Obsessed With Her Novel by Master Momo (Chapters 491, 492, 493, 494, 495, 496, 497, 498, 499, 500)

Chapter 491

“Are you going to make a move?”

The solemn-looking man stood aside respectfully as he waited for further instructions

The person in the rocking chair gently raised his fingers and said nothing

With tacit understanding, the solemn-looking man left.

Meanwhile, in the recording room, Benny found the director just as Tamara’s manager left.

The director saw Benny and greeted him with a smile. “Benny, I need to discuss something with you. There’s been a problem at Tamara’s end so we need to change the model. Does that work?”

It was all because of Jack that the director worded his question so politely.

Benny naturally understood. “I wonder who the new partner will be?”

The director gestured to an assistant below and asked, “Who else is free?”

The assistant pretentiously took out a book and replied, “There is only Melanie Chase left.”

Benny frowned. “Do you not have anyone else?” “No.”

Even after pondering for a while, Benny and the directors still could not think of a better replacement, so Benny left.

Benny hid his dissatisfaction when he returned to the lounge.

At the same time, the makeup artist walked over and asked the people in the lounge, “Who hasn’t had their makeup done?”

Jessica stood up and went for her makeup session.

The rest of the participants had already familiarized themselves with their partners.

Jessica noticed Benny’s unusual expression in the mirror. She waited for the makeup artist to leave before asking, “Who is my new partner?”

“Melanie Chase.”

“The name ‘Melanie’ sounds very familiar.”

“She’s passé. Now that her reputation is tainted, she has no resources left and has to come to this kind of program to be a model. That isn’t even the worst thing: her temper is horrible and she is known to betray others.”

Benny rambled on about Melanie’s history – that she was a cunning person who had betrayed a lot of good friends and therefore gained a bad reputation. Benny did not understand why Jessica’s model changed from a popular celebrity to someone like Melanie. It was a stark difference.

If Benny had not known that Jack had already pulled some strings with the production team, the former would have suspected that the director was deliberately giving him and Jessica a hard time.

Otherwise, why would they make such a drastic change?

“Don’t think too much; just focus on doing a good job.”

“Yes,” replied Benny. Nevertheless, he was still worried.

It was only because Jessica did not fully understand the entertainment industry that she could be so at ease.

The two of them were shocked when the makeup room’s door was pushed open by a rude person.

A woman, dressed in a dark blue V-neck dress, entered the room. Her critical gaze landed on Jessica.

“Are you Jessica?” Melanie sized up the person in front of her with provoking eyes.

“Yes.” Jessica did the same and assessed her.

No introductions were needed.

This was her partner, Melanie Chase.

Melanie strutted toward Jessica in her seven-inch heels. She then leaned her curvaceous body

against the vanity table and looked down at Jessica condescendingly.

“Have you won any major design awards?”

“No.”

“Which blue-chip company do you work for?”

“Not applicable.”

Without waiting for her to continue asking, Jessica interrupted, “I just started designing and have not graduated from university. I’m a freshman. Any other questions?”

Melanie frowned slightly. “Wow, they really are dear to give me an average Jane.”

Chapter 492

Upon hearing that, Benny got angry and opened his mouth to speak but Jessica took a step forward.

“Ms. Chase, if you have any problems, you can take it up with the producers. I am a newcomer and my voice carries no weight. Being able to participate in this program is already a blessing for me so I don’t dare to ask for more.”

Jessica continued, “You are an old-timer, Ms. Chase. If you talk to the producers, they might take your problems into consideration.”

Eyes turning sharp, Melanie laughed. “I hope your skills are as good as how you are with words.”

She raised her hand and patted Jessica gently on the shoulder.

“Work hard and don’t get eliminated in the first round.”

Melanie then strutted away.

“How strange she is!” Jessica muttered.

Soon, recording began. The host was the first to enter the stage.

The ten designers were standing off-stage, waiting for their cues.

