Chapter 21 A Successful Counterattack
Martin intercepted Patricia at the hospital room's entrance. Patricia looked up, her gaze icy, and said, "Mr. Langley, I have other matters to attend to. Please move aside."
Martin's face was marked by remorse as he said, "I'm sorry."
It was the first time Patricia had heard an apology from him, and she found it amusing. "No need to apologize, Mr. Langley. You haven't done anything that requires an apology."
Detecting her sarcasm, Martin acknowledged his mistake. "I shouldn't have doubted you."
Patricia immediately waved her hand to stop him. "Don't. Your trust means nothing to me. I don't need it either, so there's no need for apologies. I will have nightmares tonight."
Her words were filled with barbs, each one piercing Martin's heart mercilessly, shaking him with anger. "What do you mean, Patricia? I am only concerned about you. Don't be ungrateful."
Patricia sneered, her eyes filled with bitterness. "I don't need your concern. Our relationship ended five years ago. Your concern now feels hypocritical and nauseating to me. If it weren't for Randy, I would never see you again."
Martin couldn't control the rush of blood to his head, his heart pounding uncontrollably. He couldn't understand why Patricia held such animosity towards him. Was it solely because of their divorce?
"Though we're divorced, we don't have to be enemies, do we? I've already forgiven you for leaving Randy back then. Can't you forgive me?"
Patricia twisted her lips, lightly sneering. "You're not qualified to ask for my forgiveness."
She tried to push past him and leave. Martin refused to let her go and firmly grasped her wrist. "Setting aside our grievances, I just want to know who helped you obtain the complete video."
And that person was 'C,' whom he had been tirelessly searching for. Patricia glanced at him coldly. "I have no idea what you're talking about."
Martin analyzed calmly, "Apart from the Watson family, no one else would have the timeline so clearly. Your father, stepmother, and Debbie wouldn't do such a thing. Other than you, I can't think of anyone else. And those three photos, only an insider would possess them."
Patricia smirked. "I think you're overthinking it. Debbie has committed so many wrongs. Maybe some people simply can't stand her and are seeking vengeance on my behalf."
Martin narrowed his eyes dangerously, his handsome face darkening. "Do you think I'm so easily deceived?"
Patricia remained silent, then eventually said, "I don't know if you're trying to deceive me, but I genuinely don't know that person!"
She pushed him away, saying, "Sorry, I have something else to attend to. Please move aside."
This time, Martin didn't attempt to stop her. He watched as she disappeared from sight, deep in thought. He was convinced that Patricia must have some knowledge of 'C', as her demeanor wouldn't have been so composed otherwise. Perhaps Patricia could be the key to finding 'C'. Regardless, he had to locate 'C'.
Gladys brought Debbie back home, who looked haggard and lost. Observing her daughter's disheveled state, Manda anxiously inquired, "What happened? You were fine when you left this morning. How did things take such a turn?"
Gladys recounted the entire incident in detail and displayed the hot search results on her phone. As Manda read the contents, her face paled, and a surge of anger welled up within her.
"It's Patricia; it must be that wretched woman!" She held Debbie's face, consoling her with genuine concern. "Debbie, what's going on? Don't frighten me like this! Tell me what happened."
Debbie remained silent, her gaze distant and unfocused. Manda hurriedly said, "Don't worry, I'll ensure she pays dearly for what she did today. I'll make that wretched woman suffer."
The words "pay" and "suffer" finally elicited a response from Debbie. Her gaze began to focus, and after a few moments, tears streamed down her face as she hugged Manda tightly.
"Mom, you have to make them pay for what they did to me at the hospital. They made me a laughingstock. I can't face anyone anymore. Martin is also furious with me because of this, and he won't listen to my explanations."
"Would he end our engagement? No, I can't lose him. I won't allow them to reunite as a family of three."
Manda's heart ached at her daughter's sobs, and she comforted her by patting her back gently. "Don't worry, I won't let that happen! Martin belongs to you, and no one can take him away."
Feeling like she didn't quite fit in, Gladys found an excuse and left the room. Manda accompanied Debbie back to her bedroom and had the housekeeper bring them some hot tea. After sipping it, Debbie's pallor improved, and she gradually regained her composure.
"Mom, what should we do now? I thought I could get rid of Patricia this time, but instead, I ended up dragging myself down," Debbie said.
Manda remained silent for a moment, her face contemplative, before a bright idea struck her.
"I have a plan!" She leaned closer to Debbie's ear and whispered her plan to her.
After hearing her plan, Debbie still hesitated. "Is it really feasible? What if she refuses to come back?"
Manda grinned confidently. "Don't worry, I'll personally have your dad call her. She might have a grudge against us, but she can't deny your dad!"
Debbie found her mother's words convincing, and finally, a smile crept onto her face, tinged with a hint of darkness—like venomous poison, lurking in the shadows.
...
When Patricia sensed that the hot search was winding down, she messaged Charles, asking him to remove the trending article. It didn't take long for the popularity to gradually decline. Simultaneously, Luke reported the tracking situation to Martin.
"Mr. Langley, Miss Watson did indeed send a message a few minutes ago. The message read, 'remove the hot search.' We attempted to trace the person based on Miss Watson's phone number."
"However, their IP address was concealed. By the time I tried to crack it, the person had already gone offline and disappeared completely."
Martin's expression remained cold, revealing no emotion. "Are you absolutely sure?"
Luke affirmed, "I'm certain. So I can confidently say that Miss Watson has knowledge of 'C'."
Martin's narrowed his eyes slightly. "Have you uncovered any other information?"
"'C' is quite crafty. Unless he lets his guard down, we won't be able to find any information about him. Our best lead for now is Miss Watson."
"I understand. Continue monitoring 'C''s activities closely, and report to me immediately if there are any new developments."
After ending the call, Martin plunged into deep thought. How could he extract 'C''s information from Patricia? Suddenly, an idea flashed in his mind.
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