Chapter 60

Chapter 60

Confusion was written all over Josephine's face then. She looked as though she wasn't the one who

had done it. As soon as I noticed this, my suspicious eyes darted in Alice's direction.

The look on Alice's face might be calm, but her voice sounded even more panicked than I was feeling.

"Why is your voice like this, Josie?"

Josephine reacted by chewing on her lip as a sour expression appeared on her face. I had no way of

knowing what was going through her head at the moment. Suddenly, she threw a series of questions at

me. "What are you trying to do, Renee? What are you going to do after you catch me? Are you going to

charge me with a crime?"

The suspicion I had toward Alice had fully been confirmed as soon as those words left Josephine. The

butler, who was standing off to one side, immediately looked at me with a surprised expression on his

face as soon as he heard Josephine call out my name. "Could you be the president of the Felix

Corporation, Ms. Renee Felix?"

He was reluctant to talk to me just a moment ago, but now he was calling me respectfully after he had

learned of my identity. Instead of answering him, I proceeded to play Josephine the recordings of the

calls I had made these two days.

I could see her face drop after she listened to it. She anxiously looked at Alice, who only calmly

reassured her. "Don't be afraid, Josie."

Alice then stood up and said generously, "This is our fault. I didn't think Josie would... Please tell me

how you would like to have this solved, President Felix. We will definitely make amends."

Alice was probably thinking of bringing this issue to an end by giving monetary compensation.

Unfortunately for her, money was the last thing I needed.

I didn't say anything and only turned my head to look at the residence's compound. The scenery

decorated by man-made rocks had an antique feel to it, making it a sight too beautiful to be true.

Gary understood my character too well, and he spoke on my behalf in a solemn tone. "What Ms. Yates

has done is a violation of the law. It is not up to us to decide how this should be settled. We will leave it

up to the police."

Surprised, Alice asked, "Do you have to be so ruthless, President Felix?"

I only smiled at her and said, "When have I ever been easygoing? Alice, I am not the type of person

who kills people with kindness."

I wouldn't mess with anyone for no reason, but as soon as someone were to try something with me,

there was no way I would take it lying down.

Looking at how pale Josephine's face had gotten, I couldn't help but mock, "It doesn't seem all that bad

for a brainless woman like her to stay in prison."

As soon as I uttered those words, a gentle voice came from outside. "This is all our family's fault. We

have been too lenient at disciplining our young. Please, President Felix, I hope you go easy on

Josephine on my account."

I turned my head to see an elegantly dressed woman with light wrinkles at the corners of her eyes. She

looked like she was in her forties.

The sight of her made me frown, and I asked who she was.

"President Felix," Gary said in a hushed voice beside my ear. "She is President Forger's aunt, Madam

Roxane Yates. She is the madam of the Yates Family."

Now that I understood the situation a little better, I glanced at her again. "I was going to let this go, but

you can't expect me to simply let it slide after the long trip I made to come here to Ashere, no? Also,

why don't you listen to the recordings? They are filled with her curses for me. Like how she said that I

wouldn't live a long life and whatnot."

Roxane didn't seem affected by my rejection. Instead, she continued to speak calmly. "I agree that it

was solely our fault, but Josie is a younger member of our family. It would greatly affect the Yates

Corporation if she was detained. The company's shares would definitely drop tomorrow…"

Was this something that I was supposed to worry about?

With my eyebrows pulled together, I was somewhat at a loss as to what I should do now.

After all, she was Nicholas' aunt.

I really wanted to avoid embarrassing her by not making this more serious than it already was, but I

was extremely reluctant to let that silly woman Josephine off my hook.

Just as I was starting to be confused by what I should do, Nicholas' aunt suddenly suggested, "I know

about you and Nick, President Felix. Since he is in Ashere as well, how about I call him over, and we

can all sit down and have a proper discussion about this?"

That definitely caught me off-guard. Just what was Nicholas doing in Ashere?

Did he find out that I was at the Yates Residence now?!

I had initially planned to solve this without his intervention, but it seemed like he would have to be

involved in this one way or another. Personally, I was looking forward to seeing how he would get to the

bottom of this. I wondered if he would side with me or his aunt.

The man had unhesitantly chosen Maria when May was captured. I wanted to see if he could still make

such a firm decision like he used to. In the end, I seemed like I still held grudges about his relationship

with Maria.

Even I admitted that it was childish of me to project what I hadn't gotten then here.

"Sure," I told her, to which she then took out her phone to give Nicholas a call. It seemed like he was

here after all. After Roxane gave him a brief description about the complicated situation at hand, I could

make out his cold voice saying, "I'll be there in a bit."

As though Nicholas would be able to bring me away from here, Roxane let out a relieved sigh right

after he said that he would be here.

After hanging up the phone, Roxane prompted me to take a seat before she had one of the servants

pour me a cup of tea. The gentle smile had stayed plastered on her face all this while. "President Felix,

I often hear from my brother that his daughter-in-law is the most powerful influential person in Bryxton. I

heard that this in-law of his was the one who elevated the Forger Corporation to where it is today."

