Chapter 971-980

Returning from the Dead Chapter 971“Don’t worry, Olivia. She’ll find a way.”“Really?”Olivia was still doubtful.She did not dare to believe that Janice, who had always been so timid, was capable enough to deal with those shrewish women.However, Janice, who brought the ledger and checks over that afternoon, accomplished everything successfully.Despite the fact that Jocelyn, Shirley, and Jared hated her guts, she still managed to do everything.Were it not for the person she suddenly bumped into when she left the house, it would have been the most perfect day for her.“I’ve always wondered why a country bumpkin like you kept trying to enter Oceanic Estate. Turns out that this is your plan! You’re quite ambitious, huh?”The woman who stopped Janice at the entrance was wearing a blue coat. Her hair was permed fashionably and her make-up was exquisite.With a sharp look in her eyes, she blocked Janice’s way while holding a luxurious bag.When Janice saw her, the smile on her face disappeared at once.“C-Candice? You’re out already?”“Yeah, I’m out. Why? Aren’t you happy to see me?”Candice took a step forward and stared at Janice viciously.Sasha did not care about that.After packing her luggage, she headed to the hospital to fetch Sebastian.That was her arrangement. After knowing that he had recovered yesterday, she was overjoyed. However, as she was still worried, she made an appointment with Grayson to give Sebastian a full checkup.He should be done with it already.“Hello? Are you done, Sebby?”“I’m done.”A clear and masculine voice sounded from the phone. Hearing his charming voice, Sasha felt as though she was falling in love again.“All right. I’ll come over to pick you up.”Delighted, she grabbed her car keys and headed out. She was rushing out so happily that she was oblivious to her children teasing her from behind.“Is Mommy going on a date with Daddy?”“Of course!” Matteo affirmed Vivian’s question unhesitatingly.Ian, on the other hand, remained silent.However, given how focused he was on his game, it was clear that he agreed too. After all, he could only immerse himself in the game completely if he was not distracted by anything else.Matteo was defeated by him badly.After forty minutes, Sasha arrived at Grayson’s office in the hospital.“Dr. Wallen, how is he? Is he all right?” she asked anxiously the moment she arrived.Grayson shot a glance at Sebastian, who was flipping through a thick medical textbook. He felt a shiver run down his spine.“He’s fine! What could possibly happen to him? He’s fully recovered.”“That’s great!”When Sasha heard that, she heaved a huge sigh of relief and felt delighted.He has completely recovered!She brought Sebastian out of Grayson’s office.“Sebby, we—”“Wait! I heard that you’re going back to Avenport. Someone would like to see you. Do you mind?” Grayson, who had chased after them, asked abruptly.Someone?Sasha turned around. “Who? Who wants to meet him?”Grayson replied hesitatingly, “Alfred…”As he said the name, he subconsciously hid the book Sebastian was reading earlier behind his back.He was worried that Sebastian would steal it and use it for some illicit activities.Sasha was stunned.Alfred wants to meet him? What on earth is happening?She immediately glanced at Sebastian.Surprisingly, he was extremely calm, as if he had just heard something completely irrelevant. He replied curtly, “No.”“Huh? You don’t want to meet him?” A disappointed look crossed Grayson’s face.That’s weird. Since when is he involved with Alfred? He’s just a doctor, but why does it feel like he knows everyone here?Sasha was quite curious.“Do you know Alfred, Dr. Wallen? If he wants to meet Sebastian, why did he ask you to pass the message?”“Well…”Grayson felt a bit embarrassed.In fact, he did not know Alfred that well.The reason why he was the messenger was that Alfred was not allowed to meet anyone after being arrested. Furthermore, as the director of the hospital, Grayson would be appointed by the White House to check up on special patients.That was why Alfred had asked him to pass on the message.“Anyway, I think it’s better that you meet him. He’s going to be sent to the Chief Prosecutor’s office soon. Once his charges have been confirmed, he will probably be stuck there forever.”Returning from the Dead Chapter 972In the end, Grayson didn’t explain any further and simply reminded them that he would be stuck there forever.Stuck there forever… Does that mean he has something to tell Sebastian, the person who personally sent him to prison?Sasha couldn’t seem to understand that logic.“Do you want to go, Sebby?”“You want me to?” Sebastian gave in at last, but he wasn’t sure if Sasha wanted him to be there.Sasha felt a warm sensation in her heart upon hearing that.“The fact that he wants you to see him now makes me wonder if he has something to tell you about the Jadesons. Since we’ll be heading back soon, it wouldn’t hurt to go hear him out,” Sasha said in a serious and rational manner.That is indeed possible. Alfred and the Jadesons have always been sworn enemies, so why else would he want to see a Jadeson after being arrested?Sebastian frowned at the thought of that but agreed to it in the end.The two of them then left the hospital and headed toward the White House.Of course, Sasha wasn’t allowed inside the White House and could only wait outside while Sebastian entered.While waiting, she got a call from Olivia telling her that Janice had been attacked at The Ataraxy and that the ledgers she brought over had been ripped to shreds.What? Ripped to shreds? Was Janice really unable to stop them?Sasha instantly went livid with rage. A quick glance at her watch showed that it was still early, so she started up her car and drove straight to The Ataraxy.Hmph! Let’s see how crazy those guys really are!In the White House, Sebastian avoided the members of congress with the help of an official from the Cabinet Council who escorted him directly to where Alfred was being detained.Due to the dishonorable nature of the president’s crimes, Alfred was not allowed to show himself in public.Even if he ended up being sentenced to prison, he would still be transported there secretly.