Chapter 957
Johanna shook her head.
“No. Jamie was too agitated. He fainted before he could elaborate.”
Victoria replied, “Then what he saw must have been the hospital attack. Don’t let your thoughts run wild, Johanna. What if it was all a misunderstanding?”
She offered a reassuring smile.
“After Jamie was shot, the hospital went into full lockdown. For an outsider to sneak inside and make another attempt on his life would have been nearly impossible. Unless…”
Johanna leaned forward anxiously. “Unless what?”
The entire affair was strange. With security so tight, even a top–tier assassin shouldn’t have been
able to infiltrate without a trace.
Victoria’s brows knitted. “Unless he was already lying in wait inside the hospital.”
But was that even possible?
How could Thomas have predicted that Jamie would be sent to that particular hospital? And if he had been fooled by Kelly and Johanna’s lies before, was he really clever enough to plan something so precise?
In Victoria’s eyes, Thomas didn’t seem to have that kind of cunning.
And Johanna, hopelessly blinded by her feelings, refused to hear a word against him.
The Ferrero family had always been notorious for their cruelty. A man didn’t need brilliance to sit in the patriarch’s chair–just ruthlessness. With the family’s heads changing hands so frequently,
Victoria couldn’t muster much confidence in Thomas.
And what if there was a hidden history of instability…?
Watching Johanna sink deeper into her infatuation, Victoria couldn’t help but gently caution her as a friend.
“Johanna, didn’t the Ferrero family just experience internal turmoil not long ago? I think… maybe you should date him for now. There’s no need to rush into marriage. Even if you delay it, your relationship won’t suffer.”
Her words were mild, but Johanna understood perfectly. Victoria was telling her to seize whatever advantages she could while Thomas still held power.
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Chapter 957
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After all, when Jamie and Lex courted Victoria, they had showered the Kalen family with real, tangible benefits.
Johanna gave a soft, self–mocking laugh.
“Victoria, you’re different from me. You’re the one men pursue. But with Thomas… I was the one who made the first move. If I had your charm, I wouldn’t be in such misery.”
Victoria was momentarily stunned into silence. She had forgotten that part.
Realizing it, she could no longer press the issue. Instead, she said gently, “Johanna, the fact that someone tried to kill Jamie means you’re in danger too. For now, don’t travel to unstable countries. Especially not Zachemaine–you could be targeted or kidnapped. Wait until Jamie recovers. Then, whether you want to return to Marcentine with me or to Yuicuador, it’ll be up to you.”
Johanna nodded faintly.
“By the way,” Victoria added, “did you hear that Sharon withdrew from the competition?”
Johanna blinked in surprise. “No. What happened?”
“My dad and Rick visited her in the hospital yesterday,” Victoria said. “They said she was injured by kidnappers. Her hands… were ruined.” 1
Johanna gasped.
“Someone dared to kidnap Sharon in Zachemaine? And cripple her hands? That’s insane!”
To Johanna and Victoria, Zachemaine was never safe–but for Sharon, with Carter and Xavier protecting her, it should have been the safest place of all.
“I don’t know the details,” Victoria admitted. “Rick didn’t explain much. He just warned me that
Zachemaine isn’t safe right now, and told me to stay away from dangerous places for the time being.
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