Nicole whispered, “Are you nervous? I’m so nervous that my palms are clammy. This is my first time participating in a competition on television.”

Nicole looked at Jessica’s calm expression. “Why do I get the feeling that you are not nervous at all?” Everyone’s eyes turned to Jessica.

In this situation, most people would feel nervous.

One would not be calm unless one was super confident.

Faced with everyone’s jealous and evaluative eyes, Jessica chuckled. “You know my caliber. Even if I’m nervous, it won’t help.”

Understanding what she meant instantly, Nicole patted her on the shoulder comfortingly.

“Don’t underestimate yourself. The producers aren’t stupid. There must be a reason why you were chosen.”

“I’m afraid it’s just luck,” Jessica lamented.

Jessica’s effort in poking fun at herself succeeded in directing everyone’s attention away from her. At the same time, the host, Ellie Hill, finished her introductory remarks and started the main program. “Let’s welcome our participants for the first time. First in line is Skylar Thorpe, who graduated from Grayson University and previously won the grand award from the Milhaus Youth Design Competition.” After Skylar went on stage, the staff said to the others, “Next up are Tracy and John. Get ready.” The host continued introducing the participants. Each contestant had a more impressive resume than the previous one.

“Nicole Zanders, who previously won first place in our country’s National Design Competition, is a cutting-edge designer…”

Jessica watched as everyone around her went toward the stage until she was the only one left.

“Please welcome our last designer. This designer is not like the others. She is still a student and has yet to participate in any competitions. She is Jessica Stone.”

Jessica entered the stage and immediately stood at the edge.

Cameras from all directions were pointed at the participants as the spotlight illuminated all ten of them.

Everyone was highly skilled. They had either won a grand prize in the country or design awards overseas. Some were even well-known.

The host then asked the designers to talk about their expectations for the competition. The first nine participants responded politely and professionally.

When it was Jessica’s turn, things changed.

“Hi everyone, I am a budding designer, Jessica. I don’t have any masterpieces, nor have I ever won any awards here or abroad. Being able to participate in this program feels like a prize already, and even though you may find it surprising, I am already very happy. It is such an honor to be able to stand on stage with so many other talented designers. I don’t have high expectations; however, I would be very satisfied if I am not eliminated in the first round.”

The designers on stage all gave Jessica an amiable look. They no longer viewed her as a fellow competitor but rather as someone who could make them stand out even more.

With Jessica around, their professionalism and excellence would be even more obvious.

Chapter 493

Ellie laughed. “Although Jessica is a fresh designer, she’s talented and could not be underestimated.”

Oh shit! Stop complimenting. It would be embarrassing if I got phased out in the first round.

Jessica opened her mouth and said, “Well, actually, I…”

The moment she spoke, the director, Jamie Frost, called for a break.

Jessica was dumbfounded and swallowed her words.

Jamie told Jessica, “It’s not your turn yet, Jessica. Don’t interrupt. Wait for your turn to speak.'”

Jessica apologized immediately. “I’m sorry. I will keep that in mind.”

Jamie then turned to the staff and commanded,” Let’s continue.”

Ellie announced, “Now, let’s have every participant draw a lot to choose their partners.”

Everyone took turns drawing lots. Unfortunately, Jessica was the last one to draw, so she didn’t have a choice.

Although everyone already knew who their partners were, they still got nervous in front of the camera.

When the camera was moved to Jessica, the director called for a pause again.

“Hold on.”

Everyone was puzzled and turned to the director.

Now, what?

Jamie stared at Jessica. “Jessica, show some expression when you draw lots. Don’t be expressionless. It’ll make the audience think that you already know the result. Act nervous and excited, okay?”

I’m here to compete, not to act! Gosh, I have a feeling that I’ve walked into some movie set! “Okay.”

Jessica did what Jamie commanded. She smiled when she drew lots.

“Cut! Cut! Cut!”

Again?

Everyone fixed their eyes on Jessica.

