Chapter 84 What Do You Mean?
Madeline smiled at him. “Dad.”
He was her real father in the first place, so she had no reason to put up airs. She didn’t call him that previously because she wasn’t sure if he wanted her back, but now, she knew he truly wanted her back in the family. She was touched by the love Michael had for Crystal. Madeline wasn’t sure if he was a good father, but she was sure that he was a good husband and a man whom a woman could rely on. Because of that, she could address him as ‘Dad’ easily, unlike how it was earlier.
It might be a simple title, but it touched Michael. He wondered whether that was the magic of blood bonds. His sons had called him that countless times, but it felt different when Madeline called him that. It tugged on his heartstrings, and he wanted to pull her into his embrace so he could shower her with love.
He stared at her; the more he looked, the more he realized that Madeline resembled him and Crystal. Our blood flows in her. She’s our daughter. He hugged her tightly and sobbed, “I’m really, really, sorry, Maddie. I’ve failed you.”
Harriet was still kneeling on the ground, but she froze and thought everything would be settled once she kneeled. She thought Cameron’s crimes would be hidden away and Angie would still be staying with the Wendels. Once Crystal came back, she would have to live with Angie and get annoyed every single day. She thought the woman whom she had envied for life would live in misery for the rest of her waking days, but things didn’t go as expected.
She was kneeling on the ground, but Michael seemed to have forgotten all about her. He was hugging Madeline and finally reunited with her. Harriey wanted to see Michael relent and go against Crystal while wanting him to keep Cameron’s crimes a secret and let Angie stay with them, but all she saw was Michael throwing away his dignity just to let his wife have her wish. That stoked her flames of envy. Is she that much better than me? Why does God give her everything and nothing to me? Beset by anguish, she said in a trembling voice, “Michael, d-do you really want me to die before you’ll keep Angie?”
“Oh, you want to die, huh?” Sebastian took the files Quinton gave him and flipped through it. Then, he tossed it in between Michael and Harriet. “Well, suppose I’ll send you on your merry way, then. The highway to hell can be crowded, so do be careful.”
Robert roared, “That’s going too far, Sebastian!”
Sebastian glanced at him for a moment. “Madeline, help Mr. Wendel up. I have something to tell him,” he said.
Madeline was holding Michael’s arm. “Dad, get up. We can talk after that.”
Michael didn’t want to let her down, so he obliged and rose to his feet.
Sebastian looked at Michael. “Mr. Wendel, I stumbled upon something interesting when I was looking into Madeline and the boys’ backgrounds. I didn’t think much about it back then, but now that I’ve met your stepmother, I think that interesting little tidbit becomes a lot more… shall we say, mysterious?”
Cedric was the easiest to be enraged among them all and he hissed, “Say what you have to say, Sebastian. You think it’s funny going round in circles?”
Sebastian smiled at him. “Yeah, especially when there’s a few rabid dogs running with me.”
An angry Cedric pointed at him. “You…”
Connor smacked his hand down and frowned. “Haven’t you learned enough yet? Shut. Up.”
Cedric was reminded of his mother before heart clenched and he quickly shut up.
Connor looked at Sebastian and apologized, “Please go on, Sebastian.”
He was in the spy department, and being observant was one of the requirements. He realized that Sebastian might seem flippant and distant, but he would never do anything pointless, nor would he say anything useless. If he’s talking about Grandma all of a sudden, then it must have something to do with what’s happening tonight.
Sebastian looked at him. He had a rough feel about all the Wendel brothers’ personalities that night. Jonathan was calm and collected while his second brother was a man of action. He wouldn’t spend time talking if he could use violence to solve the matter. He couldn’t imagine someone like that working in the research field. Connor was the most easygoing and meticulous of all, and he resembled his father the most. His twin was just a slightly handsome man, but aside from that, he was just a bumbling idiot.
Well, they are passable, at least. No evildoers among them, and if I were forced to praise that idiot, I’d say he’s compassionate. At least Maddie doesn’t have to deal with stupid and demanding family like the girls in novels. Then, he looked away from Connor and turned his gaze to Michael. “Mr. Wendel, do you still remember how your mother passed away?”
Everyone thought the question came out of nowhere, but Harriet’s heart skipped a beat.
Robert was beside her, telling her to get back up and he noticed his wife’s peculiar reaction. “What is it, Harriet? Are you feeling unwell?”
Harriet shook her head nervously. “I’m fine.” Her heart was pounding furiously, and she looked at Sebastian. Why did he suddenly ask something so tangential? Does he know something about this? Or, is it just a random question?
She suddenly regretted standing up for Angie instead of laying low. Her plan was to make life hard for Crystal, but that plan failed and backfired on her. He’s suddenly bringing up my sister’s death.
“Of course I remember how she died,” Michael said. “She was pregnant with her fourth child when she was thirty-five. Advanced maternal age, if you will. Her fetus wasn’t stable, and she fell by accident. She lost a lot of blood back then.” His voice became barely a whisper, and his hands were clenched into fists. “She was already in her third trimester back then, and when she fell, there was nobody around. It was already too late when she was found, and she died before we could get her to the hospital.”
Sebastian cocked an eyebrow at him. “The Wendels are rich. There should have been servants around to take care of your pregnant mother.”
Michael answered, “Yes, we had servants, but not in my mother’s room. Her room was on the second floor while the servants were on the first floor. She fell in her bedroom, so nobody noticed.”
Connor had always been the calm one, but now, he couldn’t stay calm anymore. “Sebastian, what might you be implying?”
