Chapter 15
Mandy didn’t see this coming and felt a cold shiver run down her spine. If Richard saw her, the secret of her identity would be exposed. But now was not the time for that.
Without a second thought, Mandy turned on her heel and slipped back into the closing elevator.
Richard was deep in thought, his back to the room, when Barry’s teasing voice broke the silence. “Richard, you’ve really outdone yourself with Tobias’s wife. Sewing skills? Those are practically a thing of the past.”
Richard turned, his face glowing with pride. I’m not just boasting. Barry. Penny is truly exceptional. She’s not only skilled with a needle but also considerate, obedient, and stunningly beautiful. In today’s world, finding someone like her is like finding a needle in a haystack.”
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Tobias, who had been quietly observing, interjected with a hint of coldness. “Let’s hope you still feel that way in a moment.”
Richard turned to see Tobias approaching. “Tobias, where’s Dr. Jones? I thought she was with you and Yaxley.
It was then that Tobias and Yaxley realized Mandy was missing.
“Hey, where did Dr. Jones go?” Yaxley asked, looking around. “She was right here with us.”
A servant spoke up, “Dr. Jones went back upstairs.”
No one seemed particularly concerned. Yaxley shrugged. “Tobias, you guys talk. I’ll go check on her. She probably forgot something.”
After Yaxley left, Richard turned to Tobias, all concerned. “Did you finish the acupuncture today?”
Tobias nodded. “Yeah.”
Before he could say more, Richard pressed on. “How are you feeling today?”
Barry cut in before Tobias could answer. “Richard, give it some time. It’s only the second day. You won’t notice much yet. Wait at least a couple of weeks before asking that.”
“I know, I know,” Richard said, his excitement barely contained. “I just can’t help it. I’m eager to see you standing again. So, Tobias, why did you have Barry bring me here? What’s on your mind?”
Tobias’s expression remained calm. “Let’s talk after Dr. Jones leaves.”
Just then, Yaxley rushed back and whispered urgently into Tobias’s ear. “Tobias, Dr. Jones went upstairs because she forgot her phone. And she mentioned feeling a bit dizzy, probably from the strain of the acupuncture. She said she needed to lie down for a bit.”
Tobias nodded, understanding. When Mandy had arrived earlier, she’d seemed energetic, but her eyes were bloodshot, a clear sign of late nights spent working on treatment plans. The effort of acupuncture had clearly taken a toll on her.
Tobias had been waiting for the right moment to talk to his father about “his wife’s betrayal“. He didn’t want to discuss them in front of anyone else.
And Mandy was upstairs, resting after her exhausting acupuncture session. She probably wouldn’t be coming down anytime soon. So, Tobias thought this would do and said, “Dr. Jones is taking a nap. She’s pretty tired. I don’t think she’ll be joining us today.”
Richard’s face fell a little. “Alright, then. We’ll catch up another time. What’s on your mind?”
Tobias said nothing and glanced at Barry, who was lounging nearby.
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Chapter 15
Barry caught the hint and chuckled. “Hey, Richard, I’ll leave you guys to talk. I’m gonna step outside for a bit.” He got up and headed for the door.
Richard was sharp as a tack. He saw right through Tobias’s plan. With a knowing smile, he said, “So, what’s so important that you need to get rid of Barry?”
Tobias didn’t answer right away. He reached for a cigarette, but Yaxley quickly spoke up. “Tobias, Dr. Jones said no smoking.”
Tobias’s face tightened, and he dropped the cigarette into the trash. He turned to Richard, his voice low and serious, “Penny’s seeing someone else.”
Richard’s friendly expression turned stern. “What did you say? Who are you talking about?”
Tobias’s frustration was clear, but he kept his cool. “Your daughter–in–law, Penny.”
Richard’s face drained of color. “What did you just say? Penny’s having an affair?”
Tobias nodded, his voice steady. “Yeah.”
Richard’s anger flared. “Are you out of your mind? How dare you make up such lies about Penny? She’s the perfect daughter- in–law!”
But Tobias’s calm response cut through the tension. “Do you really think I’d lie about something like this? My wife cheating on me?”
Richard knew that no one would joke about such a serious matter. But if Tobias was telling the truth, then it meant his beloved daughter–in–law had betrayed them. The thought was almost too much to bear.
Richard had built the Lambert Empire from scratch, facing every challenge and storm life threw at him. But this time, he was stumped. He sat in silence for a long moment, his mind racing, before finally asking, “Tobias, what’s really going on?”
Tobias reached for a cigarette, then remembered he couldn’t smoke. He dropped it back onto the table, frowning deeply.
“The night before last, I went to her studio. I saw her getting all cozy with some guy. And there was a little girl calling her ‘Mommy‘ and him ‘Daddy,” he said, his voice flat but heavy with meaning.
Richard’s eyes widened in shock. “What? Are you saying that little girl is their daughter?” he stammered, disbelief etched on his face.
Tobias didn’t confirm or deny it directly. He just continued, “Yesterday, at the buffet restaurant, you mentioned seeing Penny. If I’m not mistaken, you saw not just her but also a little girl.”
“Yes, yes, exactly. I saw her holding a little girl’s hand, but when I turned around, they were gone,” Richard chimed in, his voice tinged with frustration.
Tobias sneered. “They didn’t vanish. They just hid under the table during the confusion.”
Richard fell silent again, the weight of Tobias’s words sinking in. So far, it seemed almost certain that Penny had been unfaithful. But he clung to a sliver of hope. “Tobias, could this be some kind of misunderstanding?” he asked, his voice softer this time.
Tobias didn’t respond verbally. Instead, he gave Yaxley a meaningful look. Yaxley understood and handed Richard three documents with a respectful nod.
Richard looked at the documents in his hands, confusion knitting his brow. “What are these?” he asked.
“I wanted to be sure there were no misunderstandings, so I had Barry run a DNA test between Penny and the child. To be thorough, I had him send the samples to three different labs,” Tobias explained, his tone matter–of–fact.
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apter 15
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Understanding dawned on Richard’s face. He quickly opened the documents, his hands trembling slightly as he scanned the
pages.
Tobias said, his voice calm but resolute, “Our arrangement was never official, but she’s known as my wife. I can’t just ignore what’s happened.”
Richard finished reading and asked, “So, what’s your plan?”
Tobias’s eyes turned steely. “That so–called marriage three years ago was a joke from the start. It’s time to end this charade.”
Richard’s expression soured. “End it? How? You want to make her disappear, don’t you?”
Tobias’s gaze sharpened. “If it weren’t for you, she and her entire family would already be gone. The Jones family, that man she was with, and even their daughter–they’d all be out of Westbay by now.”
Richard’s temper flared. He slammed his hand down on the table with a bang. “You touch one hair on her head, and you’ll regret it,” he growled, pointing at Tobias.
Tobias’s brow furrowed. “She made a fool out of your son. And you’re still standing up for her?”
“Did you even bother to read these reports?” Richard snapped, flinging the DNA results at Tobias. “Take a good look at what they say!”
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