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“There’s no otherwise.” Xavier shot up and stared at Winnie, totally preventing her from saying anything
that he might not want to hear. “Ask away, and I will not tell a single lie.”
Winnie also stared at him, the frown on her face still as deep as before. “That would be best!”
With that, she raised her leg and kicked the door close.
She rarely threw tantrums on other people’s turf. Given how hard she had kicked on the door, it was
evident to all that she was utterly furious.
Thus, Josiah quietly huddled on his chair, whereas Xavier strode in Winnie’s direction.
“Winnie, you can talk to me about anything. I don’t wish to see you fuming like this.”
“Glad that you noticed my anger, Xavier,” Winnie retorted sternly. “I will have you know that I hate being
lied to, especially when it’s a repeated offense.”
“All right.” Xavier actively reached for Winnie’s hand. “I get it now. You must be furious because you
feel that I have lied to you about something. Can you tip me off as to what that might be?”
Before the issue was dealt with, Winnie couldn’t bring herself to be nice to Xavier.
She cast his hand away before explaining in a stern tone, “I can understand that we all have our
privacy, and I admit that I do also keep my own secrets from you. However, I will come clean if you ask
me about it instead of covering it up by lying to you. Although we’re a married couple, we’re also, at the
same time, two different individuals. While I respect your privacy, you are not to lie to me. I wish you
will prioritize this matter.”
“I will make sure to prioritize it!” Xavier promised. “Josiah can testify for everything I said today. You can
punish me as you wish if I lie to you.”
“Good!” Seeing that the terms had been laid out, Winnie cut to the chase. “I’ve repeatedly asked you
about this, but I will ask you once more. Have you ever found in your car a black badge etched with a
rose at the front and a scepter at the back?”
Xavier immediately knew where the conversation would lead the moment he heard her mention a black
badge.
Frowning, he pursed his lips and only opened up after a two-second silence.
“Yes, I did find a badge that matches your description. I also lied to you. I’m sorry. Allow me to offer my
sincerest apologies.”
“Oh?” Winnie didn’t know if she should praise him or beat him to death given how quickly he admitted
to his past deeds. “Go on. I sure like to know how you repeatedly lied to me.”
Xavier pinched in between his brows during the momentary silence. “I did find the badge, but I had no
idea it belongs to you. It just so happened that I was being an idiot and brought Yulissa to Lagune
Mansion. However, I did not show her that badge beforehand. Right after that, she proceeded to have
me help her pick out a gown because she had to attend Grandpa’s birthday banquet the next day. I
didn’t pick out her gown, but I clearly remember her picking one that hugs her figure. After that, she
went on to choose herself a brooch. Then, she told me that one of her brooches was missing from her
jewelry box and described its appearance to me, which matched the black badge you mentioned. She
also told me she might have left it on the back seat of my car when she was hitching a ride a few days
ago. She got it all correct, be it the appearance of the badge or where I found it. I ended up believing in
her and handed it to her and only came to know that it was yours later on. Back then, Yulissa was
intent on causing you harm, so I didn’t tell you the truth. I was planning on getting that badge back and
personally returning it to you. However, I didn’t expect so much to happen after that, including Yulissa’s
death and my losing my memories. If you hadn’t mentioned it just now, I probably wouldn’t have
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recalled this on my own. I’m sorry, Winnie. I admit that I’ve lied to you, but it wasn’t intentional. I thought
I could retrieve that badge soon, but I have underestimated the severity of the matter!”
Xavier offered a thorough explanation for everything that had happened, and Winnie wasn’t someone
who would ignore circumstances surrounding issues indiscriminately.
Yulissa came prepared, so Xavier, who didn’t recognize the badge at all, couldn’t have prevented what
had happened.
Afterward, it was true that he lost his memories, which caused a delay in him returning the badge to
her.
Under such circumstances, Winnie couldn’t bring herself to blame Xavier.
She rubbed in between her brows. “You should’ve told me the truth back then, but it’s no use blaming
you now. However, you will remember what you said today, that you will never lie to me ever again.”
“I swear!” When Xavier reached out to grab Winnie’s hand again, she didn’t cast his hand away.
Holding onto her hand tightly, he asked, “Did the call you pick up just now have something to do with
the badge?”
