Chapter 581 Take My Side

Since Asher was willing to be of assistance, Gwendolyn softened her tone and reminded him solemnly, “I’ll leave this matter to you since you have accepted my decision. If Annie and Paul escape, I’ll treat your failure as an implicit attempt to help her.”

Gwendolyn was well aware of Asher’s capabilities. He might have left his position for a year and not dealt with anything related to work, but the network he had built up was undeniably powerful. He could get the job done as long as he wanted to.

That was the reason why she had stated her expectations upfront. She wasn’t going to accept any excuses in the event Annie and Paul were to slip through their hands. In fact, she was prepared to pin the blame on Asher for it.

“I understand. I’ll get it done right away.” Asher nodded in acknowledgment.

As there were two to three more hours to spare before the flight at eleven, all Gwendolyn had to do now was wait.

With an outstretched hand, she gestured for Asher to return the DNA test report to her.

After handing it over, Asher picked up his phone and got to work.

In order to give him space to deal with the matter, Gwendolyn left the master bedroom and returned downstairs. There, she chatted with Sienna and Inez about Annie’s matter.

Meanwhile, Cedrick returned to the Jenson residence after dropping Gwendolyn off.

Despite the fact that it was getting late, the living room was still filled with members of the Jenson family. None of them dared to leave, as Valentino was still unconscious and under a drip.

Instead of entering the living room, Cedrick walked into the garden steadily instead. From outside, he could observe everyone’s expression through the window.

Logan and Nico were standing behind him. He asked. “Xander was the last person Grandpa saw before he fainted. I heard that he cried on his knees in front of Grandpa. Why isn’t he here? Where is he now?”

Logan was slightly stunned. “Mr. Xander has been in the living room after Mrs. Jenson chased him out of the room. I even sent two men to keep an eye on him. Perhaps he has gone to use the bathroom. I’ll have someone find him right away.”

Cedrick nodded.

Now that Cedrick was back, Xander would be the prime suspect if he were to flee at this crucial moment.

He was one of Valentino’s grandsons after all. Cedrick hoped that Xander wouldn’t have resorted to such extreme measures.

Five minutes later, Logan returned.

“Mr. Jenson, Mr. Xander has disappeared. I clearly had two men watching him, but I don’t know when he managed to escape.”

Knowing well in his heart, Cedrick ordered Nico, “Check the surveillance footage at the garage and see if Xander has driven out of the villa. Send men to capture him right away!”

“Got it.” With that, Nico went off to do as he was told.

Cedrick didn’t have time to change out of his military uniform. He strode into the living room in his military boots, exuding a domineering aura.

The moment he entered, a pin–drop silence descended upon the noisy living room as everyone turned toward him in unison.

“Mr. Cedrick.”

Cedrick nodded in acknowledgment.

Instead of taking a seat on the couch in the center, he walked to the empty space beside the coffee table and turn to look at the Jensons who had gathered.

“Mr. Kieran and the medical corps are upstairs. Grandpa is in good hands. Now that it’s late, there’s no need to keep vigil here. You can all head home.”

Since he had asked them to leave, there was no reason for anyone to stay. Truth be told, most of them were just pretending to be concerned and were just too embarrassed to go.

All of them took Cedrick’s cue without delay and swiftly made a beeline out of the villa.

A few minutes later, peace returned to the expansive villa.

Cedrick maintained a frosty expression as he watched every single member of the Jenson family leave.

Once he had gotten rid of everyone, he headed upstairs to check on Valentino.

An hour later, Nico called.

Cedrick was sitting by Valentino’s bedside, watching him sleep. When he lowered his head and saw the incoming call, he slipped out of the room quietly and walked to the end of the corridor to answer his phone.

Nico informed him, “Cedrick, I’ve captured Xander. He drove out of the Jenson residence without anyone noticing and hid himself in a bar. Fortunately, I was quick in my pursuit, and there was just no escape for him.”

Cedrick replied, “Well done. I’ll be waiting at the ancestral hall. Bring him here. I want to have a chat with him.”

On Mount Tranquil, Gwendolyn kept checking her watch, feeling anxious and restless.

Truth be told, there was no need for her to assign the task to Asher. As Chanaea’s richest woman and the head of Harris Group, she had built relationships with other powerful businessmen.

Nevertheless, she wanted to use this opportunity to test where Asher’s loyalty lay.

She still couldn’t get a grasp of what was on his mind, let alone the fact that he didn’t want to be involved in anything between her and Evelyn.

What seemed ironic was that Asher had been one of Evelyn’s backers back then. It would be difficult for him to proclaim his innocence now.

Troubled by her thoughts, Gwendolyn glanced at the time again. At this hour, they should be boarding soon.

She decided to head upstairs to check with Asher on the latest. No sooner had she gotten to her feet than Asher carefully descended the stairs with one hand on the railing and the other on his knee.

The siblings‘ eyes met.

Having noticed Asher’s presence, Sienna hurried forward to support him.

Asher maintained his gaze on Gwendolyn while struggling to speak in his raspy voice. “I had someone investigate, and I can confirm that Paul and Annie are indeed planning on taking the last flight to Ospea. I have asked my men to detain their passports. They cannot leave for the time being.”

Unbeknownst to herself, Gwendolyn sighed in relief. “Okay, I got it.”

Asher continued, “If you want to capture Annie, you’ll have to act fast. Paul is a count. It will be difficult to keep him here for long without affecting the diplomatic relations between our two countries.”

Gwendolyn nodded calmly. “I understand. There’s no time to waste. Now that Annie’s identity has been confirmed, it’s time to put an end to this.”

Just as she turned around to leave, Asher hurried after her.

Due to the pain in his throat from speaking too much, he coughed a few times and added, “I’ve gotten hold of Paul’s number from the passenger manifest. You can try calling him directly. It may be more effective that way.”

Gwendolyn turned around, slightly shocked.

Not only did Asher carry out her instructions, but he also collected a lot of helpful information for her.

Has he chosen to take my side this time?

“Send Paul’s number to me. Thank you.”

After expressing her gratitude, Gwendolyn left the villa and set off into the night together with Inez.

Along the way, Inez asked candidly. “Gwendolyn, is Mr. Kieran coming back to Mount Tranquil tonight?”

With her mind still on Asher, Gwendolyn answered casually. “Probably not. He’s still at Old Mr. Jenson’s place.”

Lowering her head, Inez asked, “In that case, am I to stay alone at his villa tonight?”

Gwendolyn regained her senses and realized it would be rude for her future sister–in–law to be unaccompanied on her very first day on Mount Tranquil.

However, Gwendolyn’s mania prevented her from having anyone over at Harrick Villa. If she were to have a manic episode in the middle of the night, the ensuing chaos would definitely scare Inez.

After giving it some thought, she replied firmly, “Don’t worry. I’ll call Kieran and get him to come home.

tonight.”