Chapter 46 Trying to Turn the Table
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Finished
That afternoon, while playing chess with Doug, Walter grinned so hard it sent chills down the man’s back.
Before they could even finish the last game, Doug completely lost it.
He threw up his hands in defeat, clutched his head, and shouted, “You win, fine! But could you please stop grinning like that? You creeped me out!”
Walter waved a hand. “Alright, alright, I’ll stop. But let me be clear-I’m not laughing at you. I’m just happy. Philip has found himself such a wonderful fiancée. Women like her don’t come around often.”
No sooner had he finished than Walter burst out laughing again.
Doug couldn’t take it anymore. He jumped up, packed his things, and stormed off.
No matter how much Walter called after him, he refused to play another round that day.
For God’s sake, he’s so creepy!
Watching Doug’s back retreating in a hurry, Walter shook his head with a sigh and bent down to gather the chess pieces.
Then, alone in his living room, he chuckled to himself once more.
The Schmidt Residence.
Victor had just returned home.
When Evelyn walked in, he was sitting on the couch, reporting the day’s progress to Yvonne.
He had gone through all the places the ticket scalpers had mentioned, but he came back empty-handed.
“Nothing at all? You didn’t find anything?” Yvonne asked, her voice rising with desperation.
“Well, not exactly nothing,” Victor said.
Hearing that, Yvonne nearly leapt toward him. She grabbed his arm and shook it violently. “Then what did you find? Tell me-hurry!”
Victor’s head spun from all the shaking. It took him a moment to steady himself before he
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Chapter 46 Trying to Turn the Table
finally reached into his coat pocket and pulled out a small paper sack.
He handed it to her. “This.”
“What is it?” Yvonne’s eyes lit up as she tore the bag open, eager to see.
But inside were only a few tamales wrapped in corn husks.
Finished
“When I stopped by that little village in the hills, I found out they made the best tamales I’ve ever tasted,” Victor explained cheerfully. “I bought some for you and Mom. Go on, try them -they’re really sweet.”
Yvonne stared at the tamales in her hands, and tears welled up in her eyes, and she began to sob.
What kind of punishment was this, to be stuck with this mess and a brother like him?
She broke down, sobbing, nearly dropping the food.
Luckily, Victor was quick and caught them before they fell.
“If you don’t want them, I’ll eat them,” he said casually. “Besides, your hand’s still not healed. Too much sugar isn’t good for you anyway. I’ll take care of it for you.”
Before Yvonne could say a word, Victor shoved a tamale into his mouth, as if afraid she might change her mind.
For Yvonne, it felt like the last of her hope had drained away.
Alice had been missing for a month now. Seth was out of jail yesterday.
Yet she still had no clue where Alice was.
Even if Zaid suddenly changed his mind now and agreed to help search, it would likely be too late.
Evelyn could see the same thoughts running through Yvonne’s mind.
She knew she had to act quickly, before Yvonne’s last shred of patience ran out.
Thankfully, the day she had been waiting for had finally come.
The next day was Bill’s 70th birthday.
Victor hadn’t even finished running his errands when Irene paged him, telling him to hurry back. If he didn’t, the state ID issue would be impossible to fix.
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Chapter 46 Trying to Turn the Table
Finished
They had already stayed at the Schmidt Residence for far too long. Zaid had run out of patience, and honestly, so had they.
Tomorrow had to be the day they finally pulled it off.
Yvonne was still buried in grief, barely able to focus on anything.
Zaid, on the other hand, was determined to use tomorrow’s gifts to repair his reputation.
If he didn’t show off properly in front of his colleagues, how could he ever hold his head again?
Living every day with his head hung low was not something he could stand any longer.
At dinner, everyone smiled and laughed, but beneath the surface, each carried their own schemes.
The real battle would begin tomorrow.
Early the next morning, Zaid was already up.
up
He had ordered a three-tier cake from the best bakery in Southville, spending a small fortune just to show his devotion.
Along with that, he’d pulled strings at the supply store to get some rare health supplements.
It was a grand display.
Irene couldn’t help but feel jealous.
Zaid had never gone all out like this for her birthday.
She made up her mind that when her day came around again, she would demand the same
treatment.
For now, though, she had favors to ask of Bill, so she kept her mouth shut.
They packed into the car-five people in total-with the trunk stuffed to the brim, and headed toward Brookhaven Quarters.
The closer they got, the more Evelyn’s memories stirred.
Back then, she hadn’t been especially close to her grandfather, but Bill had always been good to her. After she married Seth, her grandfather even signed over his property to her and swallowed his pride to help Seth land a job so the young couple could stand on their own.
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Chapter 46 Trying to Turn the Table
Finished
But when Bill was on his deathbed, Evelyn was pregnant. Jasmin told her not to go, claiming visiting a patient might bring bad energy to the baby. And she had listened. She stayed home.
Later she learned that, in his final hours, Bill kept asking if she had visited. When he was told no, he closed his eyes with tears in them.
That regret, that shame, was something Evelyn carried deep inside her heart, a wound that never healed.
Now that she had been given a second chance, Bill was still healthy, and she hadn’t been blinded by that scumbag and tramp.
This time around, she was determined to care for Bill properly and never again do anything that could be called unfilial.
As she was thinking this over, the car pulled up to the gates of Brookhaven Quarters.
The soldier on duty recognized Zaid and also knew it was Bill’s big birthday celebration. He quickly opened the gate with a broad smile. “Mr. Schmidt, you’re here so early! What a devoted son you are.”
The praise made Zaid feel warm all over, though he put on a modest front, waving his hand.
“I just didn’t want my old man working too hard by himself. I thought I’d come by and see what I could help with. At his age, what matters most is keeping things easy and cheerful, right?”
“Mr. Schmidt, you’re absolutely right. I need to learn from you,” the soldier replied.
After the brief exchange, Zaid looked inside the compound.
Before retiring, Bill had been one of the most respected commanders in Southville. For that reason, his treatment at Brookhaven Quarters was exceptional.
His home sat all the way in the back row bungalows, with tidy yards in both front and back. Everything was kept in perfect order.
Zaid parked the car in the outer yard. He didn’t even stop to help Yvonne, whose injured hand made it hard to open the door. Instead, he hurried straight to the trunk, raising his voice so everyone nearby could hear.
“Dad, I’m home! I came to celebrate your birthday. Come and see what I brought for you!”
He spoke loudly on purpose, and sure enough, it drew attention.
Neighbors craned their necks, peering curiously into the trunk.
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Each item he pulled out was met with a round of applause.
The attention made Zaid feel like he was floating, his feet barely touching the ground.
Finished
Bill finally emerged slowly. He wore an apron tied around his waist, his hands covered in flour. “Well, I appreciate that,” he said slowly. “Just in time—I’m working the dough. Come inside and help me out. Make me a birthday cake.”
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Reborn for Love and Revenge
