Ch. 456: Mr. Edwards’ Unraveled Life Chapter 456

Chapter 456

Baimo smiled but stayed silent.

Norah knew exactly what was going on. This wasn’t Baimo contradicting himself—it was a test, a deliberate provocation aimed at her.

He’d been watching her closely this whole time.

But she wasn’t desperate. Not yet.

“Norah, you’re sharp. You’ve probably figured some things out already. I’m just wondering… are you Julie?” Baimo’s smile faded, his tone serious.

He wasn’t beating around the bush anymore. Right now, he needed to know one thing for sure. Nothing else mattered to him.

Norah’s heart sank.

She’d been aware of the possibility, but without proof, she’d avoided it. Now, even though Baimo seemed convinced, he still wanted to push further.

Norah found it absurd. “Do you think your sister’s identity can be determined by a string of beads? Those beads were in Jace’s hands before. Is Jace your sister? If you’re still curious, maybe you should ask Journi.”

Her words were laced with sarcasm.

“I don’t like Journi,” Baimo admitted bluntly.

Journi had been missing for years, and when Calvin finally brought her back, Baimo felt nothing. No joy, no relief. It wasn’t the same as when he’d known Julie.

He trusted his instincts—Journi wasn’t Julie. She was someone else entirely.

Calvin, the man who’d found Journi, was one of his father’s most loyal followers. Journi owed Calvin and had ties to him. But Baimo had dug deeper.

Calvin’s ambitions were vast. He’d orchestrated Archer’s actions—poisoning Norah, poisoning Kevin. All of it could be traced back to him. And then there was the matter of Bianca’s voice…

Norah noticed the shift in Baimo’s expression. She understood, but she wasn’t about to engage with him.

She pressed her lips together and spoke quietly, “You have your theories. How you prove them is your business. Don’t drag me into it.”

“Baimo, you and I aren’t on the same side.”

Baimo might treat the villagers well, but what had he really done for them? The southern villages were still being ravaged by the Pharaoh’s forces—burned, looted, and destroyed. Even children weren’t spared.

Baimo was the Pharaoh’s son. The cold blood running through his veins wouldn’t change.

Baimo smirked, clearly aware of Norah’s thoughts. “I don’t trust the lab here. We’ll do the test outside. Norah… you’re smart. Haven’t you ever wondered?”

Norah stayed silent.

She had wondered. She’d felt a strange connection to the Pharaoh, and fragments of memories had surfaced in her mind. But Baimo had already run tests. She wasn’t Julie.

Jace had given her the beads, but that meant nothing. Those memories? Maybe they were just her mind playing tricks on her.

“Stop talking. I don’t want to hear it. I’m not Julie. Julie—or Journi—has already been found. And what good would it do you to prove I’m Julie anyway?”

Norah waved him off, her resistance clear. She wanted nothing to do with the monstrous Pharaoh.

But her question was valid. What did Baimo stand to gain by proving she was Julie?

Baimo’s expression hardened. He hadn’t expected Norah to think he had ulterior motives.

He laughed bitterly. “It’s no good. I just don’t like Journi. I want to know if you’re not her. That’s all. I trust my instincts.”

Norah didn’t share his faith in intuition. She felt a chill run down her spine. She’d finally convinced herself she had no ties to the Pharaoh, and now Baimo was dragging her back into doubt.

“I won’t do it!”

Norah’s refusal was firm, but she was no match for Baimo.

In one swift motion, he pinned her down and drew a vial of blood from her neck with a syringe.

Norah pressed a hand to her neck, her eyes icy. “You’re truly the Pharaoh’s son.”

As ruthless as his father, as indifferent to others’ pain.

Baimo’s lips twitched. “If you’d cooperated, it wouldn’t have come to this. Norah, a new result will benefit us both.”

With that, he stood and signaled to the clown.

The clown understood immediately. To ensure accuracy, the tests would be conducted in three separate batches. Baimo and Journi’s samples would also be tested.

As the clown left to carry out the orders, Baimo exited the room, leaving Norah alone.

She felt suffocated.

She couldn’t stay here. She had to find a way out.

Journi’s Arrival

Journi entered the room, her gaze cold as it landed on Norah.

“I didn’t expect you to be so resilient,” Journi said, her tone dripping with disdain. “You’ve been here this long and still haven’t cracked.”

Norah wasn’t about to let Journi’s barbs slide.

“I’m not hurt, and I’m not broken. Disappointed?”

Her voice was steady, but her eyes were like ice.

Norah stood and stepped closer to Journi. She couldn’t help but notice how Journi’s build resembled Bianca’s, though their voices and faces were different. Bianca had been silent for a long time.

Journi’s hostility was clear. She saw Norah as a rival for Baimo’s attention.

“I am disappointed,” Journi admitted. “But since my brother seems to like you, I’ll play nice. After all, they say conflict breeds familiarity, don’t they?”

A smirk played on Journi’s lips as she looked down on Norah, her contempt obvious.

Norah didn’t need Journi’s respect. “I don’t need your kindness, and I don’t care about your conflicts.”

She turned her back on Journi, who bristled at the dismissal.

“Norah, I’m trying to be civil. Don’t make this harder than it needs to be.”

Norah’s smile was cold. “I don’t need your civility. Are you a princess? An empress? Do your words carry some divine authority?”

Journi’s temper flared. “Norah, you need to be taught a lesson!”

She lunged, but Norah dodged. Norah had been training with Karina, practicing self-defense in secret. She could handle close-range attacks.

But Journi wasn’t done. She pulled out a pistol, aiming it squarely at Norah’s head.

Journi’s eyes gleamed with triumph. “Norah, you’re scared. I thought you were fearless.”

Norah froze, her heart pounding. But she refused to let Journi see her fear.