Chapter 143: Lining Up to Die

Chapter 143: Chapter 143: Lining Up to Die

"Oh, and also... Noelle Lynch is the child of a human trafficker. Miss Lynch intentionally swapped her with the baby from a wealthy family. It wasn’t a mix-up at all; she just wanted her own biological granddaughter to enjoy a life of luxury," Asher recited with a serious expression.

Still reeling from the shock, I picked up my phone and glanced at the screen. The headlines were explosive.

*The Switched Lives of Fake Heiress Noelle Lynch and Real Heiress Silvia Lynch.*

*Insider Reveals: To Drive Out Real Heiress, Noelle Lynch Led High School Bullying Campaign Against Silvia Lynch—Evidence of Abuse and Assault Exposed.*

Noelle Lynch shot to fame overnight, becoming the top headline.

Suddenly, a flood of people who knew them back then emerged online, starting to post explosive revelations with pictures as proof.

I was sure the Lynn family was using all its power to suppress the story. After all, Noelle Lynch was the living poster child they had meticulously groomed—the family’s prized socialite and the bargaining chip for their alliance with the Abbott family.

And as for Silvia Lynch, she was just a pawn.

But the story had been trending since last night, stubbornly remaining at the top of the lists with no sign of being taken down.

Unless there was a more powerful entity with immense resources supporting it from behind, there was no way it could have generated this much buzz and sustained it.

I gave Asher a suspicious look. He was tugging at the waistband of his underwear and muttering, "Cece isn’t paying attention to me... My wound really hurts."

He was acting pitiful, but it was a very effective tactic.

"The doctor said you’re not allowed to get wet," I warned quietly, pulling him into the bathroom. I wet a towel and began to wipe him down. "If I don’t clean you up, were you just planning to wander around the house stark naked all day?"

Asher didn’t say a word, just watched me intently.

"Cece, where did you go?" he asked suddenly.

I rolled my eyes at him. "As if you don’t know where I went."

’I’m starting to suspect he has me on GPS or even has me under some kind of surveillance.’

Asher just smiled and wrapped his arms around me. "Cece, kisses."

"Stop faking it." ’I’m now thoroughly convinced he’s just putting on an act.’

’But he’s always so docile when he’s with me.’

"Cece, Noelle Lynch is famous now..." he murmured, his voice suddenly deepening as he kissed the back of my neck. "Just as she wished."

A tingling warmth spread through my entire body. "Yeah..."

’Isn’t this what Noelle Lynch wanted? To be famous? Well, she’s certainly achieved that now.’

’I wonder what the Abbott family, and especially that scumbag Ken Abbott, are thinking right now.’

’They’ll probably move to cut their losses and announce the engagement is off, right?’

...

I was in the middle of a meal, reading all the comments online bashing Noelle Lynch, and I nearly choked.

Asher patted my back with a sigh. "Just eat your food."

I froze for a second. ’Is he scolding me?’

’When he gets all cold and aloof, he seems like a stranger—unfamiliar and domineering.’

’But the cool-guy act never lasts more than three seconds.’

"Cece..." He kissed the corner of my mouth. "So sweet."

I felt a flash of annoyance. ’This guy is constantly looking for ways to get fresh with me at home.’

"Things are about to get lively at the Lynn family home. I wonder if they’ve found Noelle Lynch yet." I took a bite of a steamed pastry and smiled. "I hung her from the rafters and locked her in the warehouse," I added in a low voice.

A doting look filled Asher’s eyes as he replied in a near whisper, "Mhm. We’ll leave a few of them for you to play with."

"?" I looked up at him again, but he had already fallen silent.

"Sir." We hadn’t even finished breakfast when Owen Foster rushed in. "The Lynn family... they’re here. They’re making a huge scene at the Lancaster family’s front gate."

Owen Foster spoke quietly, glancing at me as if to gauge my reaction.

Asher frowned, his expression impassive. He placed a peeled egg on my plate. "Finish your breakfast first."

Owen Foster quickly took a step back, his face apologetic.

’I felt Owen Foster was overdoing it. Was Asher really that scary? His reverence seemed a little too deliberate.’

’I wasn’t in any hurry. Let the Lynns cause a scene. Besides the paralyzed old man fuming helplessly in his bed, there was no one else in the Lancaster family home anyway.’

