CHAPTER 66: CHAPTER 66: TIMOTHY XAVIER’S EARTH-SHATTERING SECRET REVEALED

Serena immediately replied to me: "If Vera has seen the recent news, she should know that my image and situation are very similar to the heroine in your novel. I have also experienced betrayal by a third party, so the leading role is most suitable for me. If I play the character, I can definitely interpret your book well."

Once again, I was so disgusted that I even had morning sickness.

Serena is the kind of person who never speaks a true word, always living in a world of her own making.

Will she lie so much that she eventually deceives herself and can’t get out?

I ran to the bathroom to retch for a while, then sat back at the desk and told her I still needed to think about it.

The reason for not rejecting her outright is that stringing her along is rather amusing.

It’s no different from teasing a cat or a dog.

Serena seemed to be in a hurry and asked me, "Vera, where are you from? Can we meet in person? I believe that after meeting, you will put all the doubts aside and trust that I can portray the role in your book well."

I was both amused and exasperated.

Who gave Serena this kind of confidence, I really don’t understand?

"Sorry, Miss Sawyer, I don’t like going out. If there’s anything, we can talk on QQ."

I refused her.

To my understanding of her, she’s probably badmouthing me behind my back, perhaps saying that I’m ungrateful.

Later, my editor also sent me a message, asking: "Vera, how’s the talk with Serena going? Do you agree with the adaptation?"

I said, "I agree with the adaptation, but I have two requirements: First, I won’t cooperate with the Xavier Group; Second, even if my novel is adapted into a script, I should have the right to veto the character."

The editor said hesitantly, "This... isn’t something I can decide, I need to consult my superiors. But as far as I know, our platform has never had such a precedent before."

"It’s okay, I’m not in a rush."

I had considered this as an unexpected surprise; it’s fine if it works, but even if it can’t be adapted, I can’t allow a third party to play the heroine in my book.

It’s just too ironic!

But perhaps because my book’s traffic is really great, they are eager to adapt it into a film to make money.

So the next day, the editor got back to me.

"Vera, the superior agreed to your requirements. However, the Xavier Group is still offering to buy the rights to your book. They are willing to pay the highest price for the film rights, regardless of what price other companies offer. Do you agree?"

I couldn’t help but sneer.

Timothy is really going all out to revive Serena’s career.

How is he still like the calculating businessman he once was?

However, in response to this temptation, I only replied with three words: "I disagree."

The editor said, "No worries, Xavier Group isn’t the only company interested in your novel. We will compare the prices from other companies and get back to you."

"Okay."

I replied to the message, feeling a bit dull inside.

I never expected that even writing under a pseudonym, I couldn’t escape Timothy’s repeated stabs to my heart.

...

A few days passed, and after multiple screenings, the website and I chose a production company to sell the rights of my novel to them.

To prevent the Xavier Group from interfering, I specifically had lawyer Hannah Quincy review the contract.

Only after confirming there were no issues, did I sign the agreement.

After the signing, the website said the two million in royalties would be deposited into my bank account along with next month’s manuscript fee.

I smiled with relief.

It turns out, besides being a journalist and Mrs. Xavier, there are many things I can do.

Simultaneously, I received a call from Julian Sinclair’s law firm.

It wasn’t Julian himself who contacted me; it was his assistant.

Leo Grant said: "The trial for the defamation case against Faye Warren is at 10 a.m. tomorrow. Our Madam Sinclair will also be present."

Madam Sinclair’s concern for me always leaves me feeling deeply touched, as if I can’t repay her.

...

The next day, when I arrived at Veridia Central Court, I saw Timothy Xavier, Serena Sawyer, and Faye Warren approaching as soon as I got out of the car.

After a few days apart, Serena looked haggard, nowhere near as glamorous as before.

Timothy was every bit the supportive fiancé, standing firmly next to Serena, whispering something into her ear.

Serena nodded as she sorrowfully gazed at him, as if bearing all the unfairness and grievances alone.

Faye Warren, standing by her daughter’s side, glared at me as if wishing to tear me limb from limb.

At this moment, another car arrived.

I recognized it as my mother-in-law’s car.

Soon, the driver opened the door, and my mother-in-law got out with Doris.

"Mom, grandma!"

