Chapter 620
Chapter 620
Chapter 620 Would You Do That Too?
Naomi sighed. "I'm doing this willingly. Go back. Leanna's with you, isn't she?"
"Jonathan took her home. I have some questions for you."
"I know what you want to ask, and I've heard a few things on my way here. I do not know what plans Sienna had when she was alive, but the Woodleys aren't behind it. And they aren't the reason the child fell sick."
"What about you?" asked Aidan.
Naomi fell silent for a while. "I am no longer a part of this family. It has been that way since I left. That's why I kept everything a secret."
"Then, why did you come back?" This content © Nôv/elDr(a)m/a.Org.
"Regret. I regretted leaving on impulse, so I came back. To do the things I still can do. So, I won't live my whole life riddled with nothing but regrets."
"I had a lot of questions before I came. Your ties to the Woodleys, the real reason Oscar stayed with me over the years, what happened twenty years ago, and the part the Woodleys played in it."
"Aidan…"
Aidan said coolly, "But all my questions were answered when you showed up."
A frown furrowed Naomi's brow as she wanted to say something.
Aidan continued calmly, "You're Lachlan's aunt and the only daughter of the Woodleys' previous family head. Even though he was furious that you left your home for a man, he couldn't just let you go even after he had cut all ties with you. When he found out that the man who took you away had a family and left you for dead, he was livid. In order to take revenge and make things easier for your son, he bribed the Pearsons' driver and caused a car crash. That—"
"Aidan," Naomi interrupted. "It's not what you think. Your grandfather did no such thing. He—"
He continued coolly, "I am not finished yet."
She felt a little powerless.
Aidan continued, "After that man's son became a cripple, he remembered something. He had another son somewhere. Despite his family's protests, he took this illegitimate son back home. That's what your father's plan was. But he knew that man was a snake, so he sent someone from his family to aid the man's son. At the same time, he was to keep an eye on the Pearsons so the Woodleys could be in control. Bit by bit, the man's other son took over Pearson Group. No longer was that man in charge." A pause later, Aidan said, "That's what happened, wasn't it?"
Naomi shook her head. "It's not what you think—"
Naomi shook her head. "It's not what you think—"
"You're implying the existence of another version of this story. Do tell."
She opened her mouth, but no explanation came to her. Even though her father wasn't the mastermind behind Justin's accident, he was the reason it happened.
He said, "Ever since I knew of the Woodleys' existence, I've been suspecting Oscar's true motives, yet I couldn't accept the fact that he's a spy. I've known him for nearly twenty years. There's no reason for him to hurt me, but then I found out he came to me on purpose. He's the reason I managed to quickly uproot all of the old man's spies."
"Aidan, they mean you no harm. Your grandfather, Oscar… All they want is for you to have a better life."
"I know." Aidan stared at the tablets. "And I do have a better life. From an abandoned son scraping through life in the slums to the president of Pearson Group. I took what was rightfully Justin's."
Naomi closed her eyes. This is why I didn't want Lachlan to tell you anything.
He said, "Sienna told me multiple times that I took what was rightfully Justin's. I sulked for a while. I told myself the car crash was an accident and that it wasn't my fault. It was someone else's. I told myself there was no need to pin the blame on myself, but Sienna was right. Justin's life was ruined because of me. Without me, that car crash wouldn't have happened. He would've still been the only son of the Pearsons, poised to take over the family."
Naomi choked up. "It's not your fault, Aidan. It's mine."
"No. My sin is that I've taken everything for granted for years. I should've realized the truth sooner," Aidan said. "You made your choice when you came back to this family. I have no right to stop you. With
Lachlan here, you'll be safe and protected. This is it, then, Mother." Aidan got up and left.
Naomi turned around. "Aidan? Aidan!"
Aidan left the hall without pausing.
She was a little depressed. I hope he won't do anything stupid.
A pair of men were hiding in their car outside the Woodley Residence. When Aidan came out, they smiled. "He must've known the truth by now."
"Naomi and Lachlan tried their best to hide it from him, but we've been helping him along the way. He'd have to be an idiot to not realize what the true story is."
"Tell John we've done our part. It's time for them to begin the next part of their plan."
…
Aidan drove all the way to the riverside. He got out of the car and stood on the bridge, staring into the distance. Two hours went by just like that.
A black car stopped nearby, and Waylen watched from within. He gulped. "Wonder if he's going to jump."
Lachlan closed his eyes. Calmly, he said, "He would've jumped a long time ago if he wanted to."
"True, but you know he got the story all wrong. Why didn't you explain?"
Slowly, Lachlan opened his eyes. "Grandpa was furious back then. He did try to get revenge, but Justin was just a child. Even if he wanted to attack the Pearsons, he couldn't bring himself to hurt a literal child."
"So, he calmed down and ditched the idea?"
Lachlan grunted. A moment of silence later, he said, "But the Woodleys did cause that accident. Aidan doesn't care even if Grandpa wasn't involved."
Waylen sighed. "Oscar told me Justin's a good man. I can understand why Aidan is angry."
A chortle rang out in the air. "Justin's a kind, gentle soul. It's… unlucky that he was born to the Pearsons."