"Sir... there’s also been a development with the Lancaster family. Mr. Brandon Lancaster was taken away by the police on suspicion of involvement in a kidnapping, as well as hiring someone to commit assault, but..." Assistant Foster trailed off. "My apologies, Sir. The root systems of the weeds in the backyard are too complex. It’s difficult to clear them all out at once."

’Not even a wildfire can burn them all out; they’ll just grow back in the spring. If those weeds aren’t uprooted, they’re bound to sprout again sooner or later.’

"Then we’ll just have to make the gardener work a little harder and do more weeding. Even if you can’t get the roots, you still have to scare the weeds. Let them know that if they grow too fast, they’ll be plucked out," Asher said quietly.

’I could tell there was a hidden meaning to his words, but since he and Assistant Foster weren’t trying to hide their conversation from me, I felt too awkward to ask about it.’

"Want to go watch the show?" Asher asked, leaning on my shoulder after we finished eating.

’With Assistant Foster gone, he was back to his usual clingy self, acting like he was glued to me.’

"I’ll take you to watch the show." I raised an eyebrow and took Asher’s hand. "I’m guessing Gregory Lynch and Mrs. Lynch want to eat me alive right now."

’I left their precious daughter hanging from the rafters all night. Their hearts must be breaking for her.’

"I’m here," Asher said seriously, leading me out.

Following behind him, I blurted out without thinking, "Your legs are so long..."

’Did this guy eat fertilizer for the past few years? From my hazy memories of buying him clothes, he was maybe five-eleven or so. Now... he must be at least six-two, right?’

Asher turned back and gave me a goofy grin, winking. "Everything’s long."

"..." It took me a moment to process that. He still had that innocent look in his eyes while saying the filthiest things.

...

「The Lancaster Estate.」

The moment I walked through the door, Mrs. Lynch lunged at me.

Asher shielded me, glaring coldly at Mrs. Lynch.

She stumbled, unable to stop herself, and as Asher pulled me out of the way, Mrs. Lynch fell flat on the ground.

"There’s no need to give us such a formal greeting so early in the morning," Asher said earnestly.

Mrs. Lynch’s face went dark with rage. She pointed a finger at my nose and shrieked, "Silvia Lynch, you lunatic! Have you gone completely insane?! You dared to hang your sister from the rafters! I’m going to beat you to death!"

She raised her hand to slap me, but Asher grabbed her wrist and pushed her away.

All trace of Asher’s usual foolishness was gone. This time, his cool-guy act lasted for more than three seconds. "Who gave you permission to touch my woman?"

Mrs. Lynch was stunned and instinctively looked back at Jude Lynch.

"Sebastian Lancaster, Silvia Lynch is our daughter. This is a family matter," Jude Lynch said, still trying to test if Asher was really a fool.

"Your daughter? Didn’t you already sell her to me in exchange for a two-hundred-million-dollar investment from the old man?" Asher’s voice was deep as he pulled me into his arms protectively. "Since she’s been sold to me, she has nothing to do with you anymore. Touch my person again, and see what happens."

Jude Lynch frowned. ’How could a fool suddenly be so intimidating?’

’Was he just pretending, or... is this his true nature?’

I stared at Asher, just as shocked.

’Which one is the real him?’

"Silvia, dear, you really went too far this time. Your mother is just muddled with anger. How could you hang your sister from the rafters? That’s far too dangerous." Jude Lynch lowered his voice. He couldn’t get a read on Sebastian Lancaster and decided not to act rashly for the time being.

"And what are you going to do about it?" I leaned smugly into Asher’s arms. "Why don’t you call the police?"

"You!" Jude Lynch and Mrs. Lynch were so enraged by my response that their fingers trembled.

"Silvia Lynch! Get the hell out here! I’m going to kill you!" Another commotion erupted from outside. It was Noelle Lynch and Ken Abbott.

I saw that her face was bruised and swollen, with gauze taped to her cheeks. She looked crazed, having brought seven or eight people with her to get revenge.

I couldn’t help but laugh at her stupidity.

’This is the Lancaster estate, and I’m carrying the Lancaster family’s heir. Do Noelle Lynch and Ken Abbott really think the Lancasters are a spent force?’

’Aren’t they just begging for a death wish?’

Asher’s eyes darkened. He glanced at Assistant Foster, who nodded and headed outside.