The whole thing began because of her jealousy!
“Just you wait, Adam. You’re as annoying as your sister Shirley! ” Ada warned furiously, the humiliation she felt fuelling her rage.
“Soon, I’ll also have you know the price you’d paid in defying me!”
“Don’t try to validate your presence here. We have no time to defy you. You’re the one who keeps finding fault with us,” Adam retorted coldly, leaving Ada no room to argue.
Ada had originally come by to vent her anger at Shirley’s brother Adam since Ada could not blatantly direct it at Shirley. However, she had not expected to be angered further.
At the sight of Adam and Cathy ignoring her, Ada gritted her teeth and glared at them irately.
“Just you wait!”
Ada uttered, then turned around and stomped out irritably.
Feeling worried, Cathy glanced outside. “Adam, something feels off. Is that woman planning to do something to us?”
Adam looked coldly in the direction where Ada had gone before turning sideways to face Cathy.
“You’re right, she gave me an odd feeling as well. But don’t worry. Whatever happens, I’ll protect you.
Adam smiled slightly as he made her a sincere promise.
Cathy smiled knowingly. She knew that Adam would certainly protect her even without a promise.
Nevertheless, her mind was awhirl with thoughts. The fact that Carter truly cared for Shirley certainly meant he would not harm them; he certainly would not condone any outrageous behavior from Ada in his villa either.
However, although Cathy and Adam were accurate in their speculations, they had underestimated how vicious Ada and her mother could be.
After her confrontation with Cathy and Adam, the enraged Ada returned to her room.
She had been keeping a close eye on the clock all this time. Finally, it was time for Carter and Camille to leave the house.
She knew that the villa was equipped with plenty of surveillance cameras. Over the past two days, she had paid close attention to them so that she could essentially avoid them, allowing her to commit her perfect crime.
The ideal time, however, was after dark. It would be the most appropriate time to begin her plan. Ada had also decided to make Shirley her best time witness.
Shirley had stayed in the laboratory for the entire day. As night fell, she finally obtained a satisfactory result.
As she eyed the icy blue liquid in the transparent vial, a smile of relief gradually appeared on her face.
She sealed the anti-toxoid test reagent properly, placed it into her pocket, and left the laboratory.
As soon as she exited the laboratory entrance, Shirley saw Ada waiting by the door.
Ada seemed impatient. Evidently, she had given in to Shirley only because of Carter.
Shirley, not giving it much thought now, allowed Ada to push her into the living room.
“Where’s Carter now?” Shirley did not want to delay a single second. She was eager to get the anti- toxoid test reagent out.
Indifferent, Ada rolled her eyes. “Carter went out.” ‘Carter had gone out?’
Shirley thought that this could be her chance.
“Then hurry up and take me to my brother’s place.”
Ada was merely looking for an excuse to bring Shirley over to Adam and Cathy’s place.
Unexpectedly, Shirley had initiated the visit instead.
Ada was secretly delighted but pretended to be in a tough spot.
Shirley, you saw how it went last time. I brought you to look for your brother, and Carter found out about it. I don’t intend to break Carter’s order again.
“But Carter had also asked you to respect all of my needs while taking care of me. I’d like to see my brother right now. Are you able to refuse me?”
In response to those words, Ada feigned a look of dissatisfaction, pretending to compromise with a conflicted expression.
“Then you better have a conscience, Shirley. If Carter comes home and discovers that I brought you to see your brother, you must explain to him that you compelled me to take you.”
Shirley, unaware that this was part of Ada’s strategy to avoid being implicated, simply replied, ” Sure. I’ll accept full responsibility.”
“Remember your words,” Ada reminded. She snickered to herself as she pushed Shirley’s wheelchair.
Although the small house and the garden were not far apart, it would take a minute or two to walk there.
On the way, Shirley noticed a pungent burning odor that seemed to be getting nearer.
Just as she was wondering what was burning, Ada let out a startled cry behind her.
“Why are there flames ahead?”
Shirley followed Ada’s gaze when she heard her.
Under the illumination of the street lights, they could see that it was no mere fire—thick billows of smoke drifted up into the sky.
A sudden realization struck Shirley. “That’s where Adam and Cathy are staying now!”
She moved her wheelchair along quickly as she spoke. When she arrived, however, the modern- looking structure was already engulfed in flames.
Shirley widened her eyes in disbelief. “Adam! Cathy!
She yelled out in the direction of the house but there was no response.
Shirley, unbothered by the danger, sped forward, wanting to go inside when her wheelchair hit something hard, and she suddenly lost her balance.
Shirley fell heavily onto the ground with a loud thud.
She struggled to stand up, but there was no strength or sensation in her legs.
Shirley watched the flames continue to burn and grow, her eyes turning red as if they were on fire themselves.
“Addy! Addy!”
Clutching her trembling hands, she shouted for Adam repeatedly.
“Cathy…”
Shirley was at a loss as to what to do. She could only watch as the fire slowly burned the house, disintegrating all the hopes she had in her eyes.
“Someone! Put out the fire! Quickly” Ada pretended to shout for the servants’ help.
When the servants heard her, they rushed over in shock, then immediately retrieved fire extinguishers and called the fire department.
Carter and Camille had been returning home together. Their car had barely approached the villa’s gate when they saw a fire truck parked at the main entrance.
Carter told his chauffeur to speed up. As soon as he stepped out of the car, he ran toward the commotion.
From a distance, he saw a dispirited Shirley seated in her wheelchair as if her soul had been drained.
When Carter intended to head over to understand the situation, he saw the medical staff passing by, carrying two stretchers.
The two stretchers clearly had two people lying on them, but they were both covered with a white cloth.
In the crowd, Ada, noticing Carter’s return, immediately put on a frightened expression and ran over to him with tears in her eyes.
“Carter, it was terrifying just now. I have no idea what started this fire to start all of the sudden. I called for help as soon as I discovered it, but it was already too late…”
Ada let out a sigh of resignation.
“Carter, I know I tend to be willful and wayward, but I’m not that heartless and cold-blooded. You should go and comfort Ms. Brown. She must be feeling especially…”
Without waiting for Ada to finish her sentence, Carter left her and walked straight to Shirley.
Carter glanced sideways at the charred house which had been burnt down to its frame. His eyebrows drew tight as the burning smell hit his nostrils.
He walked up to Shirley, lowered his body slightly, and was about to speak when Shirley raised a hand unexpectedly and slapped him.
Carter was dumbfounded. His face remained sideways, seemingly did not react, and he stood motionless.
Ada and the servants nearby had witnessed the entire scene, and all of them were shocked.
Carter held the position as the honorable Viscount of St. Piaf; he carried with him the blood of royalty.
Ever since he was a child, who would have dared to move a single strand of his hair?
Presently, this woman who was seated in a wheelchair had actually dared to hit Carter, and she had hit Carter’s face.
Carter’s face was so delicate that even touching it was considered blasphemy, let alone hitting it.
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.