“Alfred White, you have a visitor!” the guard shouted rudely when he saw Sebastian arrive at the door.Alfred used to be addressed as “Sir” or “Mr. White,” but now he’s being addressed by his full name… Sebastian thought to himself as he stood at the door with an emotionless look on his face.The way he looked closely resembled a certain someone that Alfred knew a long time ago.“You look very much like your dad,” he said in a hoarse voice after staring at Sebastian with his white hair all messy.Sebastian arched an eyebrow at him in response.“You didn’t have me come here just to tell me that, did you?”“Of course, there are two reasons I wanted you to come over. First of all, I want to see what Shin’s son looks like. And secondly, I want to tell you that you didn’t actually win.”Alfred, who looked like he had aged ten years, suddenly broke into a manic cackle, only to start coughing from it moments later.Sebastian narrowed his eyes as he had already expected Alfred to say that.Not wanting to waste any more of his time, Sebastian was about to leave when Alfred called out to him once again, “Don’t believe me? No problem, just wait another two weeks and see who wins the new presidential election!”Oh? Now this is interesting.Sebastian stopped in his tracks, not because he was interested in what he heard, but because he wanted to tell Alfred something in response.“Whoever wins the election has nothing to do with me, Alfred. Not everyone enjoys being in this circle like you, you know? Don’t you know I’m already planning to leave?”“What?”Alfred had a look of shock on his face when he heard that.“You’re leaving? Aren’t you going to become the heir to the Jadesons?”“Why should I?”“But… But…”Alfred was in so much shock that he couldn’t even speak properly. He had wanted to say that it was a perfect opportunity for Sebastian to enter the White House as the heir to the Jadesons, but the words were stuck in his throat.After staring blankly at Sebastian for a moment, Alfred came to a sudden realization and began laughing maniacally again.“Hahahaha… So, the Jadesons are planning to let Devin be the heir? Hahahaha… This is great!”Alfred was so happy that he even shed tears of joy, but the look on Sebastian’s face had slowly turned gloomy.Returning from the Dead Chapter 973Eventually, Sebastian lost his cool and grabbed Alfred by the collar as he shouted, “What the hell are you trying to say?”Alfred’s face turned purplish red from the pressure on his neck.“What do you mean? I thought you weren’t interested in what I have to say? You said none of this has anything to do with you, right? Hahahaha…”He began cackling madly once again but was interrupted by a strong punch to the face.Alfred screamed as his gold-rimmed glasses were knocked off his face, and blood was flowing out of his mouth.“I’m warning you! You’d better not try anything funny or I’ll kill you and your other son!”The look in Sebastian’s eyes was so vicious and scary that he looked like a demon straight from hell.My other son?Alfred shuddered. He regained his composure and instantly stopped laughing out of fear.“H-How did you know about that?”“Why wouldn’t I? I’ll have you know that I have information on all of your family members, so you’d better not have any funny ideas or he’ll be the first to die!” Sebastian said with an eerie and sinister tone as he stared him down.Alfred began trembling a lot more severely after hearing that.Very few people in the White House knew about his other son as he had to break up with his girlfriend back then and marry his current wife.He thought he could just forget about her and move on, but she turned out to be pregnant and gave birth to her child secretly.Alfred’s wife had also given birth to Baylor at the same time, but the doctors said he was born with a congenital deficiency and wouldn’t live past thirty.Alfred was incredibly upset by that incident, so he was caught off guard by the good news that followed.As such, he had the mother and child secretly protected over the years. No one knew the president was actually the head of two families because he kept the other one hidden from everyone.“Don’t touch him! What do you want to know? I’ll tell you everything!” Alfred admitted defeat and gave in at last.He did this to himself by trying to pick a fight with me even when he’s doomed! None of this would’ve happened if he didn’t ask to see me today! Sebastian sneered at the thought of that as he let go of him.“What did you mean by that? Are you saying that there’s someone else instructing you?”“Yes!”“Who?”“I wouldn’t be in this position now if I knew!”Alfred broke into a wry smile as he said that, and Sebastian’s frown deepened in response.How could the president himself not know who it is?The look on Sebastian’s face turned grim, and he was emanating an icy-cold aura as he asked, “Then what did you mean by that? Why were you so happy when you heard about Devin being the heir to the Jadesons?”