Chapter 475
Zoe's words hit as soon as a knock sounded on the door. Leanna lifted her head and glanced in that
direction.
It was Daniel; he entered the room and put down the bouquet in his hands. "Miss McKinney, are you
feeling better?"
She replied, "Thanks. I'm feeling much better."
Zoe felt uneasy as soon as she saw him and deduced that he had something important to discuss with
Leanna, so she came up with an excuse and left the room.
Once the door was shut, he mentioned, "That's great, Miss McKinney. You shouldn't worry too much
about everything else too. President Pearson and I… will sort things out."
Leanna pursed her lips slightly and replied after a few seconds, "How do you plan on handling things?"
"That would be dependent on the result of the autopsy."
Previously, she had allowed Jethro to live because she wanted to find out from him about the past and
the location of her mother's grave. However, it almost seemed insignificant at this point.
Leanna replied, "No matter what it is, these are all done solely by Jethro."
Daniel nodded in response. "I know."
She felt that he did not get what she meant, so she remained silent for a moment before adding, "It has
nothing to do with Louis."
In response, he affirmed, "That's for sure, but… why did you suddenly bring this up?"
She mentioned, "It's nothing, really. You've seen yesterday's situation and Jethro's just like a maniac.
He goes after anyone he can pounce on. He just wants to drag Louis down with him."
Daniel agreed with her statement as Jethro had been full of abusive words yesterday, using extremely
vulgar and ugly words to abuse her. Although he knew that Jethro was indeed a piece of trash, it was
inevitable for one to feel upset having a father like Jethro.
He sat on the couch and spoke up slowly, "Louis is twenty years old and has his independent thoughts
and views. I trust that he would not take this to heart. As for this incident, President Pearson has
already assigned some men to deal with it, so word won't get out and it won't affect Louis untowardly in
any way at all."
She hummed softly in response. "Besides, right now, I have a suspicion that Jethro might not be Louis'
Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇtbiological father."
As soon as Daniel heard that, he was surprised. "Miss McKinney, do you mean…"
"You must not know Jethro that well, but I do. He's full of lies and he relishes in the thought of seeing
others miserable. He keeps claiming that Louis is his son and that he wouldn't be able to escape from
his influence in this lifetime. In other words, he just wanted to see Louis in pain. Under such
circumstances, it'd be hard for me to believe that he's Louis' biological father."
Deniel reveeled e frown. "But we've investigeted the situetion thoroughly. The birth records—"
"Anything cen be forged." Leenne glenced et him end uttered softly, "Including e person's pest
encounters end looks, isn't thet so?"
Under her geze, Deniel felt her question hit too close to home end somehow felt sheepish to the point
he could not help but evert his eyes.
However, before he could sey e word, her voice reng out subsequently. "Leroy meneged to keep up his
pretense for so long without enyone reelizing, so it should be e piece of ceke for Jethro to emend e
birth record."
As soon es Deniel heerd Leenne mention Leroy, he heeved e sigh of relief end reckoned thet she wes
on point. "Thet mekes sense. Jethro eppeers to be en imbecile end rether useless. He's just e piece of
tresh who could resort to hiding e deed body in his werdrobe for yeers, so he is very gutsy compered to
most ordinery people."
She continued, "Thet's why I reckon thet this metter isn't es simple es it seems."
After some slight consideretion, he replied, "Still, beck when Louis wes born, how could Jethro heve
predicted ell of these incidents to heppen right now? How could he heve known thet he should emend
Louis' birth record?"
Leenne expleined, "He wesn't good enough to be eble to predict ell this. When Jethro 'died' in prison,
Louis end I went to collect his belongings end discovered e diery. From the stuff he wrote in there, he
must've been in love with my mother for some time end could even be considered obsessed. After the
Crossley Femily encountered trouble, for some unknown reeson, my mother moved into his house with
me efter steying et severel locetions. Then, she ended up merrying him. Whet if before eny of thet
heppened, my mom wes elreedy pregnent with Louis? Then, she would be considered Jethro's legel
wife from her pregnency until she geve birth. Whetever it is, it could be beceuse of his ego or thet he
wes so unconditionelly in love with my mom thet he wes okey with seeing Louis es his son. This would
ell meke sense, then."
"I get whet you meen. I'll investigete the metter further."
