Alex rubbed his chin, nodding, “Knowing Jessica as I do, this possibility can’t be ruled out.”
Ethan pondered for a moment but shook his head, “Dad, Mom, I don’t think Aunt Jessica would do that. Even if Aunt Jessica is greedy, she and Dad are siblings. If she really did something like this and got caught, she’d lose face in the Gunter family. Besides, Aunt Jessica isn’t short of money, so she wouldn’t take such a risk.”
Alex thought for a moment and nodded again, “I think Ethan has a point.”
“Mom, what’s the second possibility?” Ethan asked Paige.
“The second possibility… the one who stole our money is Leo!”
This statement surprised both Alex and Ethan.
“Impossible! How could that waste manage to steal money from us?” Alex doubted.
Paige snorted, admonishing in a lecturing tone, “Alex, were you blind when we visited Jessica’s house some time ago? Leo, that waste of a son-in-law, used to be a silent dog, but that day, for some reason, he turned into a mad Tibetan Mastiff, biting everyone in sight!”
Recalling that incident, Ethan felt a deep resentment. Leo not only kicked him but also broke his finger. Ethan had never experienced such pain.
“Dad, Mom, if that waste Leo dares to follow Aunt Jessica to our place, we must find a way to give him a memorable lesson!” Ethan said through gritted teeth.
“This is a must. The harm Langstel has suffered must be reclaimed tenfold or a hundredfold from Leo!” Paige’s expression twisted, “And about that fifty thousand, even if it mysteriously disappeared from our hands, we mustn’t give a single cent back to Jessica!”
“Absolutely, if I find out who stole our fifty thousand, I’ll make sure to kill him!” Alex’s face displayed an angry expression, “If someone dares to mess with us, they must pay the price!”
“Ha, Alex, you talk a good game, but where were you when Leo, that waste dog, went mad? Why didn’t you step forward then?” Paige knew Alex was just good at talking.
Knowing that Paige was still holding a grudge from the last incident at Jessica’s house, Alex could only smile wryly.
Paige’s eyes shifted to Ethan, “Ethan, no matter if Jessica’s family is here for a visit or to collect debts, we can’t let them enter our home easily. You have many friends in Green Spring; go find a few reliable ones and be prepared. We must keep Leo aware of his status constantly!”
“Only by dealing with Leo harshly can we make Jessica understand a simple truth: if she wants us to repay the money, there’s no way we’ll open our doors!” Ethan praised, “Mom, I’m increasingly admiring you. I’ll follow your instructions!”
“Your dad is unreliable. If you want to live a good life, you’ll have to rely on us, mother and son, in terms of handling things. Got it?” Paige said with a triumphant smile.
Ethan put his phone back in his pocket, stood up from the sofa, stretched his body, and said, “Mom, I’ll go prepare now. It’s time to give Leo, that waste dog, a proper reception.”
“Ethan, make sure the people you find are reliable, even if it costs some money. It’s better to beat Leo severely, then interrogate him. We can’t let that fifty thousand disappear without a trace!” Paige couldn’t help but add a word of caution.
Ethan’s eyes glinted with a chilling light as he replied, “Mom, don’t worry. I plan to hire Mignon, the big shot on the streets. Once Mignon steps in, Leo, that useless dog, will definitely become a dead dog!”
Paige stood up from the couch, took out her wallet, and pulled out a stack of bills, handing them to Ethan. “Here’s ten thousand dollars. Money is the best tool for getting things done. Also, I’ve thought about it. If that Mignon can tie up Jessica, Martin, Sophia, and Leo together, that would be even better.”
Taking the money, Ethan smirked, “Mom, I’m thinking the same way. Money talks, and you just wait for my good news.”
After Ethan spoke, he strode out of the house.
Alex, who had been silent, couldn’t help but speak up, “Paige, if you want to deal with Leo, I have no objections, but you can’t harm Second Sister and them. Jessica is still my real sister.”
Paige, hearing this, couldn’t help but kick Alex and angrily said, “You spineless guy, considering how Jessica treats you and our family, do you not have any sense? Besides, as long as we can find out about the whereabouts of that five hundred thousand, without causing any casualties, what’s there to fear!”
As a seasoned henpecked husband, Alex, seeing Paige explode, felt weak in his heart and dared not say anything more.
On the other side, two Audi cars had already entered the Green Spring downtown.
Although Green Spring City was just a county-level city, relying on tourism resources, it could still be considered a relatively prosperous small city.
Of course, it was only relatively prosperous. Compared to Langstel, it was far inferior.
Leo had once privately asked Sophia whether she liked Langstel or Green Spring better.
Sophia’s answer was Green Spring.
The reason was simple: the small city had a good environment, a slower pace of life, and no traffic jams. Compared to the bustling metropolis like Langstel, it was more suitable for living.
However, Jessica had the opposite opinion of Sophia. Since Jessica married into Langstel and became accustomed to the prosperity of the big city, her feelings for Green Spring, the place that raised her, grew increasingly faint.
If it weren’t for her elderly father still living here, she probably wouldn’t want to return to this small place in Green Spring for the rest of her life.
Just as Sophia was admiring the street view through the car window, the car suddenly stopped, and the powerful inertia caused Sophia’s body to lean forward involuntarily.
Martin, driving behind, also slammed on the brakes, luckily maintaining a sufficient distance to avoid a rear-end collision.
Although the car didn’t hit anyone, a person suddenly rushed out in front and fell to the ground, continuously groaning in pain.
Leo and Sophia exchanged a glance, knowing they had encountered a scam.
Leo, familiar with these scams, unbuckled his seatbelt, opened the car door, and got out.
Martin and Jessica also got out of the car.
To Leo, these scams were nothing new. He untied the seatbelt, opened the car door, and stepped out.
Martin and Jessica followed suit.
In front of Leo’s Audi, there lay an old man dressed as a beggar. His hands and legs were bleeding, looking somewhat terrifying.
Jessica stepped forward, hands on hips, and scolded the old man, “Old beggar, are you blind? How dare you pull a stunt like this and land on my head! Don’t you know today is the joyful day I’m returning home to visit my family!?”