“Because Devin is easy meat. Can’t you tell? I was sent to keep you Jadesons in check to begin with, so we’re both practically being used as pawns. Because of Jonathan’s huge contribution over his many years of military service, I had to step up and keep him on a tight leash. Do you really think the White House is just going to let you Jadesons hog everything to yourself now that I’m going down?”Sebastian stood frozen in place for about ten seconds, staring silently at the cunning middle-aged man before him.It was the first time he had heard of a power struggle like this, especially one that was started by the two core forces within the circle.Sebastian didn’t really know much about politics, but he found those who engaged in a political power play to be ten times more disgusting than the cunning businessmen he usually dealt with.Money was the only thing at stake for corporate power struggles, but political power struggles were a threat to both national security and the interests of its people.Enraged, Sebastian grabbed the nearest chair and smashed it to pieces in front of Alfred.“Listen up, Alfred! You’d better tell that person that he’s playing with fire here. Jonathan could remain in his position of power for so many years because he ensured the country’s safety for decades! If he goes down, you’re all going down with him!” he shouted furiously before leaving the room and slamming the door shut behind him.Returning from the Dead Chapter 974Although Jonathan’s family is a total mess, his contribution to the country’s safety is undeniably the greatest of all. All of his soldiers have fought and bled for the country’s sake for decades! Practically everyone in the country looks up to him! There’s no way he’d fall victim to such a conspiracy unless he chose to!Alfred stared blankly at Sebastian’s back as he stormed off and let out a wry chuckle when he finally disappeared from his sight.“You’ve raised one hell of a son, Shin. It’s a shame he hates this career path like you did. With his capability and smarts, those guys wouldn’t stand a chance at all!”Sebastian thought Sasha would be waiting for him outside, only to realize she was gone.“Mr. Jadeson is out, Old Mr. Jadeson!”Mark had been waiting in front of an old-fashioned black car for quite a long time, and he began yelling excitedly while waving his arms the moment he saw Sebastian.The look on Sebastian’s face grew increasingly gloomy as he made his way toward the car.An old man then stepped out of the car with a walking stick in hand.“I heard you went to see Alfred. What did he tell you? Why did you come alone without telling me? Do you know what this place is?” Jonathan shouted the moment he saw Sebastian, much to Mark’s horror.What the… Didn’t Old Mr. Jadeson agree to keep his cool and question Sebastian calmly when we came over? Jeez…“Calm down, Old Mr. Jadeson. Mr. Jadeson is—”“What are you so afraid of? I’m standing here just fine, aren’t I?” Sebastian’s cold voice cut him off before he could finish his sentence.Both Mark and Jonathan froze upon hearing that, as that was the first time they had gotten such a response from him.The three of them then got into the old-fashioned car. Sebastian seemed obviously displeased as he had gotten used to his more luxurious cars.“Sorry, Mr. Jadeson… This is the kind of ride Old Mr. Jadeson usually takes.”After a few seconds of silence, Sebastian asked, “Who told you I was here? Where’s Sasha?”He was a lot more concerned about her, but Mark knew nothing about Sasha’s whereabouts.Grayson had given them a call out of concern for his safety after the two of them left the hospital.Sebastian then grabbed his phone and called her immediately after hearing that.“Hello, Sebby!” Sasha’s gentle and clear voice was heard on the other line, and it seemed to have eased the tension in the car significantly.The frown on Sebastian’s face relaxed slightly as he asked, “Where did you go? Why didn’t you wait for me outside?”“Huh? Oh, I’m sorry, Sebby! I got a call from Olivia earlier. She said Janice ran into some problems here at The Ataraxy.”“The Ataraxy?”Sebastian’s expression went back to its gloomy state when Sasha mentioned that place.That place is nothing but trouble…“Yeah! It’s fine, Sebby. Janice was just having some difficulty figuring out a couple of things, so I came over to give her a hand! Don’t worry, okay?”She really didn’t want Sebastian to worry as she was actually standing in the yard of The Ataraxy with one foot on a vase that had been kicked over while grabbing Janice’s braided ponytail with her free hand.In the end, Sebastian believed her and hung up after a brief exchange.The smile on Sasha’s face vanished after she put her phone away, and her expression returned to being icy-cold again.“Candice, you can forget about getting a single cent out of Oceanic Estate if you dare whip me!”“Oh? Is that so?” Candice asked with a sneer.The next thing Sasha knew, she felt a stinging sensation on her palm as Candice snatched the whip from her and lashed Janice hard with it.Crack!“Ah!”Being a weak and frail woman, Janice let out a loud cry and collapsed with her hands covering her cheeks.Moments later, blood began flowing out of the gaps between her fingers.Returning from the Dead Chapter 975What a vile woman!Instead of helping Janice to her feet, Sasha got so mad that she just shouted at Candice, “You’ve gone too far, Candice! You like to play rough, eh? Fine, I’ll give you rough!”With a gesture from her eyes, a couple of heavily armed security guards came running into The Ataraxy.