Who Cares About Him When I'm Married to the Richest Man?-Chapter 113: Too Many Coincidences Three Years Ago

Chapter 113: Chapter 113: Too Many Coincidences Three Years Ago

Special Assistant Wood recovered quickly from his brief surprise, pushed up his glasses, and said, "I’m here to take Miss Jasmine to school."

Jasmine, standing nearby, straightened her chest intentionally at his words. Despite her injuries, she held her head high with pride and looked at Elara and Joanne with disdain.

From the perspective of a ten-year-old, she felt that her demeanor was superior and noble, befitting the title "Miss Jasmine" given by Special Assistant Wood.

What did it matter if she was hurt? She had fundamentally separated herself from those poverty-stricken lower classes.

But what she didn’t know was that in the eyes of Elara and the others, her deliberately displayed arrogance was incredibly fragile, even making Special Assistant Wood glance disapprovingly at her.

He had never thought much of Jasmine, but because she was President Jacobs’ foster daughter, he didn’t dare comment. He just did as instructed by President Jacobs.

Yet, this foster daughter was too unimpressive. Why would President Jacobs choose such a girl?

Special Assistant Wood was slightly absent-minded until he heard Elara’s voice, "So that’s how it is. We won’t hold you up any longer. We’ll be on our way."

Upon finishing, Elara, flanked by Zion, turned and walked away with Joanne.

Special Assistant Wood was taken aback. Was she not going to ask more questions? She brought that child with her; it was obvious she was also enrolling the little girl in school. Would it have been so hard to say they should look out for one another?

Special Assistant Wood was puzzled, but he adhered strictly to his professional ethics. This fundamentally wasn’t his business; it was President Jacobs’ matter.

He made a call to Mason Jacobs to report the encounter with Elara.

Unexpectedly, President Jacobs sounded indifferent, "What do you think was the reason I chose this school?"

After a pause, he continued with a hint of anticipation, "I have arranged more than just this. I wonder if she will be thrilled with the surprise I’ve prepared."

With that, he didn’t bother with Special Assistant Wood any further and hung up.

Special Assistant Wood was stunned. What did this mean? Could it be that President Jacobs knew Miss Hale would arrange for that little girl to be here, so he specifically had Jasmine attend this school too?

But thinking it over, though Jasmine was rejected by Northgarde’s top elementary school, as long as President Jacobs wanted, there were countless other good schools to choose from. Yet, he deliberately chose such a mediocre one.

But what was President Jacobs after?

Special Assistant Wood couldn’t figure it out. When President Jacobs divorced his wife, he was on hand for everything, even helping arrange hotel stays when President Jacobs was having an affair with Miss Quincy before the divorce, and helping them cover up in front of Elara.

Back then, President Jacobs’ dislike for his wife wasn’t just mild. He wouldn’t suddenly regret it just days after the divorce, would he? Want to go back?

Special Assistant Wood quickly dismissed that possibility. President Jacobs was always strategic, so these arrangements must have a purpose.

He didn’t dwell on the issue further, but glanced at Jasmine beside him and said, "We should go in too."

Jasmine was somewhat displeased with his attitude, but having just been reprimanded by Kylie and spoken to by Mason Jacobs before coming, she was now very cautious, showing no signs of dissent and obediently followed Special Assistant Wood.

Upon reaching the principal’s office, Special Assistant Wood understood why President Jacobs mentioned a surprise. 𝚏𝗿𝗲𝐞𝚠𝕖𝐛𝗻𝗼𝐯𝕖𝚕.𝚌𝗼𝗺

Jasmine and Joanne were placed in the same class by the school!

Elara had just completed Joanne’s enrollment paperwork and hadn’t left yet. Hearing Jasmine’s class assignment, Elara halted and looked at Special Assistant Wood, "What’s the meaning of this?"

Special Assistant Wood pushed up his glasses and, despite being baffled by President Jacobs’ arrangement, maintained the composure expected of an assistant, "Miss Hale, it’s just a coincidence."

Elara didn’t believe it was a coincidence. If it truly were, then the sun and the moon could converge as one.

She turned to the principal and asked, "Could Joanne change to a different class?"

The principal smiled and said, "It just so happens that class three has openings, which makes it appropriate to place the two children there. Other classes are overfilled with students."

In other words, the class arrangement was already fixed.