Doris ran towards them as she called out.

Serena tearfully embraced her daughter, looking more wronged than ever.

Faye Warren cried painfully: "Doris, you know your grandma was wronged by bad people, have you come to see her? If I end up in jail, you won’t see your grandma again."

Timothy furrowed his brows and asked his mother: "Why did you bring Doris here?"

Sophia Kendall snorted coldly and looked at me: "Of course, it’s to let the child remember who tore her grandmother’s family apart! It’s not a bad thing to let the child recognize her enemy and stay away from them in the future."

Doris had likely been lectured on this during the car ride.

At this moment, the little girl’s eyes were filled with more hatred than I’d ever seen, glaring at me: "You hurt my mom, hurt my grandma, you are my number one enemy now! I will avenge my mom and grandma!"

Although I know that what children say isn’t to be taken seriously, as they are taught by adults, I don’t know why, the look in Doris’ eyes made my heart sink unexpectedly.

Now, even Timothy Xavier and Serena Sawyer can no longer affect me, yet the words and actions of this child cause such chaos in my heart, why?

Before I could think further, Timothy intervened, "Mom, stop telling Doris about these messy things. Besides, it’s not suitable for her to be here; take her back."

Though Timothy’s tone was calm, it was indisputable.

Jack Sullivan swiftly picked up the little girl and took her back to the car.

Serena and Faye’s exchanged glances revealed some reluctance.

At this moment, Timothy’s gaze fell on me, his dark eyes filled with a complexity I couldn’t understand.

I couldn’t be bothered to spare them another glance and walked directly into the court.

Madam Sinclair had already arrived, sitting in the audience section.

Upon seeing me, she warmly pulled me to her side, confidently saying, "Today, Julian is personally handling the case for you. The person who framed your mother will not get away with it."

I followed Madam Sinclair’s gaze and saw Julian Sinclair wearing a neatly tailored black suit, with a silver tie at the collar, his smooth, refined face holding a sharp and resolute aura.

Madam Sinclair smiled kindly and said, "Go ahead! With Julian here, you have nothing to fear." Thus, I slowly walked over and sat at the plaintiff’s bench, next to Julian Sinclair.

Timothy sat across from us with Serena and Faye Warren.

I never thought the first time Timothy and I would face each other in court was not for divorce, but because of an affair-related family matter.

As usual, Xavier Group’s appointed lawyer defended Faye Warren.

However, when that lawyer saw that our lawyer was Julian Sinclair, his confidence noticeably faltered.

After the hearing began, I witnessed the prowess of this "Dark Lord" of the legal world for the first time.

He deftly exposed the logical flaws in the opposing lawyer’s arguments, maintaining a gentle and refined tone, yet with a decisive and assertive aura.

Our opposition lost ground at every turn.

Finally, the judge struck the gavel, proclaiming victory on our side.

I instinctively glanced at Julian Sinclair beside me, noting the unchanged curve of his mouth, though the satisfaction in his eyes was evident behind the lenses.

Faye Warren was sentenced to three months of detention, effective immediately.

As she was taken away, Serena was in tears, looking as if she wanted to go with Faye Warren.

Timothy just held her in his arms, comforting her, "Calm down. I’ll think of something, trust me, okay?"

His patient and gentle coaxing seemed to emerge from my memories.

I couldn’t even remember the last time Timothy spoke to me like that.

After the hearing, Madam Sinclair initially invited me to dine at the Sinclair Family estate, suggesting Julian Sinclair come along.

But Julian Sinclair excused himself, claiming he had other matters to attend to.

Madam Sinclair said, "Zoe, how about this, accompany me to the monastery to fulfill a vow, alright? I specifically went to pray for your mother a few days ago. Now that the storm has passed, it shows the Goddess of Bright has manifested."

"Sure."

I smiled slightly and did not refuse.

Currently, I don’t need to work; I just need to maintain daily updates on my novel, leaving me with relatively more free time.

So, I accompanied Madam Sinclair to Westcliff Monastery.

We made offerings to the Goddess of Bright first, then Madam Sinclair expressed the desire to meditate with the master for a while.

She told me, "Young people like you probably don’t enjoy such dull things. This monastery is well-built and the scenery is nice, you can wander around."

"Alright."

