On the other end of the phone, Nathaniel Summers fell silent for a moment before asking her, âWhere are you right now?â
Jade Carlson glanced back awkwardly at the chaotic stairwell, the plain door number, the building full of a cheap aura⦠She could never let anyone know she lived in such a place.
âDo you need something from me?â Jade skirted around Nathanielâs question.
But Nathaniel didnât care where she lived; he just needed to be able to contact Jade.
âJade, it was you who said youâd be wholeheartedly willing to help me, as long as I could be happy with Suzanne Saunders, youâd be willing to do anything for me.â Nathanielâs tone was cold, âYou said it yourself, you remember, right?â
Jadeâs heart sank, feeling that Nathanielâs call was to seek an explanation for some wrongdoing.
Although she knew he wouldnât be calling out of concern, she still felt a great sense of loss, a profound lossâ¦
âJade, I trusted you so much, but what about you?!â Nathaniel suppressed his anger and accused her, âYou tricked me! You switched the medicine I gave you, didnât you?!â
Jadeâs eyes widened in shock, her face draining of color.
She almost blurted out, âHow did you know?â
But she held back.
It was a critical matter, and her mind froze for a split second before she could gather her thoughts.
âJade?â Nathaniel called her name when he didnât hear her voice.
Jade suddenly felt relieved that this was just a phone call; Nathaniel couldnât see her unsightly face and the cold sweat on her forehead.
ââ¦Nathaniel, youâre mistaken, I didnât switchâ¦â she struggled to control her speech rate, trying to sound as calm as possible.
âI saw the video.â Nathaniel said, âIt was white powder, Jade, do I need to remind you what the medicine I gave you looks like?â
âI⦠I know, but Nathaniel, if an entire pill was put into the drink, it would definitely be noticed, right?â Jade fabricated an excuse, âThatâs why I purposefully ground it into fine powder⦠As for the color, Iâm not sure⦠maybe it appeared white because of the light in the video.â
Jadeâs lie was crude and simplistic, yet surprisingly hard to fault.
Nathaniel questioned harshly, âWhy would you do such a thing?! Jade, Iâve been decent to you even though you helped me! Why switch the medicine? Why kill Suzanne Saunders?!â
âI didnât.â Jade said, âSister Suzanneâs death was an accident⦠it might even have been, well, a suicideâ¦â
Nathaniel was furious!
If it was an accident, if it was suicide, then Purple Summers wouldnât be seeking the truth about her death now!
Unable to get the truth out of her, he angrily hung up the phone.
Jade Carlson exhaled a deep breath of relief and turned back, only to see Evelyn Willard standing at the door with a beaming smile.
âWhy not talk a little longer?â Evelyn Willard asked with a smile, âThe Summers Family is very rich, even just being Nathanielâs affair partner would be enough to keep you in comfort.â
âI wonât be an affair partner!â Jade shot her a disgusted look, âIf Iâm going to be anything, Iâll be Mrs. Summers!â
âBecoming Mrs. Summers isnât that hard, you know.â Evelyn Willardâs lips curved slightly upward, and as she took off her sunglasses, the deep wrinkles at the corners of her eyes turned into soft lines, giving her a seductive, mature womanâs charm when she smiled.
Jade was skeptical, âYou have a way?â
âDoesnât Nathaniel have a weakness in your hands?â Evelyn Willard asked with a teasing laugh.
Jade immediately understood what she meant. Her expression darkened as she said coldly, âNo way.â
âWhatâs wrong with that? Otherwise, do you think he would marry you on his own?â Evelyn Willard laughed softly, walking over and placing a hand on Jadeâs shoulder, âItâs already like this, what are you still holding back for?â
Jade was silentâ¦