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Chapter 598
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The Doting Bigwig Chapter 599
"Who let you in here?" Willow tried to push Theodore away, but his towering presence held her in place."Don't move." Theodore released her and bent over to examine her ankle. "Did you hurt yourself?""I'm fine." Willow pulled her foot back and muttered, "Do you have any idea how terrifying it is to have someone lurking around in the middle of the night?""If I'm not mistaken, this is my room," Theodore responded."So, you're trying to kick me out? Fine, I'll go!" Willow was about to storm off the bed when a thought stopped her, and she sat back down. "Oh, I get it. Reverse psychology, huh? Well, it's not going to work. I have no plans to go back to Portumville anytime soon. Even if you want me gone, I'm staying right here."Theodore was caught between amusement and exasperation. "Who has ever asked you to leave?""Have you already forgotten what you said this morning?" Willow crossed her arms, pouting. "I guess I shouldn't take what a man says too seriously.""I just wanted you
The Doting Bigwig Chapter 600
For days, Willow had been weighed down by heavy thoughts.On Saturday, Theodore left the villa early to pick Yaron up from daycare. As soon as he left, Willow slipped out of the house in casual attire. In the walk-in closet of the master bedroom, the gown and high heels she'd planned to wear to the birthday banquet hung untouched.She climbed into her white car and drove, leaving the city behind. Her destination was the orphanage in the eastern suburbs."Hello, I'm here to see my daughter," Willow said."You must be Ms. Jett, correct?" The orphanage director adjusted his glasses, looked up, and assessed her."Yes, that's me."He was a middle-aged man with a keen, observant look in his eyes. "We've already spoken with the couple who adopted your daughter. They're willing to meet with you.""Really? That's wonderful! Can we schedule a time? Is there any chance I could see them today?""Folks out in the countryside have plenty of time. How about this? Arnold can take you over ther
The Doting Bigwig Chapter 601
Since Erica returned to the Emperia three years ago, Sara hadn't stepped out of Bassett Residence.Even for the Bassett family's grand events, Erica only attended those held at Bassett Residence; otherwise, she stayed away. However, she brought Iris along this time."Theodore, I know you don't want me here, but I just want to see Yaron," Iris said while holding the child with tears in her eyes."She is Yaron's birth mother. What's wrong with attending her own child's birthday party? Theodore, you shouldn't be so self-centered. Please think about Yaron too," Sara said.After Sara finished speaking, she glanced outside the lounge. "It's been three years. It's time to give Iris some recognition.""Grandma," Theodore quickly interrupted. "I have everything arranged for Yaron's identity. You don't need to interfere.""And where are your arrangements?" Sara's pointed question left Theodore speechless.Willow still hadn't arrived."If Willow doesn't come, are you planning to tell our
The Doting Bigwig Chapter 602
"What are you crying for? Speak up! Say something!" Iris shouted.Behind her, Sara's expression twisted in disappointment when she saw Iris' actions. "Iris!""Grandma," Willow interrupted before Sara could say more.Sara froze upon hearing that. After seeing Willow again after three years, she appeared even more intimidating and assertive. The power in her gaze was something Sara herself hadn't possessed even two decades ago.Willow smiled faintly, but beneath that smile was a clear warning. "Grandma, you have a kind heart. I know you feel sorry for Iris, who is struggling alone in Emperia. But did you hear what she just said? If this gets out, people will think Yaron is an illegitimate child."That struck a nerve with Sara, and her expression tightened. Yaron was Theodore's eldest and currently the only son. She couldn't bear to let rumors stain the family name by calling Yaron an illegitimate child.No matter how much she disliked Willow, Sara had to accept this reality."Ther
The Doting Bigwig Chapter 603
Theodore glanced at Finley with a puzzle. "What exactly happened just now?""Iris lied. She said Yasmine was still alive and that I could meet her today. But on the way, she set up an ambush to have me killed, "Willow explained as she laid out the events that happened."She told you Yasmine is alive?" Theodore's frown deepened."Yes." Willow nodded firmly. "I've already seen the photos, and Finley also found Yasmine. Once the party's over, I have to go and get her."Theodore looked at Finley. His disbelief was evident, and he stared at him like he was seeking confirmation.Finley nodded. "I had a friend pick her up. Yasmine was adopted by a couple and has been living in the countryside. To stop Iris' plan, I brought Willow back to the party first, and luckily, it was just in time.""I need to go now. I want to see Yasmine as soon as possible," Willow said anxiously.Theodore grabbed Willow's hand. "I will go along with you."…In the countryside of Emperia, Finley led Willow a
The Doting Bigwig Chapter 604
Theodore helped Willow back into the car."Maybe… maybe they remembered wrongly that they found the child in the winter. Or maybe they just don't want to give the child back, so they're lying," Willow said.She suddenly reached for the door handle. "I'll go back and check again.""Willow, she is not our daughter." Theodore caught her hand.The warmth of his touch seemed to pull her back, and when she looked into his unwavering eyes, her chest tightened.Suddenly, her nose felt sore, and the tears fell. "How can she not be our child?"Theodore pulled her close and gently patted her back. He didn't say a word and simply held her as she cried.By the time they returned to the city center, it was already nightfall.Inside the police station's interrogation room, a simple wooden table separated Willow and Iris.Iris had been temporarily detained for attempted murder as Finley had reported her.Right after Iris was dragged out of the afternoon's event by security, the police took h
The Doting Bigwig Chapter 605
