Chester’s face remained unreadable.
Barely hesitating, he made his decision. “Call the police.”
Joanna hesitated, words catching in her throat, but in the heavy silence that followed Chester’s order, she could only dial emergency services, her movements slow and resigned.
Whatever hope she’d nursed evaporated in that moment.
Chester would rather send Celestine to the police–would rather have a Mrs. Fordham tainted with scandal–than even consider divorcing her!
After all her careful scheming, after all the effort she’d poured into this, she’d been so close–so close to getting what she wanted!
If only Celestine had been a little more ruthless–if only she’d let Raymond drown in that pool, if only the Fordham family had lost an heir–Joanna’s plan would have played out perfectly.
This woman–what a calculating, manipulative piece of work!
With the Fordham Group’s battery of lawyers, even if the police took Celestine away tonight, they’d ensure no charges would ever stick.
But Joanna wasn’t about to let Celestine walk away clean. She’d see to it that “murderer” stuck to her name forever, that her reputation would be ruined beyond
repair.
Head bowed over her phone, Joanna dialed, her face hidden but twisted with malice
and cold calculation.
Raymond stood frozen, stunned.
How had a single lie spiraled this far? Why was his family reacting like this–why were they calling the police to arrest his mother?
But he was fine. He was right here. Nothing had happened to him.
If his mother went to jail, everyone would laugh at him for the rest of his life.
He didn’t want a mother like that.
Tears streaming down his face, he ran to Dahlia, desperate.
Whenever he cried, Dahlia’s heart always softened. But not this time. Her voice was
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Chapter 148
firm, almost cold: “Raymond, your mother did something terrible and refuses to admit it. She nearly cost you your life. If we don’t call the police, who knows who she’ll hurt next? Maybe next time, you won’t be so lucky. I don’t want to live to see my own grandson buried before me.”
Raymond shook his head, sobbing, wanting to protest–to shout that it wasn’t true. The lie was his. He was the one refusing to own up.
He hadn’t hurt anyone.
But if his mother got taken away, would she tell the police the truth? Would they come for him next?
This time, Raymond was truly terrified.
Celestine, who’d been silently watching the whole spectacle from the sidelines, suddenly moved.
Dahlia glared at her, bristling with suspicion. “What do you want now? Who are you planning to push this time?”
Ignoring her, Celestine strode straight to Raymond and stopped in front of him.
A ripple of unease swept through everyone.
Chester stepped up as well, his voice tense. “What are you doing now?”
Celestine didn’t answer. With a swift motion, she reached out and yanked the small charm from around Raymond’s neck.
Then, slowly and deliberately, she tore it to shreds.
Raymond stared at her in disbelief.
That charm–a little yellow keepsake–he’d once lent it to Miss Sinclair for a while. After his mother left, she’d taken everything with her. He missed her, and eventually, Miss Sinclair had given the charm back.
He’d worn it every day since, the only thing that made him feel like his mom was still close, the only thing that helped him stay strong in this strange city.
And now, his mother had torn it apart with her own hands.
It felt as if his heart was being ripped to pieces right along with it.
“No! No!” he screamed, voice raw, breaking away from Chester and lunging forward, desperate to gather up even a single scrap.
But Celestine flung the shredded pieces into the deepest end of the pool.
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hapter 148
Raymond, acting on pure instinct, made to leap in after them.
Everyone around gasped in shock.
Quick as a flash, Chester caught him and swept him up into his arms.
Dahlia slapped her thigh in frustration. “Raymond! Why on earth do you care about that woman’s worthless trinket? If you want, Grandma can get you a hundred just like it tomorrow! Don’t do anything foolish!”
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