Chapter 127 Skeletons in the Closet
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Sure, blood <b>might </b>run thicker than water–but Ste had been adopted by the Dawson family too, and she’d managed to live peacefully with everyone there, after all.
Ste said, “It was probably different; I was just a baby when I <b>went </b>to them.”
Tessa nodded. “True. A tiny baby’s <b>all </b>soft and adorable–who could possibly <b>have </b>bad intentions toward a <b>baby</b>?
But there was more <b>to </b><b>it</b>.
Tessa <b>figured</b>, “It <b>takes </b>kindness to earn kindness: you must’ve treated them well too.”
As for Ste <b>and </b><b>Lillian </b>turning against each other, that all started because <b>Lillian </b><b>had </b>wanted hey dead from the beginning.
And <b>the </b>mess between Ste <b>and </b>the Reed family–well, they had been the ones to me her without reason or evidence.
After shing enough times, the Reed family <b>had </b>developed a bias against Ste, their biological daughter.
Ever since she’d been brought back, they’d never shown her much genuine affection.
And Ste, who’d been doted on by the Dawson family since she was little, naturally didn’t have much patience for them.
Come <b>on</b>, let’s go eat”
Ste didn’t want to talk <b>about </b>the Reed <b>family </b>anymore. She stood up, grabbed her bag, and headed out.
Tessa didn’t bring them up again either, but she did mention Ethan. “Ethan’s been tearing the <b>city </b>apart trying to find out who owns Verdant Vi, I’d love to see his face if he ever finds out it’s you.”
People who didn’t know werepletely clueless.
And the ones who did–watching Ethan and the Reed family scramble around like that–were basically watching a giant joke
unfold.
Ste said, “Don’t tell him; he’s dumb as a rock.”
Tessa burst out <bughing</b>. “Honestly? Ethan really does seem like a fool”
The <b>two </b>of them headed out to eat, and just as they stepped out the door, Susan arrived shortly after. <b>Kimmy </b>tried to call
Stelia to let her know.
<b>But </b>Ste had put her phone on silent, and no matter <b>how </b>many times Kimmy tried, the calls just wouldn’t go through.
Meanwhile, over at the <b>restaurant</b>, <b>Tessa </b>was <b>slicing </b>her steak <b>and </b>chatting. “Mr. <b>Louis </b><b>has </b>had Sharon locked up at <b>home </b>for the past few days–hasn’t <b>even </b>let her step outside<b>.</b>”
Ste raised an eyebrow. “He actually locked her up?”
When Louis mentioned it, she’d thought he was blufling–after all, it was his little sister.
If he’d really locked her up, Sharon would’ve flipped the whole <b>house </b>upside down.
She still didn’t get what was so great about Jonathan that had caught Sharon’s eye.
Trisa nodded. “Dead serious. Back in the day, she was always out shopping with someone or other–hasn’t stepped out in days now
In short, Tessa couldn’t stand Sharon–just like how Ste couldn’t stand the Reed family.
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Lose face?
Ste added, “Jonathan’s no gentleman.”
Just hearing Jonathan’s name reminded Tessa of something. She nced around–the other diners were seated far enough
<b>away</b>.
She leaned in toward Ste
Lowering her voice, she said. “I think Jonathan’s got a woman on the side.”
Ste <b>froze</b>, her knife and fork pausing mid–air.
Tessa continued. “Yesterday, my niece had a fever. <b>My </b>mom asked me to check on her at the hospital. Guess what I saw!”
“What?”
“Jonathan, <b>with </b>a woman–and he was holding a kid, looked about two or three years old.”
Ste was stunned.A two- or three–year–old? Jonathan’s kid was two.
Tessa said. “I got <b>a </b>good look; the kid had Jonathan’s features. I’m pretty sure that’s his.”
“You actually got close enough to see<b>?</b><b>” </b>
“No way. That kid looked so much like him, you could tell from a distance.” Tessa said tly.
