Chapter 308: Prison Secrets Unveiled
“I have already investigated. The prison staff said it was your orders. They mentioned that shortly after Ms. Prescott entered, you sent someone to instruct them to ensure she reflected on her mistakes and reformed herself, with no need for leniency.”
“I also retrieved some video footage and sent it to your phone, General Hawthorne. I was shocked when I saw it. I never expected… Ms. Prescott was subjected to such treatment on her very first day…”
Richard’s indignant voice echoed over the phone, but Frederick could no longer hear him. His mind was consumed with the images of Claire’s suffering. His hand gripping the phone trembled, veins bulging with rage, while his other hand clenched into a fist so tightly that his knuckles cracked audibly.
That night, however long Richard spoke, Frederick listened. After the call ended, he stood motionless at the bathroom door, phone in hand, unable to step inside to wash up. His bloodshot eyes stared at the videos Richard had sent him. By the time he finished watching, he hurled his phone to the ground, shattering it into pieces.
In that moment, the image of Claire the day she was released from prison played vividly in his mind. Claire wore a faded, old dress that hung loosely on her thin frame. Her figure was so frail it seemed like she could be blown away by the wind.
When Frederick first saw Claire that day, he froze. The Claire he remembered was never this skinny. From childhood, Claire had always been the pampered princess of the Prescott family. Prison life, however, was undoubtedly harsh—no one would cater to her anymore.
He had assumed that Claire’s arrogance and defiance had led her to suffer greatly in prison, and losing weight was simply a natural result of that hardship. So he did not suspect anything more.
One detail, though, had left a lasting impression. As he got out of his car, he saw the once-proud and haughty Claire standing timidly at the prison gate. Her head was bowed, and she nervously thanked the guards, bowing repeatedly. At the time, he had only been momentarily surprised and did not give it much thought.
But now…
Chapter 308: Prison Secrets Unveiled
Now, Frederick finally understood everything. He thought, “The once-prized princess of the Prescott family, cherished and adored, had endured inhumane treatment on her very first day in prison. The blood on the screen, the agonized screams, the heart-wrenching cries, and the disheveled, unrecognizable figure—it was hard to believe that was Claire. And yet, it was her.”
It felt as if a gaping hole had been carved into Frederick’s chest. Though numb to the pain, he could barely breathe, suffocated by the weight of it all. Silent tears streamed down Frederick’s face, unnoticed even by himself.
Frederick stood in a daze for an unknown length of time before snapping back to reality. Grabbing his phone, he tried to call Richard, only to notice the shattered pieces on the floor. Rushing downstairs to the living room, he used the landline to call Richard.
“Richard, investigate the prison thoroughly. I want to know who gave those orders, even if you have to turn the entire place upside down.”
Frederick thought, “They claimed it was my instruction? I had never given such orders,”
“Yes, General Hawthorne. I will look into it right away! But… should we also ask Mr. Prescott about this?”
Richard had stayed awake after their call, expecting Frederick to follow up. Sometimes, outsiders could see things more clearly than those involved. Richard had long suspected that Frederick’s feelings for Claire were not purely hatred. He thought, “After all, as the saying goes, hate is just love with a grudge.”
However, Richard also had another suspicion.
“Do your job,” Frederick snapped, abruptly realizing he had overlooked Harrison’s side of things. After hanging up, Frederick hesitated before calling Harrison. Memories of their recent meeting flashed through his mind, including his promise to let Harrison handle things if Claire was found.
Ultimately, Frederick decided to meet Harrison in person. The next morning, after receiving a new phone and restoring his data, Frederick arranged to meet Harrison.
Chapter 308: Prison Secrets Unveiled
What Frederick did not know was that the moment his phone was restored, news had already spread abroad.
“Miss, we have a problem. Frederick has uncovered the prison incident,” reported Jake Beaumont, the same man who had previously arranged for Caroline to deal with Noah.
“Calm down. So what if he knows? It was only a matter of time,” the woman on the other end of the line replied nonchalantly.
“But… what do we do now?” Jake stammered, his panic palpable.
“Deal with those involved, of course,” she said casually, filing her nails as if discussing the weather.
“But… if we silence them all, it might cause trouble!” Jake stuttered, his face pale as a sheet.
“What?!” she snapped. “Did I not tell you to involve as few people as possible? How many did you get involved? Are you courting death?!”
Chapter 309: Her Complete Defeat
As soon as the woman heard this, she was instantly furious and began yelling.
“No, miss, listen to me. I really did not hire that many people at first. It started with just one person. But after they took the money, others found out, and the number grew.”
“But by then, the job was done. I could not do anything, so I had to pay them off to keep them quiet,” Jake quickly explained.
“I told you from the beginning—if you hire too many people, there is bound to be trouble. Why did you not report this to me right away after you finished the job? You are hopeless. I cannot believe I ever trusted you!”
The woman was so angry she felt like throwing her phone at the wall.
“Sorry, miss, it is all my fault. But please do not be mad, the most important thing now is to handle these people quickly.”
Jake was practically begging for forgiveness.
“Handle them quickly? That is easy to say. How do you plan on doing it? If we take care of all of them at once, someone will definitely find out. And do not forget, Frederick is in charge of the entire Kingstown Security Department now.