Chapter 200
Chapter 200 Scheming in Secrecy
After watching Naomi and Ruby head upstairs, Ethan finally turned to Arabella. “Feel like getting some air? We could go for a walk.”
Arabella glanced at him. “Sure, why not.”
Ethan then looked at Jonathan and Florence. “Mom, Dad, I’m taking Arabella out for a bit.”
“Go ahead,” Florence replied simply, understanding that her children likely wanted a break from the tense atmosphere.
Upstairs in Naomi’s room, Ruby complained with a sour look, “Can you believe how arrogant Arabella still is, even stuck in that wheelchair? Guess her injuries weren’t bad enough to humble her.”
“With Mom, Dad, and Ethan all coddling her, of course she acts like she owns the place. I can’t help but wonder what kind of lies she’s been feeding them while I was gone these days,” Naomi mused, a hint of bitterness in her voice.
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“I’m sure she took full advantage of your absence to badmouth you! Did you notice how long we were standing down there? Aunt Florence, Uncle Jonathan, and your brother barely acknowledged us,” Ruby said, expertly stirring the pot.
“You’re right. We were talking for a while, but it didn’t feel like they were genuinely concerned about me at all. It’s like my place in this family is slipping away more every day…” Naomi sighed, her mood gloomy.
“Don’t get discouraged, Naomi. Aunt Florence and Uncle Jonathan have just been swayed by Arabella’s act. Soon, you should arrange a nice family dinner, just the four of you. Find a way to subtly show them Arabella’s true colors. I bet they’ll come around and dote on you like they used to,” Ruby advised, her tone plotting.
Naomi looked at Ruby skeptically. “I’m not sure a dinner would really change anything.”
“Don’t write it off before you try! You never know,” Ruby insisted, a shrewd glint in her eyes.
“Alright, fine. I’ll look for an opportunity to invite them. But I have a feeling they’ll probably say no,” Naomi said, knowing her parents‘ current demeanor all too well.
“You haven’t even asked yet! Stay positive,” Ruby continued to encourage.
She needed to help Naomi solidify her position within the Hamilton family. After all, Rub had already burned her bridges with Arabella. If Naomi were to be pushed out, Ruby would have no foothold here left to rely on.
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Chapter 200 Scheming in Secrecy
# Finished “But Naomi,” Ruby changed the subject, “why didn’t you press her on how she got hurt? I would have loved to rub it in a little.”
“What’s the point? Even if I asked, she’d never give a straight answer. Just seeing her actually injured is satisfying enough. Did you hear how snippy she was? Even from a wheelchair, she can’t keep her mouth shut,” Naomi said, her tone laced with mockery.
“Exactly! She’s still got all that attitude while sitting down!” Ruby grumbled, annoyed.
“But honestly, I can’t be bothered to keep sparring with her. At the end of the day, she’s the one confined to a chair, and we’re perfectly fine. We should really just focus on that,” Naomi reasoned, and the thought did make her feel slightly better.
“You’re right. We shouldn’t stoop to her level,” Ruby agreed, a faint, smug smile touching her lips.
“By the way, Ruby,” Naomi asked, frowning slightly, “have you ever heard of anyone named Dylan or Harper?”
Naomi was tired of dwelling on Arabella. She wanted to know who these two people were and what motive they could possibly have had for posting those photos online.
Ruby furrowed her brow, thinking for a moment before shaking her head. “Never heard of them. But can we even trust what Arabella said? She could just be deflecting the blame.”
“When she was talking, I was watching her closely. It didn’t seem like she was lying. I think those posts really were made by these two people,” Naomi said, her expression serious and troubled.
“But where would we even begin to look for them?” Naomi threw her hands up, feeling completely lost.
“If you’re sure she wasn’t lying, then there’s no immediate rush. Now that we have the names, we can hire someone to look into them quietly later. That should give us the full story,” Ruby suggested calmly.
“Mm–hmm,” Naomi acknowledged.
“But… what would their motive be?” Ruby wondered, unable to piece it together. “They wouldn’t just post something like that for kicks, right?”
Hearing Ruby’s words, a dark and frightening possibility suddenly clicked into place in Naomi’s mind.
“You don’t think… they were trying to use those photos to blackmail Matthew, do you?!”
“Blackmail Matthew?” Ruby’s eyes widened. “They wouldn’t dare…”
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Chapter 200 Scheming in Secrecy.
Who was Matthew? In this city, crossing him was practically a death wish.
“Wouldn’t dare? They already had the nerve to post the photos online. Do you really think fear is holding them back?” Naomi shot back, giving Ruby a sharp look.
Hearing Naomi’s logic, Ruby fell silent, the confusion settling heavily on her features.
Wanting to ensure she could extend her stay at Ruby’s a little longer, Naomi walked over to her dressing table and opened her jewelry box. She pulled out a delicate diamond necklace she knew Ruby had been admiring for ages.
She felt a twinge of reluctance but quickly masked it with a doting smile as she turned to Ruby. “Here, Ruby. You’ve always loved this necklace, haven’t you? I want you to have it.”
Ruby stared at the sparkling piece in Naomi’s hand, genuine surprise flashing across her face. She looked from the necklace to Naomi. Wasn’t this the same one Naomi had flat–out refused to part with before?
Why the sudden change of heart?
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