Filed To Story: Watch Out! She's a Mastermind Heiress (Isabella Patton) Book PDF Free
Jada felt a surge of satisfaction. Finally, she had unmasked Susan’s duplicity.
“Susan, you’ve done something terrible. Mr. Patton loves you deeply, and the least he deserves is the truth!” Mara, with false sympathy in her eyes, chimed in. “Mr. Patton, we’re so sorry. This is our fault for not raising her better. We’ve let you down!”
Mara considered Susan utterly detestable. She had feared Susan would become untouchable once she married Dane, but who could’ve imagined she’d squander that chance herself? A wave of relief washed over her.
Without Dane’s protection, Susan would soon find herself back in her place, ripe for them to push around as they pleased. Susan couldn’t bear to meet Dane’s gaze; the weight of his disappointment was too much to face. She knew how deeply he loved her, and his pride would never fully recover from this.
Maybe they wouldn’t end things immediately, but this would create a crack between them that might never heal. She thought it would be wiser to walk away now, leaving each other with a shred of dignity.
“I’m sorry. Let’s break up,” Susan whispered, her voice trembling as she turned to leave. A dull ache spread through her chest, and tears fell freely down her cheeks.
But before she could take another step, a firm hand gripped her wrist.
“Oh, you mean that night? Onyx was kicked out by me. I stayed with you. Guess I left too early in the morning for you to know it was me.”
Susan spun around, disbelief etched across her face as she locked eyes with Dane. His gaze was heavy with heartache as he drew her into a tight embrace, his voice laced with gentle concern. “You’re such a fool. During that time, you wouldn’t even speak to me, so I had to follow you in secret. How could I allow Onyx to bully you? This child is mine. Thank goodness you didn’t go through with the abortion!”
As Esteban observed the two of them together, his expression finally softened, and he offered Susan’s shoulder a reassuring pat.
Meanwhile, Jada and Mara stood frozen in shock.
What? So Onyx hadn’t succeeded at all? What a monumental failure!
With their faces taut and expressions frozen, Esteban turned to them and spoke in an unusually heavy voice. “You’re coming back with me.”
Jada and Mara exchanged glances, a sinking sense of dread settling in their stomachs, but they had no choice but to follow Esteban out.
Once the three had departed, Susan slowly pushed Dane away. “What’s wrong?” he asked gently.
Susan fell silent for a moment, gathering her thoughts before speaking slowly. “I know you said that earlier to save face for us. I’m sorry for causing you trouble.”
Dane let out a sigh. “Silly girl, I was telling the truth.”
“How could there be such a coincidence?” Susan raised an eyebrow, skepticism lacing her voice.
Isabella spoke up. “See for yourself. I had someone check the hotel elevator’s surveillance footage.”
Susan took Isabella’s phone. It was indeed the hotel’s footage. The screen flickered to life, revealing Onyx leading her into the hotel. But then, just five minutes later, Dane appeared. And not long after, security escorted Onyx into the elevator, never to be seen again.
Susan pressed her trembling hand to her mouth, tears cascading down her cheeks. She hadn’t slept with another man!
As Dane watched her in anguish, a profound ache settled deep within his chest. “Silly girl, this is on me. I didn’t tell you because I didn’t want to drag you back into those painful memories.”
“No, blame me. I should’ve told you from the start!” Susan sobbed. “I’ve been such a coward, making you act strange while I kept running away.”
“So, what’s the plan from now on?” Dane asked her. “From now on, whatever happens, you’ll be the first to know.”
“Exactly, that’s how it should be.” Dane softly stroked her hair.
Watching them hug and make up, Isabella felt a wave of relief, a smile tugging at her lips.
Dane checked his watch before turning to Isabella.
“Isabella, Andrew tonight?”
Isabella wondered why he would ask her this question. “Now he knows I’m here for Susan’s competition,” she answered.
“Really? So, are you going to celebrate his birthday tomorrow?” Dane questioned.
Isabella’s smile faltered. “Birthday?”
“Yeah, today’s his birthday. Wait, you didn’t…?” Dane raised an eyebrow.
Isabella’s smile disappeared entirely.
So, it was Andrew’s birthday. Now she remembered being asked repeatedly if she would go to Andrew’s home tonight, but Andrew hadn’t told her.
Guilt washed over Isabella.
Susan caught on and quickly apologized. “Isabella, I’m so sorry! It’s my fault for nearly forgetting his birthday. You should go to him now!”
“Alright, I’ll head out now.”
Isabella rushed out, calling Andrew, but he didn’t answer. She texted him, asking where he was, but still no response.
The outskirts.
The cemetery stretched wide, dotted with all kinds of tombstones, with hardly anyone in sight.
A man stood before a gravestone, setting down a bouquet of flowers.
He stood there, in silence.
The eerily still air, not a sound.
Nearby, his assistant watched Andrew’s lone figure, feeling a twinge of sadness.
To the world, Andrew was always seen as powerful, decisive, and dazzling, but deep down, he was a man who had never known a parent’s love.
Every year on his birthday, Andrew visited the cemetery to see his parents.
He thought this year might be different, with Isabella by his side, but her friend’s competition happened to fall on the same day. The assistant let out a sigh.
“You can go now,” Andrew’s voice was cold.
The assistant quietly walked away.
As the night deepened, the faint glow from the street lamps barely illuminated Andrew’s form, almost making him one with the thick darkness. He checked his watch—only minutes until midnight. His birthday was nearly over.
“I’m heading out now. I’ll be back next time. See you,” Andrew murmured softly.
Suddenly, gentle patter filled the air as raindrops started to land on his head and shoulders. He tilted his head up, eyes meeting the drizzling rain. “Is this your way of asking me to stay?” he whispered.
If only they were still alive…
But after all these years, his parents never returned. Everyone had come to terms with their loss, including his grandfather, who had this gravestone made in their memory.
Though a tiny part of Andrew still clung to the hope that they might be alive, he couldn’t escape the reality he had to face. Every year, on his birthday, he made his way here to visit them.
He resented them because they left too soon, without even giving him a final glance.
Yet he still yearned for them.
Andrew shut his eyes, his whole being radiating loneliness and cold detachment.
As the rain halted abruptly, he opened his eyes. “Looks like it’s time to leave.”
Turning around, he was surprised to find a woman standing before him. “Why are you here?”
Isabella’s heart ached as she gazed at Andrew’s solitary figure. He had always appeared so noble and composed, but she never imagined him looking so vulnerable.
“I thought you might be here, so I came,” Isabella said gently.
She took out a carefully wrapped gift and handed it to Andrew, standing on her toes to brush a soft kiss against his cheek. “Happy birthday!”
The warmth of her breath lingered on his cheek. Andrew looked at her tender, beautiful face, feeling as if something had hit him deep inside.
Glancing down, Isabella handed Andrew the umbrella before kneeling down and bowing her head softly.
New Book: Returned To Make Them Pay
On her wedding anniversary, Alicia is drugged and stumbles into the wrong room—straight into the arms of the powerful Caden Ward, a man rumored never to touch women. Their night of passion shocks even him, especially when he discovers she’s still a virgin after two years of marriage to Joshua Yates.