Victor did not let Credence wait for too long. Once he arrived at the coffee shop, he hurriedly took a seat directly opposite Credence and took out a stack of information from his leather bag. He respectfully handed it to the man who was sitting calmly in his seat.
“Mr. Scott, this is all the information I could gather on Jeremy Sherman before he turned six. He was born into a normal family. Um, well, I suppose it’s one with relatively poor conditions.
His father’s identity is unknown. However, his mother, Ysabelle, was a bar girl at an entertainment hub, the kind that sold her looks but not her body. She had been very beautiful and had a lot of pursuers when she was young. However, she had high standards and pride. She swore that she would only marry the most successful man in Talco City.
It was said that she had her eyes on a big shot in Talco City back then, but that he already had a wife and a child by his side. Therefore, he had refused Ysabelle’s love.
After that, Ysabelle disappeared for unknown reasons. A year later, she reappeared in public with a son from an unknown man. That boy is Jeremy Sherman.
However, that was not his original name. Ysabelle married Juelz’s uncle, Yezoo when he was only six and Yezoo changed his name personally.”
Credence put down the coffee cup in his hand on the table casually. He narrowed his eyes and asked coldly, “Is that all you’ve got?”
Victor knew that he had not gotten as much information as Credence had hoped. He wiped the cold sweat off his forehead and said nervously, “Oh, Mr. Scott, one more thing! When Ysabelle was pregnant, she rented a small beat-up house in a rural town area. It was only when Jeremy turned six that she officially became Yezoo’s new wife and married into the Sherman family.
Because of her beauty, her neighbors from her old place had a deep impression on her. Those nosy neighbors revealed a very important detail. During the six years she had lived there, they had never seen any man come looking for her, nor had they ever heard anything about Jeremy’s biological father.
“However, every night, the sounds of Jeremy’s cries and screams for mercy as well as the sound of whips attacking flesh could be heard.”
“So, Mr. Scott, I believe that Jeremy must have been abused by Ysabelle since he was young. The reason for it is most probably that she loved Jeremy’s biological father, but she could never have him so her hatred for him grew.”
It seemed that Jeremy had a very miserable childhood.
This woman was vicious enough to abuse her own son like that. It had proved just how malicious she really was.
Victor shook his head and could not help but sigh.
“That sounds interesting,” Credence smiled coldly. “Keep digging. I need to know why he wants to attack me.”
That night in Jenciga, Credence could clearly feel Jeremy’s wish for him to die by his bullets when he aimed the gun at his chest.
That was a level of hatred that came from the deepest, darkest part of his heart. It could not be fake.
“I understand, Mr. Scott.”
After Victor left, Credence picked up his phone which was on the table, and dialed a number. His tone was calm and restrained as he spoke to the other man on the phone, “Mr. Wood, it’s me. Can you help me check the internal accounts of the Sherman Group? A large company like that must have some dirt. I’m sure you can find something wrong if you try hard enough. That’s right, the same as always.”
As a man who single-handedly put the Scott Group onto the top 500 companies list in the world, Credence knew better than anyone how many difficulties and obstacles there were in the business industry. The amount of temptations lurking about was uncountable.
As long as one’s initial resolution wavered easily, it would be likely for them to be blinded by the temptation of taking a shortcut or use their company as a decoy to cover up the unlawful earnings as well as cooperate with underground forces to rob defenceless shareholders in the stock market. Their company would continue to flourish and prosper. However, the bigger it expanded, the more crimes it would commit.
With Jeremy’s sinister personality, he must have committed a lot of those crimes. It would be simple enough for Credence to pin him down with the evidence once he got them.
After scheming to ruin Jeremy, Credence’s mood improved drastically. Suddenly, his thoughts turned to Dorothy and all the instances she had refused him, saying that they had divorced and had nothing to do with each other anymore, he suddenly felt glum.
She was single at the moment which meant that everyone had the right to pursue her. It did not matter if the man was him, Juelz, or someone else.