"Your daughter? So, you both…" Willow stared at them in shock and took a moment to process what she had just heard.Willow struggled to find the right words before finally blurting out, "Matthew, the woman you told me you were going to marry was Joey?"Now that it was out in the open, there was no point in hiding it. Matthew had no intention of keeping it a secret anymore."Yes," Matthew admitted with a nod."Why didn't either of you tell me?" Willow asked with confusion. "And Joey, you have a daughter? You both have a daughter? How is it I've never known? When did all of this happen?""It's a long story, and maybe we should find somewhere to sit and talk?" Matthew replied with a conflicted expression.Theodore, who had been silent the whole time, suddenly spoke up, "I'll find us a place."It was late, and after an exhausting day, Willow was more tired than she realized. She had been stressed and anxious about Yasmine, and running into Matthew and Joey at the police station was
The Doting Bigwig Chapter 606
"Joey, can you calm down?" Matthew asked.Seeing that Matthew wasn't following, Joey's expression darkened even more. "Fine. You're not leaving? Then I will.""I'm sorry, but Joey's been really emotional lately. We'll talk later," Matthew quickly apologized to Willow and Theodore."Wait—" Willow tried to stop Matthew as she wanted to discuss the photo, but the two of them left so quickly that she couldn't catch up.Theodore gently pulled her back. "Let it go for now. We'll talk to Matthew later. Since the child is with us, then it's just a misunderstanding that can be cleared up easily.""It's my fault for not explaining it, but why would the child lie and say her name is Yasmine?" Willow frowned.The girl on Matthew's phone was indeed named Yasmine, but she wasn't Willow's daughter; she was just the girl she found. Clearly, Joey had misunderstood.After settling the bill, they stepped out of the bar, and the cool night breeze swept away some of the tension.Willow sent a quick
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The Doting Bigwig Chapter 631
"What choice do you think I need to make?" Theodore stepped closer. His tone was filled with displeasure. "What are my choices?"Willow hesitated for a moment but maintained her composure as she voiced her concerns. "We need to face reality, Theodore. I will take Yasmine back to Portumville, and you're tied to the Bassett family. Who knows what will happen in the future?""So, you're giving me a heads-up so I can find someone else sooner?""I—""Should I be thanking you then?" Theodore's anger flared. "Willow, this is what's on your mind after everything we've been through? What do you take me for? What do you take yourself for?""I…" Willow found herself speechless."Are you doing this on purpose?""No, I'm not." Willow tried to explain herself, but for once, her words failed her.Theodore's eyes burned with frustration. Seeing her struggling to justify herself only fueled his anger more. He grabbed her wrist and pulled her close.Willow let out a startled muffle, but it was
The Doting Bigwig Chapter 630
Willow noticed something odd and asked, "When did you two get so close? Cedar, you even know what game Jessica likes?"Cedar casually replied, "She posted about it on Instagram."Willow's expression changed to one of realization. "Oh, right. I remember now."After saying that, she looked at Jessica with a raised eyebrow and proudly said, "See how thoughtful Cedar is? He remembered such details and even brought the game you wanted. I wonder which lucky girl will end up with him."Jessica forced a smile and awkwardly shoved the game console under the pillow as if it were something unpleasant to touch.Yasmine raised her head. "End up with him? What does that mean?"Willow patiently explained, "It means who will marry Uncle Cedar.""It must be Ms. Sweeney!" Yasmine pointed to the bed next to her and blurted out, "Uncle Cedar saved her. She said she'll marry him to repay the favor."Willow's face was filled with shock while Jessica quickly waved her hand. "No! I never said that. Wh
The Doting Bigwig Chapter 629
At the City Hospital, since both Willow and Jessica needed to stay in the hospital, Terence decided to use a bit of his authority to arrange for them to share a room."So what are your plans? Are you not going back to Portumville?" Jessica asked."I still have to go back. The company headquarters is there. Have you ever seen a president of a public company who never goes to the office? Joywell is still growing. I can't leave," Willow explained."So when are you planning to go back?"Willow hesitated. "I'm still thinking."Balancing a career and family was tough. One had to give way to the other."There's nothing to think about. You wouldn't want to give up Joywell's prime opportunity, and you wouldn't want to keep flying back and forth to see Yasmine. Just have Theodore go with you to Portumville then."Jessica, with her independent mindset, often focused on herself and didn't always consider the practicalities of others' situations.Just then, a knock came at the door. "Come i
The Doting Bigwig Chapter 628
As Theodore closed the door behind him, Terence turned to him with a concerned look. "Aren't you going to stay with her?""Let her be alone for a while," Theodore replied.Through the glass on the door, Theodore could see the frail figure lying on the hospital bed, and his heart ached for her."By the way, how's Jessica?"Terence responded, "She's fine. Cedar's with her. Thankfully, he noticed in time, and the sleeping pills weren't of a lethal dose."Joey had drugged Jessica with an overdose of sleeping pills. Then, she was left unconscious and tied up in a small storage room at an apartment in Marldosa Gardens.Following that, Joey hired someone from the black market to drive Jessica's car to Portumville, which caused the car's GPS to show up constantly on the highway.Terence couldn't help but ask, "Are Cedar and Jessica…""I don't know," Theodore replied flatly, "but it's not a bad thing.""Not necessarily," Terence said, crossing his arms. "It's fine for the heiress of Re
The Doting Bigwig Chapter 627
At the hospital, Willow's neck wound had been stitched up with four sutures. She had to stay in the hospital for observation.Terence was still in the operating room with Matthew. Over an hour had passed with no news. Yet, Matthew's family couldn't be reached at the moment.Theodore sat by her bedside. "Be careful.""I'm fine," Willow replied, leaning against the headboard. "How did you find out that Joey and I were at the riverbank?""Matthew called me." Theodore's voice was rough. He covered Willow with a blanket and began to explain the recent events."I had a DNA test done with Yasmine and confirmed Iris' claims. At least it proved that Joey was the one who took Yasmine back then. After that, I had Clark start investigating Joey."The first thing Clark did was track down the doctor who did the DNA test for Matthew and Yasmine, and sure enough, Joey was there meeting him."When Clark arrived, the doctor was already dead. His body was hidden in the garage at Marldosa Gardens.
