Mrs Hale, I Surrender
Chapter 422: Pretending to be innocent and selling misery is digging one’s own grave (3 updates)

Chapter 422: Pretending to be innocent and selling misery is digging one’s own grave (3 updates)

The mocking and disdainful gazes of the people around her were like countless poisonous, spiked arrows that made it hard for her to breathe.

"I harmed you?" Cressida Jones sneered, "Aunt Wilde, you were the one cheating behind my dad’s back! And now you want to splash the dirty water on me."

She glanced at Martin Yates, subtly signaling him not to get involved in this affair.

The sordid details of his family’s scandal were not worth sullying someone else’s hands.

It was then that Martin Yates stepped aside, his gaze sweeping over Beckett Jeans with contempt.

"That is because..."

Lavinia Wilde suddenly turned her head towards Mr. Drake.

Although Mr. Drake was a lascivious old man, he didn’t wish to engage in indecencies under the public gaze and said, "I was dazed just now, feeling all hot and bothered without knowing what happened!"

"Could it be that someone drugged us?" someone guessed.

"I suspect there’s something amiss too. Otherwise, these two, even if they couldn’t help themselves, wouldn’t have done something like this."

"Right!" Lavinia Wilde bit her teeth, "We must have been drugged!"

"Cressida Jones, it was you, wasn’t it? You weren’t satisfied with the match-making candidate your father and I introduced to you, but you had no right to hurt me like this!"

"You have already harmed my daughter, and now you want to ruin me."

"You’re simply a poisonous woman."

"If you didn’t want to go on the blind date, you could’ve just said so. Your father and I would never have forced you. Over these years, the Jones Family has treated you well, haven’t we? Why would you do this..."

Lavinia Wilde was indeed skilled at playing the victim, lamenting pitifully.

Crying her heart out, she appeared heart-wrenchingly innocent, complaining about how difficult it has been for her as a stepmother over the years.

---

Payne Corps Annual Meeting

Silas Jones and his secretary, carrying gifts, stood to the side, still without the opportunity to speak with Mario Payne and his wife.

For they were busy drinking and talking with their son and other senior executives of the company.

Tim Payne, however, didn’t expect him to show up.

The person Assistant Law had sent to shadow reported back, whispering into his ear, "Junior President Payne, there’s really been a major incident. Miss Jones’s step-mother was caught in an affair with Mr. Drake."

"The upstairs is abuzz right now."

"From what I heard, the commotion in the room was fierce. At her age, does she have such strong desires?"

His voice could hardly mask his excitement.

Tim Payne suppressed his voice, "Call the police."

Hearing this, Assistant Law was thrilled and hurried outside to make the call.

Mario Payne glanced at his wife, "If you’re tired, you can have Tim help you rest."

"I’m fine." Julia Yates only had a headache. She was wondering why her brother hadn’t arrived yet and was about to call him, when Silas Jones saw an opportunity and approached, carrying the gifts with a bowed posture and a face full of fawning humility.

"Mr. Payne, Mrs. Payne, Junior President Payne, I’m Silas Jones." His smile was ingratiating.

"So you are President Jones." Mario Payne raised an eyebrow.

He had already noticed this man’s presence at the annual meeting.

This was a corporate event, and he was uncomfortable with outsiders disturbing it, but due to the crowd, he had not intervened.

"Do you have a matter to discuss?" Mario Payne’s tone was frosty.

"I’ve come uninvited, and for that, I apologize. I know you and your wife are busy people, and I won’t take up too much of your time," Silas Jones said while gesturing to his secretary to bring the gifts forward.

Tim Payne glanced at it; the various items combined were worth several million.

"Our families don’t usually associate much, President Jones, and I can’t accept such valuable gifts," said Mario Payne straightforwardly.

No good deed goes unpunished,

definitely nothing good comes without a reason.

Upon hearing this, Silas Jones thought to himself:

The Payne Family must still be angry that their youngest daughter almost harmed Zoe Payne, which is why they’re unwilling to accept the gifts.

So he bluntly said, "Mr. and Mrs. Payne, you must accept these gifts. Actually, as soon as the incident happened, I should have brought my wayward daughter to apologize to you, but something had come up that kept me away."

"It’s natural for you to feel upset after such a long delay."

"Consider these gifts as an apology to Miss Payne. My daughter is young and ignorant, and I hope you can forgive her indiscretions and spare her and our Jones Family."

Silas Jones, fearing he would be thrown out, spoke very rapidly.

Tim Payne wanted to stop him, but it was too late.

He rubbed his temples,

What a blind idiot!

He’s seeking his own death!

Mario and Mrs. Payne exchanged glances; neither were fools. They had already sensed something was amiss and seeing their son rubbing his temples, Julia Yates kept a cold face, "President Jones, is this how you show your sincerity in apologizing?"

Silas Jones, feeling guilty, "My daughter is pregnant and in the hospital. Once she recovers, I will definitely bring her to apologize in person."

"I’ve already severely disciplined her, and she has realized her mistake. Fortunately, she didn’t commit a grave error that night, and Miss Payne, being blessed, emerged safe and sound."

Both were very astute.

Putting the pieces together,

The only time their daughter had interacted with the Jones Family was on the day of the engagement banquet.

Many things happened that night, their normally indifferent son took a stand for Cressida Jones, slapping his sister, while William Hale had someone smash that man’s mouth.

But since Zoe Payne was unharmed and the news of her pregnancy came out, the couple was immersed in joy and naturally didn’t think too much of it.

Now, upon reflection,

They quickly realized that the one in trouble that night wasn’t Cressida Jones, but:

Their daughter!

She was the daughter they had finally found after so much effort. Silas Jones hadn’t yet noticed anything amiss and continued speaking, "... the New Year is upon us, a time for families to reunite. We should aim for harmony."

"Harmony brings wealth."

"Harmony brings wealth?" The moment Mario Payne heard this, anger surged from his heart. That was the daughter he and his wife had searched for years, treasured like a pearl - how could he tolerate others bullying her?

In the hall, the employees were all happy, and he didn’t want to spoil the mood, signaling him to come outside.

Silas Jones felt a secret joy at this point:

It seemed there was a chance!

"Mario..." Julia Yates frowned.

"Tim, stay with your mother. I want to have a word with President Jones," he said while soothing his wife, "Don’t worry, I know what I’m doing, and I’ll handle it appropriately."

Due to his frequent frowning, Mario Payne had deep furrows between his brows.

Like an intense layer of malice was pressing down.

His eyes were sharp, his whole demeanor exuded an intimidating chill, his gaze full of deterrence, leaving Silas Jones feeling uneasy inside.

"Tonight, I must thank you, President Jones," Mario Payne said plainly.

"Thank me? Why would you say that?" Silas Jones, smiling, pulled out a pack of cigarettes from his pocket, offering it, but Mario Payne didn’t take it, leaving Jones to smile awkwardly, "You don’t smoke?"

"I want to thank you because if it weren’t for you, I wouldn’t have known that my daughter was the one who had trouble that night!"

His voice, like ice shattering.

It sent chills down one’s spine.

"My dear son and son-in-law have been keeping it from me, and if not for you, I would be oblivious to the truth of that night. Tell me, shouldn’t I thank you?"

His voice seemed to harbor an unnamed storm.

Silas Jones’s fingers trembled, the cigarette fell to the ground, and their eyes met, with Mario Payne’s chilling gaze clearly not joking.

What does this mean?

The Payne Family didn’t know?

Then my coming here, isn’t it like digging my own grave?