“Yes. That badge is a token of the Speiser family. Every important member of the family holds one
each, and I happened to have one. The black badge symbolizes power in the underground. I utilized it
for the first time ever when I was in Avenport to purchase from the black market firearms that weren’t
circulated in the market. That was also where I first saw Yulissa using drugs. Back when the badge was
presented, it stirred up a ruckus within the black market, which was also the reason I was pursued.”
She paused before continuing, “Coincidentally, Josiah got out of your car to puke after getting drunk, so
the car was parked by the road. I snuck into it and accidentally left the badge in your car at that time. I
suppose Yulissa must’ve also heard some news about that black badge that night, so she conned you
to get it from you out of greed after seeing it in your car. You should never underestimate the power
that the black badge represents, especially in the shadows. Given that a drug addict like Yulissa has
gotten a hold of it, there might be dire consequences if she abused the power it bestowed her. So, I
need to get it back right away! I need to set out to find it this instant!”
“Where to?” Xavier frowned. “Who was the person who contacted you just now? Does he have news
about the badge?”
“That would be Wilhelm, a member of the Speiser family and also one of my brothers. He holds much
power in the underground of Yartran. To be more specific, he was the one who gifted that black badge
to me. A few days ago, he received news that the badge was spotted on someone at Jipsdale. He
thought I was the one holding on to it, so he called me for confirmation. He has always assumed that
the badge, much like me, would remain in hiding in Avenport. Similarly, I, too, assumed that it would be
lying quietly in a drawer or safe in your office. But apparently, the badge is with Yulissa, and she was
spotted at Jipsdale a few days ago!”
Josiah, who had kept a low profile up until then, couldn’t help but interject, “So I suppose it is most
likely that Yulissa is still alive, then. Not only are the saliva and DNA found on the cigarette butt proof of
that, but that family badge of yours has also directly exposed her trajectory! Did your brother tell you
her exact location? If he has his men over there, could he possibly send them to retrieve the badge for
you?”
“This poses a slight challenge.” Winnie frowned. “So far, that badge has shown up in Jipsdale twice in
different locations that are geographically distant from each other, so it’s impossible to lock down on the
holder’s exact location.”
“Then send someone in for an investigation. By now, we can be certain that Yulissa is the one holding
on to the badge, and we have her photo, so we won’t need to worry about not being able to identify her.
It’s just a matter of time before we get her,” Xavier said.
Winnie nodded after a short period of silence.
“Considering our circumstances, that’s our only way forward.”
However, her phone in her pocket rang again before she could finish her sentence.
Xavier lowered his gaze to glance at her phone before asking in jealousy, “Is it your dearest Wilhelm?”
Winnie took out her phone, ignoring Xavier for the time being.
Unlike her, Josiah blurted out, “Worry not. It’s not dearest Wilhelm this time. Just check the caller ID
yourself. If my guess is correct, the call should be from the First Institute of Applied Toxicology in
Yartran.”
Xavier gave him a side glance in silence, unhappy that the latter interfered.
Meanwhile, Winnie added as an explanation to Xavier, “Josiah’s right. It’s from the First Institute of
Applied Toxicology. There might be new progress regarding the analysis of the venom. Please excuse
me.”
With that, Winnie picked up the call.
Although Winnie was speaking a foreign language throughout the phone call, both Xavier and Josiah
understood what she said.
“What? Is it that hard?” Winnie heaved a sigh before continuing her conversation. “Sure. Thank you for
your hard work. This is already great news. I will. Thank you all.”
Soon, Winnie ended the call and proceeded to explain the situation to the others.
“They told me that they couldn’t conduct a complete analysis on the venom due to the presence of a
previously undiscovered chemical component in it. If they are to carry out research, it might take five to
ten years to find out what it is. While they might have the time to do that, we don’t. Thus, their
suggestion is to find the person who developed that venom, for that person should be the one who
knows its components the best. We might even get an antidote within the shortest possible amount of
time.”
After hearing that, Xavier furrowed his brows immediately. “The key to this still lies on Yulissa. Only by
finding her can we possibly find out who developed that venom in the first place.”
“Indeed.” Winnie thought about it seriously. “I think I will have to go on that trip in person.”
