A misty layer of moisture instantly clouded Zoe’s eyes. The emotions she had deeply suppressed surged out uncontrollably. She trembled with anger, feeling that Simon was simply pushing her too far! The servant refused to yield a single inch, showing no intention of letting her move freely. Clenching her fists, Zoe hissed through gritted teeth, "Simon Hawthorne is a bastard!"
The servant looked terrified. It was the first time they had heard someone boldly curse Mr. Hawthorne like that. The sheer audacity of it was nerve-wracking.
Zoe took a deep breath, turned back into her room, and slammed the door shut. She sat by the window, looking out at the bleak moonlight as waves of chills washed over her. She touched her forehead; it was burning hot. After being drugged and exposed to the cold wind for so long, she was now running a fever. Her entire body was soft and weak, making even her current anger feel incredibly exhausting.
Simon had said those words, but he never gave her a chance to put up a fight. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have restricted her freedom. Sometimes she really couldn’t understand him. Peyton was already fine, so what was the point of locking her up?
Checking the time, she saw it was almost midnight. She licked her dry, pale lips and leaned weakly against the sofa with vacant eyes, figuring that Simon was probably keeping Peyton company right now. Closing her eyes with a hint of self-deprecation, she felt a dull ache from her wounds. Her body felt as if it had been crushed, the pain making her want to cry.
At the Hawthorne Residence.
The annex was brightly lit. Peyton lay in bed, her face haggard and morbidly pale. With her cheeks still slightly red and swollen, she looked at the people in the room with a mixture of helplessness and guilt. "I’m sorry for making everyone worry. I’m really fine now."
Florence Finch frowned. "You caught a chill and suffered a terrible fright. How can you be fine?"
Ken Lowell was even more furious. "Peyton has been frail since childhood, pampered and doted on all her life! When has she ever suffered such a grievance? It’s all because of the Lancaster family!"
She turned her head to look at Simon, who was sitting silently in a chair nearby, frowning in deep thought. "Everyone knows perfectly well who started this! Peyton even tried to hide it from us at first. If I hadn’t pressed her for answers, we really would have been fooled!"
Peyton looked panicked. "Ms. Lowell, I’m really fine. Zoe is a victim too."
"A victim?" Ken scoffed coldly. "She couldn’t clean up her own family’s mess and ended up dragging you into it! You’re the truly innocent victim here. Thankfully, nothing worse happened today, but what if there had been an accident? How could she possibly make up for it?"
Peyton was left speechless and could only look at Simon as if pleading for help.
Florence also frowned. However, the incident had already happened, and it wasn’t convenient for her to show too much favoritism toward Zoe. She could only look at Simon and ask, "What are your thoughts on this?"
Simon slowly raised his eyes. He took off his gold-rimmed glasses, his gaze cold and devoid of any warmth. "Where is the servant who came back to report Peyton’s kidnapping?" he asked abruptly.
Peyton’s eyes flickered slightly. "What about her?"
Simon’s expression remained flat. "At the time, you weren’t the only one kidnapped. Why did she only mention you when she returned, without saying a single word about Zoe?"
If that servant hadn’t said that, she wouldn’t have misled him into thinking Peyton was the only one there, which consequently led him to neglect Zoe.
Covering her lips, Peyton coughed a few times. "Maybe she was just panicked and missed her?"
"How blind does someone have to be to miss a living, breathing person right in front of them?" Simon’s tone was downright freezing, clearly indicating his foul mood.
Peyton’s lips trembled. "Simon..."
Ken pulled a long face. "What’s the use of looking into this now? It’s just a minor detail, but you’re making it sound like it’s Peyton’s fault."
"It’s not a minor detail," Simon replied, his eyes brimming with a chilling iciness. "That’s a living, breathing person. She is my lawful wife."
Peyton’s heart trembled, and her eyes grew uncontrollably hot.
Ken was left momentarily speechless before her expression darkened even further. "That still doesn’t mean Zoe is completely blameless!"
Florence furrowed her brows and shot Ken a glance. "No one wanted this to happen. Now that the culprit has been caught, we just need to deal with him. We shouldn’t lose sight of the root cause."
Intimidated by the matriarch’s authority, Ken instantly backed down. She could only add reluctantly, "But we still need to give Peyton some sort of explanation."
Florence’s expression darkened as she thumbed her Buddha beads. She looked at Simon. "Peyton was ultimately an innocent bystander in all this, so you should take extra care of her. However, Zoe is your wife, and you must bear some responsibility for her as well."
Simon lowered his gaze. "Yes, I know."
He stood up. "But there are inconsistencies in this matter. Leo Linden bought a ticket back to Crestwell yesterday and was already planning to leave, yet he suddenly committed this kidnapping today. Moreover, Zoe and I are secretly married. How could an incompetent gambling addict like him find out about our relationship? There are too many suspicious points here. I need to investigate thoroughly. No one should suffer unjust grievances."
Hearing this, Peyton pursed her lips, a complex look in her eyes.
Ken, on the other hand, was deeply dissatisfied. "I see how it is. You’re still protecting Zoe. No matter how much you investigate, the kidnapper was ultimately her uncle. That fact won’t change."
Simon didn’t bother arguing with Ken any further. He looked at Peyton, softening his tone. "Rest well, Peyton. I’ll come see you again tomorrow."
Peyton offered a weak but understanding and gentle smile. "You must be exhausted, Simon. Don’t worry about me."
Simon nodded. "Grandmother, I need to get back to work."
Florence waved her hand. "Go on then. Zoe suffered a terrible fright as well, so make sure you spend some time with her."
Simon paused before finally replying, "We’ll talk about that after I’ve investigated the whole truth of this matter."
Florence frowned and ultimately let out a helpless sigh. It seemed her grandson really didn’t care much for Zoe; otherwise, shouldn’t this be the time he stayed by his wife’s side? She figured she couldn’t really interfere in the romantic affairs of the younger generation anyway. However, as long as he didn’t end up with Peyton in the end, she could accept anything.
After leaving the Hawthorne Residence, Simon got into his car and massaged his throbbing temples.
From the front seat, Shane Shaw glanced back at him and reported, "Everything has been cleaned up. Leo Linden’s car doesn’t have a single bullet hole left on it."
When the madam was taken hostage, Mr. Hawthorne had thrown all caution to the wind, not hesitating to use unconventional methods to stop the kidnapper. At the time, Mr. Hawthorne’s order was that if Leo refused to surrender, they were to take him out remotely—provided the madam’s safety inside the car was guaranteed. He just hadn’t expected the madam to fight back inside the vehicle. Otherwise, according to Mr. Hawthorne’s plan, she wouldn’t have suffered a single scratch.
Simon stared gloomily out the window. "Look thoroughly into Leo’s side of things. Something isn’t right here. If he bought a ticket and was ready to leave, it means he had already let go of whatever was tying him down here. Perhaps... someone influenced him."
Shane narrowed his eyes. "What are you suggesting, Mr. Hawthorne?"
Simon lowered his gaze and rubbed his pinky ring. "Find out exactly who he met over the past few days. I’ll go see him at the detention center tomorrow."
"Understood," Shane replied. "And where to now?"
Simon’s Adam’s apple bobbed. "My wife is throwing a tantrum. I have to go back and coax her."