Chapter 157 DNA Analysis to Confirm the Identity of the Body
Despite imagining countless possibilities and knowing what a person burnt alive would look like, the sight still shocked Patricia deeply, making her stomach churn.
"Patricia, must you destroy my sister's last bit of dignity and appearance? Isn't it enough that she perished in flames? Can't we let her leave this world with some decency?" Joe felt his sister had been violated and roared with tears swirling in his eyes.
"I’m sorry, I merely wanted to see her one last time! I’ll cover her up now!" Struggling to suppress her physical discomfort, Patricia was about to put the white cloth back over Debbie and seize the opportunity to take a tissue sample for DNA analysis.
But just as she reached out, Joe grabbed her hand.
"Don’t touch my sister with your filthy hands!" After saying this, he shouted, "Kaylee, cover my sister's disfigured face."
Upon finishing his words, Joe pulled Patricia to the front of the mourning hall.
Manda, weakened by her sobbing, seeing Patricia uncover the white cloth from her daughter, mustered unexpected strength and stumbled forward, ready to slap Patricia.
Her hand never had the chance to strike, as Martin caught it mid-air.
Manda sobbed brokenheartedly, "Martin, have you been bewitched? Debbie was such a good person, yet you refused to like her. Instead, you fancied this vile woman and caused Debbie's tragic death. She and her mother are both shameless women."
A look of shocked coldness flashed through Martin's eyes, but before he could react, Patricia suddenly raised her hand and slapped Manda hard.
"Slap!"
The crisp sound of the slap echoed.
The mournful music abruptly ceased.
An eerie silence enveloped the surroundings, so quiet one could seemingly hear everyone's breath.
Manda froze, forgetting to cry, and stared at Patricia in disbelief, as if she couldn't fathom that Patricia would actually hit her.
Patricia glared at her fiercely, teeth clenched in anger, "I won't allow you to insult my mother. You seducing my father and causing my mother's death—I haven't even settled the score with you for that. What right do you have to speak about her? You're the shameless one, the mistress who schemed her way up, causing the death of the rightful wife."
"Bullshit, Gavin and I..." Manda, frightened by Patricia's ferocious demeanor, subconsciously tried to explain.
Patricia didn't give her the chance, pressing on heatedly, "Debbie was just like you, another shameless woman. She claimed to love Martin but was afraid that he couldn't let her live as a widow in dignity.
On the eve of their wedding, she got cold feet and ran away. For the Langley family's money, you forced me to take her place and marry Martin. For two years, I was the one who accompanied Martin through rehabilitation, the one who encouraged him to stand tall again, the one who pulled him out of darkness and helped him slowly become a normal person again.
When Debbie saw that Martin had recovered, she shamelessly came back wanting to reap the benefits and steal my husband. Tell me, what's so good about her? I'm more beautiful than her, more educated, kinder, and the legitimate heiress of the Watson family. In every aspect, I'm better than her.
She committed countless wrongs; it's her own fault that she ended up like this today. I haven't blamed her for nearly getting me killed by Madame Thomas, yet you still blame me, say that it's my fault. You people have the audacity to twist right and wrong."
Patricia finally let out all the resentment she'd held inside for years in one breath.
Manda was left speechless, even forgetting to sob.
After a long while, she found her voice again, "You, you're talking nonsense. Debbie had no choice back then; she had her reasons, you can't wrongly accuse her."
Patricia sneered coldly, "Wrongly accuse her? Does she even need me to do that? I overheard her on the phone with Greta. If you don't believe me, we can call Greta to confront this. Debbie is gone, but Greta is still alive."
Manda immediately dared not utter another word.
Her silence was undoubtedly an admission.
The people around instantly understood everything.
It turned out that it wasn’t Patricia who had stolen Martin, but rather Debbie herself who lusted for carnal pleasures and abandoned Martin, making Patricia merely a victim.
