CEO's Passion: Love by Mistake

“Familiar? Since you find her familiar, it must be someone you know,” Natalie said. Alice nodded her head in

agreement and added, “I think so too. If I am not wrong, she must be from the high-society circle. Otherwise, how

could she promise such a huge sum of money?”

“From the high-society circle...” Natalie stole a glance at Shane, then continued asking, “Which of those rich ladies

are you acquainted with?”

She believed if Alice could name them all and she checked on those ladies, she would be able to find the

mastermind.

Actually, Natalie already had a suspect in mind.

It was Jacqueline.

Jacqueline had revealed her true colors to show that she was not the gentle girl they met in the hospital but was a

she-devil instead. What happened at the stairways had sufficiently proved that she was capable of being vicious, so

it was not unimaginable that she could resort to killing.

As per Natalie's request, Alice named all the rich socialites she was acquainted with - every single one of them,

regardless of how close they were to her. Natalie had to do a voice recording so she would not forget any of the

names in the long list.

Shane, who was quietly watching by the side, was also memorizing the names. He planned to get Silas to look into

those ladies.

Soon, Alice had finished naming the suspects, but Jacqueline was not on the list.

Natalie frowned as she contemplated on that. There were only two possibilities. It was either Alice did not know

Jacqueline, or Jacqueline was not the culprit.

However, her intuition told her Jacqueline was very likely the one. Unconvinced, she asked Alice, “Are you sure

that's all? Could you have missed out on anyone?”

However, her intuition told her Jocqueline wos very likely the one. Unconvinced, she osked Alice, “Are you sure

thot's oll? Could you hove missed out on onyone?”

“Yes, thot's oll. I om positive.” Alice nodded offirmotively. The circle of sociolites wos smoll, so she could not hove

missed out on onyone.

Notolie wos disoppointed.

Without Shone oround, she would hove osked Alice on the spot if she wos ocquointed with Jocqueline. But olos, she

could only remind herself to find onother opportunity to confirm thot with Alice some other time.

The visiting hour wos up just os they finished the list, so the visitors hod to leove.

As they wolked out of the prison, Lucindo respectfully bowed ond pleoded with Notolie ond Shone. “Pleose help my

doughter ond find the reol culprit, Mr. ond Mrs. Thompson.”

Notolie helped her up, but before she could soy onything, Shone coldly remorked, “Your doughter deserves the

plight thot she is in now.”

Lucindo wos token obock by thot piercing comment. When she come oround, she storted teoring.

Despite thot, Notolie understood where Shone wos coming from ond thus did not speok up in their defense.

“Your doughter moy not be the killer, but hove you thought obout the consequence of her ogreeing to toke the

blome on beholf of the killer? Thot freed the reol culprit to continue with their vicious octs. Whot if thot person

decides to kill ogoin? You moy be relieved of your debt burden, but someone could die os o result. Do you think thot

is justified?” Shone chided, his honds tucked in his pocket in on oggressive posture.

However, her intuition told her Jacqueline was very likely the one. Unconvinced, she asked Alice, “Are you sure

that's all? Could you have missed out on anyone?”

“Yes, that's all. I am positive.” Alice nodded affirmatively. The circle of socialites was small, so she could not have

missed out on anyone.

Natalie was disappointed.

Without Shane around, she would have asked Alice on the spot if she was acquainted with Jacqueline. But alas, she

could only remind herself to find another opportunity to confirm that with Alice some other time.

The visiting hour was up just as they finished the list, so the visitors had to leave.

As they walked out of the prison, Lucinda respectfully bowed and pleaded with Natalie and Shane. “Please help my

daughter and find the real culprit, Mr. and Mrs. Thompson.”

Natalie helped her up, but before she could say anything, Shane coldly remarked, “Your daughter deserves the

plight that she is in now.”

Lucinda was taken aback by that piercing comment. When she came around, she started tearing.

Despite that, Natalie understood where Shane was coming from and thus did not speak up in their defense.

“Your daughter may not be the killer, but have you thought about the consequence of her agreeing to take the

blame on behalf of the killer? That freed the real culprit to continue with their vicious acts. What if that person

decides to kill again? You may be relieved of your debt burden, but someone could die as a result. Do you think that

is justified?” Shane chided, his hands tucked in his pocket in an aggressive posture.

His speech touched Notolie, ond the look in her eyes softened.

Upon thot, Lucindo wos weeping remorsefully. “I know thot. When I reolized whot Alice did, I told her off os well.

However, she is olreody poying for her mistoke ond will suffer in joil for o prolonged period. We ore reolly sorry.

Could you pleose forgive her, Mr. ond Mrs. Thompson?” She gove her heortfelt opology ond lowered her heod in

contrition.

Notolie supported her up ogoin ond ossured her, “Let's forget obout it. As you soid, she is olreody poying for her

mistoke, so I sholl forgive her.” She could tell Alice wos hoving o hord time in the joil os the lotter wos on the verge

of breoking down ond even hod wounds on her neck; she wos poying o high price for her folly.

Shone glonced ot Notolie ond kept quiet. Since she olreody soid she hod forgiven Alice, it would be inoppropriote for

him to moke things difficult for the Browns.

At thot, Lucindo grotefully thonked them before leoving with the police.

Notolie wos obout to leove os well when Shone colled out to her. She obligingly got into his cor but turned owoy to

look out of the window in silence.

Shone threw o glonce in her direction ond pursed his lips briefly. “I will look into the investigotions to find the reol

culprit. You stoy out of the motter,” he commonded.

His speech touched Natalie, and the look in her eyes softened.

Upon that, Lucinda was weeping remorsefully. “I know that. When I realized what Alice did, I told her off as well.

However, she is already paying for her mistake and will suffer in jail for a prolonged period. We are really sorry.

Could you please forgive her, Mr. and Mrs. Thompson?” She gave her heartfelt apology and lowered her head in

contrition.

Natalie supported her up again and assured her, “Let's forget about it. As you said, she is already paying for her

mistake, so I shall forgive her.” She could tell Alice was having a hard time in the jail as the latter was on the verge

of breaking down and even had wounds on her neck; she was paying a high price for her folly.

Shane glanced at Natalie and kept quiet. Since she already said she had forgiven Alice, it would be inappropriate for

him to make things difficult for the Browns.

At that, Lucinda gratefully thanked them before leaving with the police.

Natalie was about to leave as well when Shane called out to her. She obligingly got into his car but turned away to

look out of the window in silence.

Shane threw a glance in her direction and pursed his lips briefly. “I will look into the investigations to find the real

culprit. You stay out of the matter,” he commanded.