Chapter 173 The Trail of the Gem
Chapter 173 The Trail of the Gem
The fluctuations on the monitor turned into a flat line.
"Ms. Prescott, my condolences." The nurse and doctor entered, their expressions somber as they organized the equipment.
After staying up all night, Astrid couldn't withstand the blow. Her body swayed, about to collapse to the side, when a pair of large hands caught her in time.
"Astrid." Silas's deep voice brought Astrid back to her senses.
Rolf lay quietly on the hospital bed with regret on his face, causing another sharp pain in Astrid's heart.
She didn't blame Rolf for not revealing the truth earlier.
Rolf had his reasons.
Having the woman he loved stolen by his own brother, Arthur, Rolf must have felt both love and hate toward Astrid.
"I'm fine. I still need to arrange Uncle Rolf's funeral." Astrid forced herself to stay alert, answering as if nothing was wrong.
When Garth passed away, his children handled these matters. After Rolf gained the largest share of company stock, his aggressive actions had created resentment among the Prescott family members.
Arthur was locked up in prison, and Dean, angry at what Rolf had done, didn't show up either.
Because of the Prescott family's absence, the scene felt rather desolate. Fortunately, Silas stayed by Astrid's side the whole time, silently supporting her.
Those who still coveted the company shares and wanted to take advantage of the situation to pressure Astrid into giving them up all backed down when they saw Silas handling matters for her.
The funeral was dignified yet low-key.
After the funeral, Astrid went straight to see Catherine without stopping.
After she stabbed Rolf in the office, the police arrived at the scene and took her to the station for questioning, only to discover that Catherine had lost her mind.
She spoke nonsense, sometimes cowering and trembling in corners, sometimes screaming and shouting, making it impossible for the police station to work quietly.
While Astrid was busy with Rolf's funeral, people from the police station contacted her, and she told them exactly what had happened at the scene.
In the end, the police said helplessly that without a proper statement from Catherine, and judging her to be mentally disturbed, they could only send her to a psychiatric hospital.
The psychiatric hospital was located in a small village in the city center. The surrounding area was run-down, and the hospital was isolated from its surroundings by high walls.
Astrid explained her purpose to the person in charge of the psychiatric hospital. They agreed to let her in but reminded her to be careful about her personal safety; otherwise, no one could help her.
Astrid understood and nodded in agreement.
The psychiatric patients reacted differently when they saw her.
The moment she saw Catherine, Astrid immediately noticed something off about her. When they were young, Catherine would show that same look in her eyes countless times when she wanted to torment her.
Like looking at prey, or like looking at something dead.
She didn't know how Catherine had fooled the psychiatric evaluation, but if she wanted to use this to escape legal punishment, then she would stay in the psychiatric hospital for the rest of her life and never step foot outside again.
The visiting room was simple, with just one table and two chairs.
Astrid sat down in one of them and spoke calmly, "Based on your relationship with my grandmother, I should call you Aunt Catherine."
Catherine's fingers twitched.
"Tell me where the gemstone is," Astrid stated the purpose of her visit directly.
Catherine looked at her matter-of-fact manner, smiled strangely, then laughed louder and louder.
"I thought you had some real ability."
Astrid knew she was faking insanity. Unmoved by her reaction, she just watched her quietly. Her gaze was steady and powerful, as if it had the strength to see through Catherine.
"I don't have any information about the gemstone." Unable to provoke Astrid's emotions, Catherine answered without interest.
Arthur was locked up in prison, and Isabella was being watched by the Montgomery family. She had wanted to avenge Isabella, but didn't understand the relationship between Rolf and Astrid clearly. Her momentary slip-up let Astrid escape disaster.
Now that everything had fallen apart, there was nothing left to hide.
"If you want things to go well for Isabella, you'd better tell me where the gemstone is right now," Astrid spoke coldly.
How Isabella was doing had nothing to do with her—she was just using her to threaten Catherine.
After all, given their current situation, the only person Catherine could turn to was her, Astrid.
"I didn't take it!" Catherine stood up, looking at Astrid viciously. "I just wanted you to give Isabella the position of the Prescott family's daughter."
"Your grandmother's family's death has nothing to do with me either."
Astrid looked at her bloodshot eyes and answered calmly, "In that case, you can stay here and be neighbors with Isabella."
With that, Astrid lifted her leg to leave.
Catherine fell to her knees, her shoulders slumped, completely lacking her earlier momentum. "Please save Isabella, I'm begging you."
Astrid looked coldly at her actions. "Trade the gemstone's location for it."
"I don't know, I really don't know." Catherine crawled toward her on her knees. "Isabella can't be locked up any longer, or she'll really go crazy."
The commotion in the room alerted the staff at the door. They rushed in, lifted Catherine up, and took her out of the visiting room.
Watching her struggle painfully in the staff's hands, Astrid felt that Catherine really didn't know where the gemstone was.
Back then, she had worked with foreign gangs, and she wouldn't have been their match.
The gemstone had fallen into the gang's hands and might have already been destroyed, or it might be in someone's collection.
Astrid dragged her heavy steps back to the home she shared with Silas.
As she approached Diamond Ridge Estates, a car blocked the middle of the road.
Thinking the other party needed help, she stopped the car and rolled down the window to ask, only to see a familiar figure get out of the other car.
Oliver, who had disappeared for two months after running away from the wedding, slowly walked toward her.
Astrid instinctively started to reverse.
"I know what you're looking for, and I know where you can find it." Oliver's eyes and brows curved slightly, giving him an unfathomable air.
Astrid's hands froze. She leaned her head out the window to look at him and asked nervously, "What did you say?"
Seeing her reaction, Oliver's eyes curved. He came to her car window, bent down, rested his elbow on the window, and smiled mysteriously.
Astrid pulled her body back into the car.
"What you want is in Silas's study."
With that, Oliver stepped aside triumphantly, clearing the way.
Astrid hit the gas and drove back to the villa. As she neared the entrance, she slowed down and headed straight for Silas's study.
In all the time she'd been married to him, she had never entered this room.
On the heavy bookshelves, many trophies and books were densely arranged.
Astrid frantically searched through them. In a corner of the bookshelf, she found a gemstone. Nervous and afraid, she held it in her hands and examined it carefully.
Why was this thing in Silas's possession? He clearly knew she was searching everywhere for the gemstone—why had he never brought it out?
Thinking of Silas's calculating nature and his deliberate concealment, Astrid's body couldn't help but shiver and tremble with cold.