“Jessica, can you look less contrived? You need to act more naturally! Try again.” Jamie was not satisfied.

She put back the lot and picked it up again. This time she didn’t show any expression.

“Cut! Cut! Cut!”

What’s wrong now?

Jamie raised his voice this time. “Didn’t I tell you to act more excited? Why did you show no expression? Can’t you understand what I am saying?”

The air was thick with silence. Everyone dared not to speak.

Jessica felt something was wrong. The director seemed to be targeting her.

To prove that it was not her imagination, Jessica replied in a soft tone, “Sir, I think everyone is different in their personalities. Not everyone will show the same expression.”

“Are you telling me what to do now?” Jamie’s face darkened.

“That’s not what I meant.”

“Act as you’re told! Understand?”

Jessica’s expression turned cold. She threw the lot back into the box.

“I’m here for the competition, not for acting.”

“Why can’t you do it while others can?” he questioned furiously.

Benny quickly walked over and gave the director a cup of coffee. “Calm down, calm down. Jessica is new to this competition. Please forgive her.”

Benny was puzzled.

What happened? Everything was going well earlier, but things just changed so suddenly.

Jessica rebutted, “If you want something genuine, stop your behind-the-scenes shenanigans.”

Nicole and the others were dumbstruck. They couldn’t believe someone would challenge the director.

“Are you joining the show or not?” Jamie threatened.

Chapter 494

There was dead silence in the room, and the atmosphere was tense.

Jessica threw the lot on the desk. “Whatever. I don’t give a damn.”

It’s not like I must join this competition.

As Jessica left, the participants and the staff felt relieved. They did not expect she would stand up to the director and even leave without hesitation.

Jamie felt embarrassed. Usually, the participants would choose to compromise and apologize, but today he met a stubborn one.

“Sure, after you pay the liquidated damages.”

The participants’ hearts raced instantly.

That’s 150 thousand dollars! It’s not a small amount!

As they thought Jessica would compromise, Jessica ignored him and left.

“What are you doing?”

The producer blocked Jessica’s way.

“Calm down, Jessica. Don’t act rashly. Let’s talk this out.”

The producer then turned to Jamie.

“Jamie, what’s wrong with you today? That’s her personality. Why do you force her to act like that? You’re putting her on the spot.”

He then turned around to Jessica. “Jess, Jamie’s temper can be a bit hot, so please don’t take it to heart.”

Out of the blue, he lowered his voice. “Jack begged us for an opportunity to let you join the competition. You don’t want to let him down, do you?”

l knew it! I was suspicious before, and now I finally get to know the truth.

“You’ll learn more from joining this show than going to school. I know you’re tough, but you have to change your attitude. Life’s not always easy. You have to take this experience as training.”

She heard his words, but it didn’t mean that she agreed with him.

The incident was finally over after the producer and other staff smoothed things over.

After drawing lots, the contestants started to look for their partners.

The crowd clapped for every pair except when Jessica and her partner showed up.

Other participants showed a meaningful smile when they saw Melanie.

The most unpopular people are grouped together. How interesting.

The other nine participants felt relieved that they were not paired up with Melanie, especially Nicole, who was supposed to be Melanie’s partner.

Forty minutes ago, she thought she was doomed. Luckily, she was informed that her partner was changed before the show.

She was delighted.

Jessica will be the sacrificial lamb in this competition. Everyone will ignore her and won’t treat her as a competitor.

Benny secretly called Jack at the stairwell.

“Is everything good?” Jack asked.

“Not really. I still don’t know what’s going on, but Jamie Frost is targeting Jess.”

He didn’t dare to hold it as a secret. He immediately called Jack and told him everything he knew.

Jack was out of control.

“Jamie Frost, that bastard! He dares to bully my sister!”

“Chill, Mr. Ferguson, chill. The film producer came just now and scolded Jamie. It’s over now.”

“Haha.” Jack sneered.

