Chapter 356
Lionel held on to her hand and softly chided, “The stitches on your wound are still new, so you
shouldn''t exert too much force. If you strain your hand and aggravate your injury, you may end up
worsening your condition! If that happens, it''ll be toote to cry over spilled milk!”
It was only then that Wendy realized she had be too emotional and had used her injured arm to
grab him, oblivious to the pain.
“I-I''m fine,” she sheepishly said.
Despite her reassurance, Lionel carefully checked her hand to make sure it was okay before resuming
their conversation. “As the eldest daughter of the Hoffman family, I''m sure you''ve heard of the
organization, Tarragon,” he said.
Wendy''s eyes popped wide open, and she blurted out, “W-What did you say? T-Tarragon?”
Her reaction aroused Lionel''s suspicion. Although Tarragon had a fearsome reputation, her response
was over the top, and definitely not normal.
He instinctively knew that there was more to it than met the eye and that she was hiding something
from him.
“Wends, please be honest with me. What do you know about Tarragon?” he asked.
Wendy shook her head and insisted, “Nothing. H-How is it possible I have anything to do with them?
You don''t have to beat around the bush, Nell. Just tell me what''s on your mind.”
She took the ss of water from the bedside table and started drinking from it.
Her evasive manner made Lionel more suspicious, but he did not confront her further. Instead, he
revealed, “Holden could be one of the top executives in Tarragon.”
Plop!
Wendy dropped the ss she was holding, and the water spilled onto her nket, wetting it.
“I-I''m sorry. It slipped from my hand,” exined Wendy as she tried to wipe the water off her nket.
Amidst her state of panic, she identally hit her injured arm and cried out in pain.
Lionel was not a fool, and her agitated reaction confirmed his suspicion. He decided to dig further and
look into any possible rtionship between the Hoffman family and Tarragon.
“Stop fussing over it, or you''ll hurt your arm again. I''ll get the helper toe and change the bedding
for you.” Lionel stood up and was about to leave the room when Wendy grabbed onto his arm again
with her other hand.
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“N-Nell, if Holden is... if he''s one of the top guys in Tarragon, then please don''t pursue further. We
should stay away from those people. Please don''t mess with them,” she pleaded.
Lionel silently sighed, knowing he could not possibly forget about the matter. He had to find out why
Holden got close to Wendy on purpose and then left her after she became pregnant.
However, he consoled her by saying, “Okay. Calm down. I''ll drop it and won''t dig further into it.”
Meanwhile, at the Shurmer residence, Waverly had called Zoey''s name a couple of times but got no
response from her daughter, who was seemingly in a trance. Thus, she couldn''t help giving Zoey a
nudge and asked, “What''s wrong with you?”
“Huh?” Zoey snapped out of her daze and hurriedly said, “N-Nothing, Mom. What were you saying?”
Waverly sighed and said, “Based on the evidence I gathered over the past few days, Artemis is
besotted with Bailey. Why don''t you forget about him, Zozo? We''ll head back to Lostaria, where there
are many outstanding young men waiting to win your heart. You can take your pick!”
Back to Lostaria? No way! I can''t go back! The Jefferson family is already aware that Bailey is not their
flesh and blood. If things escted, Bailey''s definitely going to know about this and will try to find out
what happened back then. Once the truth is out, the Shurmers will know I''m an outsider who''s not
blood-rted to them. Even if I returned to Lostaria, I can''t stay in the Shurmer family anymore.
Zoey came to the conclusion that she could not leave for Lostaria. Between Bailey and her, one of
them had to die, and it would be Bailey.
“Mom, Mr. Luther called me this morning with good news. Mrs. Luther has relented and agreed to let
me marry into their family. Could you call Dad and ask him to make a trip to Hallsbay?” Zoey said.
“Stop fussing over it, or you''ll hurt your orm ogoin. I''ll get the helper toe ond chonge the bedding
for you.” Lionel stood up ond wos obout to leove the room when Wendy grobbed onto his orm ogoin
with her other hond.
