hapter 71 Dad’s Back

Jean’s eyes swept across the ssroom.

Then, she quickly walked to Lacey’s desk.

Finished

Lacey wasn’t an idiot. There was no way she’d leave behind any obvious evidence at her seat-

Still, Jean wanted to see for herself.

Just in case.

She wasn’t about to let a single detail slip by.

Jean opened Lacey’s desk and carefully went through it. It was filled with nothing but books–no strange items at all.

She had no choice but to put everything back in ce exactly how it was.

Jean wasn’t satisfied. She circled Lacey’s seat, even checked the trash can nearby.

But still nothing.

Jean pulled out a chair and sat down. She let out a low sigh, eyes unfocused as she stared into

space.

Was there really nothing she could do?

Was she really not going to find any proof that Lacey poisoned her…?

Jean quickly shook her head.

She couldn’t afford to think like bthat/b–not yet.

She stood back up.

Jean paced through the ssroom’s rows of desks. The whole room was empty, quiet as a tomb.

She walked over to her own seat.

She hadn’t been back sincest Friday. No one had touched this desk. Everything looked the same on the surface.

But-

Jean quickly lifted the lid of her desk and looked inside. And just like she thought-

Someone had messed with it.

Finished

Chapter 71 Dad’s Back

If she stayed that long, there was no way she didn’t do something.

After Jean left, she must’ve gone to her desk and wiped out anything that could’ve served as evidence.

Like the water bottle Jean had been drinking from. Like the bsnacks /bshe’d eaten.

That stuff was poisonced. They were the most direct proof of the crime.

Now they were gone. Not a single trace left behind.

Jean didn’t need to guess–Lacey was the one who cleaned it all up.

Of course, Jean hadn’t been expecting to find them.

Lacey wasn’t stupid enough to leave something that important behind.

Jean pressed her lips together and plopped down into her seat-

Thunk.

It was the sound of something hitting the floor.

Jean froze.

She immediately looked down.

There was something on the floor.

—

By the time Jean left the school, the sky waspletely dark.

She returned the ssroom key to the security office and politely thanked the guard.

To keep up her cover story, she even carried out a workbook with her–pretending she’de all this way just to pick up her forgotten homework.

Out on the main road, Jean called a cab.

As soon as she climbed in, her phone rang again.

It was Siennab. /b

Jean picked up the call.

Sienna didn’t scold her or nag. Her voice was gentle. “Jean, are you still at school? Do you want me toe pick byou /bbup/bb?/b”ulliline Afrin emile flickarori on bk /b/li/ul

diran mur uou hom I’ll bha /b

Chapter 71 Dad’s Back

Finished

Sienna gave a small nod. “That’s good… but-

Jean could tell Sienna was hesitating. Like she had something else to say.

“What is it. Mom?” she asked, puzzled.

Sienna hesitated, then spoke softly. “Your father’s back.”

Her father?

Jean’s eyes widened. A storm of thoughts shed through her mind.

So that rotten bastard of a deadbeat was really back?

Sienna couldn’t hear Jean’s thoughts through the phone, but she could feel the silence on the other end.

She’d expected this.

Jean knew too much. She knew exactly what kind of man Matheo really was. Just like Sienna, she loathed him.

Now that Jean knew Matheo was back, of course she wouldn’t be happy about it.

But Jean didn’t feel angry. What she felt was-

The short–lived peace she’d managed to find at the Ginger estate was about to be shattered.

Matheo wasn’t like Sienna, or the boys.

That man was the real deal. A full–on, cold–blooded viin.

Jean sighed silently and kept her tone level. “Got it, Mom.”

Sienna opened her mouth again, wanting to say more, but held back.

She didn’t want Jean to know that she could hear her thoughts. Or that she already knew all of Matheo’s dirty secrets..

The call ended there.

Jean leaned back in the cab. She still had the textbook she’d taken from school resting in herp.

As the car moved, the lights from the streets cast fleeting shadows across her face.

And her mind started to stir with uneasy thoughts.

12:53 PM

Chapter 71 Dad’s Back

Sienna was alone in the gym, avoiding any bface/b–to–face interaction with him.

Every time she saw him, she couldn’t help but picture the scene at Rose Estate.

It made her sick.

There were times when she’d genuinely considered-

Just hiring someone to kill Matheo..

That would solve everything. One bullet. Clean and simple.

But that would only solve the anger. It wouldn’t solve the real problem.

Finished

Knowing Matheo, there was no way he didn’t leave behind a will. He probably already nned out exactly who would inherit his wealth.

Most likely, if he died, not a cent would go to her.

And even if he didn’t die–he definitely wouldn’t register anything under her name. He’d already hidden most of his assets away..

Sienna knew she couldn’t act on impulse.

If she wanted to get the money back, everyst cent, then she had to y the long game.

So even though she wanted to kick him out the moment he set foot in here, she told herself to

wait

Elsewhere in the estate.

Matheo bwas /bsitting by therge window in the living room, flipping through a book, clearly

bored.

He knew Sienna liked to work out.

But wasn’t she taking a little too long in the gym tonight…?

In reality, Matheo had already been back in the country for a while.

The day after he made the decision, he took Emily and Julia with him and flew back.

But once the nended, he didn’t head straight to the Ginger estate.

He knew–once he stepped back into this house, he wouldn’t be able to do whatever he wanted.

He wouldn’t be able to see Emily and Julia freely.

Chapter 71 Dad Back

He bought a new vi in the suburbs of irford. It wasn’t shy, but it was high–end and discreet.

That was going to be Emily and Julia’s new home.

He stayed there for two, three days. Then, reluctantly, he came bback /bhere.

And when he did–he saw Sienna again.

She looked the same. Same face, same expression, just like always.

But for some reason, Matheo felt like something had changed.

He couldn’t see it. Couldn’t point to it. But he felt it.

A subtle shift in the air. Something he couldn’t quite name.