Chapter 26

Chapter 26
Emily remained silent for a while before a plan suddenly came to her mind. She smiled slightly and looked at Mary, who was still waiting patiently to hear her thoughts.
“Let’s begin by gathering evidence of their scheme to steal the project plans. Once we have solid proof, we’ll expose everything at once!” Emily said.
Her voice was cold and steady, showing how seriously she viewed those traitors as enemies. They deserved nothing but punishment.
Mary was momentarily stunned, but soon her eyes filled with relief, and she couldn’t help but smile back.
“We’ll follow your plan. I’ll start investigating their conspiracy right away. Whatever you decide, you have my full support.”
Mary was not a naïve woman. She could easily sense a change in someone’s attitude, and she had clearly noticed the shift in Emily—especially whenever Victor was mentioned.
The hatred in Emily’s eyes was obvious, clearly showing she no longer cared about him.
At first, Mary thought Emily’s talk of divorce was just an impulsive reaction or a minor argument with Victor. But now, she could see that Emily truly meant it.
Emily felt a rush of emotions upon hearing Mary’s support.
In her previous life, Mary had always trusted her unconditionally and supported her no matter what she did or said.
But unfortunately, ever since Victor had saved her when she was young, she had always seen him as the right person for her. Even when she sensed something was off, as long as Victor comforted her with a few sweet words and a simple explanation, she would instantly believe him and stop asking questions.
Yet deep down, she had always doubted him. Victor often brushed her worries aside with weak excuses, knowing too well that Emily would trust him blindly just like Mary trusted her. Her reasoning had been fragile.
The downfall of the Charles Group and Mary’s suffering had mostly stemmed from her misplaced trust.
Back then, Emily had carried a deep sense of guilt toward Mary. But now that fate had given her a second chance, she was determined to correct her past mistakes and make sure Mary’s faith in her would never be betrayed again.
Just then, Nathaniel stepped out of the villa, walking slowly and calmly. As he passed by the rose garden, he paused for a moment, lost in thought. After standing there quietly, he wandered over and picked up the watering can placed beside the bushes, gently sprinkling water over the roses.
His movements were relaxed and familiar, like someone tending to his own personal garden, not someone else’s property.
A short distance away, Fred was leaning casually against the gate, his medical kit resting by his feet. He watched the scene with mild amusement before speaking up in a teasing tone.
“Nathaniel, you do remember that your own villa is just across the street, right? Be careful not to drown those roses or Miss Charles might scold you for ruining her precious flowers.”
Nathaniel paused mid-motion and shot him a fierce side-eye, sharp enough to kill, before continuing his watering as if nothing happened. The sunlight bathed him in a warm glow as he replied curtly,
“If you can’t say anything useful, then don’t say anything at all.”
Fred chuckled softly, clearly entertained by his reaction. He made no move to stop talking, simply enjoying the rare sight of the usually composed Nathaniel acting so defensively over a patch of roses.
“I thought you had let go of all this,” Fred continued, his voice now half playful, half probing. “You left the Waylen family estate just to live here in London Skycastle. And then you call me early this morning asking about her situation. Nat, what exactly is going through that head of yours?”
His tone gradually shifted from teasing to serious as he added in a low voice,
“Don’t forget she’s married now. Whatever you feel, you need to control it. You don’t have to erase it, but at the very least, don’t expose it. If you act rashly, you could end up causing her trouble.”
Nathaniel didn’t respond immediately. He lowered his gaze, and a mix of emotions flashed through his eyes: pain, longing, and something more complicated. Once he finished watering the last of the roses, he silently placed the watering can down. He stood there quietly, looking at the flowers as they sparkled beneath the sunlight. A faint, bittersweet smile tugged at the corners of his lips.
He walked over to where Fred was standing and stopped right in front of him, raising his eyebrows slightly at him, “She is married but that does not mean she wouldn’t get a divorce.”
Fred was immediately taken aback by his words. Having known Nathaniel for over twenty years, he thought he understood him well, yet his words surprised the hell out of him, making him frown.
“Are you actually hoping she gets a divorce?” Fred, who values his strong moral principles, couldn’t help but feel disappointed in him; he couldn’t believe that the boy he spent his childhood growing up with was saying such words.
“Nat, some thoughts were better kept inside. Don’t rush into action that might destroy someone else’s marriage or you will also lose my respect.”
“Are you out of your mind?” Nathaniel replied, amused by Fred’s caution. He scoffed and walked over to the villas across the street. “I have no intention of being anyone’s secret lover.”
Fred, Nathaniel, and Marcus grew up together. Even though Fred had lost his parents and was cast aside by his relatives, his parents had been close friends with Nathaniel’s parents when they were alive. After leaving the Barth family, Fred had lived with the Waylen family until he grew up becoming a man.
Even Elizabeth Waylen had been quite fond of the boy and treated him like her own grandson.
To those on the outside, Fred was practically known as a Waylen though he seldom attended business events, choosing instead to immerse himself in the medical field.
Even someone as detached from gossip as Fred was aware of the scandalous nature of Victor and Susan’s relationship. Their indiscretion was well known.
They made no effort to hide it.
It was evident that Emily had suffered greatly in her year of marriage to Victor.
“But securing a divorce might not be so straightforward.” Nathaniel suddenly stopped, his tone was somber and deep.
Fred, caught by surprise, nearly walked into him, and he stopped abruptly, his eyes wide in astonishment.
“Victor wouldn’t agree to a divorce? Why not? Doesn’t he have feelings for Susan?”