Chapter 255 Background
These days, I had sometimes found myself replaying the events of that night in my mind. The juice had been handed to me by a waiter, and if no one had specifically targeted me, the likelihood of such an incident occurring was minuscule.
Yet, at the dinner, the number of people I was acquainted with was scant. There was Madison, who had always shown me kindness; Juniper, who was undeniably loyal to Madison; and Christopher, whose involvement seemed improbable. This left only Sarah—someone with whom I had a history of tension. Moreover, I could sense her hostility, though her exact motives were unclear.
Sarah's expression faltered momentarily before she feigned confusion. "Me? Drug you? What are you talking about?"
I smiled tightly. "You drugged me, but you're pretending not to know anything about it?"
In truth, I wasn't absolutely certain it was her; I was testing the waters.
Before Sarah could retort, Madison appeared, her presence as warm as ever. "Sarah, why haven’t you invited Hope in to sit down?"
Sarah turned, her face transforming into a saccharine smile as she addressed Madison. "I was just about to. We were having a little chat."
The confirmation flashed before me instantly—Sarah's reaction sealed my suspicion. Despite her previous deceitful performance, her subdued response betrayed her. With her unwillingness to even let me in the door, if she hadn't drugged me, she should have exposed my accusation, turning the situation against me.
Instead, her first instinct was to conceal.
I suppressed my suspicions and beamed at Madison. "Ms. Ortiz, how about trying on your new dress?"
Madison grasped my hand, her warmth palpable. "Absolutely. But first, you have to try one of my cookies."
I raised an eyebrow in surprise, teasing, "Cookies? I might just brag online about tasting the legendary Ms. Ortiz’s cookies."
Madison laughed, unfazed. "Go ahead, brag all you want."
Stepping into the villa, I admired the wall of blooming roses and the fruit trees in the backyard. Various plants awaited transplanting, showing how much effort Madison had put into making this place a home, likely for Sarah's benefit.
Inside the house, we were greeted by the enticing aroma of freshly baked cookies. After sampling a couple, I couldn't help but praise them sincerely. "These are delightful—perfectly sweet. Better than anything you can buy."
Madison smiled warmly. "I'm glad you like them. I'll pack some for you to take home."
I shook my head, declining gently. "No need."
Madison insisted, her voice kind. "No need to be so formal with me. I baked a lot."
I hesitated, then explained, "It’s not that. I don’t have a family, not in the traditional sense. My grandmother is in a nursing home, undergoing treatment, and my father... well, he might as well be gone."
Pity flickered in Madison's eyes as she asked softly, "What about your mother?"
I gave a rueful smile. "I don’t know who or where she is."
Meanwhile, back at Jacquar’s innovation company, Micah’s focus remained sharp. An assistant knocked and entered, placing a folder on Micah's desk. "Mr. Blake, here is the information on the founders of ElevateJoy."
"Okay." Micah nodded, opening the file and narrowing his eyes in curiosity. "Hope? She's attractive, not stunningly so, but she has this soft, endearing quality. How did she manage to completely enthrall Mr. Valence?"
"She graduated from a top-tier school, and her resume is quite impressive," the assistant replied, unaware that he had only access to Hope's local credentials.
Micah dismissed the notion with a wave. "A resume? The Valence family is affluent and influential. Does Christopher really need a spouse's resume to flaunt?"
The assistant ventured a guess, "Maybe Mr. Valence prefers that particular kind of woman."
Micah considered this, flipping through the file thoughtfully. "Is she still in Maple Valley?"
"Yes."
"Let’s pay her a visit," Micah declared, grabbing his car keys and standing up, eager to proceed. Every moment wasted only increased the risk of losing the project to someone else, and Micah was resolute in his ambition.
The assistant hesitated, voicing his concern. "Mr. Blake, we can't afford to offend the people over there."
Micah paused. "What do you mean?"
Wasn't this Hope merely the founder of ElevateJoy? All he needed was to convince, or if necessary, coerce her to come back to Jacquar and resume her role as Mrs. Valence.
The assistant handed Micah his phone, open to the latest news. "Do you know whose house Hope is staying at in Maple Valley?"
Micah frowned. "Whose?"
Upon glancing at the phone, he slapped his thigh in frustration. "The Hammer family? Didn't their leader die two years ago? Even if Hope did have ties to him, am I supposed to fear a dead man?"
The assistant elaborated, "There’s been buzz lately that he might not be dead. Apex Technologies belongs to him."
Micah's expression darkened. "What? Are you certain?"
"Yes, the information came from a reliable partner in Maple Valley." The assistant continued. "So, what’s the plan? Should we still approach Hope?"
"We're going," Micah decided, eyes narrowing as he marched out.
Considering Jerry’s possible connection with Hope, Micah doubted Jerry would make a divorced woman his wife. Since they couldn't tie the knot, a formal marriage as Mrs. Valence would be far more secure than being a hidden mistress.
Meanwhile, back at Madison’s cozy villa, my confession seemed to surprise her initially, though she swiftly regained composure. "Has your father always treated you poorly?"
I wasn't usually open about my past, but something about Madison made me lower my guard. "No, my parents were wonderful when I was younger. It was only a few years ago that I discovered I was adopted."
Madison’s curiosity piqued. "Did you get lost as a child?"
I sighed, feeling a twinge of bitterness. "Not exactly. I was likely kidnapped by my biological father's wife. I escaped, and my adoptive parents saved me. Some events led to me losing my memory for many years."
Madison's face tightened with sympathy. "She kidnapped you, and your father did nothing?"
I hesitated, then explained, "I don't understand it fully. It seems my biological father doesn’t care for me much either. Maybe it has something to do with my biological mother."
Madison spoke softly, her eyes filled with empathy. "Have you ever thought about finding your mother?"
I sighed again. "Of course, but I don't know where to begin. The only thing she left me was lost long ago."
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