Chapter 56
Blanche watched Eddy, surprised that he looked completely at ease. He even broke into a delighted grin as she fed him, opening his mouth obediently to take the small white pill.
As Eddy turned and walked away, Blanche suddenly remembered that she’d bought those vitamins herself-she’d been taking them long before she even met Eddy.
She couldn’t bring herself to believe he would ever harm her.
After swallowing the pill, Eddy tipped one out from the bottle and held to her lips.
Blanche’s gaze fixed on his hand, the pale knuckles tense with the slightest pressure. All at once, she lost any desire to take it.
She raised her hand, knocking the bottle from his grasp. It tumbled to the floor, scattering white pills everywhere.
Eddy bent to retrieve the bottle without the slightest hint of annoyance. “I’ll have the housekeeper come in and clean this up.”
On their wedding day, he’d registered her name on every one of his assets.
The day she gave birth to Healy, he’d even transferred all his shares in the Simmons Group to her name.
Her call with Jeannette had long since ended. Staring at her phone case, with “Beloved Wife” inscribed on the back, Blanche felt a tangle of emotions she couldn’t quite put into words.
It had to be Jeannette lying to her. There was no other explanation.
Blanche walked to the table and absently flipped through the Northshire Estates purchase agreement, the pages slipping from her fingers.
But even if he’d given her everything he owned, he’d still betrayed her.
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Even the Northshire estate-she hadn’t known about it until recently.
She bent down and picked up one of the scattered white pills, slipping it into a drawer.
Tomorrow, she’d ask Sophie at the hospital to check it out.
The housekeeper soon entered, tidying up the mess. “Ma’am, the young master and miss are arguing again in the back garden.”
In the past, Blanche would always step in as peacemaker when those siblings fought. But now, she found she just didn’t have it in her.
Still, she headed downstairs.
From the staircase, she could already hear Eddy’s cold voice: “On the day of the ceremony, I only drank one thing-the water you handed me.”
“Why did you put something in the water?”
“Eddy…” Hedwig stood with her hands twisted in front of her, guilt written all over her face, unable to meet his eyes.
“There are cameras inside and outside the chapel. I know exactly what you did.”
“Jeannette-she was your doing too, wasn’t she?”
“I’m sorry, Eddy, I’m so sorry.” Hedwig dropped to her knees at his feet. “I never meant to hurt you.”
“If you only wanted to hurt me, maybe I could have forgiven you. But you caused Ms. Harvey’s urn to shatter-her soul can’t rest in peace now. Your sister-in-law has always treated you like family, loved you as her own.” Eddy’s voice turned icy. “How could you do this to her?”
“I… I know I was wrong. I already apologized to her, and she forgave me.” Hedwig’s voice trembled with fear.
Since their father vanished, Eddy had carried the Simmons Group alone, acting as both brother and father to Hedwig-strict but loving. When he
Chapter 56
discovered Vincent’s betrayal, he’d nearly destroyed the Yates Group on
her behalf.
“Then why did you do it?” Eddy’s brow furrowed.
“I thought she knew about your affair and chose to forgive you. But when Vincent cheated, she encouraged me to get a divorce. I… I felt like she was making a fool of me, so I wanted to expose you and Jeannette in front of everyone, force her to leave you.” Hedwig’s words tumbled out in a guilty rush.
On the stairs, Blanche gripped the railing, realizing she’d underestimated how much Hedwig feared and revered Eddy.
“Why would you think your sister-in-law knew about my affair?” Eddy’s voice was calm, but the look he gave Hedwig was dark and dangerous.
“The day she was kidnapped, Vincent told me. And those photos-I had them checked, they’re real. She must have seen them that day, but she didn’t react at all. So I thought… maybe she already knew about you and Jeannette.” Even as Hedwig spoke, Eddy’s hand shot up, ready to strike.
Hedwig clung to Eddy’s legs, wailing, “I already apologized to her
tonight-she forgave me! She said she looked into it, and there’s nothing between you and Jeannette.”
“Please, Eddy, don’t hit me.”
Eddy’s anger faded a little at her words. “She really said that to you?”
Hedwig nodded fervently.
He’d been so worried about Blanche the day of the kidnapping that he’d missed the issue with the photographs entirely.
He remembered now-when Vincent confronted her, she hadn’t shown the slightest reaction. Aside from fear, her eyes had been empty, detached, as if nothing could stir her.
And just now, she’d knocked the vitamin bottle from his hand.
Chapter 56
Even when she was upset, she was never unreasonable. Her little
tantrums were those of a woman in love, never real doubts, never anger
without cause…