Chapter 495

I’ve specially made the arrangements for Jess to be well taken care of, and he is still bullying her. Who does he take me for?

Jack was outraged at Jamie.

“If anything else happens, report it to me immediately.”

Benny went back to the recording studio. Everything appeared normal, but it was apparent that Jessica did not show up much on camera.

Although Benny was mad, he didn’t question him.

“Tamara, who do you think will be the winner?” Ellie asked.

Tamara flashed Ellie a sweet smile and glanced at the ten designers. “They are outstanding, but I like my partner Nicole more.”

That was a standard answer.

Nicole quickly added, “Thank you, Tamara, for the compliment. I will do my best and not let you down.”

Ellie looked at Melanie. “Melanie, who do you think will be the winner?”

Melanie smiled enchantingly. “Tracy.”

The audience all turned to Jessica, wanting to see her expression.

Jamie urged, “Cameras three and five, I want a close-up shot at the face.”

The camera finally focused on Jessica.

Everyone thought Jessica would get mad, but she didn’t. She showed no expression.

Ellie asked, “Melanie, why do you think Tracy will win but not your partner, Jessica?”

Melanie replied bluntly, “Tracy has won many awards overseas. I don’t think a student like Jessica can win against other contestants.”

What the fuck!

That was what was on everyone’s mind.

Although Jessica did not have an impressive record and everyone knew that she would be eliminated soon, saying it out was too harsh for Jessica.

Other participants might have buried themselves in the ground if that comment was directed at them.

They were aware that Melanie had a sharp tongue, but when they saw how she talked about Jessica, they all felt chills on their spines, especially Nicole. She felt relieved that she had changed to a better partner.

If she didn’t, she would be in Jessica’s situation.

Jamie was excited. “Camera six, follow Melanie.”

Ellie wanted to say something to lighten up the mood, but the director’s voice sounded in her ears. “Ask Jessica.”

Ellie gasped in awe.

It’s a pity that she offended Jamie, who loves holding grudges. University students nowadays are arrogant. I hope she’ll learn a lesson this time. Life is not easy as she thinks.

Ellie looked at Jessica. “Jessica, do you have any words for your partner who did not think you’d win?”

Everyone was curious.

She’s just stirring up trouble!

Jessica took the microphone and fixed her eyes on Melanie.

“I think that’s a good choice.”

“So, you agree that you’re not as good as Tracy?” Ellie asked sharply.

That was a difficult question to answer. If she agreed, she would be putting herself on the spot. If she disagreed, people would see her as an arrogant person. No matter what she answered, she would attract negative publicity.

Nicole and others looked at her pitifully.

Jamie was secretly delighted. Now, this is what I want.

Chapter 496

The audience waited for Jessica’s reply.

Jessica turned to the camera and smiled. “I can learn from her experience, and I see her as a role model whom I want to surpass. A designer who doesn’t want to be the best is not good. Am I right?”

She didn’t deny Tracy’s capability.

Everyone in the show clapped subconsciously.

Jamie’s expression changed. This was not what he expected.

“Keep pressing.” The director’s voice sounded in Ellie’s ears again.

Ellie then questioned, “How do you feel about the comments your partner gave you?”

“I wouldn’t overthink it.” Jessica remained calm.

Benny almost laughed out loud. He gave Jessica a big thumbs up.

Melanie raised her eyebrow while she stared at Jessica.

At that moment, Jamie’s phone rang. He quickly picked up the phone when he saw it was the manager of the TV station.

“Sir.”

“Jamie, are you filming I’m the Ruler of My Design?”

“Yes. With your support, the viewership ratings will definitely break the record,” Jamie remarked.

The manager replied in a cold tone, “You’re fired. Jay Taylor will take over you. He will be there soon.”

“But, why?” Jamie was stunned.

The manager ended the call without explaining, leaving Jamie dumbfounded.

Jay Taylor soon arrived and patted Jamie on the shoulder.

