Chapter 27
Nathan turned and looked at Samantha.
“Maybe I let it slip, or perhaps she became suspicious after seeing the engagement party I arranged. That was entirely my idea: Meredith had nothing to do with it. Nathan, Meredith is in this situation because of you. She knows she can’t have children due to her health, and she’s always blamed herself for that. We had no other choice.
“How can you even think of blaming her after all these years you’ve spent together? I know I haven’t been perfect, but all of this isn’t Meredith’s fault! Please, don’t put the blame on her. She’s innocent; quit pushing her.” Samantha would rather take the fall herself than have Nathan suspect Meredith’s involvement
Meredith said through sobs, “I know you’ve been suffering these past five years. Cassidy’s death devastated you. Nathan, if you no longer want me to live, I can die too. Now that Cassidy has returned, I can let go. Consider it as me trading my life for
hers!
David sighed heavily. “Meredith, what nonsense are you talking about? You’re breaking my heart”
Meredith suddenly broke down in tears. “Grandpa David, I’m scared. I’m afraid Nathan will hate me. I don’t want to marry him anymore. I can’t bear the thought of him hating me. It’s okay if he doesn’t love me, but I can’t stand being misunderstood. I… I don’t know what to do anymore! Grandpa David, I’m so sorry…
David held Meredith tenderly, then shot Nathan a fierce glare, screaming with all his might, “Look at what you’ve done! I’m warning you, if anything happens to Meredith, I’ll be your worst nightmare!”
Nathan clenched his fists tightly. Suddenly, a thunderclap sounded outside, followed by a torrential downpour. The large raindrops pounded against the windows, intensifying the somber atmosphere in the living room.
“Daddy… Jayden’s nervous voice came from the staircase. Nathan turned toward him as another thunderclap echoed through the room. In the flickering lightning. Jayden’s face appeared pale. “Paisley is missing,” he said.
Nathan’s expression hardened, and he strode toward Jayden. “Where is she?”
“I don’t know,” Jayden replied, his usually composed and aloof disappearing.
“What happened?” Nathan asked.
“We were playing hide and seek, but… I can’t find her,” Jayden answered.
Nathan inquired, “Where were you playing?”
“On the third floor,” Jayden replied promptly.
Nathan headed to the third floor.
The Howell residence sprawled across acres of land, with a mansion spanning over 20,000 square feet. The third floor alone had more than a dozen rooms. Nathan meticulously checked each one. Paisley was so tiny that she could hide anywhere, so he searched every nook and cranny, even the smallest cabinets.
Jayden emerged from another room after his search and said to Nathan, “Daddy… what should we do? I’ve lost Paisley.” His youthful face tinged with helplessness
Nathan reassured him, “Don’t worry. We’ll find her.”
Stepping out of the room, Nathan heard faint cries from nearby. Following the sound, he hurried over and stopped in front of another door. Pushing it open, he was surprised to find the source of the cries coming from a safe
The room contained five safes, each over three feet tall, typically used for storing important documents. Nathan approached. the one from which the crying could be heard and recognized Paisley’s voice. She was trapped inside.
“Paisley!” Jayden exclaimed, kneeling in front of the safe and trying to open it, only to find it locked. He quickly entered the password, and the door opened with a click.
Light flooded into the safe, revealing Paisley curled up inside, her face flushed and streaked with tears. She was sweating profusely, her damp hair clinging to her cheeks, looking disheveled. As soon as the door opened, she turned toward Nathan and immediately spread her arms, sobbing for him to pick her up.
Chapter 27
Nathan instinctively gathered Paisley into his arms, holding her close as she sobbed. She nestled into his embrace, her small hands clutching his waist and gripping his clothes tightly, bawling. Each of her sobs made Nathan’s heart clench.
Although Nathan typically disliked children crying and fussing. Paisley’s distress broke his heart. He gently hugged her, his voice softening. “Don’t cry, okay?” His large hand lightly patted her back, trying to soothe her.
Jayden stood aside, overwhelmed by an inexplicable pang of heartache. He hadn’t expected that Paisley would choose to hide inside a safe. “Paisley, don’t be afraid. I promise I won’t lose you again.”
Paisley paused, turned her tear–streaked face toward Jayden, pursing her small lips, and surprisingly stopped crying.
Josiah parked the car at the entrance. Cassidy stepped out, and just as he moved to join her, she stopped him. Josiah, wait here for me.”
“I’ll go with you,” Josiah offered.
“It’s fine. I’ll go get Paisley and return shortly,” Cassidy replied.
“Okay,” Josiah relented.
Cassidy strode toward the entrance, and the butler standing guard at the door was shocked to see her. He tried intercepting her, but she brushed past him without a word.
Entering the living room, Cassidy caught sight of Kenny and Samantha lounging inside. Her eyes widened in surprise as she spotted Meredith seated beside David. A sly smile crept onto her lips as she mused, “What a coincidence.”
Kenny’s eyes widened in surprise and anger at Cassidy’s unexpected presence. “What are you doing here?”
Cassidy glanced at him, feeling a wave of deja vu. Memories flooded back from when she was eighteen years old. David, Kenny, and Samantha had all been there in the Howell family’s living room then. She held a medical report, enduring their humiliating scrutiny, sacrificing her dignity for her engagement with Nathan.
Initially, the Howell family vehemently opposed Cassidy’s marriage to Nathan. They stirred up nasty gossip, trashed her name, and dragged her through the mud, saying she had been raised by a nightclub dancer and that she lacked decency. They even stooped as low as accusing her of being loose in her school days and getting an abortion, casting doubt on her morals.
Dahlia was still alive back then and deliberately gave Cassidy a hard time. She told Cassidy, “A woman who is not pure shouldn’t dream of marrying into the Howell family.” In response, Cassidy took matters into her own hands and obtained a medical report from the hospital to prove her innocence. On that same rainy day, in the same setting, she stood alone. clutching the report, surrounded by judgmental eyes, enduring relentless humiliation
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