Chapter 573 Not Beyond Cure
Peter's offhand comment instantly made the room feel tense.
Eric's eyes widened, and his whole body stiffened.
That was a nickname only his wife used for him. How did this guy know to call him that?
How long had he been away, and already someone was stirring up trouble in his home?
"Peter? You still here?"
Just as things were getting heated, Evelyn and Edward walked over, having heard the commotion.
Evelyn, sharp as always, noticed the two men squaring off, and her eyes filled with suspicion.
"Oh, I couldn't figure out how to open the door, but Mr. Clark happened to come back and helped me. I'm leaving now."
Peter turned and flashed a bright smile at Evelyn, as if nothing had happened. "Evelyn, once I'm done with this busy period, I'll take you out for some fun. Don't spend all your time with just one guy; it's so boring."
Edward was speechless.
Even though he knew it was a joke, Eric took it pretty seriously.
After Peter left, Eric's internal alarm bells were ringing.
He had a strong feeling that during his absence, Peter had definitely met with Molly, and they probably had quite a bit of interaction.
"Eric, what's wrong? You don't look so good," Edward asked with concern.
"Nothing," Eric muttered, taking a deep breath.
"Sorry, I asked Peter to come over and deliver some documents. I didn't notify you in advance."
Evelyn, perceptive as always, immediately sensed Eric's discomfort and apologized, "You and Edward are good friends, but this is your and Molly's home. I'm just staying here temporarily. It was careless of me to let an outsider in. It won't happen again."
Edward was taken aback and quickly put his arm around her waist, explaining for Eric, "Evelyn, don't overthink it. Eric isn't that petty."
Eric's eyes widened, and he waved his hands frantically, "Evelyn! Don't say that, you're making me feel bad! I'm happy you're here, Edward's happy, and my wife is even happier! Since you came, her mood has improved, and she's been talking more. I'd love for you to stay until the New Year! I have no complaints at all!"
Evelyn leaned into Edward's embrace, and they exchanged a knowing look. "We've been imposing for so long, I really feel bad. Even though I don't want to leave Molly, it's inconvenient for you two to have us here when you want some alone time."
Mr. Clark felt a bit embarrassed.
He used to be a ladies' man, but because of Molly, he had changed. He now viewed relationships as sacred. So, hearing Evelyn say that made him blush like a shy teenager.
"And tonight, my dad came over."
"Mr. Taylor came?" Eric was startled.
How much had he missed while he was away?
"Even though he brought people over, he didn't force me to leave. He even stayed for the dinner Edward cooked."
"Oh my... Edward cooked dinner?"
Eric was so shocked his jaw almost dropped, but he still managed to joke, "Mr. Taylor is brave, eating anything. What if he got poisoned?"
Edward's face darkened, and he gritted his teeth, "Did you have dinner in a dumpster? Your mouth is so foul."
"My dad's attitude towards Edward wasn't great, but the hostility wasn't as strong. And he knows we're living together, so there's nothing to hide. We'll pack up in the next couple of days and move back to my villa," Evelyn said sweetly, eager to have some alone time with her man.
"Or maybe tonight," Edward whispered in her ear, understanding her perfectly.
"Aren't you tired after a busy night? I'm exhausted. Let's do it tomorrow," Evelyn yawned.
Edward's hand on her waist moved restlessly, "Then tonight, I'll do the work, and you can just relax."
Even though it was a whisper, Eric heard it clearly.
Eric's Adam's apple bobbed, and he was already thinking about how to get intimate with his little wife tonight.
"Pervert!" Evelyn bit her lip and elbowed him in the ribs.
The three of them returned to the living room and sat down.
Molly had fallen asleep watching TV. After Ellen settled her, she came downstairs and made coffee for everyone.
She looked at Eric, hesitant to speak, feeling it wasn't the right time to report.
"I went home."
Eric lowered his head, his voice heavy with guilt, "Edward, Evelyn, I need to apologize to you. Jessica was ultimately bailed out by my grandfather."
Hearing that name, Edward's eyes instantly turned cold.
"She was wrong, but not enough to be convicted. She'll be out after ten days or so. I expected this."
Evelyn remained calm, "Even if she's released, Jessica is socially dead in the country. With all the negative news, her reputation is ruined. Her dreams of being in the spotlight are shattered. Even with the Clark Group's backing, she's been blacklisted and can't appear in public events, on TV, or even in live streams. Forget about being a pianist. Mugden has two disgraced women now, Tiffany and Jessica, both destined to be infamous."
"Not enough, not nearly enough."
Edward's eyes burned with anger, gripping Evelyn's hand so tightly it hurt, "The harm she caused Evelyn is enough to destroy her. This punishment is too lenient! Eric, even though she's your sister, I have to say this upfront. Even if the law spares her, I won't. I won't let her off easily."