“Thank you, Jamie. I’ll take over the rest. You can go home and rest now.”

Jamie was mad. He pushed Jay away, who then crashed into a piece of recording equipment nearby.

Thump! With a loud crash, the recording of the show paused once again, and everyone fixed their gazes on the two men.

The staff helped Jay up. He didn’t fight back but laughed and comforted everyone. “I’m sorry. I’ve tripped over.”

He then continued, “Allow me to introduce myself. I’m Jay Taylor, and I’ll be in charge of this show now.”

The participants and the staff were surprised. They looked at Jamie.

They could imagine what happened by his angry face.

Jamie pointed at Jay. “I don’t know what you did behind my back, but I’ll come back for you!”

Jay shrugged his shoulders helplessly. “Jamie, I just follow the orders. I have no choice.”

Jay really did not play nasty this time.

He did not even like this show. Who knew that the TV station manager commanded him all of a sudden?

Jamie felt aggrieved and left the recording scene furiously.

The arrogant Jamie left embarrassingly.

It happened so fast that it caught people off guard.

Those who were familiar with the entertainment industry were used to it, but Jessica and the other participants were surprised.

“Let’s continue. Get ready, cameras.”

Jay quickly resumed recording.

Everyone wanted to gossip, but they pretended that nothing had happened.

Everything was soon back to normal.

No one cared about Jamie.

This was the reality of the situation, the pragmatic adult world.

Chapter 497

Those with power were looked up to and admired. Conversely, those who had lost power were despised. Jamie, using his position as the show’s director to give others a hard time, was a prime example of that scenario. Similarly, Jack could use his influence to affect the choice of directors.

That was the harsh truth of life!

The recording continued without further interruptions. When the recording was over, it was announced that each contestant had to design and showcase ten outfits based on a theme given by the production team for the next round. Furthermore, the second round would be an elimination round. A professional panel of judges and the audience would vote to decide who would advance to the next round. Benny and Jessica left as soon as the recording ended. The elevator doors were closing when a pair of hands wedged between the doors and pried them open. Then, Melanie stepped in, wearing her seven-inch heels.

Just as the elevator doors were about to close for the second time, they heard Nicole’s voice call out, “Wait!”

However, when she saw Melanie inside the elevator, she smiled and said, “I just remembered that I forgot something in the break room. You guys go ahead.”

Once again, the elevator doors closed slowly.

The tension in the air was so thick that Benny felt he could hardly breathe.

Suddenly, Melanie asked, “Do you want to become popular?” Jessica did not reply.

“Do you want to make it to the end and win? Do you want to boost your reputation?” Melanie continued.

Jessica still did not reply.

Melanie raised an eyebrow and tilted her head to look at her.

“Are you upset over what I said earlier? If you are, I can apologize, but it won’t be a sincere apology. Honestly, you’re no match for Tracy,” she said.

Melanie was so blunt with her words that it was enough to anger anyone.

“Ms. Chase, you’re free to say what you like. However, please don’t humiliate others repeatedly, all right?” Benny said, unable to bear it any longer.

“Is this humiliating?” Melanie asked, spreading out her hands with her palms facing upward. “I was only telling the truth. If you don’t want others to find fault with you, then show everyone what you’ve got to shut their mouths.”

“Have you seen Jess’ talent for yourself? How dare you dare to jump to conclusions?” Benny retorted.

Melanie hid her smile while shaking her head. Ignoring him, she turned to look at Jessica. “So, what do you think?”

“Do you think it’s right to use me as a stepping stone to regain your popularity?” Jessica asked, looking directly into Melanie’s eyes with a piercing gaze.

A look of surprise flashed across Melanie’s eyes. Then, she replied with a smile, “It’s mutually beneficial. And I wouldn’t go so far as to describe you as a stepping stone.”

Jessica smirked.

She knew that Melanie was making such provoking and contradictory statements on purpose.

