Chapter 243: A Puppet
Damian nodded. “Got it.” Another key reason for bringing Sadie along was that she served as a weapon against Anna. By using her, I wouldn’t need to act directly, keeping me out of the line of fire from Anna’s group. It was safer to work behind the scenes.
I found Luke easily. He was sitting in the hallway, gazing out at the snow. He looked pale, like a plant slowly withering, nearing its end. When he saw me, his cold eyes lit up for a moment. He wanted to call my name, but when he saw my warning look, he quickly changed it to, “Hello, Aunt Zoey.”
I checked my surroundings to ensure there were no cameras nearby. My shoes were a little dirty, so I squatted to clean them with a tissue and secretly whispered a few words to Luke.
Luke sighed. “I understand.” He knew I was using him, and he didn’t have much choice. Whether it was for revenge on my behalf, to atone for his past mistakes, to get back at Anna for nearly killing him, or to help the Boltons, he had no other path—he couldn’t turn back.
I didn’t spare him another glance as I turned to leave. Even if anyone saw us, it wouldn’t raise suspicion. Now was the time to use him when necessary. Who could have guessed how things would turn out? Luke, once Anna’s puppet, had now willingly handed the leash over to me. In the end, despite my unfortunate death, Luke wasn’t much better off. He couldn’t escape his fate of being a puppet.
As for Sadie, I wasn’t sure if I should call her brave or foolish. Even after being tricked by Anna, she still hadn’t realized how dangerous she was, yet she dared to come to the Hudsons to find Ashley. They hid behind a wall, with Sadie venting to Ashley and cursing me. It was clear she was Monica’s daughter, with a naive heart filled with romantic notions. Ashley saw her as nothing more than a fallback. He could always win her over with a few flattering words. No man would appreciate her if she didn’t value herself; I was a perfect example of that in my past life. A woman should always love herself first; only then could she expect others to do the same.
While Sadie complained, Ashley transferred 500,000 to her, a little more generous than Zack had been. But compared to his generosity at the auction, this amount seemed small. Ashley wasn’t a fool. With everything changing, if Sadie lost her favor, he’d never recover his investment. He had been so generous before because Sadie had been helpful to him through Bill over the last two years. That was why he had spent so much. But once Sadie was no longer useful to him, he’d abandon her.
“Only 300,000? That’s so little! I can’t even buy a dress with that!” Sadie whined.
“Sadie, we spent too much last time at the auction. The company’s accounts are still unbalanced, and I’m tight on cash. Don’t worry. Your dad always loves you. He’ll restore your credit card once he calms down.”
“You’re right. How could that btch Zoey compare to me? Ashley, when are you going to break up with Anna?”
Ashley looked embarrassed. “Sadie, she’s pregnant with my child. My family won’t allow it. But don’t worry, after she gives birth, I’ll kick her out. We haven’t registered, so there’s nothing to be afraid of. The child was an accident. I didn’t want it either. Don’t do anything impulsive—no more hitmen! I used a lot of connections and money to get you out this time.”
Sadie hugged him. “I knew it was you who helped me. That btch Zoey took all the credit. Speaking of, Anna is so lucky. I didn’t expect her brother to drive that car. What a coincidence.”
Listening to their conversation, I couldn’t help but sigh. Thank goodness they didn’t have children, or their child would probably turn out as foolish as they were. They blamed Ethan’s death on an accident, still not realizing that Anna was a devil in disguise. I had been the same in my past life, too naive to see the truth about people. It was this kind of thinking that led to my downfall. Especially for women, we must always be cautious about strangers, thinking the worst. Being too kind and innocent only opens the door for others to take advantage of us.
Ashley comforted Sadie for a while before they parted ways. “Sadie, wait for me. I’ll marry you next year.”
Sadie left, full of hope, just like her foolish mother. But as soon as she stepped out, Damian guided her into the grove. The Hudsons had a beautiful garden, with orchids and daisies scattered around. The grove, with its lush green leaves, stood tall and strong despite the cold. Amidst the falling snow, with the white walls and dark tiles in the background, it looked stunning.
Just as Sadie was about to walk through, she saw Anna resting her head on Luke’s chest. I was nervous, worried that Sadie might ruin my plan. Luckily, Sadie wasn’t that foolish. She took out her phone and snapped a photo. While she knew some of Anna and Luke’s past, she knew nothing about the child. Luke suppressed his disgust and gently pulled Anna away.
“Luke, do you not want me anymore?” Anna looked helpless, tears in her eyes. In the past, Luke had fallen for her act.