Kendrick’s forehead furrowed. “What are you trying to say?”
“I’m here to remind you that the time for the poison to flare up is almost here. If you don’t return to Glendale to see my brother Adam as soon as you can, something bad might happen to you.”
“Then you’re here to tell me to go back to Glendale immediately?”
“Exactly.” Shirley’s smile deepened as she nodded. “Leave St. Piaf as quickly as possible. This is my friendly advice to you.”
As she finished speaking, she walked away leisurely in her high heels as she smoked her cigarette.
Kendrick had not forgotten Niamh’s words not long ago. Camille told them to not leave St. Piaf for the time being. The weird thing was that Shirley had disappeared for some time. It was uncanny that she suddenly appeared here to tell him to leave immediately.
As Camille reached home, Carter stood in the middle of the living room with a cold look on his face, as if Carter had been waiting for her for a time.
“Mom, did you go to see Evelien?” Carter got straight to the point.
Camille handed her bag to the maid and gracefully removed her coat before turning to Carter. Her usual mild and gentle gaze was now much sharper. “Since you already know, then I won’t beat around the bush. That’s right, I went to see Eveline. I’ve even bailed her out.”
Carter frowned in confusion. “What’s your reason for doing that?”
When Camille saw the displeasure on Carter’s face, she sat down on the sofa calmly.
“Did you really trick Eveline into signing a marriage certificate with you? From the very beginning, didn’t she put up this pretense with you only to help you shake off Ada?”
“When you were signing the marriage certificate during the engagement, she only obliged and signed the certificate because you said it was simply a formality, isn’t that right?”
Faced with these questions from Camille, Carter could not offer any rebuttal.
His silence thus gave Camille the most direct answer.
Camille, however, was a bit vexed. “Carter, you’ve always been straightforward and upright when you act, and you disdained petty maneuvers like this, but this time…”
“That’s because at times, to complete a goal and task, certain skills are required.”
“I, however, don’t think this is a skill. This is manipulation and entrapment. This might even be destruction. You will ruin Eveline,” Camille rationally corrected him.
“However, if it weren’t for me, she would have died at sea.”
“Is that why you schemed against her?” Camille asked in turn. The air around them fell into silence once again.
Carter too became silent once more. His brows furrowed slightly, as though he was thinking about something.
“Carter, let me put it this way. I admire Eveline, and, admittedly, if she could be my daughter-in-law, I’ll be happy. However, the truth is that she can’t, so I hope I can still be friends with her.”
When Carter heard this, astonishment flashed in Carter’s eyes. A few seconds later, a smile appeared on his face.
“I didn’t expect you to be so fond of her.”
“I didn’t at first, but you have to interact with someone to know what kind of person they are. Carter, it’s good to have a shortcut, but if your shortcut to success is built at the expense of others, then I hope you can change your ways.” Camille advised him earnestly.
Although he did not completely agree with what Camille was saying, Carter still smiled and responded to her, his attitude to her very respectful.
“I got it. I will behave appropriately.”
Camille nodded, fairly satisfied. “I’ll help you keep an eye out for more suitable candidates to be your future wife. As for Eveline’s case, I’ll arrange for the both of them to go back to Glendale as soon as possible.”
After hearing this, there was a sudden glint in Carter’s eyes. However, he did not fight Camille on this, only continued smiling and nodding at her.
After Camille went upstairs. Carter immediately ordered someone to find the hotel Niamh and Kendrick were currently staying at, and he went out a while later.
Niamh put on the new clothes Kendrick bought for her after her shower. Now, she was looking at the sea view from the French window. She leaned her head gently against Kendrick’s shoulder. She felt that her heart could finally rest easy at the moment, yet she could not help but lament.
“I didn’t expect so many things to happen recently. I had thought that, after Ryan and Naomi’s cases were settled, I could safely return home, live a quiet and happy life with my beloved family, and pursue my career. However, I certainly did not expect Carter’s hypnotism.”
Kendrick tightened his grip on Niamh’s shoulder. He leaned down and lightly pressed a doting kiss on her forehead. His deep eyes were filled with guilt and dissatisfaction.
“I keep saying that I would protect you, and yet I keep letting you face the dangers alone.”
Niamh lifted her eyes to look at the man’s beautiful jawline. “Don’t blame yourself. We can’t predict accidents.”