Elara had no choice but to let it be. She took Joanne to the classroom door and gently advised, "Since you can’t change classes, be careful at school. Don’t be rash, and don’t let others fool you. But while we don’t cause trouble, we aren’t afraid of it either. If anyone bullies you, don’t hesitate to let Aunt Hale handle the rest."

Though Joanne was young, she was sensitive enough to detect something amiss from the sudden appearance of Special Assistant Wood and Jasmine. Combined with the seriousness of Elara, she earnestly nodded and replied, "Aunt Hale, don’t worry. I will be careful."

Elara smiled, patted her on the head, and said, "Go ahead."

"Wait a moment," Zion, who had been silent, suddenly spoke up. He smiled at Elara, "I have a few words for her. It’s a secret between Joanne and me; don’t listen in."

Thinking he was joking, Elara didn’t take it seriously. She moved a few steps away, smiling, "Alright, be quick about it."

Men, clearly worried about Joanne, were too shy to admit it, making up nonsense about secrets.

Elara found it amusing, her lips curling into a smile.

But little did she know that ten meters away, Zion squatted down and, looking into Joanne’s eyes, asked, "Do you need to change classes? If you need to, I can help you switch, or even change schools."

Joanne was taken aback, "But didn’t the principal just say we couldn’t change it?"

Zion smiled without further explanation, offering only one line, "I can help you."

Joanne sensed something was off, yet she didn’t question it. Instead, she shook her head firmly, her voice innocent yet resolute.

"Uncle Fitzwilliam, there’s no need. Avoiding challenges is cowardice. I want to step out of the mountain, to become strong, not a coward who runs away at the first sign of trouble."

Zion, a bit surprised, raised an eyebrow, then laughed and praised, "Brave child."

He didn’t say much else but advised, "If you encounter bullying at school, look for the teacher. I know your homeroom teacher; she’ll protect you. If anything is unresolved, tell Aunt Hale and Uncle Fitzwilliam."

The anxiety Joanne felt upon seeing Jasmine faded entirely, as if she had finally found a support system amidst her isolation. She might not rely on them for anything, but knowing there were people she could count on, a haven to retreat to, filled her heart with joy.

Nodding obediently, Joanne entered the classroom.

Zion nodded to the homeroom teacher, then turned to walk toward Elara.

Elara teased him, asking, "What secrets are you guys sharing?"

Zion Fitzwilliam smiled, "Since it’s a secret, how can I announce it to the world?"

Just then, Special Assistant Wood arrived with Jasmine, who glanced at Elara but didn’t greet her.

Elara wasn’t bothered and left side by side with Zion Fitzwilliam without glancing sideways.

Once they got into the car, Zion Fitzwilliam comforted Elara, "Don’t worry, I’ve already asked a friend to speak with Joanne Carter’s homeroom teacher. The teacher will look out for her, and Jasmine won’t be able to bully her no matter what she tries."

Elara had indeed been somewhat worried, though she hadn’t spoken about it. She had her suspicions as to why Jasmine appeared at the school.

She was surprised Zion Fitzwilliam noticed her emotional change and even spoke up to comfort her.

Elara couldn’t help but smile and asked him, "How many friends do you have exactly? It seems like you have friends everywhere, can talk about anything, and have help anytime."

Zion Fitzwilliam replied without a change in expression, "That’s the advantage of being the sales champion—friends are all over the place. Not just in Northgarde, but all over Cathan, I have friends of various kinds."

Elara was amazed, sighing, "Even in the same sales job, I’m far behind you."

Though her sales work was different from Zion Fitzwilliam’s, ultimately she was also selling things.

Upon hearing that, Zion Fitzwilliam’s heart stirred. He glanced at her quietly and replied, perhaps jokingly yet seriously, "We’re already a couple now; my network is yours, which means you too have friends all over the country."

Treating it as a joke, Elara laughed, "Definitely, whenever there’s a problem, I’ll just get your help."

Zion Fitzwilliam drove with his eyes straight ahead, thinking that she wouldn’t need to say anything; he was eager to be by her side and longed to rush in and solve any issue immediately.

At that moment, the phone rang. Zion Fitzwilliam pressed the button to answer over the car speakers, and the content of the call played over the speakers, "Zion..."

Before the sentence was complete, Zion Fitzwilliam quickly disconnected the phone from the car and put the phone to his ear. Assistant Harris’s voice continued, "I’ve brought people to search the roadside surveillance and found that Mason Jacobs initially left from a place called the manor. That manor isn’t under his name; it’s registered to an elderly person. That elderly person served as a housekeeper for the Jacobs Family and retired three years ago."