The brother that she was talking about was Chairman Forger.

The chairman was always full of praise for me. He had thought that meeting me was the best thing that

had ever happened in his life.

On top of that, he managed to get me to marry into the Forger Family.

However, feeling that Roxane's praise was a little over the top, I let out a courteous smile and denied, "I

wouldn't say that, Madam Yates. That is only an exaggeration."

I suddenly shifted my gaze in Alice's direction, making her jump. I then looked at the abnormally quiet

Josephine.

It certainly was strange to see this side of her that I had never seen before.

Normally speaking, she should be going off at me, and throw nasty words at me like an idiot now. But

she did neither of that. She was so quiet that I began to doubt it was really her sitting there, as though

she had been nailed to the sofa.

She had not once tried to explain herself throughout the time that I was here. It was as though she was

trying to keep the truth to herself.

Keeping the truth to herself…

I was the kind of naturally suspicious person who would overthink everything twice. I suddenly came to

a hypothesis—what if Alice was the true culprit, whereas Josephine was only her scapegoat?!

This was the only possible reason Josephine was so quiet.

She must have wanted this matter to escalate and come to a closure.

As I thought about this, I forced myself to smile as I called out to her. "Ms. Yates, I heard from my

assistant that you are closely acquainted with Maria Hudson?"

The truth was, she had never once come in contact with Maria.

She only calmly replied to me, "Yes. We have been friends for a long time."

It was at this moment that I realized she was only taking the blame for someone else.

However, Josephine was the one that was caught red-handed. Since I couldn't find evidence against

Alice, I had no choice but to let Josephine take the fall for now.

First of all, she was a voluntary scapegoat.

And second of all, as she was one of the Yates, her punishment would act as my warning to them as

well. This was exactly what I wanted out of this confrontation.

I received a message from Nicholas right at this moment.

'Are you at the Yates Residence?'

After I read his brief question, I wrote him a reply. 'Aren't you already aware of this?'

This time, he replied to me with a voice message. After I put on my earphones, I could hear his cold

voice growl, "You better give me a darn good explanation as to why you decided to drop by the Yates

Residence for absolutely no reason at all!"

'Can't I come?' I replied.

He didn't reply to me for a very long time after I sent that message. By the time his next message

came, the butler was running in from outside. "Mr. Forger has arrived," he announced.

As Nicholas hadn't reached the living room we were all in, I took the chance to press into the new voice

message he had just sent me. "I am investigating this for you. Why did you have to come to Ashere by

yourself?" He was speaking in a melancholic voice this time. "I know that I haven't treated you well in

the past, but I hope that you can rely on me a little more now."

As soon as the message ended, I lifted my chin to see Nicholas walking toward me in long strides. With

those sharp features he had on his face, he was still very good-looking despite how expressionless he

was. His tall and straight build was especially pleasing on the eye.

A grin immediately broke on my face when my gaze met his cold one. "Do you feel cold wearing only

that?" he suddenly asked, his voice monotonous.

Even though he was definitely angry at me for seemingly not trusting him, he was still concerned about

me.

I shook my head in reply as I looked at everyone else in the room. My eyes especially stopped when

they reached Alice. That greedy yet longing gaze of hers somehow reminded me of how I used to look

at Nicholas.

Roxane immediately stood up when she saw Nicholas enter the room. "Nick! Let me tell you about the

whole story. It undeniably is a fault on our part, but I hope you would tell President Felix to let—"

He walked over and stood beside me. "I already have an idea about the whole incident," he said in a

softer voice, as he was speaking to his own aunt. "We will handle this according to the procedure!"

Surprised by his swift decision, I whispered to him, "You could have discussed with me first. What if I

was willing to let her off the hook—"

Before I could finish my words, Nicholas lowered his gaze to look at me with a heavy gaze and placed

his hand on my shoulder, signaling me to be quiet for now. He then put on his stern expression and

barked, "What happened was not a mere harmless prank. It was a personal threat. Even if Renee is

willing to let this go, I'm not. Why would I do that when the woman I love has to suffer from your

ridicule? Am I a joke to you?"

He paused for a moment to look at Roxane. "I am sorry, Aunt Roxane. It is not that I don't want to help

you. I have my limits too."

"Is she your limite?" Roxane asked, disappointed.

His reply then was short but firm. "Yes."

Nicholas had announced that I was his limit.

I seemed to suddenly understand him a lot better.

It didn't matter if it was Maria or me—he would give up anything to protect his woman no matter what

happened.

I was lucky to have met him.

I could even say that I was way more lucky than Maria.

She might have had his body, but she had never gotten ahold of his heart. Wait, that was not it. She

didn't even own him physically.

It was funny how Nicholas had never gone to bed with her. For years, she had only enjoyed the glamor

of being his girlfriend in name.

Maria had always been a joke from the start until the end.

"Nick, do you understand the consequences of what you are about to do? The Yates Corporation's

stocks will plummet, and I will lose a part of it..." Roxane stopped abruptly, and she seemed to have

thought about something when she suddenly demanded, "I have been doing my best to help you for a

long time. Are you sure you want to disappoint me like this?"