Kendrick smiled gently and lightly as he lowered his eyes to look into Niamh’s eyes. “Nia, you’re still so forgiving.”
“That’s because we’re husband and wife.”
‘That’s because we’re husband and wife.’
This sentence came from Niamh’s mouth so naturally, but it pierced into Kendrick’s heart.
He could not help but remember his inappropriate behavior.
She always viewed him as the man she loved the most and her husband. However, he refused to admit her status.
When he thought about this, Kendrick did not know if it was a figment of his imagination but suddenly, he felt a sharp pain in his heart. Then, a familiar dull pain washed over him. It even began getting harder for him to breathe.
Niamh immediately noticed the changes in Kendrick’s expression. She grabbed his arm tightly, asking, “Kendrick, what’s wrong?”
Kendrick did not want Niamh to worry. He wanted to hide the fact that he was feeling extremely unwell, but his labored breathing caused him not to have the energy to speak.
Looking at Kendrick’s complexion that was getting worse, Niamh started to panic. “What’s wrong, Kendrick? What’s going on? Tell me where the discomfort is coming from.”
Niamh asked incoherently. Her eyes became red from the panic she felt because of this unknown fear.
“The poison. I think the poison is flaring up again…” Kendrick figured this might be a possibility, so he did not hide it from Niamh.
“Poison?” Niamh’s pupils constricted. She did not expect the remaining poison in Kendrick’s body to flare up at this moment. However, there was a fortunate smile on her face. “Kendrick, don’t be scared. I brought the anti-toxoid test reagent. It’s the one Adam gave me!”
With a look of surprise, Kendrick looked at Niamh who was running to the bathroom. He did not expect Niamh to bring the anti-toxoid test reagent with her wherever she went.
No.
This did not make sense.
Kendrick was confused when finally, something clicked in his brain.
‘Did Nia voluntarily come to St. Piaf with Carter? Was Nia back to normal even before boarding the plane?’
After Kendrick came to this conclusion, he saw Niamh walking out of the bathroom with a flurried look on her face.
“I must have left it in Gray Manor,” Niamh muttered to herself restlessly. She ran to Kendrick’s side and helped him to sit on the bed. “Kendrick, hold on. I’ll go out for a bit and I’ll come back very soon! You have to wait for me to come back!”
After Niamh told him this, she was about to go out when Kendrick grabbed her and pulled her back to him.
“Nia.”
“Kendrick?”
“Nia, answer me, was your hypnotism broken before you came to St. Piaf?” Kendrick asked as he endured the agonizing and torturous pain while holding Niamh’s hand tightly.
Niamh nodded her head without denying it. Her eyes were filled with apologies. “I’m sorry, Kendrick. I acted on my own accord. I wanted to know why Carter was investigating you and the reason he was framing me, so I decided to beat him at his own game, but I realized I made the wrong move.”
When Kendrick heard Niamh’s answer, he did not feel so surprised anymore.
At the end of the day, she was still doing this for him.
“Nia.”
“Kendrick, I always carry one of the anti-toxoid test reagents Adam gave me back then with me wherever I go. I was wearing my clothes before I put on the wedding gown today, but the anti-toxoid test reagent in my pocket is gone. I think I must have lost it in Gray Manor so I have to go back now. I promise that I’ll come back to you safely.”
Niamh wanted to leave after she promised Kendrick. However, Kendrick’s palm that was holding her tightened.
“No!”
Kendrick used all of the energy he had to trap Niamh into a tight hug.
Niamh was stunned. She could feel Kendrick’s arms shaking when they were around her. His hands were also shaking and his entire body as well.
“Kendrick…”
Niamh’s heart started to ache.
She did not know if he was shaking because he was in too much pain or whether he was too worried about her.
“Kendrick, I have to go. No one and nothing here can help you aside from that anti-toxoid test reagent, so I have to go…”
“There’s someone else who can help me…”
Kendrick said this sentence weakly.
Niamh was stunned when she heard this. “Who?”
“Shirley Brown.”
New Book: Back Home to Marry Off Myself
Loredana’s father left the family for his mistress, leaving them to fend for themselves abroad. When life was at its toughest, her father showed up with “good news” after 8 years of absence: To marry off Loredana to a paralyzed son of the wealthy Mendelsohn family.