The Doting Bigwig Chapter 626
Willow's words crushed Joey completely.Possessiveness? To others, her years of admiration and waiting were nothing more than laughable possessiveness."They're over there!" A voice suddenly rang out. Following that, the chaotic sound of footsteps echoed from the other side of the rocks.Willow looked up to see a tall, familiar figure rushing toward her. Without needing to guess, she knew how anxious the man must have been. Her nose tingled, and tears suddenly began to fall.As Joey glanced at the approaching police, she tightened her grip on Willow and dragged her backward. "Don't come any closer! Stay back!" she shouted.Theodore, who was more frightened than he had ever been, also roared, "Don't go any further! Let her go, Joey.""Let her go?" Joey laughed bitterly. "And let her reunite with your family? Dream on!""Joey." Willow managed to squeeze out the words through her pain. "Stop it, Joey."Even at this moment, she hoped Joey would have a change of heart and turn awa
The Doting Bigwig Chapter 625
Willow lay on the rocks as her neck bled and stained the collar of her white shirt. The scene was shocking. But compared to the pool of blood beneath Matthew, her injuries were nothing. Even though she desperately tried to escape, the distance she crawled was far from enough to save her life.Footsteps approached from behind; Joey had released Matthew and was walking toward Willow."Do you know what he just told me?" Joey's voice came from behind as Willow continued to crawl away.Joey didn't stop her, and she merely paced alongside Willow. For every step Willow took, Joey mirrored her, patiently recounting her conversation with Matthew."I asked him if he ever loved me. Do you know what he said?""He told me to let you go."In the wind of the river, Joey's laughter sounded particularly eerie. "Even at this moment, he only thinks of you. His loyalty to you is absolute, isn't it? I want to ask you a question."Suddenly, Joey squatted down and yanked Willow's hair, forcing her
The Doting Bigwig Chapter 624
"Leave right now?" Joey asked incredulously. She then burst into tears. "If only you had said this three years ago!""It's not too late now.""It is too late," Joey said as she shook her head. Willow felt herself being choked. She struggled for breath as the immense force pressed against her neck and pulled her toward the edge of the rocky outcrop with the raging river below."Joey!" Matthew staggered closer."Don't come any closer!"Willow felt a sharp pain in her neck as the knife's blade dug deeper into her flesh."Joey." She gritted her teeth against the agony and asked, "So Yasmine really was stolen by you, wasn't she?""You're still asking such questions at this point? Willow, you really are stupid.""Where's Yasmine?""Ha! What do you think?" Joey's laughter was manic.The rhetorical question sent Willow plummeting into despair as if reliving the anguish from three years ago. It felt like her heart and lungs shook violently, and every nerve of hers screamed in pain.
The Doting Bigwig Chapter 623
"We've known each other for so many years, and now, suddenly, I plan to leave Emperia. It's hard not to feel a bit reluctant," Joey said with a hint of nostalgia, her expression darkening as she turned to look at Willow.As the river breeze blew, Willow felt something unfamiliar about the woman in front of her, as if she had never known her at all."What's wrong?"Joey noticed the strange look in Willow's eyes.Willow steadied herself, hiding her immense shock and confusion behind her clenched fist, and casually asked, "When do you plan to leave? Have you decided where to go?""We're thinking of heading to Westwood first. Do you still remember we made a promise in college to go to Westwood for our graduation trip?""I remember.""But you suddenly decided to get married at that time and got busy with matters at Strand Real Estate.""Actually, you didn't have to worry about me. You could have gone without me.""Didn't you know? Matthew liked you, so when he heard you weren't goi
