Chapter 396 What Kind of Insanity Is This?
Elizabeth swatted Linda's hand away with a backhand, sneering, "People praise you for being good at taming your husband, and you really think you're that impressive? This habit of slapping people at the drop of a hat, isn't it just something you picked up from hitting your husband?"
Her voice was dripping with sarcasm. "With a dragon like you at home, Thaddeus has no choice but to find comfort elsewhere. Don't believe me? Hire a detective. Thaddeus has illegitimate kids, some already grown. They can't stay hidden forever."
Linda always thought she was right. So Elizabeth decided to show her how her so-called perfect family was actually a mess. Plus, Linda and Betty were pretty similar. They both loved blaming others for their problems.
Given Linda's attitude, Betty must have badmouthed Elizabeth a lot behind her back. If it turned out Thaddeus had mistresses and illegitimate kids, Linda would think that if she hadn't helped Betty, such a scandal wouldn't have come to light. Besides resenting Elizabeth, she'd also blame Betty. Then Betty would be truly isolated and friendless in the Anderson family.
In their social circle, Thaddeus was known for being totally indulgent of his wife. But the reality, as Elizabeth had heard from Betty's own complaints, was that Thaddeus was terrified and oppressed by Linda. Linda's habit of getting physical during arguments, something Betty had often talked about, mirrored how she wished she could dominate her own husband, Paul. But unlike Thaddeus, Paul had a backbone.
Seething, Linda glared at Elizabeth. "You're just talking nonsense to cause trouble between us. Thaddeus wouldn't seek other women and have illegitimate kids. Our love is renowned in our circle," she said, though the crack in her voice betrayed her panic.
Elizabeth scoffed, "Your fame isn't for love but for Thaddeus's meekness and your bullying." The high-society wives often gossiped about them behind their backs.
Thaddeus's face turned awkward. "Enough, this is a hospital. Stop your bickering," he interjected, his voice thick with frustration. He hated being seen as weak, even more so when it was true.
The argument had escalated so quickly that the elder Andersons were left dumbstruck. They hadn't expected Elizabeth to be so formidable nor Linda to be so unreasonable. Linda even tried to get physical with Elizabeth.
Phineas, his face now serious, turned to Linda. "You came here for Zephyr, not to bicker. You accuse Elizabeth of not respecting her elders, but look at your own behavior first."
Ruth added sternly, "Elizabeth is here because we invited her. We trust her. If you don't, Linda, then maybe it's best you leave." She hadn't said this earlier because she saw that Elizabeth not only didn't suffer at the hands of the troublemaking and sharp-tongued Linda but also retorted her effectively.
Linda, freed from Elizabeth's grip, sneered, "Why should I go home first? I don't buy into this poison bug nonsense, and I don't believe Betty did this. I'll stick around and see what more evidence she can come up with."
Inside, she was already planning to hire a private investigator to snoop on Thaddeus. She wanted to prove Elizabeth wrong and show that despite Thaddeus's flaws, he was loyal to her. He wouldn't dare mess around; she had him firmly under control. Elizabeth couldn't stir things up.
Thaddeus felt a wave of relief when the topic shifted. He was really afraid Linda would investigate. Luckily, she was so used to oppressing him that she was confident he wouldn't dare have mistresses and illegitimate kids.
Elizabeth looked straight at Phineas and asked, "Do you really believe Betty wouldn't harm Zephyr?"
Phineas nodded firmly. "That's correct."
Elizabeth gave a sharp nod. "Alright, then let me prove it. Uncle Leon invited me to help, so I'll give him an explanation." She took out her phone, opened a group chat, and tagged Richard, speaking loudly for the Andersons to hear.
She said, "Your mom's causing trouble again. You and your brothers should come to the hospital to see Zephyr. Here's the address."
Richard happened to be at home. Hearing Elizabeth's voice message, he was stunned. He replied with a voice message, "What trouble did my mom cause? What's it got to do with Zephyr?"
Elizabeth didn't hide anything and briefly explained, "She was instigated by Brenda and used a sorcerer Brenda introduced to transfer poison bugs to Zephyr."
Richard, shocked, responded immediately, "What kind of insanity is this? We're on our way."
This was a big deal. Betty doing such a thing would affect their relationship with the Anderson family. Zephyr must have been in trouble, which was why the Anderson family invited Elizabeth. With Elizabeth involved, Betty and Brenda couldn't escape. Moreover, such a thing couldn't be hidden; it would be discovered sooner or later. Tracing it back to the source would inevitably lead to Betty.
Realizing the gravity of the situation, Richard immediately got out of bed. He hurriedly called Arnold and Kevin, and the three brothers drove to the hospital.
Phineas listened intently to Elizabeth's exchanges. Frowning, he murmured, "Betty was poisoned? She never told us."
Elizabeth replied, "Yes. But telling you wouldn't help. The poison causes red spots all over her face and body. She's too ashamed to be seen."
Zephyr, suddenly alarmed, blurted out, "What? Will I get red spots too? I can't bear to lose my looks; I'd rather die!"
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