“Absolutely not!” Xavier objected to her idea almost as soon as she voiced it. “It’s too dangerous
around Jipsdale. I can’t have you risk yourself by traveling there.”
“Yeah!” Josiah also tried to talk her out of it. “Who will treat Xavier if you leave? Besides, you aren’t
familiar with that place either. If we want to find Yulissa, we should have locals do the job. It’s more
convenient that way.”
“Josiah’s right, Winnie. Please listen to us.” Upon noticing Winnie’s hesitation, Xavier decided to strike
while the iron was hot. “Your granny is also here. Nobody knows how long it will take to find Yulissa.
Are you going to leave your granny here alone?”
“Okay.” Winnie was convinced by them. “We will hire someone to go on a search! We must find Yulissa
no matter the consequences!”
“Worry not.” Xavier was relieved when Winnie yielded. “I will make sure to return that badge to its
rightful owner.”
Winnie glanced at Xavier before smiling at him. “It’s one thing to find the badge, but your health comes
first. We have to find the person who developed that venom as soon as possible.”
When Winnie smiled at Xavier, he got the urge to kiss her. “We will find your badge first.”
“Hey!” Josiah tapped the desk with his pen. “Can’t you restrain yourselves in the presence of a
bachelor? Do reach out if you need my assistance during your search for Yulissa.”
Follow on Novᴇl-Onlinᴇ.cᴏmXavier looked at him. “Of course. I will make the most of all means that are available to me.”
“Get lost!”
Xavier and Winnie drove back home.
“There’s something that I’m curious about, and I’m wondering if you could satisfy my curiosity,” Xavier
asked Winnie.
At that moment, Winnie was browsing some information on her phone while seated in the passenger
seat. She didn’t even spare a glance at him when she agreed to his request.
“Pray tell. You have the green light.”
Xavier hummed and shot his question. “First of all, do you know the caller ID I listed you as on my
phone contact?”
“Of course.” Winnie didn’t even look up from her phone. “It must be Dumbo. I don’t need to think to
know that.”
“Yeah.” Xavier remained patient and progressed slowly for fear of pissing Winnie off with his
overbearing demeanor.
After all, she had almost dumped him because of that blasted desire of his to control everything.
“Can I know what is the ID you listed me as in your phone contact?”
“Of course.” Winnie couldn’t help but glance at him, wondering about his polite demeanor, which was
new to her. “I listed you as Xavier Fairchild.”
“Why?” The car came to a stop as they approached a red light. In all seriousness, Xavier turned to look
at Winnie, who was beside him. “Hand me your phone.”
Winnie was still browsing through some information, so she gave him a funny look. “What is it? Do you
want to change your caller ID? What are you going to put your ID as? Silly?”
Xavier frowned in silence while persistently reaching his hand out at her.
She was curious how he would change his ID, so she tucked her phone into his hand.
Upon getting the phone, Xavier did as expected and changed his caller ID after typing away on it for a
bit.
The lights turned green by then, so he cast the phone onto Winnie’s lap and turned his attention to
driving.
When Winnie checked her phone, she couldn’t help but laugh.
“Dearest husband. Hahaha, I get it now! You must be jealous of Wilhelm,” Winnie said as she went on
to check on Wilhelm’s number.
Sure enough, Xavier changed Wilhelm’s ID to using just his name.
“You’re being petty. He’s my brother!” Winnie found that amusing.
The same couldn’t be said of Xavier. “He’s not when you’re not even related by blood!”
“You’re such a brat! Even those who aren’t related by blood can be considered siblings! Moreover, I am
indeed related to Wilhelm by blood.”
“Aren’t you adopted by the Speiser family? How could you be tied to them by blood?”
“It’s because—” However, Winnie’s phone rang when she was in the midst of explaining it.
Xavier glanced at her phone. “Which of your brothers is calling you now?”
“D*mn you!” Winnie took her phone and swung it. “It’s Grandpa Rufus! Your own grandfather!”
“Hmm?” Xavier frowned. “Why is Grandpa calling you?”
“We’ll know after picking up his call.” Winnie picked up the call as she spoke.
She didn’t say much aside from a few curt responses or grunts while on the phone.
Thus, Xavier asked the moment she hung up, “What is it? Why did my grandfather specifically summon
you, and only you?”
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