Chapter 296: Did You Have a Good Time?
When Mom heard his question, her upbringing prevented her from confronting him while he was already down. She couldn't change her decision because of his past, either. Silently, she pulled her hand away, demonstrating her resolve to proceed with the divorce.
“You two talk. I’ll go cut some fruit,” she said. Mom was gentle by nature; she rejected him subtly.
Bill watched her leave, perhaps reflecting on how much he had wronged her over the years. He sighed deeply.
“So, the real mastermind is Zack, and his goal is to take over the Gardner Group?”
I nodded and continued, “Yes, he’s not from a good background, but he’s very smart. When he was younger, he used Monica, who had a bit of charm, to support his studies. Later, after gaining some capital, he climbed to the top with another rich girl. He loves his wife, but that love is nothing compared to his ambition. For all these years, he has never given up on Monica, merely to keep our family in his sights.”
Bill met my gaze and asked, “What do you plan to do?”
“At first, I wasn’t going to interfere, but he shouldn’t have involved Mom, especially not the child she’s carrying. I want to make sure his efforts are in vain. The only problem is Sadie.”
I studied Bill’s face and said, “You’ve cared for her all these years. I’m worried you might show her mercy.”
Bill glanced at the report, a cold smile playing on his lips. “She wants me dead, and you think I’ll let her off? If Zack wants to take over my company, let’s see if he has the stomach for it.”
I reminded him, “Tomorrow is the grand opening of his new company. His wife and the rest of the family will be there.”
Bill raised an eyebrow and said, “Then let’s give him a gift.”
It was a relief to speak to someone as smart as Bill. My job was to expose Monica and Zack’s affair; handling them was up to him. I discovered Bridget’s flight was landing that afternoon. Surely, her loving husband would greet her in person. This was his first company abroad; it was a big deal for his family, and they had arrived to celebrate.
I couldn’t deny Zack was a smart man. Without the help of Bridget’s family, he wouldn’t have gotten this far. He used the initial money from a woman to reach this point—on the surface, it was a smart move. But he was too greedy, coveting everything that didn’t belong to him. Greed always has one outcome—backlash.
At noon, Sadie came to deliver lunch. When she saw me in Bill’s office, her face immediately darkened. She asked, “Why are you here again?”
Bill’s expression remained calm as he studied Sadie’s features. Upon closer inspection, she didn’t resemble him at all. He had previously thought she looked like Monica, but he hadn’t dwelt on it. Now, he realized she bore a striking resemblance to a younger Zack. There was no need for further tests; it was clear she wasn’t his daughter.
Bill spoke indifferently, “She’s my daughter. Are you surprised to see her here?”
“Dad, you’re being biased! Do you want Zoey to work at the company? I want to work here too.”
Bill chuckled. “You think you’re worthy?”
Sadie was baffled. Bill had never spoken to her like this before. She asked, “Dad, did I do something wrong? Don’t hate me, okay? I’ll change.”
Bill didn’t reveal the truth but merely said, “I’m busy. Leave the food here. I’ll eat later.”
“Then what about my chance to join the company?”
“We’ll talk later.” Bill signaled for his assistant to escort Sadie out.
Bill and I followed Sadie to the underground garage. Ashley was there. He asked fawningly, “Sadie, has your dad agreed to let you join the company?”
“No. Lately, he’s been treating that b*tch really well. No matter how much I beg, it’s useless. I’m not sure why, but something doesn’t seem right. I feel like Dad’s acting strange.”
“Then you’d better work harder. Zoey is clearly going to fight for the inheritance. Now her mom’s pregnant again. If you don’t do something, you’ll have no part in the Gardners’ fortune,” Ashley said, more desperate than Sadie.
I glanced at Bill’s reaction. His face was growing darker. These people were all focused on his money while he was still alive. Who would be happy about that? Bill likely wanted to know one thing—did Sadie know about the drugs in the food?
Sadie crossed her arms, her face grim. “He was disappointed with those past events; what can I do? I’ve already increased the dosage of the drug, but who knows when it will take effect?”
“Alright, calm down. I’ll buy a new bag for you.”
It was clear that Sadie knew about it, and Ashley was involved too. The two of them got into the car. Bill and I emerged from the shadows. He lit a cigarette in silence. I could understand his feelings.
If Sadie didn’t know about the drugs, he could feel somewhat better. At least he could tell himself he had been deceived by his daughter, and when he took revenge on others, he wouldn’t be dragging her into it.
Now, the truth was worse—his daughter wasn’t even his, and she was trying to harm him. How could he feel about that?
He put out his cigarette, his voice hoarse. “Zoey, I’m sorry!”
“It’s fine, everything is in the past.” The real Zoey never blamed him. She was long gone; I didn’t need his apology. I only hoped that in her next life, Zoey would be born into a family that truly loved her and that she wouldn’t go through the same pain again.
Bill stood silently in the darkness. I saw his clenched fists, one hand still injured, the other full of veins. The cruel truth was something he still needed to process. He lowered his head and muttered softly, “Since my marriage is broken, why should they get to live in peace?”
In the afternoon, Zack did indeed go to the airport to pick up his family. I watched from a distance as his lively family gathered around him. His youngest child, barely five years old, was being held by Bridget. When Zack met Bridget, he embraced her, then lifted his child while chatting with his father-in-law, giving updates on his work. His assistant was carrying the family’s luggage. It all looked delightful and harmonious, but Bill had already passed this information to Monica and sent her an anonymous package containing evidence of Zack’s years of affection for his wife.
Zack had told Monica he didn’t love his wife and would divorce her soon. Monica had believed him, thinking she and Zack shared true love. When she saw the evidence, she would surely go mad, deny it all, and want to see for herself. So she came too. From the shadows, she saw Zack at the airport, and he eagerly kissed Bridget. She held his son and his wife, and the scene painfully stung her eyes. Love or not—nobody was a fool.
I thought of how Monica had suffered for years, playing along with Zack and Bill, being ignored, only to realize Zack was happily living with his wife. Consumed by jealousy, Monica would surely act out. She arranged to meet Zack again in the same hotel room. It was the perfect setup for Bill and me to watch.
When she entered the room, she immediately demanded Zack prove his love for her, listing everything she had done for him over the years. With each revelation, Bill’s face grew darker. Monica had done so much; some of it included harming Zoey and Philippa. In the end, Zack managed to calm Monica down with sweet words, and they ended up on top of each other again.
The scene was unbearable to watch, so I quickly turned off the monitor. Bill kept smoking, and the atmosphere grew awkward. I cleared my throat and asked, “Dad, are you hungry?”
“Zoey, I’m sorry for all the suffering you and Philippa have gone through.” He extinguished his cigarette and gently touched my head. “It won’t happen again. I won’t let you suffer anymore.”
Zack, having soothed Monica, quickly went home to appease his wife. As soon as he was gone, Monica was still caught in the aftermath of passion when the doorbell rang. I quickly turned the TV back on. The real show was about to begin.
“Who’s there?”
“Room service.”
Monica, wrapped in a bathrobe, got out of bed and opened the door unsuspectingly. But when she opened it, she was met with Bill’s cold gaze. His tall figure stood in the doorway, and his voice was quiet but chilling. “Did you have a good time?”