Evelyn's heart trembled slightly as she rested her head on Edward's shoulder, feeling an indescribable sense of security.
"Sigh, Edward, you might not get the chance. I sent her away."
Eric sighed irritably, his brows furrowed, "My grandfather and mother still want to protect her. I had a big fight with them. The result was to exile her. I'll keep a close watch on her, not letting her re-enter the country. Evelyn, this is all I can do for now. I want to punish her properly, but..."
"Eric, you don't need to explain. I understand your difficulties."
Evelyn smiled gently, comforting him, "You've done enough, and I'm grateful. Your career is at a crucial stage. If you go too hard on Jessica, your troublesome uncle might use it against you, and your grandfather might hold it against you. Don't underestimate these rifts; they could become obstacles in your path to taking over the Clark Group. Besides, more than revenge, I want to see you and Molly live happily together, with her marrying into the Clark family with pride. Even if there are obstacles, you'll have the strength to protect her."
Her meaning was clear: she wanted him to secure his position in the Clark Group.
With power, he and Molly's future would be bright.
"Evelyn, Edward, you can trust me with Molly."
Eric looked at her gratefully, genuinely happy for his brother to have such an understanding partner.
But he wasn't envious.
His Molly was the perfect woman in his heart.
Curtis rushed to report to Gilbert, who was practicing shooting at the range.
Dressed in a crisp white shirt and sharp black trousers, with a sleeve garter on his arm, his muscles were taut.
Wearing gold-rimmed glasses, his eyes were cold, and his shooting stance was perfect as he fired three shots at a target 300 feet away.
Curtis covered his ears, looking at his master with admiration.
So cool! Exuding irresistible masculine charm!
The target slowly moved closer.
As it neared, Curtis saw that the target had a photo of Edward on it!
And Gilbert had hit the man's head with all three shots!
"Incredible! Mr. Alexander, your marksmanship is godlike, never missing a shot!" Curtis clapped, flattering him.
"Unfortunately," Gilbert said coldly, putting away his gun.
"Unfortunately?"
"It's just a photo, not the real thing."
Gilbert didn't look at him, pulling a white handkerchief from his pocket to carefully wipe the gun. "What's the matter?"
"Mr. Alexander, our people following Mr. Taylor reported that although he went to see Ms. Taylor and Edward tonight, he didn't take her away," Curtis said, sweating profusely.
Sure enough, Gilbert's eyes darkened, "Didn't take Evelyn? She's still with Edward at Eric's place?"
"Yes..." Curtis's voice trembled.
Gilbert's eyes turned vicious, and he loaded his gun, firing several shots at the ground.
Bullets exploded at Curtis's feet, scaring him out of his wits, but he didn't dare make a sound.
When the bullets were spent, Gilbert took a deep breath, his eyes bloodshot.
"Get the car ready!"
Charlie returned to the Oasis villa just before midnight.
He had left in a foul mood but seemed to have calmed down. Seeing Evelyn looking healthier under that kid's care, he felt relieved.
He even felt a bit regretful.
If he hadn't forcibly confined Evelyn, she wouldn't have jumped out the window on that stormy night.
The more he thought about it, the more scared he became.
If she had been seriously hurt, he would regret it for the rest of his life. Ultimately, nothing was more important than Evelyn's safety.
As for that Wellington kid...
"Mr. Taylor!"
Hearing the shout, Charlie and Hubert turned around.
Gilbert approached, carrying a delicate dessert box, his eyes eager.
"Gilbert? What are you doing here?" Charlie looked at him in surprise.
Gilbert's heart sank, but he maintained his smile, "I've been here, waiting for you to bring Evelyn back. I was worried she might not have had dinner, so I brought her some desserts from Mugden. She mentioned before that she loves this place, so I..."
"I didn't bring Evelyn back. She's still with Edward."
Charlie interrupted coldly, "I'll accept your kind gesture on her behalf. It's late, and it's not appropriate for someone of your status to be waiting here. You should go home."
Gilbert, seeing Mr. Taylor's indifferent attitude, grew anxious and stepped forward, "Mr. Taylor! Are you really going to watch Evelyn repeat her mistakes? Edward made her suffer so much before, even ruining her health! How can you tolerate Evelyn being with such a shameless guy?"
Charlie squinted his sharp eyes, looking at him with a half-smile, "Edward has been relentlessly pursuing my precious daughter, taking beatings and nearly losing his life several times, yet he still shamelessly sticks around. Indeed, that's quite shameless. But in my eyes, he acts openly and never stabs people in the back or plays dirty tricks. At least, he has some principles. He's not beyond redemption."
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