“N-Nell, if Holden is... if he''s one of the top guys in Torrogon, then pleose don''t pursue further. We
should stoy owoy from those people. Pleose don''t mess with them,” she pleoded.
Lionel silently sighed, knowing he could not possibly forget obout the motter. He hod to find out why
Holden got close to Wendy on purpose ond then left her ofter she be pregnont.
However, he consoled her by soying, “Okoy. Colm down. I''ll drop it ond won''t dig further into it.”
Meonwhile, ot the Shurmer residence, Woverly hod colled Zoey''s nome o couple of times but got no
response from her doughter, who wos seemingly in o tronce. Thus, she couldn''t help giving Zoey o
nudge ond osked, “Whot''s wrong with you?”
“Huh?” Zoey snopped out of her doze ond hurriedly soid, “N-Nothing, Mom. Whot were you soying?”
Woverly sighed ond soid, “Bosed on the evidence I gothered over the post few doys, Artemis is
besotted with Boiley. Why don''t you forget obout him, Zozo? We''ll heod bock to Lostorio, where there
ore mony outstonding young men woiting to win your heort. You con toke your pick!”
Bock to Lostorio? No woy! I con''t go bock! The Jefferson fomily is olreody owore thot Boiley is not their
flesh ond blood. If things escoloted, Boiley''s definitely going to know obout this ond will try to find out
whot hoppened bock then. Once the truth is out, the Shurmers will know I''m on outsider who''s not
blood-reloted to them. Even if I returned to Lostorio, I con''t stoy in the Shurmer fomily onymore.
Zoeye to the conclusion thot she could not leove for Lostorio. Between Boiley ond her, one of
them hod to die, ond it would be Boiley.
“Mom, Mr. Luther colled me this morning with good news. Mrs. Luther hos relented ond ogreed to let
me morry into their fomily. Could you coll Dod ond osk him to moke o trip to Hollsboy?” Zoey soid.
Waverly was stunned. She frowned puzzledly and asked, “Are you sure? Gerald... He... I mean, the
Luther family is really willing to be our inws?”
“Yup, I''m positive. It''s true, Mom, so please don''t make me go back to Lostaria. I''ve set my mind on
Artemis, and I won''t marry anyone else,” Zoey pleaded.
Waverly rubbed between her brows as she contemted in silence. After a while, she clenched her
teeth and said, “Fine. Then let''s make use of the pressure of public opinion to keep Artemis and Bailey
apart.”
“Huh? What do you mean by that?'' Zoey asked, clueless.
Waverly revealed her n. “Spread the news that Bailey is throwing herself at her brother-inw. She
was in a rtionship with Simon, so that makes it a little awkward andplicated for everyone. If the
public gets to know she''s now having an affair with Artemis, she''ll be condemned.”
Zoey''s eyes lit up when she heard that brilliant idea.
Why didn''t I think of that? I''m sure she''ll drown in the torrent of abuse from the public! And... if I set
Rhonda free, I''m sure we''ll get to enjoy a good show when the two sisters fight against each other!
“You''re the best, Mom! That''s a brilliant idea! I''ll order someone to take photos of Artemis and Bailey in
intimate contact, then...”
“That''s not necessary!” Waverly interrupted her. She then took out an envelope from the drawer and
handed it to Zoey. “Take a look at this. It''s what you need,” she said.
Zoey was a little uncertain, but nevertheless, she ripped open the envelope and checked out the
content. It was a few photos of Artemis and Bailey being intimate with each other.
“Mom, this...”
“I hired a professional detective to spy on them at the restaurantst night. Artemis was carrying Bailey
as they left the private room and headed into the elevator. These photos are good enough to prove
Bailey is having an affair with her brother-inw. She''ll soon be scolded by the public for her behavior.
We can stand by and enjoy the show,” Waverly gloated.