Chapter 61: Julian Fletcher Is Still Protecting Erin Whittaker

Chapter 61: Chapter 61: Julian Fletcher Is Still Protecting Erin Whittaker

I stepped forward to shield Asher, glaring warily at the men.

Julian Fletcher frowned, his expression dark. "What kind of trick are you playing now, Madeline Quinn?"

"What? Are you afraid to look? Don’t you want to see whether your precious Erin is a human or a monster?" Madeline sneered, taking out her phone to play the video.

It was the video of Jake Abbott groveling on the ground, terrified, screaming, "Don’t come to me, go find Julian Fletcher!"—the very footage proving Cecilia Caldwell wasn’t the one who pushed Erin Whittaker down the stairs.

Julian’s complexion looked terrible; his face remained visibly dark the entire time.

I stared intently at Julian, desperately trying to catch even a sliver of guilt or panic in his eyes so I could savor the thrill of revenge, but there was none.

Julian emanated a chillingly low pressure. He didn’t seem to believe the video at all.

"Hah," I scoffed inwardly. "I really underestimated Julian’s love for Erin! But that’s fine. This is only the beginning!"

"Madeline, I know you look down on Erin, but don’t you think using these kinds of methods and tricks is a bit despicable?" Julian said in a deep voice.

Madeline laughed. "Huh?" She put her phone away, gritted her teeth, and glared at him. "You are truly pathetic. Let’s see how long you can keep protecting Erin."

"Oh, right. During the recovery process, Cece’s phone data was deliberately corrupted. Who has the capability to destroy protected police evidence right under the noses of their technicians?" Madeline stared at Julian. "Your Erin is no ordinary person."

"Do you even believe your own words, Madeline? She is just a person, an adopted orphan! Let alone her lacking the ability to tamper with police evidence, even the Whittaker family couldn’t pull that off!" Julian glared at her furiously. "I am the one who failed Cecilia. I won’t let whoever hurt her off the hook, but you can’t just make Erin your imaginary enemy like this!"

"Go to hell, Julian," Madeline cursed. She turned to look at Asher and me. "I’ve already called the police. This is false imprisonment. He is merely a suspect who turned himself in, and he has a mental illness. Furthermore, there’s zero proof that he killed anyone. Even the police have no right to continue detaining him. Are you trying to lynch him?"

I shielded Asher, backing away warily. "You really disgust me, Julian..."

Julian frowned at me, his thoughts unreadable.

Madeline cast me an indifferent glance. "You saw it too. His faith in Erin is unshakeable. I really feel bad for Cece." Turning back to Julian, she added, "Once Cece’s phone data is fully recovered, I’ll see how you continue to make excuses for Erin."

I didn’t say a word, simply taking Asher’s hand and leading him away.

Asher gave Julian a cold look. After taking a few steps, he turned back and spoke in a deep voice from behind me. "I won’t..."

I froze for a moment and looked back at him, wondering what he meant.

"I will never disbelieve you. I will always trust you, unconditionally and without reservation," Asher said with utmost earnestness.

In that moment, his expression, his gaze, the way he spoke... his sincerity was so overwhelming it felt as though I could drown in it. Sure enough, it was too easy to fall for. Taking a deep breath, I lowered my head and gave a bitter smile, wondering how I could actually believe the words of a mental patient for even a split second.

Julian came out with his men, seemingly still wanting to stop us. However, Zeke Shaw had also arrived with his team, forcing Julian to back down.

As I passed by Zeke, my subconscious urge was to call him Officer Lowell, but I swallowed the words as soon as I opened my mouth.

Zeke glanced at me, then at Asher. "Are you his guardian?"

I nodded. Asher seemed quite happy, nodding along with me with a hint of pride. Feeling a bit helpless, I tightened my grip on his wrist.

Zeke checked the time. "Where was he yesterday and during the day today?"

