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Novel Catalog
Chapter 96
The housekeeper raised his index finger to his lips, signaling Gale to be quiet. If anyone overheard their conversation, both she and the housekeeper would be in grave danger. After he left, Gale was left with a heavy silence, her mind swirling with thoughts she couldn’t quiet.
The Wood family—she knew they were one of the wealthiest and most influential families in Sea City, but the depths of their power and secrecy were beyond her comprehension. The housekeeper had hinted at something far darker, something that could explain the mysterious dynamics inside the family. Paula, Shawn’s stepmother, was a key player in the puzzle, but she was an enigma to Gale. Paula had been married to the Wood family for years, yet Gale had never heard Shawn speak of his biological mother.
What was the truth behind Alex Wood’s death? Had it been a result of the brutal power struggles among the wealthy?
Gale’s thoughts sharpened. Something was starting to piece together in her mind, but she couldn’t quite grasp it. Just then, her phone rang, interrupting her train of thought. She glanced at the screen—it was an unfamiliar number.
“Hello, who is it?” Gale answered, her voice tense.
“It’s me, Gale,” came Sam’s voice.
“Sam?” She frowned, confused.
“I called from a new number because you weren’t answering me before, and I’m afraid that if Shawn sees my calls, he might hurt you again,” Sam explained. “Listen, we shouldn’t be in contact anymore. I’ll pay you back the money tomorrow.”
“It’s not about the money, Gale,” Sam continued, his tone shifting to something more serious. “You said before that Uncle Peter was innocent, and I took that to heart. I’ve been using my contacts to investigate the case.”
Gale’s heart skipped a beat. “And… did you find something?” she asked, her voice tight with anticipation.
“Yes,” Sam said. “There’s some shocking news.”
Gale’s pulse quickened. “What is it? What did you find?”
“Can we meet in person? It’s not safe to discuss this over the phone. It’s a big deal,” Sam replied.
Gale didn’t hesitate. “Okay, where are you?”
“I’ll send you the address. Wait for it,” Sam said.
Gale didn’t waste another moment. She rushed out the door, her mind racing. She couldn’t wait any longer for answers.
She took a taxi, heading straight to the destination Sam had provided. The car sped through the streets, and as they passed an intersection, Gale barely noticed a car on the opposite side. Her mind was too preoccupied with what was to come.
“Driver, can you go faster?” Gale urged, her palms sweating, her nerves on edge.
The driver hesitated, then said, “Mr. Wood, I think… the taxi you were in… I believe it was your wife.”
Shawn, sitting in the back of his car, raised his head from a pile of documents. “Gale?” he asked, his voice cold.
“Yes, sir,” the driver answered nervously.
Shawn’s gaze turned to the window, his expression unreadable as the taxi disappeared into the night. His brow furrowed. Where was Gale going at this hour? And why was she hiding things from him?
At the café, Gale met Sam, her body tense with anticipation. She wiped a bead of sweat from her forehead. “Tell me,” she said urgently. “What did you find?”
Sam looked at her, his eyes somewhat unreadable. “If I told you I lied to you, and I just wanted to see you, would you believe me?” he asked with a teasing smile.
Gale stared at him, unimpressed. “Sam, are you joking?”
He sighed, giving in. “Okay, okay. I was just kidding. But… I do wonder if you’d even come see me if it were just me.”
Gale raised an eyebrow, trying to be dismissive. “No, because we’re competitors,” she said, hoping to shut down any potential misunderstandings. She had to be careful—Shawn would never forgive her if he thought she was getting too close to Sam.
Sam smiled faintly. “You’re heartless, but alright. Let’s get down to business. I reviewed the details of the incident from years ago. If Peter didn’t mess up, then the issue must have been with the medicine.”
“The medicine?” Gale repeated, her mind racing.
“Yes. If someone tampered with it, it could have led to Alex Wood’s death,” Sam explained, his tone serious.
Gale’s stomach dropped. She clenched her fists tightly. “So, who could it have been?” she asked, barely able to keep her voice steady.
Sam hesitated. “I don’t know. This is just my theory. I don’t have concrete proof. The police investigated, and they concluded Peter was responsible. But that’s too convenient. Whoever did this covered their tracks perfectly.”
Gale felt a sinking sensation in her chest. “So it’s impossible to find evidence?”
“Not impossible,” Sam replied, his voice firm. “There’s no such thing as a perfect crime. If they did it, there will be clues. We just have to find them.”
“But… Shawn couldn’t find anything. How can we?” Gale said, her voice trembling. “If Shawn knew the truth, he would’ve attacked my family by now. Why hasn’t he?”
“The man who died was his father,” Sam said softly. “Shawn was too emotionally unstable to investigate it himself. He likely let others do the work for him.”
Gale was silent for a moment, trying to calm her nerves. The enormity of the situation was too much to digest all at once. It wasn’t going to be easy to uncover the truth, especially when Shawn was so involved.
Sam continued, “Gale, you’ve been around Shawn long enough. You know more about the Wood family than I do. Think—who do you think would have benefitted most from Alex Wood’s death? Who had the opportunity to switch the medicine?”
Gale’s mind churned, piecing together the puzzle. She thought about the people who would have had the means and the motive.
And then, the name came to her. “Paula,” she said, her voice barely above a whisper.
“Shawn’s stepmother?” Sam asked, his eyebrows raised.
Gale nodded slowly. “Yes, I suspect her the most. She’s been with the Wood family for years, and the old man—he wanted to preserve the family’s legacy. Paula, on the other hand, would do anything to secure her position.”
Sam’s eyes were keen. “But… what about her son?”
Gale blinked. “Her son? I’ve never heard of him. No one ever mentioned him.”
Sam leaned in. “Shawn’s half-brother. He’s studying abroad now. You never met him, right?”
Before Sam could finish speaking, his eyes darted to something behind Gale, and his expression shifted.
Gale turned around, her heart racing.
Shawn had entered the café, his tall frame unmistakable. He strode toward them with a chilling smile on his face—a smile that didn’t reach his eyes.
“Gale,” he said, his voice cold, “why are you here?”
He grabbed her wrist, pulling her toward him. “You dare meet your lover behind my back? Do you think I’m dead?”
Gale stood frozen, caught in the grip of his anger. “I have something very important to discuss with him,” she said quickly, trying to defuse the situation.
Shawn didn’t seem to care. “What could be so important that you ignore everything I’ve said?” His grip tightened painfully around her wrist.
Gale couldn’t speak. She couldn’t reveal the reason behind her meeting with Sam. It would be too dangerous, and Shawn would never understand.
The silence that followed made everything worse. Shawn’s anger was palpable.
“Speak!” he commanded.