Zion Fitzwilliam’s eyes sparked—three years, again three years.

Lately, that three-year timeline has been appearing frequently.

Had he not sensed something amiss and dug deeper, this timeline might have been buried under layers of cover-ups, never to be recalled.

Three years ago, Elara’s parents were in a car accident. Her mother died instantly while her father, David Hales, became paralyzed.

Three years ago, Mason Jacobs appeared beside her.

Three years ago, Chris Chase divorced his first wife and grew closer to Ivy Jenkins.

Likewise, three years ago, the mortuary bag processing workshop run by Ivy Jenkins’s elder brother, Jeff Jenkins, began expanding.

Today, yet another mark occurs three years ago when the Jacobs’s housekeeper retired.

What’s more crucial is whether all these instances from three years ago and the grandfather’s unexpected death have a deeper connection?

Since Elara was in the car, Zion Fitzwilliam didn’t elaborate further and simply asked, "Any progress?"

To Elara’s ears, it sounded like work-related matters, while Assistant Harris continued the detailed reporting, "That manor is called Orlaine Manor. No one usually resides there. Mason Jacobs occasionally visits. Besides that, I’ve arranged for people to conduct a thorough search inside the manor. In a basement storage room, we found plenty of bloodstains that had been washed away, but no bodies were found."

Zion Fitzwilliam frowned tightly, "Continue."

Assistant Harris continued, "I’ve already taken samples of the bloodstains and sent them for testing. The testing agency said that due to the excessive dilution of the blood, it may not yield any information, but they’re trying. Meanwhile, I’ve sent someone to locate the retired housekeeper from the Jacobs’s family to see if we can uncover any clues."

Zion Fitzwilliam has always been satisfied with his capability. He replied, "I understand. Delegate the tasks at hand to others and take a two-day break."

Over the past two days, Assistant Harris has worked tirelessly overnight. Allowing him to continue without rest would be a failure on Zion Fitzwilliam’s part as a boss.

Assistant Harris, overcome with gratitude, hung up the phone.

Zion Fitzwilliam placed the phone aside, his hand on the wheel, still pondering what Assistant Harris said.

His brows were tightly furrowed, his face expressionless—bearing a resemblance to how he appeared in front of subordinates. Elara, watching, dared not breathe heavily, sensing the atmosphere in the car growing increasingly tense. Zion was always gentle and had never exuded such an oppressive presence.

She tentatively asked, "Is there something particularly troublesome at work?"

Though the implication seemed that work was progressing smoothly, Elara couldn’t think of another reason.

Hearing her words, Zion Fitzwilliam snapped back to reality, calmly explaining, "A deal got snatched away; our group is brainstorming solutions. You know, our deals, once lost, there’s a significant loss."

Upon hearing this, Elara nodded in understanding. Being in corporate insurance sales, losing a deal means losing tens or hundreds of clients—no wonder the grim expression.

Elara comforted him, "Obstacles are temporary. You’re so smart, you can definitely overcome them."

Zion Fitzwilliam, with a thick face, accepted this reassurance without a change in expression, sighing, "It’s tough. Such a huge loss leaves me unable to explain either up or down; the pressure is immense."

Elara expressed sympathy, hurriedly saying, "Don’t worry too much. With your skills, you can definitely overcome the challenge. Even if the deal can’t be recovered, given your position in the company, the management won’t blame you."

Zion Fitzwilliam nodded, remaining worried.

Seeing his distress, Elara felt anxious too, when suddenly she had a flash of inspiration. She suggested, "How about this? When you come back tonight, bring your client files. I’ll help you brainstorm."

She didn’t have many skills, but she could offer her modest support in gratitude for his care over time.

Unnoticeably, Zion Fitzwilliam’s lips curled slightly. He nodded, "Alright."

Since Joanne arrived, Elara spent most of her post-work time with the child, leaving Zion on the sidelines and dissatisfied for quite some time, unable to compete with a child.

Now, this was resolved. By analyzing client files together, they could enjoy an evening alone.

The entire day, Elara spent in busy work. As the end of her shift approached, she received a call from an unfamiliar number. When she answered, the voice wasn’t unfamiliar—it was Rosalind Jacobs, sounding urgent and sharp, "Elara! Did you do this on purpose?! Haylie has been harmed by you. I won’t let you get away with this!"