Chapter 53

Chapter 53

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Matilda was about to rush forward when Horace pulled her back by the arm, for he had noticed the wheelchair-bound man behind Tabitha staring at them coldly.

Matilda shrugged off Horace’s grip and stormed up to Stephanie with a raised hand.

However, Stephanie grabbed Matilda’s wrist before the latter could slap her and threatened icily. “Do you want to be arrested, Mrs. Hayes?”

Spite unadulterated and conveying her intention to shred Stephanie into pieces-filled Matilda’s eyes as she snapped, “Is this how you treat your

mother?”

Stephanie did not miss the spite in her mother’s eyes as she countered c o o l l y, “You were never a mother to me. I’ll ask you again-where are you keeping Grandpa?”

Matilda drew her hand back. “I don’t know!”

“Fine, then. When I find him, I’ll sue you! Don’t come crying to me when that happens!” Stephanie bit out.

“I don’t know what I did to end up with a useless brat like you! First, you cut us off, and now, you’re threatening to sue us?” Matilda hissed.

Stephanie took in Matilda’s scowl. She could not remember a time when Matilda looked pleased to see her.

Florence had always been the object of Matilda’s motherly love

Stephanie might have longed for her parents’ affection in her past life, but in this life, she couldn’t care less about it

She narrowed her eyes at Matilda and said, “So, y

otherwise!”

you a

admit you’ve been hiding Grandpa. You wouldn’t be so riled up by the mention of a lawsuit

Realizing that she had been tricked, Matilda clenched her fists. “I did no such thing!” she denied.

Just then, Zane wheeled Vincent to where Stephanie stood.

Matilda stepped back consciously, wary of Vincent’s presence. He might be wheelchair-bound, but he was still intimidating.

“The Hayes family had better watch out if we find out you’ve been hiding Mr. Austin Hayes,” Vincent drawled.

as he held Matilda’s waist. “Fine.”

Horace feigned composure a

A moment later, the police walked out of the mansion with their dogs in tow, their expressions grim.

The police officer with the search warrant shook his head at Stephanie. “We didn’t find him.”

Putting away her shrewd act, Matilda pointed at Stephanie and said, “I ought to sue you for libell How did I end up with a daughter like you? Why would I hurt Austin when he’s my father-in-law? I went through hell to raise you, Stephanie, and this is how you repay me?”

Horace, who was still wary of Vincent, tugged on Matilda’s arm to signal her to tone it down.

However, Matilda was not someone who could be reasoned with, and she was growing more melodramatic as she continued, “I don’t even know what you’re thinking, Stephanie! Your sister has depression, but you threw her behind bars anyway! Are you trying to drive her and me out of our minds?”

Stephanie raised a brow. “Are you done?”

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Taken aback by Stephanie’s indifference, Matilda was about to say something when the former said to the police, “Earlier on, I heard Horace and Matilda saying something along the lines of “they’ll never find him.” I’m assuming my grandfather is still in this mansion, probably in the basement.”

The police officers were doubtful of Stephanie’s statement. They had searched the entire house and found nothing amiss.

Stephanie went on to say, “The basement isn’t well-ventilated, and Grandpa could be in danger if he’s kept there for too long. You already know Grandpa. hasn’t come out of the house since 11.00 am, and the housekeeper’s statements are contradictory to the facts, which means she’s lying, or asked to lie by her employers.”

Sensing the police officers’ hesitation, Horace quickly interjected, “Officers, Austin isn’t here. You and your police dogs searched the entire house and came up with nothing. The housekeeper told you Stephanie took him someplace else, but Stephanie denied it and is trying to frame us instead! This is slander, Stephanie! Leave now! We have a house to clean!”

Stephanie looked at the officers, “Just because you haven’t found him, doesn’t mean he isn’t here. Officers, may ask that you search the house again?”

The police officers exchanged looks before agreeing to Stephanie’s request.

“I’ll come with you this time,” Stephanie declared.

Horace blocked their way. “This is t r e s p s s i n g!”

One of the officers stepped forward with two dogs in tow, and Horace immediately shrunk back. “We have a warrant. Move, or we’ll arrest you for obstructing public duties.”

Without casting a second glance at Horace and Matilda, the officer entered the villa with his entourage.

This time, the officers inspected the ground for any suspicious gaps that might indicate a basement entrance.

15 minutes later, Stephanie found the basement entrance under the dining table in the kitchen. “Over here!” she cried out.

The police officers rushed over and heaved the table aside. They found a c r a c k in the grout between the tiles. Stephanie wedged a knife she found into the cr a c k and tried to loosen the tile.

The tile was heavy and at least eight inches thick

Stephanie pried it loose and uncovered the squarish entrance to the basement.

It was only normal that the police dogs hadn’t been able to pick up on Austin’s scent; the tile was thick, and the kitchen smelled of cooking and various

other scents.

Meanwhile, Horace and Matilda clenched their jaws when they saw the scene before them. They looked like they wanted to tear Stephanie apart

Matilda grabbed Horace’s sleeve nervously. “What do we do?”

Now that the truth was exposed, Horace knew Stephanie would not spare them. His and Matilda’s fate now lay entirely in Austin’s words.

If Austin denied any foul play on their part, then this incident would blow over.

Stephanie shot Horape and Matilda a dark look, then ventured down the basement with a flashlight in hand.

She found herself walking down a long flight of stairs and greeted by a dusty scent.

“Grandpal” When Stephanie got to the last step, phe shone the flashlight around and saw Austin lying next to a cardboard box.

She ran over and knelt before him, her voice trembling as she called out, “Grandpa.”

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She put two fingers to his neck and felt a weak pulse.

Glancing at the police officers coming up behind her, she urged, “Grandpa’s passed out from the lack of oxygen. Quick, carry him up!”

The basement was the last place the police officers expected Austin to be. It was clear to see that someone had deliberately hidden him here.

Without a second’s delay, the police officers carried Austin out of the basement and put him on even ground.

Stephanie hurriedly examined Austin again, only to find that his heart had stopped beating.

She immediately performed CPR on him, giving him chest compressions rhythmically,

The police officers gave Austin mouth-to-mouth. Before long, a few coughs escaped him.

Stephanie called out for him, choking back tears.

Austin’s eyes slowly opened. “S-Steph…”

“Grandpa!” Tears p r i c k e d Stephanie’s eyes. Had she given up on looking for him, he would have died in that basement.

At the thought of this, she rose from the floor and rushed out of the kitchen to grab Horace by the collar. “I’ll have you thrown in jail for nearly killing Grandpal”