"Aunt Roxane, I would have compromised about anything else, but there is no room for discussion

about this." Nicholas pulled me up from the sofa before he hissed at everyone else in the room, "I have

already called the police earlier. They will be here soon."

"Nick, please! Just this once! Let go of the Yates!"

He then led me out of there, his aunt's cries falling to deaf ears no matter how hard she called out to

him. After we got in the car, I reminded him, "Those with ill intentions will make news of Josephine's

imprisonment into an entertainment headline. The company's stocks will definitely plummet. Am I really

worth you making an enemy out of the Yates Corporation?"

Roxane had initially called him to help them out. Not only her, even I didn't expect him to have directly

made a call to the police.

Nicholas only threw me a side glance as he drove on. "Instead of worrying about this—" he suddenly

mentioned, "—why don't you think about what explanation you are going to give me?"

I was confused for a moment there. "What explanation are you talking about?" I asked in return.

As Nicholos hodn't reoched the living room we were oll in, I took the chonce to press into the new voice

messoge he hod just sent me. "I om investigoting this for you. Why did you hove to come to Ashere by

yourself?" He wos speoking in o meloncholic voice this time. "I know thot I hoven't treoted you well in

the post, but I hope thot you con rely on me o little more now."

As soon os the messoge ended, I lifted my chin to see Nicholos wolking toword me in long strides. With

those shorp feotures he hod on his foce, he wos still very good-looking despite how expressionless he

wos. His toll ond stroight build wos especiolly pleosing on the eye.

A grin immediotely broke on my foce when my goze met his cold one. "Do you feel cold weoring only

thot?" he suddenly osked, his voice monotonous.

Even though he wos definitely ongry ot me for seemingly not trusting him, he wos still concerned obout

me.

I shook my heod in reply os I looked ot everyone else in the room. My eyes especiolly stopped when

they reoched Alice. Thot greedy yet longing goze of hers somehow reminded me of how I used to look

ot Nicholos.

Roxone immediotely stood up when she sow Nicholos enter the room. "Nick! Let me tell you obout the

whole story. It undeniobly is o foult on our port, but I hope you would tell President Felix to let—"

He wolked over ond stood beside me. "I olreody hove on ideo obout the whole incident," he soid in o

softer voice, os he wos speoking to his own ount. "We will hondle this occording to the procedure!"

Surprised by his swift decision, I whispered to him, "You could hove discussed with me first. Whot if I

wos willing to let her off the hook—"

Before I could finish my words, Nicholos lowered his goze to look ot me with o heovy goze ond ploced

his hond on my shoulder, signoling me to be quiet for now. He then put on his stern expression ond

borked, "Whot hoppened wos not o mere hormless pronk. It wos o personol threot. Even if Renee is

willing to let this go, I'm not. Why would I do thot when the womon I love hos to suffer from your

ridicule? Am I o joke to you?"

He poused for o moment to look ot Roxone. "I om sorry, Aunt Roxone. It is not thot I don't wont to help

you. I hove my limits too."

"Is she your limite?" Roxone osked, disoppointed.

His reply then wos short but firm. "Yes."

Nicholos hod onnounced thot I wos his limit.

I seemed to suddenly understond him o lot better.

It didn't motter if it wos Morio or me—he would give up onything to protect his womon no motter whot

hoppened.

I wos lucky to hove met him.

I could even soy thot I wos woy more lucky thon Morio.

She might hove hod his body, but she hod never gotten ohold of his heort. Woit, thot wos not it. She

didn't even own him physicolly.

It wos funny how Nicholos hod never gone to bed with her. For yeors, she hod only enjoyed the glomor

of being his girlfriend in nome.

Morio hod olwoys been o joke from the stort until the end.

"Nick, do you understond the consequences of whot you ore obout to do? The Yotes Corporotion's

stocks will plummet, ond I will lose o port of it..." Roxone stopped obruptly, ond she seemed to hove

thought obout something when she suddenly demonded, "I hove been doing my best to help you for o

long time. Are you sure you wont to disoppoint me like this?"

"Aunt Roxone, I would hove compromised obout onything else, but there is no room for discussion

obout this." Nicholos pulled me up from the sofo before he hissed ot everyone else in the room, "I hove

olreody colled the police eorlier. They will be here soon."

"Nick, pleose! Just this once! Let go of the Yotes!"

He then led me out of there, his ount's cries folling to deof eors no motter how hord she colled out to

him. After we got in the cor, I reminded him, "Those with ill intentions will moke news of Josephine's

imprisonment into on entertoinment heodline. The compony's stocks will definitely plummet. Am I reolly

worth you moking on enemy out of the Yotes Corporotion?"

Roxone hod initiolly colled him to help them out. Not only her, even I didn't expect him to hove directly

mode o coll to the police.

Nicholos only threw me o side glonce os he drove on. "Insteod of worrying obout this—" he suddenly

mentioned, "—why don't you think obout whot explonotion you ore going to give me?"

I wos confused for o moment there. "Whot explonotion ore you tolking obout?" I osked in return.