“What are your orders, Madam?”“Take her back to Oceanic Estate!” Sasha barked the order while pointing at Candice.Everyone at The Ataraxy was shocked, including Jared who jumped from his chair.This b*tch brought those men with her?“She’s my daughter! How dare you take her to Oceanic Estate?”Sasha simply sneered as she replied coldly, “I’m the lady of the house, and I’m currently in charge of the Jadeson family. Is that good enough of a reason for you?”Everyone instantly went pale in disbelief.Janice had come over while Sasha was still the lady of the Jadeson family and was currently being held captive by Sasha.They were boldly roughing her up so she would hand the rights over to them, but she turned out to not have the actual rights at all.Candice went pale as well and tightened her grip on the whip instinctively when she saw the guards approach her.She was prepared to make a desperate final struggle, but the Oceanic Estate’s guards were highly trained professionals.Candice had merely raised the whip when one of the guards lunged at her and snatched it out of her hands.The guard then ripped it in two with a violent tug.Snap!Candice was dumbfounded. “You… You…”Not wanting to give her a chance to speak, Sasha quickly ordered, “Stop wasting your time with her and just take her back to Old Mr. Jadeson! Let’s see how he feels about her running around causing havoc like this!”The guards then took her away while everyone else in the yard watched on in silence.Sasha cast a cold glance at the messy yard behind her before grabbing the checkbook with her bloody hand.She didn’t leave them with a single check as she found them unworthy of it.Sebastian and the others had arrived at Oceanic Estate before Sasha did, and he was having a conversation in Jonathan’s study at the time.“Oh my goodness! You’re injured! Come, let me bandage that wound!”Olivia felt her heart ache when she saw Sasha’s injury and rushed over anxiously with a first aid kit.Sasha eyed her wound which wasn’t really deep and reassured her, “I’m fine, it’s just a little cut. By the way, what is Mr. Jadeson doing in Old Mr. Jadeson’s study? Did something happen?”She was really worried about the two hot-tempered men being together.“They came back together. Did you not know that?” Olivia looked surprised.“Huh?”It was Sasha’s turn to be surprised.They came back together? Does that mean Jonathan went to the White House too? If that’s the case, what are they talking about in the study? Could it be about Sebastian going to see Alfred?Sasha felt so uneasy that she couldn’t even be bothered to tend to the two women she brought back with her.She was treating her wound in her bedroom on the third floor when she heard footsteps coming from outside, and she saw Sebastian when she opened the door.“Sebby, you’re back?”As if all of her worries were gone in that instant, she threw herself at him and hugged him tightly around the waist.Sebastian was about to reach out to hug her back when he caught a whiff of antiseptic on her and scanned the room behind her.“You’re injured? What happened? Let me see.”The look in his eyes grew cold when he noticed the bloodied bandages, and he quickly pried her off him, only to notice her hand all wrapped up.Returning from the Dead Chapter 976“What happened to you?”“N-Nothing… I hurt myself by accident on the way back, that’s all!” Sasha stammered in response to his sudden glare.What kind of accident would result in a nasty wound like this? Sebastian thought to himself with a frown.Since she refused to tell him the truth, he chose not to press her for answers and led her into the bedroom after taking a quick glance at her hand.“You messed up the bandages. I’ll re-do it for you.”“Okay,” Sasha agreed immediately when she saw that he had stopped pressuring her for an explanation.“What did Alfred tell you when you saw him at the White House earlier, Sebby? I heard Old Mr. Jadeson went over too. Did something happen?” she asked while holding out her hand.“No, don’t worry about it,” Sebastian calmly reassured her and kept his head low as he focused on wrapping her hand up.Sasha felt relieved when she heard that.“What did he tell you, then?”“He asked me about his son. He wanted to know if I was the one causing trouble behind the scenes,” Sebastian lied as naturally as he breathed while bandaging her hand up like a gentleman.Due to his intelligence, Sasha had no choice but to believe him whenever he lied to her.She asked him about returning to Avenport when he was done patching her up, and Sebastian gave her a decisive reply this time. “We leave tomorrow. I’ve had Karl prepare a private jet for us, so we’ll fly straight to Avenport.”“Okay!”Sasha was overjoyed. She threw herself into his embrace, nuzzling against his chest and kissing him happily on the lips.As his wife had taken the initiative, it was only natural for Sebastian to respond passionately in kind.The housemaids at Oceanic Estate realized the two of them spending most of the afternoon upstairs that day.Meanwhile, Jonathan was furious as he confronted Candice for her actions at The Ataraxy.“You never fail to surprise me, Candice! I can’t believe you’ve changed so much over a year! You went from being a mature and obedient person to some bloodthirsty lunatic fighting on the frontlines! What, was your behavior in the past just a pretense?” he yelled angrily at Candice who was kneeling before him.Had Jared not rushed over from The Ataraxy to beg him for mercy, Jonathan might have had his men break her legs on the spot.