Joe couldn't believe that there was so much he didn't know about the situation, feeling a vague sense of guilt and regret.
He felt guilty for believing his parents’ biased accusations, wronging Patricia by labeling her a bad woman.
He regretted how he had just treated her.
Gavin looked at her listlessly, drained of energy to argue, his thoughts consumed by the deceased Debbie.
Patricia then said, "I'm here today out of compassion, to bid her farewell. If I'm not welcome, then I'll leave."
With that, she took Martin's hand and walked away without looking back.
Martin followed a step behind.
Watching the back of her head, he unconsciously recalled the images from when they first got married seven years ago.
When he was disheartened, it was Patricia who encouraged him.
When he fell into despair over his paralysis, it was she who helped him take his first step.
When the Langley family was embroiled in ruthless battles for inheritance, and he felt dispirited and ready to give up, it was she who motivated him to reclaim what was rightfully his.
Without Patricia, there would be no him today.
She gave so much for him; how could he have thought back then that she didn't love him? To divorce her because of his pitiful pride?
After leaving the Watson family residence, Martin asked, “Did you come here today to obtain Debbie’s tissue fibers for a DNA comparison?"
Patricia nodded without evasion, admitting to it.
Martin said, “Actually, you didn't need to come here and suffer insult. I could have figured something out for this."
Patricia didn't reply. Some distance from the Watson family home, she stopped and looked back cautiously, seeing no one following, she let out a sigh of relief.
“You…?” Martin looked at her suspiciously.
Patricia gave a mysterious smile, "Of course, I knew that getting Debbie’s tissue fibers would be difficult. My presence was merely a diversion."
Martin: "Hmm?"
Patricia gave a playful smile and gestured with her eyes behind him.
Martin turned and saw Kaylee walking with her head down, passing by Patricia and slipping a neatly folded white paper into her embrace, then continued on nonchalantly.
Martin: "…??"
Patricia flaunted the white paper in front of Martin triumphantly.
"See? Debbie’s tissue fibers."
Martin wondered, “When did you manage to win Kaylee over?”
Patricia explained, “Kaylee has been with the Watson family since my mother married into it. She's always worked for the Watsons. My mother was very kind to her and she has remained grateful for that kindness. So, on the way here, I secretly messaged her, asking for her cooperation to obtain Debbie's tissue samples.”
Considering Manda's constant vigil by the wake, obtaining Debbie's tissue samples seemed a difficult task for Kaylee.
Therefore, she had to figure out a way to lift the white cloth covering Debbie's body.
If she could successfully retrieve the tissue sample, all the better.
Should anything go awry, Kaylee, as the Watson family's housekeeper, could inconspicuously take some tissue while adjusting Debbie's shroud.
Of course, special circumstances could not be ruled out.
If the plan failed, she'd have to think of something else.
Martin frowned, displeased, “You even kept me in the dark?”
Patricia offered a sheepish apology, “I’m sorry for hiding this from you, but it was to make everything more believable and avoid their suspicion.”
Although Martin wasn't actually angry with her, after seeing her apologize, he let the matter go, and affectionately ruffled her hair, “Come on, I’ll take you to the hospital."
“Okay!”
Patricia nodded.
Martin drove her to the testing center.
The examiner collected saliva from Patricia's mouth and placed it with Debbie's tissue sample into the test bag.
Patricia asked, “Doctor, I need it urgently. Can I get the results today?”
The examiner explained, “It usually takes a week. For a rush job, it's three hours, but the cost is double.”
Patricia didn’t hesitate. “Then I’ll pay for the rush.”
After she had settled the payment, the examiner marked the bag with 'Urgent' and submitted it for processing.
Patricia glanced at the clock; it was one in the afternoon.
"We have three hours. Let's go out for lunch. You've been with me through this, so it's my treat."
Martin readily agreed.
Little did they know, as soon as they left, Hunter appeared like a specter, his gaze ominously following their departing figures, and he let out a sinister chuckle.
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