Chapter 8: Chapter 8

After reassuring herself, Joseline reverted to her arrogant self. “Stop talking about irrelevant matters with me, Angeline. Let me warn you. Because of the fact that you caused Mom and Dad’s deaths alone, I’ll never give you a single unit of Sorelle Group’s shares!”

Angeline’s eyes went cold, and her lips curved into a smirk. “Oh, really? I shall wait and see, then.”

Trepidation filled Joseline at the look in Angeline’s eyes. Snorting, she wanted to snag her bag and leave.

“Wait a moment.”

Angeline put down the coffee in her hand. Then, she snagged the Chanel bag Joseline placed on the table before the latter could do so.

“What are you doing, Angeline?”

Without waiting for Joseline to stop her, Angeline had already unzipped the Chanel bag and tipped out the cosmetics, purse, and keys within. Finally, a black, rectangular recorder pen appeared before them both.

In a flash, Joseline’s face paled, and she reached out to snatch it away.

Angeline acted much faster. Her slender fingers grasped the recorder pen, and she tossed it into the cup of steaming hot coffee. It instantly sank into the liquid, becoming a useless pen.

“Angeline!” Joseline’s eyes went as wide as saucers.

“Every question you asked was so intentional that I couldn’t help suspecting that you had an ulterior motive, Joseline. It looks like you didn’t waste the five years you worked at Sorelle Group and learned quite a few tricks of the business world.”

Angeline languidly swiped a piece of tissue and wiped the coffee that spilled onto the table as though she didn’t see Joseline gritting her teeth.

In the end, she took out two hundred from her bag and placed it on the table before slowly getting to her feet. “We’ve met and talked. Coffee is on me this time. If there’s nothing else, Joseline, I’ll be leaving first.”

When she was about to leave her seat, Joseline stood up as well.

She had long since known that Angeline wouldn’t give in to threats or sweet talk, so she had been racking her brain for a way to convince the latter while on her way to the hotel.

The only thing that can keep her in check is probably the secret I’ve kept buried within me for five whole years!

“Angeline!” Her voice rose a few decibels, and she was close to shouting. “What if I were to tell you that your child was still alive five years ago? Would you then stop everything you’re now doing to Sorelle Group?”

Angeline, who was just about to walk away, abruptly halted in her tracks.

That statement successfully had the smile on her face stiffening bit by bit.

Is there a problem with my hearing, or am I hallucinating? What does she mean by my child being alive five years ago?

She instinctively clutched her handbag tightly, feeling as though her entire body was encased in ice.

A long while later, she feigned calmness and lifted her eyes to Joseline. Forcing a half-smile, Angeline murmured, “I didn’t expect you to make up such a lie just to obtain Sorelle Group, Joseline. Did you think I’d believe that?”

The corners of her mouth lifted in contempt. She didn’t continue to prattle with her but left her spot and took off.

Joseline was left there all alone. She fell back onto the chair.

She actually thought that I was lying to her?

Five years ago, she learned that Angeline had taken a fall and suffered from excessive bleeding, leading to dystocia. By the time she arrived at the hospital, she had happened to hear the doctor telling the latter that the child was gone.

However, she personally witnessed a woman furtively taking a swaddled infant from the midwife. She could even vaguely hear the child’s cries.

Thus, the child was obviously still alive.

She trailed the woman, curious to know where she was taking the child, but she lost her in the end.

As Angeline walked along the hotel’s corridor, she kept a rapid pace. Her usually steady breathing was a tad flustered then, and she stumbled slightly. Several times, she staggered in her high heels.

Joseline claimed that my child was still alive, but that’s absolutely impossible! I heard the doctor say the child was gone back then. How could the doctor possibly have lied? Hence, this must be another trick she came up with!

At that exact moment, the hotel’s elevator doors opened. A few figures stepped out, solid footsteps blending with the click-clacking of high heels.

The first person to step out was a tall man with a young and beautiful woman beside him.

A middle-aged man in a suit followed behind Evander. “I’ve already placed your bill on your tab. I’ll arrange for a car to pick you and Ms. Sherrock up right away.”

“No, it’s okay,” Evander declined in a cold voice.

He had one hand stuck in his pocket and held a cigar in the other hand. Gazing right ahead, he parted his thin lips a fraction. “It’s a trivial matter, so you don’t have to go to such trouble, Mr. Jansen.”

In truth, he had already arranged for Sylas to come and pick him up.

If it weren’t for his grandmother, Valerie Tayhouse, putting pressure on him, he wouldn’t have wasted his time on such a pointless “date.”

“Oh no, it’s no trouble at all! It’s our hotel’s honor that you had a meal here, Mr. Golding.”

“Since you’re being so nice, Mr. Jansen, it’s pretty much a sure thing that Evander and I will be having our wedding here.” The woman who held Evander’s arm wore a beige trench coat. She was tall and slender, with a gracious smile on her face.

That woman was none other than Olivine Sherrock, the daughter of the Sherrock family, one of the four most prestigious families in Hallsbay. Most importantly, she was the only granddaughter-in-law Valerie had in mind for Evander.