“N-No, Uncle Jonathan… Please, listen to me… I’m not that kind of person!”Candice went pale from his questioning, but her cunning nature pushed her to deny it even though all evidence had been presented to her.“What I did before was wrong, and I’ve already been locked up for half a year because of it, but… I’m not at fault this time! My sisters-in-law told me Oceanic Estate has reduced their monthly allowance to 500 thousand. That’s why I came rushing over!”“500 thousand?”Jonathan was shocked by the number she mentioned.500 thousand? Didn’t every family receive about five million in the past? Why did Sasha cut it to a mere tenth of the original amount after taking over?Fortunately, Mark happened to be standing beside them. He explained, “Madam only adjusted the amount after conducting a check on The Ataraxy’s expenses over the years, Old Mr. Jadeson.”“But isn’t that too big of an adjustment? I remember it being about four to five million in the past!”“That is true, but Madam found out that they only needed 500 thousand for their living expenses. The rest of the money was used for their businesses. Now that they are no longer doing any business, Madam said 500 thousand was all they should be given.”Jonathan went livid with rage upon hearing that.Business? What business? One of them was selling drugs, and the other nearly f*cked the entire Jadeson family over with the drama at the military base!“Even 500 thousand is excessive for you failures! You only deserve to get 100 thousand!” Jonathan shouted with his eyes wide.“Uncle Jonathan…”“Jonathan!”Jared and Candice both called out to him at the same time.100 thousand? We’d starve to death with that amount of allowance!Jared was panicking so much that he couldn’t even be bothered to help Candice beg for mercy. “Jonathan, we can’t possibly survive with just 100 thousand! We need to spend at least tens of thousands each day!”Jonathan was so mad that he yelled at the top of his lungs, “Why can’t you if the folks over at Gossamer Creek can? What the hell are you guys even spending the money on anyway? Even us here at Oceanic Estate don’t spend that much! What kind of extravagant life are you all living?”He had long since been trained in frugality after decades of military service, which was made obvious by the looks of his car.Jared fell silent and could only stare helplessly at his daughter.After a brief pause, he clenched his teeth and knelt down before Jonathan as the last resort.“What are you—”“Okay, we’ll go with 100 thousand, but could you at least spare Candice? I’ve lost both of my sons and three of my grandchildren! I can’t go on if I lose my daughter too!”He had a bright idea and pleaded for his daughter’s safety in exchange for the huge cut in allowance.Jonathan’s attitude softened as the tragedies that befell his brother had indeed pained his heart.He was about to agree to Jared’s request when his phone vibrated from an incoming text message.Little B*stard: If she walks out of this house today, I’ll have her chopped up and fed to the dogs tomorrow!Returning from the Dead Chapter 977In the end, Jonathan did not let Candice go.Aside from revoking her rights to claiming her allowance from Oceanic Estate as a member of The Ataraxy, he also ordered Mark to send her to The Substratum.The Substratum was an impoverished and remote place. Whoever sent there would have a hard life.“No, no, Uncle Jonathan. I’m sorry… I’m sorry. Please give me another chance, Uncle Jonathan…” On all fours, Candice implored Jonathan pitifully.However, Jonathan shoved her aside with a kick.“I’ve given you a chance. You made a huge mistake last time, and you were locked up for half a year. Yet, you didn’t learn from your mistake, and you expect me to give you another chance? Take her away!” Jonathan cried.“Yes, Old Mr. Jadeson,” someone answered.“One more thing. Keep a close eye on her. Once she has been sent away, she’s forbidden to return to Jadeborough without my permission. Or else, all of you will be subjected to punishment by military law!” Jonathan even threatened his men with military law.He was very loud, and everyone in the building could hear him.As such, the wailing woman was dragged away.That night, Sasha was packing her children’s clothes. Suddenly, Vivian came over with her Barbie doll in her arms. “Are we going back soon, Mommy?”“Yes, tomorrow.” Sasha caressed her daughter’s little head. The latter’s hair was damp after a bath.Panic flashed in Vivian’s large, watery eyes. “What should I do now? My teacher said that she will organize a farewell party for me with my classmates, as I’ll be going back soon.”“Huh?” It was Sasha’s turn to be surprised. What a thoughtful school to organize a farewell party for their student!Sasha was at a loss.At once, she turned to her two sons who were playing video games. “Matt, Little Ian, is it true? Did you have a farewell party in your class?”“Yeah, but we declined it.” Matteo, who was enjoying himself immensely, answered the question with a nonchalant grin.Sasha was speechless.Vivian, who had her doll in her arms, looked like she was about to weep. Sasha immediately put down the clothes and hugged her.“Okay, okay. Mommy will ask your teacher about it. If she organized the party especially for you, Mommy will discuss with Daddy about going back a day later. Is that all right?” Sasha asked.