Chapter 718 A Thorn That Won’t Heal

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    Outside the door, Lewis knocked. “Ms. Tessa, I think you’d better not stay in the room. Come sit

    with me.”

    ??

    Tessa: “…” Sit with him, only to keep hearing those ridiculous videos about bathing plush toys like babies? Absolutely not.

    “Ms. Tessa?”

    She had wanted to call Marie, but with Lewis pestering her, she finally gave up and dragged herself out.

    “Stop shouting, I’ming!”

    Why did he insist on calling her iMs. Tessa /ianyway? Did she not have ast name? Completely iprehensible.

    Reluctantly, she sat with him in the living room.

    The sound of baby–care tutorials still yed from his phone, grating on her nerves.

    Tessa snatched up her own phone. If she was going to endure this, she might as well chat with Ste. Of everyone, Ste had the most free time now–back at the Dawson family, she had nothing at all to do.

    “Turn it down. I’m making a call,” Tessa muttered, annoyed.

    “All right,” Lewis said, obediently lowering the volume. For once, he wasn’t unbearable.

    Satisfied, Tessa dialed Ste’s number.

    Abraham had rushed back to the Dawson estate the moment he heard.

    He entered quietly, just as Ste’s phone buzzed on the nightstand.

    She was asleep, her breathing soft.

    He crossed the room with long strides but made hardly a sound. Picking up the phone, he slipped back out so she wouldn’t stir.

    On the road home, his mother had told him how badly Ste had cried.

    The call was from Tessa.

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    Chapter 718 A Thorn That Won’t Heal

    Abraham answered. “Hello.”

    “Ah–it’s you, Abraham.”

    Tessa sounded flustered, almost guilty.

    “You need something from Ste?”

    “No, nothing important. Is she doing all right?”

    +8 Pearls

    It struck Tessa then that she hadn’t heard Ste’s voice in a long while. Ever since Marie had taken her to the ind, they’d hardly spoken.

    “She’s fine. Just a little drowsy from the pregnancy,” Abraham said.

    “Oh… she’s sleeping then? I won’t bother her.”

    Hurriedly, she hung up.

    Victor had always been intimidating, but even over the phone, Abraham was worse–his very tone carried

    pressure.

    After the line went dead, Abraham nced at the number, hesitated, then deleted it.

    Abel arrived with a stack of documents for the study. Spotting him in the hall, he greeted respectfully, “Sir.”

    “Victor’s already in Noctarth?” Abraham asked.

    Abel nodded. “Yes. He should be there by now.”

    Abraham closed his eyes briefly.

    Abel hesitated, then added, “Madam was furious with Dan. She’s made a move on the Cyren

    Mines.”

    Abraham’s eyes snapped open, sharp as des.

    Abel bowed his head. “What Dan did to Marie back then… his survival has always been a thorn in Madam’s heart.”

    11

    ”

    …

    A thorn, yes.

    Since the day they learned Dan still lived, the question had hung over them–what price would he pay?

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    Chapter 718 A Thorn That Won’t Heal

    Marie beating him once was nowhere near enough.

    “Call Victor. Tell him to guard against Dan pulling a disappearing act.”

    Abel’s face hardened. “Yes, sir.”

    That was exactly the risk.

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    Ashen Pact was already mired in bitter conflict. Dale and Dan had been at odds for years.

    On the surface Dale had stayed out of affairs, but the key resources had always been clutched in his hand.

    And he meant to pass them all to Manny.

    In such chaos, Dan could well decide to slip free–leave the burden to Dale and Manny, and walk away untouched.

    With his instructions given, Abraham returned upstairs.

    Ste had cried herself to sleep, still restless.

    Downstairs, Madam Evelyn was still storming, demanding the woman behind this scheme be dragged out.

    Abraham sat on the edge of the bed.

    A tear still clung to Ste’sshes. His heart ached.

    With a sigh, he brushed her cheek, pinching it gently in a tender caress.

    She stirred under his touch, her sleep light.

    He bent closer, breath mingling with hers. “Darling?” he whispered, afraid she had only shifted in reflex.

    But her eyes fluttered open.

    Red–rimmed and glistening, still wet with tears, they looked straight at him.

    At once, her nose twitched, her lips trembled, and her expression crumpled into grievance.

    pure