Being filmed was one thing; whether or not the recorded scenes made it on air was an entirely different matter.

Given Melanie’s reputation, it was clear that she had her tactics for building hype around herself and getting people talking about her. That way, the post-production team would keep the scenes with her in them to increase viewership.

Although Jessica was not in the entertainment industry, she knew that much.

Therefore, Melanie’s motives were plain as day to her.

Melanie continued, “If I make it big again, it’ll also benefit you. After all, the production team will make sure you win every round for the sake of building tension and creating hype.”

“Thanks, but no thanks,” Jessica replied coldly.

Melanie persisted by saying, “You seem clever, so I’m sure you don’t think that these variety shows are fair competitions, do you? They’re all rigged. If you want to stay on the show, you’ll need to prove that you’re of value to the show. If you don’t, you’re expendable.”

Chapter 498

“I recall that it was you who said that if someone doesn’t aspire to be a top fashion designer, then that person isn’t a good designer. I agree with you. Now’s the time to take the first step toward becoming a good fashion designer,” Melanie continued.

“No need.” Jessica refused again.

Seeing that Melanie was not about to give up, she added, ” What’s fake will always be fake.”

Melanie laughed coldly. “You really are young and naive.” She sneered then fell silent.

When Jessica got back to the minivan, she was surprised to see someone inside waiting for her.

“Jack.” She was stunned.

He waved at her.

She quickly climbed into the minivan and tried to block anyone from catching a glimpse of him through the opened door.

“Why are you here?” she asked.

He replied, “I had planned to be at the filming with you but I had some urgent businesses to attend to and ended up getting delayed. How was it? Have you gotten used to it?” “It was okay,” she answered.

“Did anyone make things difficult for you?” he asked.

“It was okay,” she repeated.

Hearing her say that, he looked at her with a brooding expression. His sulky gaze was reminiscent of a jilted woman’s.

“Jess, who am I to you?” he asked.

“A brother,” she replied.

He fixed his gaze on her without speaking.

Jessica glanced at Benny, who quickly looked away, pretending to be oblivious.

“They changed the director. That was your doing, wasn’t it?” she asked Jack.

Although it was a question, she said it with certainty.

He nodded, afraid that she would tell him off. “He was bullying others, so I gave him a taste of his own medicine. An eye for an eye.”

“Well, since you’ve helped me to settle the score, what else is there for me to be upset about?”

At that moment, Jessica’s other mobile phone buzzed. She looked down at the message and saw that it was an address.

At the same time, Jack said, “The production team wants to film your design process, but it won’t be convenient to do it at the university. I happen to have an empty apartment that you can use.”

“Okay,” she answered, thinking that what he said made sense.

“Benny, when did the production team schedule the recording?” he asked.

“They’ll start next Wednesday. We have one week to prepare,” Benny replied.

Jessica frowned. “Could you ask them to push it back for two days? I’m going somewhere for two days.”

“Okay,” he replied.

That night, Jessica and Jack went directly to the apartment that Jack had mentioned. Located in an upper-middle-class neighborhood, the place was beautiful and spacious, spanning about 1,800 square feet.

The apartment only had two rooms – a master bedroom and an office. The rest of the apartment was in an open-concept layout and done up in a minimalist style that suited Jessica’s aesthetics perfectly.

After seeing Jack off, Jessica called Raymond.

“I received the address. Do you have a recent photo of her?” she asked.

Raymond said that he did, then added, “She just returned to visit her family, but she’ll be leaving in two days. If you

want to meet her, you’ll have to come within these two days.”

“All right,” she replied.

Raymond could not understand why she insisted on meeting the nurse from back then.

If there had been anything suspicious about the nurse, someone would have launched an investigation into it and dug up the truth long ago.

“How’s Julianna?” she asked.

“Still her usual self. Don’t worry. I have people keeping an eye on her. No one has gone looking for her,” he answered reassuringly.