“All right.” Finally, the little girl laughed.This was the difference between girls and boys.Boys usually did not care much about this sort of thing, especially Matteo and Ian. They were extremely intelligent and already knew that the school teachers organized the farewell party to appease the Jadesons.Thus, they rejected the offer on the spot.However, Vivian was different. She was innocent and naive. Moreover, she was a meticulous person. Therefore, she appreciated that her teacher decided to host this event for her.After tucking the children in bed, Sasha told Sebastian about this matter.“A party? Do schools still do these things?” Sebastian was puzzled.“Yes, I spoke to the teacher just now, and she did make this arrangement. She said that she had no other intentions. Vivian’s leaving soon, and her classmates miss her. So, she decided to organize this farewell party,” Sasha explained.“Do they have to do that? It’s not like Vivian has spent much time at that school.” As expected, Sebastian seemed dismissive about the idea. He displayed an indifferent expression like his two sons.Eventually, he agreed to the idea.Vivian was the apple of his eye. He would give his daughter the world to make her happy.“We shall leave a day later, then. Coincidentally, I need to look for Devin. Take the kids to school tomorrow. I’ll pick you up once I’ve settled the matters at hand,” Sebastian said.“Devin?” Sasha was stunned by his worried expression. “Where are you going to look for him? Isn’t he at home?”“No. He went out yesterday and didn’t return today. It’s all right. He might be at the military base. I’ll pay him a visit and come back after I’ve clarified everything with him,” he explained briefly.In fact, that was what Sebastian believed. They have already discussed the matter, and Devin had no reason to disappear out of the blue again. If he was not in Red Pavilion, he should be held up by his work at the military base.However, little did Sebastian know that he was wrong this time.“Devin, you’ve been sitting here for a whole day. Are you all right? What on earth did you see in the video?” At dawn, Jake drove back to West Bank Hotel in Coldbridge. When he arrived, Devin was still sitting in his hotel and did not move a muscle.Naturally, Jake felt a bit anxious.To be precise, Jake was stricken with anxiety ever since they got the videotape last night, and Devin locked himself in the room after watching the footage.Returning from the Dead Chapter 978Jake had started to panic by then.Nevertheless, he got the room key from the hotel and opened the door.When the door opened, however, he realized that Devin had not moved, as if he had been fused to the chair.Jake, who had been watching over Devin yesterday, was even more worried. What on earth did he see in the surveillance footage? What would make a calm and collected man react in this manner?He wondered whether he should tell Sebastian about this.“Devin, you…” Jake said.“What’s the time now?” He was rather surprised to hear the other man’s voice.Devin had been sitting in the chair for more than ten hours. When he finally muttered huskily with bloodshot eyes, it seemed like he had retrieved his voice from the void.Jake was stunned.A few seconds later, he regained his senses and checked his watch. “It’s almost seven in the morning. There are a number of phone calls at Red Pavilion, saying that Sebastian’s looking for you. Do you want to head back, Devin?”“Okay.” Devin nodded.Then, Jake watched as he got up from the chair. He squeezed the tape in his hands. Without warning, he tossed it out of the window.The tape fell out of the tall building.“What… What are you doing, Devin? Why did you throw it away? That’s the last original footage, and we spent a long time finding it. There’s nothing left after you throw it away.” Jake felt exasperated.He rushed to the windowsill. Unfortunately, the tape had landed on the ground below, and it was smashed to smithereens.Devin has gone mad! Yesterday, he was the one who was hell-bent on finding this thing. Today, he’s also the one who throws it away. What the hell is he trying to do?“Devin, can you tell me something? What the hell did you see in the footage? Is it exactly as Ms. Shanae said? Never mind, then. Don’t marry her if you don’t want to. We’ll help you!” Jake said.He thought what the woman said was true, which was the reason for Devin’s fury.After that, Jake began to console Devin.He even brought up Sebastian and said that they would help him.Yet, Devin ignored him. As soon as he discarded the tape, it seemed like a burden had been lifted off his shoulders. He heaved a sigh and walked away.Jake was at a loss for words.Then, he followed Devin.He still did not understand him, even though he knew him for many years. It was Jake’s first time seeing Devin behave in this manner, and it perplexed him.Finally, the two of them left Coldbridge by car.They reached Jadeborough a little after ten in the morning, and they headed straight for the Red Pavilion.“You’re finally back, Mr. Jadeson. Mr. Sebastian is looking for you and has phoned up numerous times. He has gone to the military base,” the housemaid said.“Huh?” Jake was astonished when he heard the housemaid’s words.