Chapter 135 Leverage
+8 Pearls
Caroline quickened her pace as she headed toward the building, worried that if she left now, Maia might be bullied by Helen again.
She didn’t waste a second wondering how Helen had found out where she lived.
Time was slipping away. She needed to get back, repack the meals, and deliver them to Sherwood Group before it got too late.
Helen watched Caroline disappear into the building. Then, without thinking too hard about it, she followed.
She was determined to find out if Caroline was living with that older man.
But just as she reached the foot of the condominium, her phone rang.
It was a call from her father. Helen stopped in her tracks. Her hand tightened around the phone. Was he calling to yell at her?
While she hesitated, she looked up again–and Caroline and Maia were already gone.
Frustrated, Helen stomped her foot. The phone kept ringing, and she had no choice but to pick up.
“Hello, Dad. What’s up?”
There was a short pause on the other end. Then came Edwin’s gruff voice, tinged with frustration. “I called you so many times yesterday. Why didn’t you answer? You didn’t even return my calls!”
Helen bit her lip. She decided to tell the truth. “Uncle Liam called me yesterday. Said the company’s in trouble and asked me to return as a designer to help get through the rough patch. I figured you were calling about the same thing, so I didn’t call back.”
That excuse made sense, and Edwin didn’t scold her further. He went straight to the point. “Did you do something that embarrassed the Graysons? Is that why they kicked you out?”
He was half–convinced about the whole thing, not entirely sure if Caroline was telling the truth. But the moment that video came to mind, panic crept in, and he couldn’t stop his thoughts from spiraling.
Helen felt a chill run down her spine. How did he know about this?
Since it was already out, she saw no point in hiding anything. Her voice softened into something pitiful. “Teresa found out I can’t cook. She said I was useless and kicked me out. But it was just her. Linden still wants to be with me. You don’t have to worry about this, Dad.”
Edwin grumbled, “Seriously? That Teresa is too much. The Graysons have all the money in the world, and she’s fussing about whether her daughter–in–law can cook? Even we hired maids, and we’re nowhere near as rich as they are!”
He scoffed. “I bet that whole ‘we’ll pay you to cook line was just for show. Rich folks … the richer they are, the more calculating they get.”
“Tell me about it,” Helen muttered, full of grievance. She had walked into the Graysons household full of hope and joy, and within days, she was out the door..
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09:50 Sat, 10 May
Chapter 135 Leverage
83%
+8 Pearls
Then Edwin suddenly thought of something and asked, “If you’re still with Linden, then why were you getting all cozy with another guy? What happens if he finds out?”
Helen knew he had to be falking about the video.
It was crystal clear. No way she could lie her way out of it. Helen admitted, “That man was Linden’s cousin. We’ll be more careful from now on. We won’t let Linden find out.”
As soon as she said that, there was a loud crash on the other end of the line–like something had shattered.
Then came Edwin’s furious roar, “Are you out of your mind?! You’ve got a good thing going with the Graysons, and you’re out here playing games? You’d better pray Linden never finds out, or you’re finished! Don’t forget–you marrying into the Graysons isn’t just for your sake. You’re doing this for our family too!”
The company was hanging on by a thread. Edwin had been banking on help from the Graysons.
But now, that hope seemed far away.
Maybe divine intervention was the only chance they had. If they could just get a few more orders, they might scrape through this crisis.
Helen whispered a quiet “Okay…” but her worry hadn’t gone away. “But what if Caroline shows Linden the video? What then?”
She had seen the hatred in Caroline’s eyes–cold, burning, unforgiving.
And honestly, she felt the same. She hated Caroline just as much and would tear her apart if she could.
And if the roles were reversed, if she had dirt on Caroline, she’d use it without hesitation.
She didn’t believe for a second that
roline would pass up such a perfect chance for revenge.
And it was the same thing that worried Edwin too.
“Leave that to me,” he said. “I’ll shut her up. You just make sure she doesn’t catch you slipping again.”
Caroline had changed. She was no longer that warm, trusting little sister. She’d become cold, bitter–almost cruel.
And he had made up his mind. He would no longer protect her like he used to.
Caroline had no one to blame but herself.
“I understand, Dad,” Helen said softly. For the first time in a while, she felt a sliver of relief.
