CHAPTER 223: EVIL INTENTIONS

George pulled away and glanced at the door with annoyance. If it was that maid, he swore—

But the voice they heard made the couple feel like a fresh spring breeze blew in, dispelling the suffocating air that came with thinking about the stupid maid.

"Mother, Father. Can I come in?" Wade asked quietly.

"Of course." Charlotte and Wade said simultaneously.

They exchanged glances and smiled, then turned back to the door.

Wade pushed the door open with both hands. His face lit up on seeing them on the bed.

"Father... mother." He smiled at them and approached the bed.

Charlotte’s face bloomed into a warm, beautiful smile. "Wade." She beckoned for him to come closer.

Charlotte’s love-filled smile dazzled Wade. "Are you feeling better, mama?" He asked.

Like he suddenly realized something, he froze.

He called her mama. Mama was more intimate than saying mother. Charlotte was his stepmother, and she had said he could call her mother if he wanted... But that didn’t mean he was allowed to call her mama.

He had inconspicuously said that because that was what Aristia and most of his other friends called their mothers. He had desired to call Charlotte that and had unknowingly done so now.

He looked up at her skeptically, his little heart filled with slight fear and apprehension, scared of rejection.

But he was stunned to see that her smile hadn’t changed. Instead,it seemed to have become... wider?

Wade relaxed immediately, feeling like his heart was jumping with joy.

Charlotte had been surprised, but also very happy.

"Mama is feeling better." Charlotte’s words had a deeper meaning that Wade was unaware of.

"Really?" Wade asked with joy, climbing onto the bed to stay beside Charlotte.

"Yes." Charlotte spoke confidently. Especially now that she knew the reason for her bad health, she wasn’t too worried anymore.

"That is great then," Wade said, holding her hand.

George stretched his hand and rubbed his head.

"Yes, it’s great."

Wade beamed. He was happy that he had a complete family now; a father, a mother, and him. And since his parents had said that his mother was fine, that meant his mother was fine.

He leaned into Charlotte’s arms. "I’m really happy that you’re fine now."

He had been very scared when Charlotte became sick to the point of not being able to get up from bed easily. But now, everything was all right.

After some time, George got up to leave the room.

Charlotte looked up at him and he passed her a reassuring smile.

He didn’t know who had sent that note, but he was very grateful.

The smile left his face. Once he found out who was behind this whole ordeal, he wouldn’t let them off.

***

Aristia leaned back into her chair in the dining room, having dinner with her family.

[He should have received it by now, shouldn’t he?] She wondered. If they were smart enough, they should have realized that Natalia had evil intentions.

[Anyway, I’ll be waiting for good news.]

Charlotte would be better now. She was sure of it.

There was something else that the dream revealed that she hadn’t mentioned.

Natalia had said something that revealed something about the poison being fed Charlotte.

She had mumbled to herself, "I have to make sure she keeps drinking it, otherwise, she’ll get better."

After that, she took the tray to Charlotte’s room.

From those words, Aristia had found out something very crucial.

[As long as Charlotte kept taking the poison, she would eventually die. But when she stopped taking it, she would get better. The mastermind is truly ruthless.]

It was simple, yet complex. That was probably why the mastermind had chosen it.

If Charlotte had been given any other poison, the physicians would have found out that she had been poisoned.

But this poison was different; it needed constant ingestion to work, like a unique kind of slow-working poison. Because of this, even the physicians wouldn’t be able to tell why her health was gradually deteriorating, coupled with her weak constitution.

They wouldn’t even know when she died or why.

It was a very effective method that the mastermind had used.

And the solution was just as effective; stop taking the poison, and gradually recover.

[Now, it’s up to George to find the mastermind.] Aristia pushed all responsibility to him and focused on her food.

"Tia, you don’t have classes tomorrow. What do you want to do?" Catherine’s voice took her out of her thoughts.

She looked at her mother. "I’ll just take a little walk around the square."

Her parents nodded. Wilson and Alaric were going out together tomorrow, and Catherine was also going out.

The whole family had plans.

"Take Adeline and Owen with you." Wilson said.

Aristia nodded, and Owen nodded too.

After dinner, the family and Owen returned to their rooms for the night.

***

The next day.

The family left the mansion at different times.

Aristia got into a carriage with Owen and Adeline, heading to the square.

Wearing the cloak in the carriage, she stuck her head out the window.

She hadn’t planned to really walk around. It was all just her lounging in the carriage and sightseeing.

The Coachman would drive the carriage slowly through the streets while she just admired the view.

All of a sudden, she heard someone yelling when they reached a particular street.

It was a man’s harsh voice, cursing out at someone loudly.

Aristia turned curious. She exchanged glances with Owen and Adeline before knocking on the carriage partition.

"Lucas. Stop the carriage, please."

"Yes, miss." Lucas replied. It seemed he had witnessed the scene because a second later, he had parked the carriage by the side of the street, a distance away from the yelling. Now they could see what was happening without leaving the carriage.

They poked their heads out of the window and stared in the direction the sound was coming from.

Aristia watched carefully. She wouldn’t just rush into an unknown situation.

The sight she saw stunned her, but also made her blood boil with rage.