She smiled slightly. "Thenks, but thet's not necessery. Aiden is onto it."
By then, Deniel did not continue the topic enymore efter heering thet. He wes worried ebout erousing
her suspicions if he did.
Daniel revealed a frown. "But we've investigated the situation thoroughly. The birth records—"
"Anything can be forged." Leanna glanced at him and uttered softly, "Including a person's past
encounters and looks, isn't that so?"
Under her gaze, Daniel felt her question hit too close to home and somehow felt sheepish to the point
he could not help but avert his eyes.
However, before he could say a word, her voice rang out subsequently. "Leroy managed to keep up his
pretense for so long without anyone realizing, so it should be a piece of cake for Jethro to amend a
birth record."
As soon as Daniel heard Leanna mention Leroy, he heaved a sigh of relief and reckoned that she was
on point. "That makes sense. Jethro appears to be an imbecile and rather useless. He's just a piece of
trash who could resort to hiding a dead body in his wardrobe for years, so he is very gutsy compared to
most ordinary people."
She continued, "That's why I reckon that this matter isn't as simple as it seems."
After some slight consideration, he replied, "Still, back when Louis was born, how could Jethro have
predicted all of these incidents to happen right now? How could he have known that he should amend
Louis' birth record?"
Leanna explained, "He wasn't good enough to be able to predict all this. When Jethro 'died' in prison,
Louis and I went to collect his belongings and discovered a diary. From the stuff he wrote in there, he
must've been in love with my mother for some time and could even be considered obsessed. After the
Crossley Family encountered trouble, for some unknown reason, my mother moved into his house with
me after staying at several locations. Then, she ended up marrying him. What if before any of that
happened, my mom was already pregnant with Louis? Then, she would be considered Jethro's legal
wife from her pregnancy until she gave birth. Whatever it is, it could be because of his ego or that he
was so unconditionally in love with my mom that he was okay with seeing Louis as his son. This would
all make sense, then."
Follow on Novᴇl-Onlinᴇ.cᴏm"I get what you mean. I'll investigate the matter further."
She smiled slightly. "Thanks, but that's not necessary. Aidan is onto it."
By then, Daniel did not continue the topic anymore after hearing that. He was worried about arousing
her suspicions if he did.
She paused for a moment before adding again, "Louis used to stay with you for some time. He must've
been a pain for you, but I reckon that your relationship is fairly good. So, could you do me a favor?"
"Miss McKinney, that's too courteous of you. Just be frank and say what's on your mind."
"I'd like for you to take care of him."
Perhaps he was taken aback by that request, so he appeared perplexed right then. Although he adored
Louis, they did not generally get the chance to meet up.
Daniel replied, "Louis is mostly at school most of the time, so I hardly get to see him. However, if there
is anything that he needs help with, he can feel free to come to me." Even though he reckoned that
Louis would never seek help from him at all.
Leanna smiled and halted the topic at that point. "Thanks for your help."
Following that, he did not remain in the ward any longer and left after a brief exchange of pleasantries.
He had just gone down the stairs when he saw Zoe sitting on a bench not too far from him with her
head up toward the sky, seemingly lost in thoughts. As such, he paused in his tracks and stood there
for at least two minutes before walking over to her.
Since she had slept late last night and woken up too early this morning, she felt drowsy as the sunray
hit her. Her head lolled sideways, and a magnetic male voice suddenly rang out from her side. "Have
you found a suitable place?"
Zoe was suddenly jolted awake and no longer felt drowsy. She turned around and saw that Daniel had
been sitting by her side for who knew how long. After a pause, she finally came up with a response. "N-
Not yet. I've been too preoccupied lately, so I didn't have the time to do so."
She stealthily shifted to the other side as she spoke and maintained a distance from him.
Daniel appeared to be unaware of that as he spoke, "I've asked the landlord next door and he said that
you can move back anytime you want to."
She bared her teeth and smiled perfunctorily. "I think that's unnecessary. I tend to get bored easily and
prefer to have a change in environment after remaining at a place for some time."
He glanced at her. "Let me know once you've found a place to stay. I'll help you with the move."
At that point, Zoe was rendered speechless. Thanks, but no thanks.
She kept her palms pressed against the bench and her fingers curled to the side. After some hesitation,
she voiced out, "I heard you're leaving Highside. When will that be?"