Falling for a Lie: My Stepbrother's Hidden Revenge

Chapter 281

Eder chose to ignore the situation and turned his attention back to the window, his eyes once again displaying

their usual indifference. The lip marks on his fair skin gave him the appearance of a victimized spouse. In the

presence of Sylvia, his previously dominant and cold CEO demeanor had vanished completely.

Noticing his hesitation, Sylvia refrained from pursuing further conversation. “Okay, take your tto compose

yourself. But cease bringing up canceling the engagement or ending the relationship. You initiated the situation

first, and now you want to back out? Absolutely not! Eder, you are fated to be within this lifetime! And I'm

sorry, but this is simply who | am - dominant. Your realization is coming too late! You can regret it all you want!”

With a self-satisfied huff, she rose Sylviafully and exited the room.

Sylvia understood Eder all too well. He was steadfast, with walls around his heart not easily broken down.

He was a silent sufferer, concealing his anguish and torment.

As for why he evolved such a persona, Sylvia had her theories, which she believed to be about 70 to 80

percent accurate.

At the last banquet, Grandfather Grant had been irate and even threatened punishment for Eder in Sylvia's

presence.

His parents had perished in a car accident when he was still a child, leaving him in the care of

Grandfather Grant.

The elderly man was stern and held archaic beliefs. Eder must have endured his harsh discipline and beatings,

forced to suffer alone since no one offered comfort.

He held his loved ones in high regard yet preferred to keep his emotions concealed, particularly when he

harbored intense feelings of affection. Sylvia had a hunch that his ailment went beyond a mere physical injury. In

fact, Eder could be ill!

Furthermore, his abnormal behavior indicated that the issue was far from trivial.

Even though Eder remained silent, it didn’t mean she couldn't investigate alone!

As she departed from the office premises, her mind was occupied with various musings. It was then that she

chanced upon Eric, who happened to be stationed in close proximity.

As Sylvia drew near to Eric, she leaned in and spoke softly, “I need to speak with you. Please cwith me

quietly.” Eric's confusion showed on his face as he asked, “What's going on?” Sylvia's stern expression

My Stepbrother’s Hidden Revenge

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Chapter 251

took him aback, causing him to feel uneasy. Despite his discomfort, he complied with her request and clumsily

trailed her toward a secluded corridor.

“Miss Lancelot, what's the matter?”

Adopting a stern expression, Sylvia asked, “How long have you been with Eder?”

Eric pondered for a moment. “It’s been over ten years, at least.”

Sylvia was thoughtful as she nodded, deciding to press further. “On this trip to the border, did Eder get

hurt?”

“No, we were with him. We wouldn't allow Mr. Storm to get injured easily. Please, don’t worry.”

Eric seemed at ease, answering promptly.

A theory began to form in Sylvia’s mind. “Then it must be ssort of illness.”

Eric lowered her gaze, refraining from a response.

“You've been with him for so long; you must know his health better than anyone. What iliness is he suffering

from? Is it severe?”

Eric scratched her head, a bitter look on her face. “Why would you think so? The Boss has always been healthy

and never fallen sick.”

“He kept it from me, and you're also refusing to spill the truth?”

“Last night, | barely pushed him, and he was knocked off the bed. That signifies he’s weak. Just now, | noticed his

pallid face. Even if you continue to deny it, | won't believe you. So, tell me, what's wrong with

him?”

Eric's demeanor was one of distress as he held back the truth. A deep sigh escaped him before he spoke, his

tone weighted with reluctance. “Please, | don’t have any information to share. I... | have to focus on my work

now. I'll take my leave.”

Sylvia watched Eric's retreating figure, lost in her thoughts for a moment, before dialing a number of a Dark Bell

member. “I want you to investigate Eder’s recent travels over the past few months. Specifically see if he has

been visiting any hospitals frequently. And do it fast.”

“Understood, boss.”

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As Eric approached the entrance to the CEO's office, he received a summons from Eder to cinside. Upon

entering, he noticed the CEO seated behind his desk, diligently wiping his face with a moistened tissue while

scrutinizing his reflection in a compact mirror.

The leather gloves that touched Ava in the morning were now discarded into a trash bin.

“Boss, you summoned me?”

Eder had wiped off most of the lipstick stains from his face. “Where were you just now?”

Eric decided to be honest. “Miss Lancelot wanted to see me. She suspects you are ill and wanted to

confirm it with me.”

“And you spilled everything?”

Eric was quick to refute. “No, no! | didn’t dare to. | kept mum!”

Eder’s severe expression softened a bit.

Eric was perplexed but decided to tread cautiously, “But Boss, you know how Miss Lancelot is. Now that she is

suspicious, she won't rest until she uncovers the truth. Are you certain you don’t want to tell her?”

“Adding another person to the equation will only breed more pain.” Eder dropped his gaze, a wave of desolation

washing over him. “I'll give it more thought. In the meantime, verify the modifications related to the S404 virus,

and run another check.”

Eric exhaled a heavy sigh, choosing not to pursue the matter further. “Understood.”

As the clock struck noon, Sylvia had barely settled into her thoughts when a phone call cthrough.

“Boss, there are no records of Mr. Storm visiting any hospitals in the past few months. The places he frequents

most are the Grant Corporation, the National Security Bureau, and... oh! The War Lab.”

Sylvia contemplated this. “There are medical professionals at the lab, correct? How frequently does Eder visit

there?”

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“Roughly every seven days. But recently, it's been every five days. In fact, he was there three nights ago.”

Three nights ago?

Hadn't Eder been at the border then? Sylvia's brow creased in concentration. It was odd that he had returned to

S City earlier than expected and had chosen to visit the lab late at night rather than chto her.

Her instincts were screaming at her that something was amiss.

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Chapter 281

“Could you break into the lab’s database and retrieve Eder’s records?”

There was a pause on the other end. “I'm sorry, Boss. The lab’s security systems are top-notch. Breaking in isn’t

an option. Even if we could, we'd be found out immediately.”

“Alright. | understand.”

She hung up, her mind awash with speculation.

As the National Security Bureau director, Eder’s position was equivalent to her elder brother's. If he wanted to

bury something deep, even her brother couldn't unearth it. Any information they could find would have likely

been tampered with already.

There was no way to uncover any solid evidence. All she could do was guess.

Just as Sylvia was grappling with her investigation, reaching a stalemate, she received an unexpected call from

Uncle Lloyd.

“Miss, the maximum security prison in S City contacted the Smith family today. They've relayed that Mr. Nick

Knight wishes to meet with you.”

“Nick?”

Sylvia was taken aback. Nick had been incarcerated for the last six months. Why the sudden desire to see

her?

Uncle Lloyd continued, “Nick insists he has a secret of utmost importance to share. He assures that it concerns

your former husband.”

Sylvia’s brows furrowed deeper as she heard the last few words, her expression growing grimmer.

“Understood.”

Sylvia ended the phone call abruptly and headed straight to the maximum-security prison, eager to find out

what Nick had to say. She sat in the visitation room, which was sparsely furnished and separated from Nick by

two soundproof glass partitions. After a few minutes, Nick was brought into the room. She sat there in silence,

taking in the sight of him. It was the first tin over six months that Sylvia had laid eyes on Nick.