Chapter 238
Eddy’s car tailed Ablett’s the whole way. Watching them together, so close and intimate, was enough to drive him mad.
He didn’t think-he just slammed on the gas, swerving onto the road and causing the accident himself.
“You’ve crashed into my car and messed up my plans. So, Mr. McCarthy, what do you propose to do about it?” Eddy’s words were aimed at Ablett, but his eyes swept over Blanche, searching for any sign she’d been hurt.
Seeing nothing but unmarked skin, he felt the tightness in his chest ease-just a little.
Blanche kept her gaze lowered, refusing to look at Eddy. Even a glance in his direction made her stomach turn.
At that moment, Ablett’s hand came to rest on her shoulder. He gently gathered Blanche up and shifted her further inside the car, swapping seats with her as if she weighed nothing at all.
For a fleeting second, Blanche could feel the lean, taut muscles beneath his soft cotton shirt.
She turned her face to the rain-streaked window.
Ablett ignored Eddy entirely, but Eddy suddenly flung the car door open. Rain gusted inside, soaking Blanche’s clothes. He sounded annoyed. “Get out and take care of this.”
He was talking to his secretary in the passenger seat.
The secretary immediately stepped outside, umbrella in hand. Undercover officers were already standing behind Eddy, each holding an umbrella-everyone sheltered except Eddy, who stood alone in the pouring rain.
The bandages he’d wrapped around his hand last night were already stained red with fresh blood.
Blanche didn’t spare him a single look.
His fist clenched so hard it hurt, but he forced himself to let go.
As soon as his hand slackened, the secretary closed the door, and the car sped off
into traffic.
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Eddy pressed a hand to his aching chest and collapsed to his knees in the rain.
His bodyguard rushed to haul him back into their car.
The bodyguard and the secretary began discussing compensation.
“Talk some sense into Mr. Simmons. Tell him not to do anything reckless. Wendy’s already been dealt with.” The secretary paused. “Our Director-General doesn’t make threats lightly. If Mr. Simmons keeps following Miss Griffiths, he’ll end up behind bars.”
The bodyguard recognized the warning for what it was, but could only sigh. “My boss has risked his life more than once searching for his wife.”
The secretary had heard the rumors; he had nothing more to say.
Inside Ablett’s car, he handed Blanche a towel. “Here, you’re soaked.”
As she reached for it, he noticed the crescent-shaped marks in her palm, blood welling up where her nails had dug in. “What happened?”
“It’s nothing. Just itches.”
She quickly wrapped the towel around herself. Blanche knew she was unwell; just seeing Eddy, or hearing his voice, made her feel physically ill.
She needed to see a doctor.
Ablett didn’t press. He simply told the driver to hurry.
After a stop at the police station, they returned to the McCarthy estate. Ablett offered Blanche his own room.
She didn’t refuse; the guest room she’d stayed in last night still carried too much of Eddy’s scent-she hadn’t slept a wink.
Word of their return spread quickly. Wilhelmina Lopez and Rebekah came straight
over.
Ablett had changed into a crisp white shirt and suit pants and was reading on the sofa when they arrived. The moment they stepped in, they sent everyone else out.
The room fell silent.
Back at the McCarthy estate, Wilhelmina regained her composure.
Her mother had always said her brother was too shrewd to be fooled by anyone. If anything, he was the one keeping secrets from the rest of them.
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“Is she Eddy’s ex-wife?” Rebekah wanted a straight answer.
Wilhelmina looked tense, too.
“She is.”
At Ablett’s reply, both women felt their hopes plummet.
“How did you explain this to the board?” Wilhelmina pressed.
“I didn’t. I just went ahead with it.”
Ablett’s tone was casual, as if he were commenting on the weather.
“You-!” Wilhelmina nearly lost it. “When I couldn’t find anything about her
background, I assumed she was just some girl from an ordinary family. No record, no complications. I thought that was a good thing.”
“But this? This background? And she has a son already!”
“What were you thinking?”
Other than the drama years ago when he broke off the engagement with Leda, she and Gaylord had never worried about Ablett.
She never would have guessed that her usually calm, level-headed son would drop
a bomb like this on them.
“When you wanted to end things with Leda, we let you make your own choice.”
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