Chapter 551 Come Prepared


    Nathaniel pulled her into his armsfortingly, “Nothing will happen to me. The police. summoned me


    to the precinct to talk about Madison, that’s all. By this point, her case is difficult to make sense of. The


    cops arecking in clues and evidence. Somebody has written an article about her death and posted it


    online, so the cops are under a lot of pressure. They would not give up any leads they have easily.”


    Christina only knew that Madison was incurably insane and that her family had sent her to a psychiatric


    institution for treatment. She was unaware that Nathaniel had secretly tortured Madison.


    Nathaniel was cautious not to leave any trace behind. The torment Madison endured in the psychiatric


    hospital was standard procedure for treatment for all patients; the severity of the treatment depended


    on the state of her mental health.


    Even if somebody were to leak the secret, it would not be traced back to Nathaniel.


    As a result, it was stupid of Manuel to use Madison’s condition as leverage.


    Christina was glum. “Everybody on the inte is suspecting you. As Madison had been your assistant


    for years, and she and I had an altercation, you look like the biggest suspect to an outsider, but you


    have gotten involved for me. You shouldn’t have to bear the condemnation and the me on my


    behalf.”


    Nathaniel stroked her back and smiled. “I am your husband. Of course, I will protect you. I don’t care


    what other people think as long as you trust me.”


    Christina choked back her tears. “I’m sorry, Nathaniel.”


    Ever since she got pregnant, Christina had been emotionally unstable and easily assumed the Worst.


    Though Nathaniel was fending off a headache dealing with that, he felt sorry for her. “It isn’t your fault.


    You don’t have to apologize.” He sighed. “Didn’t you promise me not to look at the gossip online? You


    lied to me.”


    Christina did keep her word, but the rumors were so contagious that everybody at the hospital was


    talking about it, which was how she came to hear of it.


    “I didn’t lie.” Christina pouted. “I heard it from someone.”


    “I have found the person fanning the mes. In three days, this fiasco will be over. Just wait and see.”


    Nathaniel did not tell Christina that the Taggart family had abducted Sebastian.


    Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org.


    Christina did not doubt Nathaniel for a moment. Upon obtaining his guarantee, she felt much more at


    ease.


    That night was the best sleep she had had in a while.


    Nathaniel’s name remained trending online for three whole days, after which the Taggart family held a


    wake for Madison as nned.


    Sebastian was released that day. They dragged him out to stand before Madison’s memorial portrait to


    express his remorse.


    Nathaniel had cost Maggie dearly. She was livid at Sebastian’s inaction and betrayal.


    Upon finding out that Manuel had kidnapped him to teach him a lesson when she was sent back to the


    Taggart residence, she pretended not to know and gave him full rein.


    Punishing Sebastian is indirectly giving Nathaniel a p to the face.


    The guests who hade to pay their respects were curious about Sebastian kneeling before the


    deceased, but they did not dare ask about it.


    Everybody knew about the altercation between the Taggart family and the Hadley family.


    Sebastian knelt from morning until the afternoon and was denied the opportunity to rest. Furthermore,


    Manuel deprived him of food and had him beaten during the period of his incarceration.


    Nevertheless, his back remained tall and proud, though his coarse features were drained of color.


    Manuel stood beside him. “Aren’t you Nathaniel’s loyal hound?” he jeered. “He killed Madison and


    refused to own up, so you, as hisckey, will take his ce and beg for forgiveness. It’s part of your job


    and your honor too. This opportunity isn’t given to just anybody, you know.”


    Impassively, Sebastian shot a sideways nce at Manuel, which looked more like a leer.


    Manuel saw that Sebastian was not taking him seriously. The years during which Sebastian had served


    Nathaniel were glorious.


    Manuel left to entertain the guests, but all of them were keen to discuss Sebastian. He, as Maggie’s


    beloved grandson, became of little interest.


    Manuel was so angry that his chest throbbed painfully. Gritting his teeth, he was about to swing a fist at


    Sebastian when ackey tumbled in and fell t on his face before them.


    “Bad news, Mr. Manuel! Nathaniel brought arge group of people over. They’re almost here. Nobody


    can stop them! We’d better run!”


    As soon as the warning was uttered, Nathaniel’s figure appeared in the distance.


    “This is the Taggart residence and my turf. What am I afraid of? Take Sebastian and keep. him hidden.”


    Theckey was about to drag Sebastian away when a dozen broad-shouldered and round- bellied


    bodyguards dashed in and surrounded the trio.


    Tactfully, Maggie dispersed the crowd gathered at the Taggart residence.


    She did not wish to suffer the indignity of having her family’s dirtyundry aired.


    Sebastian looked up at Nathaniel at once. His eyes shone.


    Nathaniel did not spare Sebastian a nce. Instead, his icy re fell onto Manuel.


    As if aware that a venomous snake had noticed him, Manuel felt goosebumps erupting all over his skin.


    “How dare you show up here, Nathaniel? You’ve got some big balls. Do you not respect us Taggarts at


    all?”


    “Shut your mouth, Manuel!” Maggiemanded as she was wheeled into the hall.


    In his youthful exuberance, Manuel is no match for Nathaniel. It is in that he feared nothing for


    coming to the Taggart residence to cause trouble today, of all days. Furthermore, he came prepared.


    Manuel fell into sullen silence upon being reprimanded, not daring to utter another word.


    Maggie turned to Nathaniel. “If you’re here to pay your respects to Madison, Mr. Hadley, I wee you


    with open arms. But, if you have another purpose in mind, I must ask you to leave immediately. People


    are watching us. Surely you would not want the Hadley family to be ridiculed.”


    Nathaniel chuckled. His gaze was filled with arrogant disdain. In fact, more than half of the paparazzi


    outside had been there at his request.


    “The Hadley family’s reputation has nothing to do with anybody else. Thank you for your concern, Old


    Mrs. Taggart,” Nathaniel said quietly. “I’m here today for my assistant. He has been missing for several


    days, and I have been having his disappearance investigated. Coincidentally, my investigation led us


    here, to you, the Taggart family.”


    Maggie nced at Sebastian. Only then did she notice he had undergone no trivial abuse. His


    handsome face was no longer identifiable as before. The wounds on his body, old and new, melded


    into an indiscernible, bloody mosaic. They looked harrowing.


    She did not expect Manuel to be so heavy-handed that he had disfigured their captive to such an


    extent.


    Nathaniel will not forgive him easily.


    Maggie said sternly, “There must be some misunderstanding. Youngsters tend to act rashly without


    consideration of consequences and would inadvertently offend somebody. It happens all the time. I’ve


    been so upied with Madison’s funeral that I hadn’t noticed what my family members have been up


    to.”


    Maggie’s attempt to bail Manuel out of trouble with mere words was impossible.


    She turned her gaze to Sebastian. “Why don’t you exin things to Mr. Hadley, Sebastian? Tell him


    where you were over the past few days. Don’t put Mr. Hadley and the Taggart family in a bad spot.”