A trace of impatience appeared in Aubree’s eyes but quickly faded away. She replied, “Getting injured doesn’t matter as long as I get what I want.”
Frieda naturally knew there was a reason behind her injury. However, she did not expect to hear Aubree say those words.
Recalling how Aubree had injured her arm the last time, Frieda couldn’t help but sigh inwardly. Aubree is going all out just to get Lucian’s attention, huh?
With that thought in mind, she blurted out, “Aubree, you’re so harsh on yourself.”
Aubree’s expression turned dark, for she thought Frieda was mocking her. “You don’t understand. You have to take risks if you want to reap the rewards.”
Her sacrifice would be worth it as long as she achieved her goal.
Frieda belatedly realized she had said the wrong thing. “That’s not what I meant. I’m just worried about you.”
Aubree put on a friendly smile despite feeling irritated inside. “We’re good friends, so I understand what you’re saying. What I mean to say is that in order to achieve success, sacrifices must be made.”
Frieda recalled what she had seen yesterday and bobbed her head in agreement.
Aubree gave a satisfied nod, as Frieda was no longer gazing at her wound.
Frieda stayed in her seat next to the bed but didn’t say a word for a long time.
Something seemed to be weighing on her mind.
Noticing that, Aubree frowned in confusion. “Why? Is there something else that brings you here?”
That snapped Frieda out of her daze. She quickly glanced at her phone that she had put aside.
Seeing that, Aubree, too, glanced in the direction of the phone.
A while later, Frieda started hesitantly, “I received something yesterday and was instructed to give it to you.”
Inexplicably, Aubree’s heart sank when she heard that.
“What is it?” Aubree asked with a scowl. Frieda retrieved her phone and showed her a few photos. There was a tent in the first photo. Not far away from the tent was a white skirt.
Nothing else was shown, but Aubree’s face was already grim. I know the tent. It was the one Roxanne and the little b*stards set up that day. The white skirt is most probably the one I wore that day.
The photo didn’t show anything else, so the person who took the photo was obviously targeting her. In the following photo, Aubree could be seen wearing that white skirt. She was holding a white medicine bottle with an unknown substance inside.
The photos showed what Aubree had done that day. Finally, the series of photos ended when Aubree finished positioning the bacterium and made her exit.
Aubree’s face was as dark as thunder by the time she scrolled to the last picture. “Where did you get these?” she demanded. Frieda quickly explained, “I don’t know. Someone sent them to me yesterday with a text.”
She hurriedly scrolled to the text to show it to Aubree. The text read: I know you’re good friends with Aubree Pearson. Show these photos to Ms. Pearson and tell her I’ll delete these photos if she pays me ten million. Otherwise, Mr. Farwell will receive them soon!
For the past few days, Cory dared not contact Aubree, as Lucian’s men had been keeping an eye on him. However, he refused to give up on the chance to get some money.
After racking his brains, Cory decided to find an opportunity to send a text to Frieda, who was good friends with Aubree.
That was the only way to make sure Aubree would see the evidence instead of Lucian.
“Aubree, you should know who sent the text, right?” Frieda asked carefully.
Aubree gritted her teeth. Cory Zaythrone! I’ve put in a lot of hard work to hire the most renowned private investigator out there, only to find out he’s exploiting his clients through extortion. I should have been more vigilant and not let my guard down.
Seeing that she was heaving with rage, Frieda guessed that she knew the person who sent the text.
“Have you upset someone who then followed you? If not, how did they manage to take these pictures?”
Aubree suppressed her anger and replied icily, “This is the private investigator I sent to follow Roxanne!”
Frieda has seen these photos, so we’re now in the same boat. I don’t mind telling her my plan.
Frieda stiffened but quickly realized that Aubree had fallen for someone else’s trap.
I can’t believe someone managed to trap her. But…
“What was the stuff you put into the cup?” Frieda asked curiously.
Aubree proceeded to explain her plan.
She concluded, “I taught the little b*stards a lesson before that, but they didn’t learn from their mistake. So I decided to let them suffer once again.”
She taught them a lesson before that?
Something occurred to her. “The bacterium you asked me for back then—”
Before she could complete her sentence, Aubree interjected, “You guessed it right! We are both in this together, so don’t you dare turn against me!”
Frieda froze when she heard that. Although she hated Roxanne and her kids, she never intended to hurt Estella. After all, doing so would mean making an enemy of Lucian, and nobody in Horington would dare to get on his bad side.
However, Aubree had gotten her involved in her evil deeds without her knowledge. “What’s the matter? Are you scared?” Aubree asked while looking at her coldly. Frieda came back to her senses.
Aubree is right. Regardless of how I feel about the situation, I am indeed in the same boat as her now. Since there’s no running away for me anymore, my best bet is to help Aubree become Lucian’s wife! Once she rises to power, we’ll be able to cover our tracks!
With that in mind, Frieda flashed Aubree a nonchalant smile and replied, “Since when have I ever been scared? Those little b*tches had it coming! They only have their insolence to blame!”
Aubree simply stared at Frieda in silence. The tension was so high that it took Frieda every ounce of willpower she had just to maintain her smile.
After what seemed like forever, Aubree nodded and said, “That’s more like it.” Frieda then mentioned the text message from Cory. “What should we do about the ten million? Do we really give it to him?”
Aubree’s expression gradually grew cold as she gave it some thought.
While waiting for her response, Frieda continued, “He had the audacity to threaten you, so we can’t just let this slide. I’m surprised he dared demand ten million from us!”
“What do you plan on doing about it?” Aubree asked with a chuckle. “We mustn’t pay him the money. Doing so might just provide him with more dirt on us!” Frieda replied.
Aubree’s face clouded over. What Frieda said is indeed possible. Cory has set me up once, so he might try to do it again. However, I can’t afford to take that risk…
“We’ll pay him the money,” Aubree muttered through clenched teeth. Frieda went wide-eyed with shock. “Aubree!”
“If we don’t, these pictures will reach Lucian tomorrow,” Aubree said with a gloomy look in her eyes. Frieda shuddered when she realized what could happen. “All right, then. But what if he betrays us?”
Private investigators only work for the money, so they are very easily swayed.
Aubree’s expression was icy-cold as she replied, “After we pay him the money, we’ll have someone track him down and destroy the evidence!”
As Frieda didn’t have a better idea, she could only follow Aubree’s instructions and do as she was told. “Understood. I’ll have someone take care of it right away!”
Although Aubree found it disgusting, she pretended to be touched and held Frieda’s hand.
Confused, Frieda froze and stared at her in silence.
With Frieda’s hand in her own, Aubree put on the most sincere expression possible as she said, “Don’t worry, Frieda. Once I marry into the Farwell family, I’ll be sure to reward you for helping me all this while!”
Frieda’s panic and fear seemed to have disappeared after she heard that. She flashed Aubree a confident smile and said, “You’re doing all of this for Lucian’s sake, so I’m sure he’ll come to like you in the end!”
Those words hurt Aubree’s heart like salt on a wound.
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.