“Don’t let anything happen to her,” she reminded him.

l need to use her to lure out the mastermind behind all this – the person who would do anything to kill me. I’m a little surprised that the person still hasn’t revealed him or herself after so long.

The next day, Jessica boarded a train to Lightspring. From there, she took a taxi to Fairlake Village.

When she arrived, she scanned her surroundings and

spotted an elderly lady sitting in front of a house not too far away. She walked up to her and asked, “Excuse me, may I know where Margaret Walker lives?”

Chapter 499

The old lady was hard of hearing, so she asked, “What did you say?”

“May I know where’s Margaret Walker’s house?” Jessica repeated in a louder voice.

“Oh, Margaret. It’s just a little further on. Do you see that large tree? Her house is over there. She just returned from Moranta,” the elderly lady said helpfully.

“Okay, thank you,” Jessica replied.

The three-story house looked like a small mansion and its gate was ajar. She knocked on the gate and called out, Anyone home?”

She could hear the sound of a dog barking coming from the courtyard.

“Who’s there?” a woman called from the courtyard. There was the sound of approaching footsteps, and the gate opened further.

A middle-aged woman looked at Jessica with a puzzled expression.

“Hello, may I know if this is Margaret Walker’s house?” Jessica asked.

The woman sized Jessica up, still looking puzzled. “What business do you have with her?” she asked.

“Well, it’s like this. My mom used to be her colleague a long time ago. My mom borrowed some money from her but didn’t get the chance to return it, and I only heard about it from my mother recently. Since I happened to be here on a business trip, I thought that I should come and return the money. After all, one has to live with integrity,” Jessica explained.

The woman broke into a smile immediately and ushered her into the house. “That’s so kind of you. How much did she borrow?”

“One thousand dollars,” Jessica replied.

“You can give the money to me,” the woman said.

“Er, this… That…” Jessica stammered. “Is she here?”

“Yes, yes. I’ll go get her.”

Five minutes later, another middle-aged woman came down the stairs and looked at Jessica with some confusion.

“You are?” she asked hesitantly.

Jessica got up. “You must be Margaret Walker!”

“Yes, I am,” she answered. “May I know, who’s your mother?”

She could not recall having lent money to anyone.

“Can we talk in private?” Jessica asked, smiling at her.

Margaret nodded.

They closed the door and sat down opposite each other.

“Aren’t you here to return the money your mother borrowed?” Margaret asked.

“Yes,” Jessica replied. “But there’s something else I want to ask you. Do you remember that major incident at Gerton Hospital years ago?”

“I remember,” she replied.

“Then do you remember the baby you took by mistake?” Jessica asked eagerly.

Margaret’s eyes widened. “You’re the child from back then! How time flies. I can’t believe how much you’ve grown. Why are you here?”

Jessica was momentarily stunned, but she quickly returned to her senses.

She thinks I’m Yuliana.

“I came here because I wanted to ask you about my parents,” she replied.

“I really don’t know anything about that. It happened so suddenly and everything was so chaotic. The hospital was in disarray. Half of the building had burnt to the ground and many patients’ information and medical records went up in smoke. I remember that the other family tried to look for the information but they couldn’t find anything because everything had turned to ashes. We thought that your parents would surely come looking for you, but they never came,” said Margaret.

She seemed worried that Jessica would blame her, so she continued hurriedly, “Don’t blame me. It was utter chaos since there had been explosions in several buildings. Debris covered the whole place and everyone was in a panic. I just grabbed the baby nearest to me and ran. There was no time to look closely. The moment I grabbed you, the ceiling fell in. If I had been half a minute slower, you would’ve died.” Margaret could vividly recall what happened back then.

At that time, I thought I had rescued Mrs. Ferguson’s baby. I even wanted to ask her for a reward and get something out of it. Who knew that the baby wasn’t hers at all? I’d taken the wrong baby. I clearly remember that her baby was there, but by the time I rushed over and grabbed the baby, it had changed to someone else’s baby. What the heck! This girl is lucky that I acted quickly. Otherwise, she would’ve been crushed to death.