"He’s been at the Lancaster family home the whole time. The Lancaster estate has surveillance cameras, which can verify that everything I’m saying is the truth," I replied.

Zeke nodded. "Alright. Given his condition, you need to keep a close eye on him as his guardian. Don’t let him run around blindly."

"I will," I agreed, leading Asher away. "You sneaked out, so how are you going to go home? I heard from the nanny that Dylan is looking for you. If he catches you, he’s going to beat you again."

Asher instantly started acting pitiful. He hugged me from behind and whimpered, "When they hit me, it hurts."

I looked at him helplessly, wondering what I was supposed to do with a guy like him. Just as I was thinking of finding a place for him to stay, a Lancaster family car pulled up by the curb. The person who stepped out was the assistant to Master Lancaster.

He gave Asher a meaningful look and bowed very politely. "Young Master, it’s time to go home."

I sneered inwardly. "These people sure know how to put on a show in public. ’Young Master’? Does anyone in the Lancaster family actually treat him like one?"

"Mr. Foster... Is the Master angry? He didn’t sneak out on his own; he came out to protect me. Could you... could you put in a good word for him?" I spoke up for Asher cautiously, even though I knew he would inevitably face inhumane treatment once he returned.

"Mr. Dylan made a mistake at work. Master Lancaster has sent him to the Republic of M to handle a project there. He already left at three this afternoon, and his trip will last for three months," Assistant Foster stated expressionlessly.

I heaved a sigh of relief. At least the next three months would be easier to endure.

"As for the Master, he is getting on in years. His health isn’t what it used to be, so he needs to go to the Meridia Sanatorium regularly to rest," Assistant Foster added.

I froze for a moment, feeling a bit suspicious. It didn’t seem like Assistant Foster was reporting this to me, nor did he have any reason to do so. I wondered why he was intentionally explaining all this. Looking back at Asher, who was staring at me innocently, I realized the explanation clearly wasn’t meant for him either. Was it to coax Asher into going back obediently without putting up a fight? That was a distinct possibility.

"Tomorrow is the day to pay respects to the ancestors. The Master has already returned to the old estate ahead of us. We are setting off now, and the drive will take three and a half hours. Please get in," the assistant said, taking the initiative to open the car door for Asher and me.

"Why is he being so polite?" I wondered. Tilting my chin up, I radiated the aura of a young mistress. For once, I took advantage of the little one in my belly to throw my weight around.

Asher looked at me and smiled. That smile was truly... breathtaking. I looked away, realizing for the very first time the true meaning of devastating beauty. And to think, I was seeing it on a man.

"The main reason for returning to the old estate this time to pay respects to the ancestors is to pray to the Lancaster ancestors to bless your child with health, safety, and a smooth birth," Assistant Foster explained further after we got into the car.

I was somewhat surprised. I wondered why the Lancasters were so invested in the child in my womb. Then again, the Lancasters were prone to erratic behavior, so I didn’t want to overthink it.

Leaning against the window, I watched the neon lights flash by outside. My mind was full of the image of Julian defending Erin just now. In the past, my heart would have ached to the point of suffocation, but now, I only felt nauseated.

"Let him keep protecting her," I thought. "Let’s see how long he can keep it up."

I truly couldn’t figure out how I had been blind enough to fall in love with a man like him. Was it just because he had saved me from the fire during that car accident years ago?

My head started to throb again, and the scenes of the accident kept flashing through my mind. The person who had saved me... why did it feel like it wasn’t Julian? I wondered if one’s own memory could deceive them.

Perhaps it was because the car was so quiet, but the headache brought on a wave of drowsiness. In a daze, I felt Asher reach over and carefully slip his hand under my head. He kept it there the entire way, protecting me... as if he were afraid my head would bump against the glass when the car went over a bump.

"Young Master, the time is about right."

"Mm."

Through the haze, I heard Assistant Foster speaking, but I couldn’t make out the words anymore. Heavily, I drifted off to sleep.