“Why is Sebastian looking for you? He even went to the military base. Is something going on? He has never done this before,” he addressed Devin.It was strange, indeed, for Sebastian seldom looked for someone in such a hurry. Furthermore, it was rare for him to be proactive in paying others a visit.So, is something up?Devin was taken aback, too.Soon, he returned to his car silently. He started it up and drove to the military base.Does Sebastian know about the tape? I bet he does!The other day, Mark told him that the videotape brought back by Sebastian contained footage of Devin and Shanae. Strangely, when he viewed it yesterday, he found out that the content was completely different.Who doctored the footage?He did not have the answer yet. However, he believed that with Sebastian’s intelligence and sharp observation, the latter could tell that the footage was definitely doctored.Devin drove to the military base quietly.As expected, he saw an olive green SUV parked outside the base’s compound. Judging by the vehicle’s temperature, it had been there for quite some time.“Major!” A sentry saluted him.“Did you see my brother heading in?” Devin pointed at the SUV. He still addressed Sebastian as his brother.The sentry nodded at once. “Yes, he’s inside. He said he’s looking for Major. I consulted my superiors, and they let him in.”“All right.” Devin got out of the car and told Jake to wait for him outside. Then, he entered the military base.What does Sebastian want to tell me?He had no idea. Nonetheless, as soon as he passed through the gates, an idea appeared in his mind. If he wants to talk to me about that matter, I’ll refuse!Devin would even deny it. It was just like the destroyed videotape. Not a shred of evidence was left.“So, you’ve finally returned.” While Devin was pondering over the matter, an impatient Sebastian had stepped out of the former’s office. He frowned when he saw Devin and stopped in his tracks.Returning from the Dead Chapter 979Devin looked up immediately and stood still. “Yes, I had some urgent business to attend to. Why are you here? Is something up?”“Nothing. I just want to know about your upcoming plans,” Sebastian replied coolly.The light cast a soft glow on Sebastian, who had both hands stuffed into the pockets of his pants. Although he stood up straight, he gave off a languid and casual vibe.There was also a certain air of nonchalance in his expression.Devin was stunned. “Plans? Are you referring to my family? Or my work?”“Work,” Sebastian answered.“About work, I’ll still be the leader of special forces at the military base. What’s the matter? Why did you ask this question?” Devin was suspicious.All this while, Sebastian never asked him about his work life. They were close and often helped each other out, but he never asked him about his future plans.“Nothing. I heard from that old man that congress will elect a new president once Alfred White loses. With a new political party in power, a new group of leaders is needed. When will you be involved?” Sebastian asked.“What?” Devin’s eyes widened. “Why would I get involved? I’m not a politician. I belong to the battlefield, and killing my enemies is what I do. Why the hell would I go down that road?”At once, Devin refused vehemently. He sounded agitated, too.Sebastian did not move, and a subtle smile appeared on his lips.Devin’s reaction reminded him of his father. Back then, when Jonathan wanted Shin to enter the political field, the latter’s behaved exactly like Devin.What’s it called? Inheritance, I guess. It’s not necessary for one’s own son to inherit a soldier’s spirit, as long as one’s descendent carries the family bloodline.Feeling satisfied, Sebastian left.Devin watched his back with a confused expression. “What the hell is he up to? Did he come all the way here just to ask me this question?”At the same time, a commander passed by. “Major, why is your brother looking for you? Does he want you to drive him home? I heard that he’s bringing your nephews and niece along.”Devin was shocked. Home? Is he going back to Avenport? Should I tag along and have a look?All of a sudden, his heart skipped a beat, and that ridiculous idea popped into existence in his head.Meanwhile, Sasha and her children had been waiting for some time at the Military Elementary School. She simply could not believe that the teacher would host a massive farewell party for her children.“We’ll leave now, Madam. Alex’s parents allowed us to organize the party at their family-owned farmhouse so that Vivian and her two brothers can have a great time before leaving the school,” the teacher explained.She led a group of children and parents out of the classroom with a flag and smiled warmly at Sasha.Sasha felt even more awkward. I’m just here to attend my daughter’s farewell party. Why the huge fuss?“Right, Madam. We’ve been to the farmhouse before. It’s really fun, I tell you. You can pick fruits and catch fish and shrimp. The children will certainly enjoy themselves very much.”“That’s right. We’ve even prepared a big surprise for your kids over there.”Even the class teacher chimed in.A lot of parents in flashy clothes approached Sasha and introduced the farmhouse to her. They spoke and gestured to her fervently.It was Sasha’s first time experiencing such treatment.Still, it was understandable. Ever since her two naughty boys caused that ruckus several months ago, everybody at the school knew that they were members of the Jadesons.There was a huge uproar over the incident at The Ataraxy as well.I guess they’re also aware that I’m already the young madam of the Jadesons?Sasha had no choice but to head out with her children, the class teacher, and the other students and parents.Fortunately, the teacher knew that having too many people in the group was not a good idea. Therefore, not everyone joined the party.