“Bute”
“If you won’t believe me, then what must I do for you to believe me? I’ll do anything.”
Ember had already caught on that Zachary might have been the one who‘ blackmailed’ her somehow.
However, while he had reason enough to suspect her, he did not have solid evidence, or he would be throwing it in her face instead of questioning her like this.
She had a chance to turn things around, and therefore just needed to stay calm to get through this.
Leveling a miserable look at Zachary, she continued, ‘Someone must be trying to frame me. You need evidence for this kind of thing…”
Zachary was silent.
“You responded to the text…”
“Yes, I even promised money, but what does that mean? I said I was just trying to get them arrested, or there might be more people blackmailing me for no reason…”
“For no reason?” Zachary gave her a sharp look, “I have no evidence, but I’m not stupid-you promised money because you were guilty, and you know yourself if you did it. If you want me to forgive you, tell me where Lulu is, and I just might forgive you.”
Zachary, not being a complete idiot, foiled Ember’s attempts to lie her way out. However, she knew that she must never admit that she knew where Lulu was-it would be equal to admitting she was behind the banners.
So, she put up a wounded look. “You don’t believe me?”
“I will if you tell me where Lulu is.” Zachary’s grip is getting more forceful by the moment. “Is she safe? Is she alright?!”
“I really don’t know…” Ember kept refusing.
“What is all this noise?!” Mrs. Slate snapped just then.
She had come upstairs after hearing the commotion, looking the part of a rich housewife with her pearls and tailored dress.
Ember had worked diligently to have Mrs. Slate wrapped around her little finger, and her arrival could not have been more timely for Ember as she quickly leapt behind her.
“You have to help me. Mrs. Slate! Zachary is blaming me for the banner on our wedding and Lulu’s disappearance, but I don’t know anything!”
In reality, Mrs. Slate was actually working with Ember’s parents to make Lulu ‘disappear’.
Since Ember pretended that she knew nothing, Mrs. Slate presumed that too.
And in her eyes, Zachary questioning Ember was an injustice.
Mrs. Slate shielded Ember right then as she glared at her own son. “Have you gone crazy, Zachary? Are you still unable to see Lulu’s true colors now?
Before Zachary could say anything. she continued, “Ember’s child-no, your child and my grandchild- was lost because of that woman, or is that not enough for you? Why are you still looking for her now?!”
“She went missing. I’m worried-“
“You should be worried about Ember’s health!” Mrs. Slate snapped in disappointment. “How could you ignore your own wife over another woman? Do you even know what you’re doing to Ember?!”
Zachary’s hands clenched into fists at his sides.
He had no evidence to prove that Ember knew where Lulu was and so, he had no grounds to retort against his mother.
However, James was right-he could only ask Diarmuid for help now.
“She knows very well what she did. You all disappoint me.”
With that, he strode past them and out of the room.
Ember finally came to her senses and cried, “Where are you going, Zachary? m=
She quickly gave chase, but Zachary ignored her.
He was so disappointed in her that he had no trust to speak of.
He felt like his world had fallen apart in no time at all —the people he trusted were all heinous liars.
How horribly ironic!
“Mrs. Slate, you have to talk some sense into him,” Ember cried anxiously.
“Just leave him be-he must have heard some stupid rumors out there and came back to throw a fit. Don’t mind him now, just focus on recovering. You should get pregnant again soon to shackle him, so that he won’t keep obsessing over some dead woman.”
Ember had already learned of Lulu’s death from her own parents, but Mrs. Slate did not know that she knew.
Naturally, she feigned surprise. “W-What? Lulu is dead? What happened?”
“Don’t ask-your parents and I had to do something after she kept getting between you and Diarmuid. I hope you can make Zachary fall for you soon, or he might otherwise make an issue out of that woman again.”
“I’ll do my best,” Ember said, keeping her eyes lowered.
She was the one who goaded her own parents, who in turn convinced Mrs. Slate to eliminate Lulu.
With her being their only daughter, her parents naturally wanted the best for her.
Lulu’s existence was just too much of an eyesore to her, but because Lulu had not much in the way of connections, wiping her out was easy.
Ember quickly acted all miserable in front of Mrs. Slate. “I never had any problems in life before, but my child is lost because of Lulu… It hurts so much, but Zachary actually blamed me for the banners and for hurting Lulu
“Don’t worry. It’s all over now. isn’t it?” Mrs. Slate said, clapping Ember on the shoulder.
“Alright. I won’t worry.” Ember said tamely. “I’ll take good care of Zachary. My dad is even saying that Zachary can take over his business.”
“Oh. that’s good. You parents are not that young, and they need a well- deserved break-let Zachary take over matters.”
“Yeah, I agree.”
Ember was certainly smart enough to know what Mrs. Slate wanted. and to whisper sweet nothings for her benefit.
Mrs. Slate was even holding her hand and leading her downstairs, saying,” I’ve had the kitchen make some chicken soup. Come along-remember to drink lots of it, okay?”
Meanwhile, Zachary managed to reach James. but…
When Zachary found James, he immediately said, “I need a favor.” “Sorry, but I don’t have the time.” James refused him right then, and gave him a serious look. ‘Look, I’m not refusing you for the heck of it, but Abigail Bernstein is trouble-“
“Lulu might be dead for all I know.” Zachary was anxious. “I need to find her soon!”
James helped his gaze in silence for seconds. “You finally understand how serious this is, huh? Don’t you think it’s too late already?”
Zachary could not deny that he had been careless, even as James continued scathingly, “If Abigail didn’t return to US and asked to find out what happened to Lulu, you might really have presumed that she was just hiding and let the matter be altogether. It might already be too late now.”
Having no retort against that, Zachary knows that he could only count on himself now. “Yeah, I know.”
James reminded him. “I’m sure that Ember Lindt is the key for the whole mess.”
Zachary snorted. “I thought you can’t help?”
James shot him an icy glare. “You’re really looking a gift horse in the mouth here.”
He was about to leave when a car stopped in front of them.
Ember alighted, and it was obvious she arrived looking for Zachary.
Since she had always played the role of a warm, kind, and understanding wife in front of Zachary’s friends, she was already smiling at James as soon as she arrived. “Hello, Mr. Cross.”
Unlike Zachary, James was experienced in business and encountered more than his fair share of colorful characters-someone like Ember hardly posed a challenge.
Keeping a straight face, he warmly replied, “Here for Zachary, aren’t you?
Got into a fight recently? He was just ranting at me too, but if he ever bullies you, just tell me-I’ll help you give him an earful.”
Ember ginned. “Thanks, Mr. Cross-but don’t worry, Zachary is always nice to me. He’d never bully me.”
As she spoke, she was looking at Zachary as if to say: ‘See? Even your friends are on my side.’
“That’s good to hear. Anyway, I have to go since duty calls-take your time.”
With that, James was gone-he had plenty to do and no time for small talk.
Still, he was worried enough to turn and glance at Zachary, but the man seemed to be too upset to respond.
New Book: Back Home to Marry Off Myself
Loredana’s father left the family for his mistress, leaving them to fend for themselves abroad. When life was at its toughest, her father showed up with “good news” after 8 years of absence: To marry off Loredana to a paralyzed son of the wealthy Mendelsohn family.
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