Chapter 270
“Where are we even going?”
“Shouldn’t you be calling the boss right now?”
Aiden was still grumbling as Jackson hustled him into the car, totally confused about what was going
- on.
“Why drag the big boss into something this small? Save your energy for when you actually need to carry someone,” Jackson shot back, rolling his eyes.
Patricia’s look just now had told Jackson everything. Something was up with that coffee shop. He knew he had to check it out himself.
“When we get there, I’ll handle the staff. You take a look around and see if there are any other cameras that might have caught something outside the café. That old lady picked the wrong person to mess with. Anyone who goes after our Miss is basically signing their own death warrant.”
As soon as they got to the café, Jackson headed straight for the counter. He ordered a coffee and started chatting up the barista, acting like they were old friends.
The barista still looked rattled as he described what happened that morning. “You both seem like really decent people, from good families. We never thought something like this would happen here.”
“The old woman came in first. She wandered around the café, like she was searching for something.”
“The younger lady came in after and went straight to her seat.”
Jackson listened, and it all clicked. This was a setup. An ambush, plain and simple. But their Miss hadn’t seen through it. Love really did make people lose their edge. She used to be so sharp. How did marriage turn her into this?
A few minutes later, Aiden called him over. Turns out, a security camera from across the street had caught a glimpse of the café’s corner. They zoomed in and could just make out Patricia and the old
woman’s shadows.
“That’s it. We’re done here,” Jackson said, grabbing his coffee and strolling with Aiden toward the police station.
Just as they reached the steps, Jackson spotted a black BMW parked in the lot. That license plate–wasn’t that her ex–husband’s car?
He clicked his tongue in annoyance. But when he walked inside, it wasn’t Theo waiting for them. It was Howard.
Inside the police station, Howard sat across from Patricia, looking at her with the same gentle kindness she remembered from five years ago, the first time they’d met.
When Theo had bailed on their wedding, it was Howard who comforted her, even as he cursed his son for being such a disappointment. Later, to make up for everything, he had quietly slipped her a generous sum of cash.
At first, Patricia had no issues with Howard. But everything changed after Theo cheated. That was
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Chapter 270
when she realized: sons are always family, but daughters–in–law are just outsiders who can be thrown out anytime.
And now Howard was sitting across from her again, acting as dignified as ever.
Patricia rested her chin on her hand, just staring at him, waiting for him to speak.
After a while, Howard finally said, “Patricia, there’s no reason for us to go down together.”
“Go down together?” Patricia let out a laugh. “You really think too highly of yourself, Mr. Newton.” This fight was never going to end in mutual destruction. Only the Newtons would lose.
“Grandma’s still in the hospital. If you push this, you’ll take the fall too.”
“Whether I’m guilty or not is for the law to decide, not you,” Patricia cut him off. “Thank God you’re not the judge, or who knows how many innocent people would end up behind bars.”
“Patricia, why are you doing this? The Newtons did give you a home for a while, didn’t they?”
“I paid for that home with my own two legs, didn’t I?” Her voice was icy. “If we’re keeping score, your family still owes me.”
The Newtons loved to act righteous, but Patricia had seen through them a long time ago. Family, kindness–it was all just talk when there was something at stake.
She had zero interest in digging up the past with Howard.
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