Chapter 500

“Now that you’re staying with your foster parents, everything must be going well!” Margaret said.

If I hadn’t taken you to Mrs. Ferguson, you wouldn’t have had the fortune of living in the Ferguson residence. After all, the Fergusons are powerful and influential. It’s truly one’s blessing to be a part of that family.

“If I hadn’t mistaken you for the Ferguson family’s baby and taken you to them, you would’ve ended up in a welfare home,” Margaret added meaningfully.

“I did grow up in a welfare home,” Jessica replied.

Margaret was somewhat surprised. “Huh? Didn’t the Ferguson family adopt you?”

“You didn’t know?” Jessica asked, observing her carefully.

“I really didn’t know,” Margaret answered.

They continued to chat for a little while. However, by the time Jessica left the house, she had yet to discover any useful information.

As she departed the village, she replayed Margaret’s expressions during their conversation in her head. She had not noticed anything amiss, so it did not seem as if Margaret was lying.

It’s just as Raymond said. The woman acted selfishly. She thought that she was rescuing the Ferguson family’s baby but she was mistaken. This is so frustrating!

Jessica rubbed her temples.

So how was Julianna involved in this incident?

Meanwhile, Raymond was driving by Fairlake Street when he saw, from the corner of his eye, Julianna crawling on the road.

He immediately reversed his car and pulled over on the side. Then, he walked over to Julianna and checked her arms and legs, suppressing the wave of disgust he felt. His eyes turned cold.

Taking out his phone, he made a call. “Where are you?” he barked.

“I’m keeping an eye on that woman,” said the man on the other end.

“Get over here immediately. If you’re not here in five minutes, get ready to be punished. You know the rules,” Raymond threatened.

Five minutes later, a man came running, gasping for air. When he saw the darkened expression on Raymond’s face, the man was frightened. “S-Sir, why are you here today?”

With a single kick, Raymond sent him flying.

Gritting his teeth against the pain, the man crawled back to his feet and stood before Raymond again.

But once again, he was sent flying through the air.

“Boss, it was my mistake,” the man said, groaning in pain.

“When did this happen?” Raymond demanded.

The man hesitated, not daring to answer him.

“Speak,” Raymond ordered.

“We realized three days after you gave us the orders,” he answered reluctantly.

A vein ticked angrily on Raymond’s forehead.

That was half a year ago! It’s been half a year and no one even told me!

Knowing that he had messed up, the man hurried to explain himself. “Sir, hear me out. I had diarrhea that day and when I got back, she was already like this. I wanted to tell you but I was afraid you’d punish me, that’s why I…”

Raymond felt his blood boiling.

Just one day ago, he had reassured Jessica that everything was under control and that Julianna was fine.

However, he now realized that something had already happened long ago.

“Get back inside and accept your punishment,” he said through clenched teeth, resisting the urge to strangle his subordinate.

The man dared not disobey him.

Raymond glanced at the surveillance cameras. The incident happened half a year ago, so the surveillance footage would have been taped over already, which meant that they would not be able to find out who was the one that had broken Julianna’s limbs.

He looked at the filthy woman in front of him. She reeked. He crouched down next to her and said, “Julianna, I know that you haven’t gone mad. As long as you tell me who was responsible for doing this to you, I’ll let you return to a normal life. You won’t have to live so miserably anymore.”

She grinned madly at him then opened her mouth and made an odd croaking noise.

When he saw her severed tongue, he knew that all hope was gone.

He returned to his car and called Charles.

“Julianna has been crippled,” he said. “The person responsible for this must have been planning it for a long time. Whoever it is, that person is well-hidden.”

After saying that, he heard a loud explosion from the other end of the line.

र金

SEND GIFT or GCASH: +63.936.139.8714

COMMENT

Subscribe

♡
Prev | Next