Chapter 243
Back then, he’d gotten distracted on a mission because of Selina. He ended up taking a bullet to the lung from an enemy. He still managed to finish the job, but it forced him into early retirement.
At the mental hospital, he was there partly for treatment, and partly just tending the gardens; he even made friends with a few of the patients along the way.
“Mr. Thornton, see? He just admitted it himself. Now do you believe me? Get someone to take him away right now,” Iris demanded.
Jacob explained, “Iris, yeah, I was at the mental hospital, but I was just working there, alright? What, is it a crime for a guy who trims the hedges to hang around the place?"
Iris’s eyes went wide in utter shock, and she stumbled back, completely incredulous. “No freaking way. You—”
Isaac snapped, “Dr. Grant, I paid you handsomely to work here, not to get into pointless disputes with the patients. Get back to your post, now."
Iris walked off with a sour expression, fuming inside. Why is my luck so bad today? Everyone’s just out to make things difficult for me. Damn it, she cursed inwardly.
As he watched her retreating figure, Jacob took out his phone: “Hey, it’s Jacob. I need you to look into someone for me,” he said.
When Winifred arrived at school, everyone avoided her like the plague. Because of her post, the whole school was affected, and Alice called her into the office.
“Winifred, I hope you won’t let what people are saying mess with your studies. Make sure you prepare well – the big competition is in three days, and all the teachers have high hopes for you,” Alice said.
Alice thought Winifred would be shaken by all this, maybe even crushed, but she just flopped down in her seat, cool and carefree, like she didn’t have a single worry in the world.
Winifred replied coolly, “Got it.”
It’s time to reel them in, Winifred thought to herself.
“Well, well, if it isn’t Winifred,” a voice called out.
It was Sylvie, grinning like a cat that just caught the canary, blocking Winifred’s path.
“Winifred, if you’re having any trouble in life or need any help, just let us know, okay? We’re all classmates here, and we’d be more than happy to help you out. Right, everyone?” Sylvie said, turning to the group behind her.
“Yeah, totally,” they all chimed in, nodding eagerly.
Winifred gave them a lazy, careless glance.
“Winifred, I heard you stole that necklace just to buy yourself some personal stuff. Why don’t you tell us what it was?"
“Who knows, maybe I can help you out. Got to serve your sugar daddy well, right?” The guy behind Sylvie leered, his voice looming down the whole hallway.
He leaned in closer to Winifred, eyeing her up with a sleazy grin.
Damn, she’s gorgeous, like a proud rose, he thought. Who would’ve guessed a woman like her would actually buy those kinds of little toys just to please her rich sugar daddy? If I flashed enough cash, couldn’t I do whatever I wanted with her, too?
“Winifred, I–ah...” The guy barely got the words out, reaching to pat Winifred on the shoulder, when she kicked him hard, sending him flying several feet before he slammed into the wall with a heavy thud.
He lay on the ground, wailing nonstop, completely unable to move.
“Sylvie, you think this is fun, huh? Well, congrats. The real game starts now,” Winifred tossed over her shoulder as she turned to leave.
Sylvie scoffed at Winifred’s cryptic attitude. Even now, she’s still acting all unbothered, like nothing can touch her, she thought. What does she think she’s fooling! Even if she doesn’t care about her reputation, so what? I can still make her a total outcast, someone everyone wants to stomp on. Thief.
“Hey, check out what’s blowing up online."
“Oh my god, is she really that kind of person?”
“People like her are just rotten to the core.”
Sylvie could feel everyone shooting her weird looks, and she couldn’t help but frown, a sudden wave of panic and unease hitting her.