker frowned. “What are you doing?”
Swallowing hard, Matilda replied, “I thought I saw Mrs. Moore open her eyes,”
The caretaker looked surprised, “Really? Let me check”
As the caretaker moved closer to examine the patient, Matilda stepped aside.
“You must have been mistaken,” the caretaker said.
“Perhaps,” Matilda replied. “I’ve finished cleaning. I’ll be going now.”
The caretaker nodded. “Okay.”
Once Matilda lelt, the caretaker swiftly took out her phone and sent a message.
The next day, Abigail was moved to the ICU.
Matilda approached the real janitor. “What happened to the old lady in that ward?”
The janitor answered, “I heard her condition suddenly worsened. She’s in the ICU now, and even Dr. Summer can’t help her.”
Matilda’s eyes lit up. “Are her family blaming Dr. Summer?”
“No, considering her age and malignant tumor, they knew it was a long shot.” The janitor then asked, “Are you quitting the cleaning job?”
Matilda scoffed, “Crazy! Anyone who wants it can have it!”
Bewildered, the janitor stood there, watched Matilda walk away, and spat, “You’re the crazy one!”
Back home, Matilda eagerly reported the news to Megan.
Reclining against her pillows, Megan’s lips curled into a sinister smile. “Excellent. Call Laila in an hour.”
Matilda nodded. “Got it. By the way, Meg, I’m a bit short on cash lately.”
Upon hearing that, Megan rolled her eyes. “Once it’s done, I’ll give you 2 million dollars”
Matilda was shocked, thinking, “2 million dollars?”
Once dismissive, Matilda now saw it as a fortune.
She agreed with a grin..
An hour later, using a new SIM card, Matilda called Laila. “Do you want to save your mom?”
Laila furrowed her brows as she asked, “Who are you?”
“Your mom is suffering from severe a n failure, isn’t she? And she has high cranial pressure. She’s in grave danger now,” Matilda said.
“How do you know that?” Laila inquired.
“Because I’m the one who poisoned your mom. If you want the antidote to save her, do as I say. Otherwise, she will die in less than half a day,” Matilda
declared.
“What do you want?” Laila asked.
“I’ll give you a pill. You must feed it to Christina,” Matilda instructed.
“No way,” Laila refused without hesitation
“Then, prepare for your mom’s funeral!” Matilda smiled.
10:32 Wed, 5 Jun
She hung up the phone immediately and broke the SIM card in half.
Meanwhile, Stephanie was tracking the call’s lecation on her computer while Laila sat quietly beside Stephanie in the ward.
The signal traced back to an old neighborhood where Horace and Matilda once lived.
Stephanie had previously noticed the janitor and found her familiar. After discreetly following the janitor, she discovered that it turned out to be Matilda.
A chemical analysis of the pill confirmed Matilda’s intention to harm Abigail.
Since Stephanie didn’t fully grasp Matilda’s motive for targeting Abigail, she devised a plan. If Matilda believed her scheme had succeeded, her true intentions would eventually be revealed.
Hence, Stephanie, the caretaker, the real janitor, and Laila orchestrated a ruse to unearth Matilda’s true objective.
To their surprise, Matilda wanted Christina dead.
Logically speaking, if Matilda wanted to avenge Florence, she would have gone after Stephanie.
The fact that she was now focused on Christina was utterly perplexing.
Given these strange circumstances, their only option was to turn the tables and bring Matilda to justice.
Laila asked, “Will this person call again?”
Stephanie narrowed her eyes and replied, “Definitely will. Now she’s more afraid you won’t agree to her demands.”
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