If she’d gotten too close, Jonathan probably would’ve found a way to shut her up permanently.
Ste was caught off guard.
The Reed and Parker family marriage alliance <b>was </b>something Susan and Patrick had always taken seriously.
Under normal circumstances, <b>Jonathan </b>shouldn’t <b>have </b>been showing up in public with that woman.
Noticing Ste staying quiet, Tessa asked, “You knew, didn’t <b>your </b>
“Yeah, I knew.”
Ste nodded.
Tessa sucked in a breath. “It <b>is </b><b>his</b>? Then what’s going on between him and Sharon?<b>” </b>
The Parker family wouldn’t just let something like this slide. <b>Jonathan </b>was way too reckless, <b>pulling </b>a stunt like that without even thinking they might tear him to pieces.
Ste said, “It’s a <b>long </b><b>story</b><b>. </b>Apparently, the woman used to work as a hostess at Noir Lounge.<b>” </b>
Tessa had just gone to take a sip of water, and when she heard <b>that</b>, she spit it out immediately. hostess at Noir Lounge!
Jonathan actually Ste handed her a <b>napkin</b>. “That’s why the Reed family <b>has </b>never epted the woman–or the <b>child</b>.”
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Chapter 128 Stirring the Pot
Tessa said, “Really? <b>And </b>Jonathan didn’t fight for that woman <b>at </b><b>all</b>?”
“What <b>was </b>there to <b>fight </b>for? You think someone like him’s capable of being sincere?”
Fair enough–Jonathan had probably just wanted to mess <b>around </b>and ended up getting someone pregnant.
“That <b>woman </b>tried to use the kid to climb thedder. She didn’t <b>show </b>up until the baby turned one, and even then, it didn’t
work.”
Tessa’s jaw practically dropped. “That’s wild. And you didn’t tell me any of this?”
“Why would It You know I’m not one to gossip.”
Tessa went quiet. Fair enough–Ste really wasn’t someone who gossiped or showed off.
Otherwise, how would she not <b>have </b>known that Ste’s studio made 980,000 dorsst year? The woman kept everything <b>low</b>–key; if you didn’t ask, she didn’t say
“If Sharon ever finds out, she’ll flip the entire city over–especially with Louis in the picture.”
Just thinking of Louis made Tessa feel like Jonathan must’ve been tired of living. Of all the dumb things he could’ve done, he chose thisp
Louis finds out, he’s going to grab a <b>gun </b>and storm the Reed family to shoot him dead!”
Ste said. “We’ll see. That woman doesn’t look like someone easy to deal with.”
<b>A </b>woman who could carry a baby to term without ever telling Jonathan, only to show up with a paternity test in <b>hand</b>–that was the kind of person they were dealing with.
She clearly wanted to climb the socialdder.
<b>Tessa </b>nodded. “Definitely not some docile thing. If she finds out the Reed and Parker families are arranging <b>a </b>marriage, she might pull something big
Ste’s eyes suddenly lit up at <b>Tessa’s </b>words.
“You think she’ll stir up trouble?”
Tessa replied, “If she truly didn’t want anything, <b>she’d </b>have hidden the kid forever. She wanted to use him to move up.
So <b>basically</b>, <b>that </b>woman still wanted to leverage the child to get what she wanted.
If she found out Jonathan <b>was </b><b>nning </b>to marry Sharon, there was no <b>way </b><b>she’d </b>let it slide.
When Ste didn’t respond<b>, </b>Tessa asked, “<b>What </b>are you nning?”
Ste <b>said</b>. “So they’re allowed to mess with me, but I’m not allowed to mess with them<b>?</b>”
Tessa went quiet. Well, got it!
The Reed family had been surring up <b>trouble </b>in Ste’s life non–stop; it <b>wasn’t </b>like Ste <b>would </b>just sit there and take it. If they wanted chaos-
Then let chaos reign. The more people involved, the messier, the better.
The more Ste thought about it, the more excited she got.