He was only her ex-husband after all. He had no right to stop other men.
When he thought of his Dorothy, who was more beautiful than a blooming flower under the charm of another man, Credence was suddenly filled with raging anger.
He pursed his thin lips tightly into a line so sharp and straight that it resembled a blade.
No matter what, he needed to keep her by his side.
She was such a charming and sensual woman in bed. Every man would want her.
Furthermore, she had been his wife first and foremost.
Since she had belonged to him for four years, Credence believed that she would continue to be his for the rest of his life!
…
In less than fifteen minutes, Credence had reappeared in Belle’s ward.
At that moment, Dorothy was patiently telling her the story of the little mermaid. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw the man coming over with a dignified expression on his handsome face. She was stunned at first and put down the storybook before looking up at him to ask, “What’s wrong?”
“It’s nothing. I just need you and Belle to help with something big.”
Credence narrowed his eyes to make sure he didn’t give any of his emotions away. Then, he said in a soft voice, “Dorothy, I’m sorry. We may be a family, but we don’t even have a family photo together. That’s my mistake entirely.
A while ago, I ordered Benjamin to book us a slot at one of the largest photography shops in the city for ten days so the three of us can take photos there. Would you be free to do that today?”
From Dorothy’s point of view, whenever this man wanted to do something without much explanation, there was no telling whether he had good or bad intentions.
She looked at him suspiciously and asked, “Why do you suddenly want us to take photos?”
Before Credence could open his mouth to answer, Belle, who was half-lying on the bed, was already clapping with approval. Her big blue eyes turned starry. She felt that her newly-found father was really handsome and cool. With a cute giggle, she began to say, “Yay! I love taking pictures! Let’s do it. Come on, Mommy, you have to promise Daddy.”
In the past, Dorothy would not accompany her to photography shops because of her daughter’s poor health. She remembered the last time they went, Belle had only been able to change into two sets of beautiful dresses at most before they had to leave, leaving the vain little girl longing for it again.
Her daughter had been so excited by the idea of it that she tried to run up to Credence and hug his thighs. Dorothy’s eyebrows raised a little at Belle’s enthusiasm before she thought of a way to refuse, “Belle, when the doctor gave you a checkup this morning, he said that you needed to rest, and that you mustn’t do any intense exercises such as dancing, cycling, and other activities too. That includes taking photos.”
Credence lowered his head and saw his daughter’s rosy cheeks and big eyes looking up at him with hope, his heart almost melted from the cuteness. He looked at the disapproving Dorothy with his deep eyes and said in a soft tone, “I asked Belle’s doctors. They said that appropriate exercising can strengthen Belle’s body. Taking photos seems to be a good one for her.”
“Credence, what makes you think that you can make decisions for Belle so easily? You have no idea how weak she is right now. You have gone too far, let me tell you, I’ve…”
Dorothy began speaking anxiously. However, before she could outright disagree and reject that idea, she found herself at a loss for words when she saw her daughter pouting with puppy dog eyes.
“Mommy, you’re the best, aren’t you? I really want to take a photo with you and Daddy. Just say yes, please?”
That d*mned man had actually managed to bribe her daughter to his side with the promise of photos. What else could Dorothy still do about that now that it had come to this?
She glared at Credence for a little while longer before she finally agreed.
“Only this once, alright? Never again!”
Even though she had agreed, Dorothy was still reluctant. She helped Belle into a beautiful dress and carried her as she followed Credence out of the ward to the parking lot. She walked past the passenger door that the man had opened for her and went straight to the back seat.
Credence shook his head, finding Dorothy’s little tantrum endearing. He knew that she was still mad, so he did not force her anymore. He proceeded to start the car and headed straight for their destination.
Suddenly, flashes of blazing white lights flashed in his line of sight. He noticed a black car following them from behind and there was someone taking photos of them as well. He averted his gaze and did not react. He pretended as if he hadn’t seen anything at all.
He wanted to see which sly snake would be lured out this time.