Chapter 1929


    Stephen''s smile stretched from ear to ear.


    "You know how she is. But what does it matter if she doesn''t want to admit it? Like I said, it is a fact


    that I''m her father and she''s my daughter. No one can change that."


    "Shut up!" Jefferson balked at the thought of Adrienne finding out the truth.


    Knowing her stubborn nature, she might even take her own life topensate for what her father


    had done. Jefferson felt his scalp tingle; he did not dare to think about it any further.


    "I believe Adrienne doesn''t know that you''re here to meet me today," Stephen continued.


    As Adrienne''s father, Stephen knew how deeply Jefferson loved Adrienne. He was confident that


    Jefferson could not bear to let Adrienne find out the truth. That was why Stephen dared to meet


    Jefferson that openly.


    "Aren''t you ashamed to have her know everything you have done in the past two years?" asked


    Jefferson coldly.


    Stephen went over to the sofa and sat down. Then, he took a couple of sips from the tea that


    Nina had brewed before speaking, "You being here all by yourself simply proves that you care


    about Adrienne very much. You don''t want her to find out what I''ve done and that you want to talk


    things out with me. In that case, let''s stop wasting any more time. Take a seat and let''s have a good


    chat."


    Jefferson had never concealed his feelings for Adrienne. He never questioned it when others saw


    through those feelings. However, he never expected Adrienne''s own father to use those feelings


    against him.


    Jefferson did not reply, so Stephen continued, "You love Adrienne, and your heart aches for her.


    You don''t want her to go though even the slightest harm. However, if my identity is exposed, she''ll


    know that I faked my death two years ago, as well as all the unspeakable things I''ve done since


    then..."


    At this point, Stephen''s smile stretched broader. He paused and then said, "Knowing her stubborn


    and righteous nature, she will never be able to ept what I''ve done. I''m guessing that if she finds


    out, she will probably die in a fit of rage."


    "Sheridan, I''m warning you, I don''t care who you are now. If you dare to hurt Adrienne, I''ll turn your


    death into a reality! I''ll turn you into a real dismembered corpse." Sitting opposite Stephen, Jefferson


    punched the table. "You should know what kind of person I am."


    How could Sheridan, or ''Stephen'' as he went by now, be that ruthless to his own daughter? He was


    a monster. All his crimes for the past two years were no surprise at all at that moment.


    "Jefferson, what are you talking about? Adrienne is my only child. I love her too much to be able to


    hurt her. I just want you to realize my current identity, as well as the harm that it might bring to


    Adrienne. The decision whether she lives a good life or a hellish one has always been in your


    hands, not mine."


    Although Stephen imed that he loved Adrienne, there was no trace of affection in his eyes. He


    only loved himself. Adrienne was nothing more than a pawn to execute his ns.


    "It''s in my hands? Huh..." Jefferson sneered as he looked at Stephen.


    Before going there, Jefferson was confident that he would be able to persuade Stephen to turn


    himself in. He thought to himself that even if Stephen didn''t want to do it for himself, he would at


    least do it for Adrienne.


    But at that time, Jefferson realized he had been foolish. If Stephen actually cared about Adrienne,


    he would never have faked his death in the first ce.


    Stephen added, "If you make the right choice, not only can you protect Adrienne, you can even get


    evidence that someone had framed Quill and Freya. You could then prove their innocence."


    Jefferson stared at him for a long time before continuing slowly, "Do you know what Adrienne has


    gone through the past couple years since your supposed death? Do you know that she''s never had


    a good nights'' sleep since then? Do you know, even in her dreams, she cries and screams about


    saving you and her mother? She''s such a gentle girl, but she has never thought about giving up


    looking for the murderer who killed you... But now, it seems like everything she has done so far is


    nothing more than a huge joke."


    Stephen remained calm after hearing what he said, but his eyes darkened a shade. Nina


    immediately responded, "Stephen, don''t listen to his nonsense!"


    Stephen took another sip of tea before saying, "Jefferson, I don''t have time to chit-chat with you.


    The choice is yours. Give me an answer. The good choice is for us to go our own way; I''ll do my


    thing, you do yours, and we''ll stay away from each other. The bad choice, well..."


    "Do you think it''s possible for us to not have anything to do with each other, considering our current


    positions?" asked Jefferson.


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    Stephen said fearlessly, "Why not? Are you nning to tell Adrienne the truth? Can you bear giving


    her this huge burden to shoulder for the rest of her life? Do you want her to lose everything,


    including you?"


    "I can assure you that even if your identity was exposed, Adrienne wouldn''t lose a single thing, least


    of all me." Jefferson knew the seriousness of the consequences, but he could never let Stephen get


    away with all he had done. However, he still had note up with a way to keep Adrienne safe.


    "Is that so?" Stephen grinned. "Do you want me to invite her here right this moment and let her see


    what her most-respected father is doing now?"


    Jefferson didn''t know what to do. Stephen had nothing to lose, whereas he had a soft spot. Stephen


    was able to plot a dismemberment case and even abandon his only daughter... There clearly was


    nothing he wouldn''t do for money.


    "Mr. Hefner, do you want to give her a call?" Stephen took out his phone and said, "Adrienne hasn''t


    changed her phone number. Maybe she still hopes that one day I''ll call her again. Just look at how


    much Adrienne loves me. How happy do you think she''ll be if I were to give her a call right now?"


    Jefferson


    immediately stopped him,


    eximing, "Wait!"


    Stephen was still grinning. "Mr. Hefner, have you made your decision?"


    Jefferson held up three fingers. "Give me three days and I''ll make the choice you desire. You can do


    you, and I''ll do me. Both of us will have nothing to do with each other after that."


    Stephen smiled with satisfaction. "I knew you were a smart boy; you''ve chosen wisely. Listen to me,


    you''re just a small fish in the big pond that is Chatterton Town. There''s nothing you can do about it.


    Take Adrienne and leave the town. Leavew enforcement for good."


    Jefferson did not respond to that. Instead, he said, "I have one more question to ask you."


    Stephen replied, "Go ahead."


    "Mrs. Carter, is she..." Jefferson trailed off.


    "Two years ago, there were two dismembered corpses, one male and one female. The female


    victim was indeed her." Stephen said with a smile on his face. As though the corpse was not the


    same wife whom he shared the same bed with for upwards of two decades.


    Stephen''s cold- blooded attitude set Jefferson''s next decision in stone.


    "I''m leaving now." After saying that, Jefferson got up and took his leave.