Imogen picked up the phone by her bedside. It was an internal Russell family line, specially set up for her since she couldn’t see but often needed to contact people. the skillfully dialed a number<b>, </b>and the call was quickly answered “Hello, Ms. <b>Russell</b>?”
“Investigate two people for me. Their names are Archie <b>Rosario </b>and Johanna <b>Rosario</b>, Imogen said, her voice calm butced with <b>sarcasm</b>. “I want every detail about their past ”
Since Archie had faked his death, the exnation he gave about being swept away by a storm and rescued by a foreign ship was undoubtedly a lie.
Humans were contradictory creatures. When they loved someone<b>, </b>they believed everything the other person said. Even when they had doubts, they’d convince themselves otherwise, finding excuses for the other person at every turn
But once that love faded, everything about that person would be repulsive
This was the first time Imogen had ever asked to investigate Archie and Johanna.
Everyone in the Russell family knew how deeply she loved that man. Out of that love, she even treated Imogen as
<b>as </b>lure o
own sister.
Asking for an investigation was unthinkable. The person on the other end of the line hesitated beforeplying, “Understood, Ms. Russell!”
Time passed slowly, but Imogen showed no impatience. She <b>gazed </b>lovingly at Caleb, who was fast asleep in the cradle beside her. To her relief<b>, </b>Caleb resembled ber, with features unmistakably carrying the Russell family’s Lineage.
She recalled the maid’s report about the scratch on Caleb’s chest. Imogen gently lifted his shirt and saw the faint mark left by a nail
The scratch wasn’t deep, and medication had already <b>been </b>applied, but Caleb’s sidin was delicate. Hence, the mark stood out.
There was no need to guess. It was Johanna’s doing.
Those two wretched people had dared to harm her child! They would pay dearly.
Imogen’s expression sharpened with anger.
Suddenly, Caleb whimpered <b>in </b>his sleep <b>as </b>if he was dreaming of something
Imogen immediately softened her expression, hiding her sharp edges as she gently rocked the cradle.
Caleb soon settled<b>, </b>showing no signs of waking. Imogen stension slowly eased.
Just then, the phone lit up, and <b>a </b><b>document </b>began printing automatically. It had arrived <b>at </bst. Imogen picked up the thin stack of paper and <b>began </b>reading through it.
Investigating Archie and Johanna <b>wasn’t </b>difficult. Both had spent several years in an orphanage, and their records were <b>easy </b>to trace.
This part of their past wasn’t <b>a </b>secret. Archie had even mentioned it during their time together when they were deeply <b>in </b>love. Back then, it had only made Imogen feel more sympathy for him,
But what Archie had told her was only part of the story. What she had uncovered now was something entirely different.
Archie and Johanna weren’t blood–rted siblings.
easa
The investigation revealed that Archie fled the orphanage as a teenager, taking Johanna with him. The two <b>wandered </b>for years, relying on each other to survive.
Eventually, Arcide found his way into the Russell family by sheer chance, starting <b>as </b><b>a </b>lowly bodyguard. From there, he climbed the ranks, ultimately bing the Russell <b>family’s </b>son–inw.
As Imogen read through the investigation report, a wave of dizziness washed over her.