CHAPTER 403: CHAPTER 403: A SWORD HANGING OVER US

The words were impressive, yet at this moment, Dora Upton was as cowardly as a dog, thinking Paige Sterling was even scarier than a female devil.

She burst into tears, unable to hold it back.

Paige asked her, "Aren’t you supposed to be brave? Weren’t you going to save your messy sheets? Why are you crying over this?"

"I-I-I’m not crying, it’s just my eyes aren’t feeling well..."

Paige chuckled, raising her fist.

Dora thought Paige was going to hit her and was so frightened that she covered her head.

"Ooh, don’t hit my face, I just got a facial bone contouring last month and it’s not healed yet..."

Paige remarked, "... Well, no wonder your chin is so sharp; it could poke someone to death."

Paige frowned, "Is this sharp chin and big eyes trend popular overseas too?"

Dora timidly replied, "I got it done here domestically..."

Paige, "... You were already good-looking, why did you do it?"

Being praised for her looks, Dora felt a bit on cloud nine, but quickly remembered that she and Paige were enemies.

"Don’t think that just because you compliment me, I’ll admit you’re my sister-in-law. No matter what sugar-coated tricks you try, I will never like you..."

Paige laughed, "I don’t care about your approval, just stay away from me."

Instinctively, Dora asked, "Why?"

Paige, "Because you’re always chattering, it’s annoying."

Dora became so angry her face turned red, glaring at Paige, though her glare wasn’t very intimidating.

As she was glaring, Paige punched the wall next to her ear.

With a loud bang, Dora turned her head to see a deep fist imprint there.

Dora, "..."

Paige, "From now on, without my permission, don’t come into my room, don’t chatter around me, got it?"

Dora nodded stiffly, she knew Paige was scary, but hadn’t expected Paige to be so terrifying that she could punch a hole in the wall with one hit.

If that punch landed on her...

She couldn’t even imagine...

This woman’s terrifying, boo... and her cousin is so pitiful...

"I understand, I understand..."

A wise person doesn’t get into immediate trouble, boo, "I won’t dare anymore..."

Paige reiterated, "What won’t you dare do?"

Dora, "I won’t dare enter your room without your consent, or chatter aimlessly in front of you..."

"Good girl." Paige pinched her chin, it really was sharp, like holding a spike in hand, "I like quiet girls. As for the talkative ones, basically..."

Dora shivered, "... Do you beat them to death?"

Paige, "Not that serious, killing is illegal, I’m a law-abiding citizen."

Dora didn’t believe it, Paige said, "I just give them a lesson, so they speak less."

"What lesson?"

Paige, "Are you looking to find out?"

Dora didn’t want to know, she shook her head frantically, Paige let her go, "Alright then, off you go."

Dora cried and cursed "female devil" as she rushed out of the room, afraid Paige would catch her and give her a beating.

However, when Dora opened the door, she saw Julian Hawthorne standing outside.

Her gallant and virtuous cousin, with eyes darker and more terrifying than Paige’s.

She wanted to cry again, not daring to look into Julian’s eyes, slipping past him as if ghosts were chasing her.

Julian closed the door and came in, his expression sour.

Paige asked him, "What’s wrong?"

Julian took her hand to the sink, turned on the hot water, and washed her hands several times with soap.

Paige, "..."

Julian, "You promised me you wouldn’t even touch another woman."

Paige, "..."

Julian, "Stay away from her, or else I’ll..."

"Or else what?" Paige raised an eyebrow.

Julian, "Kick her out."

Paige, "But she’s your cousin."

Julian, "I’m not close with her."

Not only not close, but his hostility also grew after seeing Paige touch her chin.

Now he’s wary of both men and women.

To him, everyone seems like they want to steal his wife!

Paige looked speechless, "Alright, alright, she’s just a young girl, you’re being too much..."

Julian snorted coldly, "Don’t think I don’t know what those women are plotting."

Paige, "You know what they’re planning?"

Julian, "They want to provoke you intentionally to catch your attention."

Paige, "...", You’re overthinking it.

Julian went to take a shower, and Paige opened her computer to remotely check on Jared Sullivan’s emergency equipment on his person, in his car, and at home.

Mrs. Hawthorne hates Jared Sullivan, this hatred spills over to the Hawthorne Family, nearly ruining them.

Despite such hatred, she hasn’t had her revenge, this hatred festers day and night, making her hate Jared all the more.

Now that she’s suddenly back, she must be planning revenge again, and what worries Paige most is Jared Sullivan.

Tomorrow, she must return to the Sterling Family to remind Jared to be careful.

Then Paige hacked into Mrs. Hawthorne’s phone and computer, tracking all her online activities.

Nothing suspicious appeared.

Paige then created a network of Mrs. Hawthorne’s connections.

This matter is crucial, they might not find useful information directly from Mrs. Hawthorne, so they need to investigate her connections privately as well.

Due to her personality, Mrs. Hawthorne had few friends in her youth, and even fewer close ones. As her temperament worsened, nobody dared to approach her.

Her connection network consists of the Upton family and those on the Hawthorne side.

The Hawthorne side can mostly be ruled out, but the declining Upton family still needs checking.

Paige meticulously reviewed the network she mapped, feeling something seemed off.

At some point, Julian had come out, towel-drying his hair, "You missed someone."

Paige asked, "Who?"

Julian, "My mother’s first love."

Right, there’s Mrs. Hawthorne’s first love.

This first love was the catalyst for Mrs. Hawthorne’s madness, and nearly everything revolved around him later.

But he’s already dead, and his identity and background don’t seem suspicious...

Julian then said, "That potion has been with my mother since I can remember."

Paige looked at Julian in surprise.

Julian said, "She hid it in a box, often taking it out to look at, her eyes full of nostalgia..."

Nostalgic, meaning this was given by someone close to her.

And those close to her...

Paige quickly crossed out several not-close connections from Mrs. Hawthorne’s network.

Julian continued, "After marrying my dad, her social circle narrowed, only so many people were in contact with her, she seldom interacted outside, maybe she had that potion before marrying my dad..."

Before marrying into the Hawthorne Family?

Paige frowned, placing the mouse cursor over "Delinquent Youth".

Of all, he fit the condition best.

But how did a street youth connect with such a thing?

What’s his background?

"Let’s investigate him first."

Investigating someone dead for years is difficult and likely to draw attention from others.

So they have to investigate discreetly.

Julian went to make a phone call to have someone check, while Paige started looking for the delinquent’s information online.

Back then the internet wasn’t as developed as now, naturally, not much useful information was found.

Julian finished the call and came over, "Let’s sleep first, take it slow."

After so many years, this potion hasn’t caused any incident; nothing will happen suddenly.

But knowing this, it’s become a sword hanging over their heads.