Seeing her enter the master’s room, I began to wander around the monastery aimlessly.

But I didn’t expect that even the young monks here were quite gossipy.

The gossip even involved Timothy Xavier.

Though the hearing today was held discreetly, many media outlets still caught wind of it, and the outcome was leaked.

Timothy Xavier and Serena made it onto the trending topics again.

In the monastery’s corridor, two young monks, about ten years old, were whispering together.

Monk A scratched his head, "Isn’t President Xavier the one who often comes to see the master? Isn’t there a woman he deeply cares about?"

Monk B nodded, "Indeed. For that woman, he vowed to be vegetarian and pray for exactly one thousand eight hundred and ninety-nine days, saying this would completely cure her ailment. I initially thought she was the one he held dearest."

"Senior brother," Monk A furrowed his brow, "what exactly is love? I thought it was supposed to be singular and unwavering. Yet President Xavier not only devoted himself to Buddhism for that woman but also spent enormous amounts to build a psychiatric hospital overseas and flies there specifically each month to see her. If his love runs so deep, how could he still get entangled with Serena?"

Monk B sighed, "Love and such are all worldly concerns. You see even someone as capable as President Xavier is trapped by it, unable to extricate himself, right?"

"..."

I hid at the corridor’s corner, feeling ice-cold all over, shivers running down my spine.

Besides Serena, Timothy had another woman?

The young monk said he practiced Buddhism for that woman.

So it turned out, when he said he wanted to practice Buddhism, it was never for the sake of our child.

Our child, who was deprived of life just after birth, seemingly held no value at all in his heart.

I pressed my fingertips into my palm, desperately suppressing the shock and sorrow within me.

Even though I had long stopped expecting anything from Timothy, I still owed myself an explanation for the twenty years of my life.

Some matters, I must uncover.

Otherwise, even if I divorced him, all my life I’d be like a fool kept in the dark, toyed with by him.

...

After sharing a vegetarian meal at the monastery with Madam Sinclair at noon, on the way back, I was distracted, my mind filled with the conversation of the young monks.

Suddenly recalling their mention of the "psychiatric hospital," I remembered the time I bumped into Timothy at the psychiatric department.

So, he’s been going there not for himself, but for that woman?

A sense of urgency cloaked my mind like layered clouds, determined to uncover the truth.

Later, I asked Jenna Sutton to approach a private detective agency, instructing them to tail Timothy until the end of the month.

The young monk mentioned he flies abroad every month to see that woman; given the continuous upheaval this month and his constant presence with Serena, he likely didn’t have a chance to go.

Now that the storm has subsided, with only a few days left till the end of the month, this would probably be the time he chooses to set off.

"If there’s a chance to meet that woman, please obtain a sample of her hair or nails. The payment will be doubled."

If Doris isn’t Serena’s daughter, could she possibly be that woman’s? Regardless of the answer, this evidence could prove useful in my divorce case.

...

The day after the detectives started tailing, I received a call from Timothy at dusk.

My heart tightened, worried he had noticed something amiss.

Answering the phone, his deep voice came through, "Come down, I’m downstairs at your place."

I frowned, "If you have something to say, say it over the phone."

He replied, "Today is your parents’ wedding anniversary, come back for dinner. If you want to make a scene today, I don’t mind."

I was suddenly reminded that today was Mr. and Mrs. Ellison’s thirtieth wedding anniversary, a significant day I had entirely forgotten.

To not disappoint my parents, I decided to tidy up and head out.

Getting into the car, I buckled my seatbelt, ignoring him.

He also remained silent, starting the car steadily.

Midway, he suddenly said quietly, "To deal with Serena, you went as far as to use Madam Sinclair to suppress The Sawyer Family. Zoe Ellison, such despicable means from you only make me more disgusted."

I clenched my fingers, looking at his cold, unfeeling profile, finding it all so laughable.

He hid another woman from Serena and deceived me for years, yet now stands on moral high ground to accuse me?

I chuckled lightly, "Your disgust means nothing to me."

Timothy’s face darkened slightly, seemingly unbelieving that I truly no longer cared about his opinions.

The veins on his hands gripping the steering wheel slightly popped out, as he said coldly, "If this continues, I can’t guarantee you’ll still occupy the position of Mrs. Xavier."