“Look, Mommy. I told you not to agree to the party. See what’s happening now.” Matteo was the type of child who often spoke his mind. As such, he started to grumble when he was forced to enter the vehicle and sit next to his mother.Vivian felt somewhat upset and drooped her head when she noticed Matteo’s displeasure.Thankfully, Ian spoke up and lectured his younger brother, “You can’t say that to Mommy. She’s trying to make us happy. Moreover, Vivi likes it, and we should accompany her. It’s our duty as her brother.”Matteo hung his head in shame after listening to Ian.Returning from the Dead Chapter 980“Ian is right—we need to make sure everything’s fine since Vivi wants us to join her! Once we reach the farmhouse, I’m sure I can handle them just fine! I’ll make sure we have a great day!”“Hooray!” Her sons started jumping for joy and wrapped their arms around their mother.She figured out things were the exact opposite of the ones she had in mind once they reached the farmhouse.Despite being very near to Jadeborough, the farmhouse was located in a secluded valley. Honestly, given how run-down the place looked, it would be a stretch to say that this was a farmhouse.It reminded Sasha of the Floral Village in Avenport, which their family had spent some time in a while back.No. Even Floral Village had better facilities than this! There isn’t even a well-built road over here!The moment the teacher saw them, she rushed over and introduced the place to them, “This is Alex’s family-owned farmhouse! The entire place hasn’t gone through any modern modification! In other words, we get to experience a primitive lifestyle!”Glancing at the surroundings, Sasha rolled her eyes and felt a strong urge to curse.It turned out that most people of the upper echelon had been blessed with easy lives and sought to experience “labor and hardship”, which was why the farmhouse was preserved in this primitive manner.They thought it was a great idea to live a different life every once in a while.It was then Vivian rushed to her mother and brothers’ sides, asking in a mellifluous tone, “Mommy, isn’t this similar to the village we used to stay? Are we there again?”The rest expressed their disbelief when they heard the little girl’s questions. They couldn’t believe the almighty household members of the Jadesons once spent a long time on the outskirts.If that’s the case, does it mean those aren’t merely baseless accusations? Is she really a country bumpkin instead of the heiress of an equally influential family?The rest of the party thought it wasn’t worthy of their time anymore since they were initially there to flatter the household member of the Jadesons through the aid of the teacher.On top of that, they couldn’t wait to figure out the identity of the household member of the Jadesons since the family was the most influential amongst the members of the upper echelon in Jadeborough.Throughout the years, countless women tried joining the family as household members, but their efforts were to no avail. Out of nowhere, a young woman was introduced as the wife of the successor of the Jadesons.They couldn’t keep their curiosity and jealousy to themselves anymore, especially when they heard something along the line of Sasha spending time on the outskirts.Unaware of the things going on in the minds of those around them, she leaned over and explained in a gentle tone, “This isn’t the village we once spent some time together.”Vivian responded with a nod and rushed in the direction of her friends with the plushy she brought along with her.She mentioned, “Caroline, my mother has just confirmed this isn’t the village we used to live in!”The adorable little girl next to Vivian asked in return, “Really?”The innocent little girl seemed to be smarter than Vivian. She asked in return, “If that’s the case, where’s the village you used to live with your mother? Is it as rural as this one?”“No! It was a village with picturesque scenes! Although it was a relatively simple house, Mom did a great job keeping the environment clean!”Vivian tried recalling the time she spent on the outskirts and thought things were fine since they spent quite a long time there as a family of five.Vivian sincerely wished to share the great time she had with her family with her friend, but Caroline’s parents had something else in mind when they heard Vivian.“Has she just mentioned they once spent a long time on the outskirts as a family? If that’s the case, is it true she’s just a country bumpkin?”“I think that’s probably the case!”“If that’s the case, we’ll get the teacher to assign her the toughest chores! We can share the news with the rest once we verify she’s just another country bumpkin!”Out of nowhere, the parents engaged themselves in a heated discussion and came out with something vicious.They thought it wouldn’t be necessary to waste their time with Sasha if they could prove her just another woman from the streets.Once they tarnished her image, others would stop thinking highly of her. They thought it was a great opportunity to get her to owe them a favor in return.As soon as they had everything sorted out, one of them returned to the teacher’s side and shared their plan with her.Once Sasha got herself ready for work, the teacher approached her and asked, “Are you familiar with handling a seedbed? Can you help out with the seedbed? You can take that miniature watermill over there home with you if you’re the team with the most contribution.”The teacher showed Sasha the miniature watermill next to the river. Coincidentally, the children, including her sons and daughter, had gathered around to inspect the never-seen-before watermill.