Chapter 93: The Perfect Plan

The presidential suite finally fell quiet after the chaos at Ashridge Hall, the tension of the evening dissolving into calm.

Jasper Wilson let out a long breath as he lowered himself onto the sofa, his movements slow and careful. "My old bones... today was exhausting."

Mindy smiled as she walked over and poured him a glass of warm water, her movements gentle. "You did great, Poppy."

Just then, the suite door opened again, the lock clicking softly.

James Thornwell walked inside carrying a silver tray with freshly brewed tea, the porcelain cups delicate and steaming. He smiled politely, his expression warm.

"You should rest now, Mr. Wilson."

Ana, who had just sat down on the opposite sofa, froze mid-motion. She blinked. Then blinked again, her eyes widening. Her finger slowly pointed toward James, trembling slightly.

"You... You!" Her voice rose. "How are you here?"

James smiled politely, setting the tray down. "Good evening, Miss Bose."

Ana stood up, her movements jerky. "You were... The mystery buyer’s representative!"

James nodded, his expression unchanged. "I was."

Ana slowly turned toward Mindy, her mouth falling open.

Then toward Wade. Then back to James. Her mouth slowly opened wider.

"...No." She looked at Wade. "...NO."

Then at Mindy. "WAIT!!" Her eyes widened to saucers. "It was YOU?! The mystery buyer was YOU?!"

Mindy and Wade exchanged amused looks, their eyes sparkling, before nodding together. "Yes."

Ana sat back down heavily, her legs giving out. "My brain... can’t process so much information."

Everyone laughed, the sound warm and genuine.

Wade leaned back comfortably, his posture relaxed.

"We started investigating Tori Cooper months ago. We hired a private investigator to follow her movements. Recently we discovered she would be attending the Ashridge Auction. So we began investigating every item scheduled for auction."

Jasper nodded, his voice measured. "Through one of my old contacts, we obtained the complete auction catalogue a few days before the event."

Mindy continued, her tone matter-of-fact. "The Angel Tear was listed. The moment we saw it, we knew Tori was the one behind it."

Ana listened without blinking, her attention laser-focused.

Wade continued, his voice steady. "The investigator also sent us photographs of Ben Ford. He had been meeting Tori repeatedly. A month ago, he received the Angel Tear from her. So we reported Ben Ford to the police for involvement in illegal antique auctions."

Ana blinked, her voice rising. "So... the police already had him?"

James nodded, his expression calm. "They arrested him before the auction even began. He confessed after questioning. He also handed over every forged document. And the recording of his conversation with Mrs. Cooper."

Ana slowly nodded, her mind racing. "So that’s why the police arrived with him already handcuffed..."

Mindy smiled, her expression satisfied. "Exactly."

Ana suddenly looked at Mindy, her brow furrowing. "But... during the auction... you were actually bidding?"

Mindy laughed, the sound bright. "No. The bidding from my side was fake."

Ana frowned, her confusion deepening. "What do you mean fake?"

Mindy continued, her voice dropping. "I knew Missy would be attending this auction. She just can’t stop herself from seeing me in pain and hurt. So I had to act during the auction. I couldn’t let her suspect anything—she would have continued increasing the bidding. The bidding was just fake from my end. It was always Uncle James who was doing the bidding for us."

James gave a polite bow, his movements graceful. "I was bidding on behalf of our family."

Ana’s eyes widened again, her voice rising to a near-shriek. "So... you leaving the auction... angrily... was fake too? I believed you must be crying."

Mindy covered her face before bursting into laughter, her shoulders shaking.

Wade laughed, pointing at Mindy. "Crying? She was laughing when I followed her."

Mindy covered her mouth, trying not to laugh again, her eyes watering.

"I just couldn’t control myself. The moment the auctioneer shouted ’Sold!’ I was so happy. And when I saw Missy’s face smirking, I knew I wouldn’t be able to control myself."

Ana stared at her, her expression caught between disbelief and betrayal. "I was worried sick... and you were laughing?"

Mindy nodded shamelessly, her grin wide. "I almost ruined the whole plan. I had to leave before someone noticed."

Ana threw a cushion at her, the pillow hitting Mindy square in the face. "You are unbelievable."

Everyone laughed again, the sound filling the suite.

After a moment, Ana suddenly frowned, her expression shifting.

"Wait. You said Uncle James." She looked toward James, her eyes narrowing. "You’ve known them all this time?"

James smiled, his voice warm. "I served Madam Emma’s family long before Miss Mindy was born."

Ana nodded slowly, her mind processing.

James only smiled, his expression enigmatic.

There was a brief silence, the air settling.

Then Ana frowned again, her brow furrowing. "Wait, wait. So how was the tiara with Tori Cooper?"

Mindy continued, her voice dropping. "It was Emily. She gave the tiara to Tori so that no one would suspect her."

Ana’s confusion deepened, her voice rising. "Hold on! Tori and Emily know each other?"

Wade nodded, his expression serious. "Yes. I heard them in the women’s washroom. Missy called her Aunty, and they were very happy that the tiara was sold for $150 million."

Then Ana’s eyes widened, her mouth falling open. "WAIT!" She suddenly stood up, her voice rising to a shout. "What were you doing in the women’s washroom? You pervert! Can’t you use the men’s washroom?"

Mindy burst into uncontrollable laughter, her hand clutching her stomach, tears streaming down her face.

Wade immediately glared at her, his expression indignant. "What are you laughing about?"

Still laughing, Mindy pointed at him, her finger shaking. "It was funny. You hiding in the women’s washroom... Vice President of Wilson Group."

Jasper burst into laughter, his shoulders shaking. James quickly covered his smile with a cough, his hand over his mouth.

Wade continued glaring at Mindy, his jaw tight. "It was your fault."

Mindy immediately protested, her voice rising. "How is it my fault? It was Poppy’s."

Jasper looked offended, his voice rising. "HEY! What did I do?"

Mindy pointed toward James, her expression accusatory. "Uncle James called me. He said you were overacting when you were practicing. So I had to come talk to you. So Wade went into the washroom instead of me."

Jasper immediately glared at James, his voice sharp. "It was YOU."

James coughed again, his expression innocent. "I was merely helping."

Wade let out a long sigh, his head dropping back.

Ana was laughing so hard she nearly fell off the sofa, her body shaking.

After calming herself, wiping tears from her eyes, she asked, "How did you even know she would go to that washroom?"

Mindy leaned forward, her expression thoughtful. "We noticed a small recognition between them when Angel Tear was introduced. Missy and Tori glanced at each other—a small flicker, barely noticeable. So we suspected that they were acquaintances, but we didn’t know they were close."

Wade answered patiently, his tone measured. "We studied Ashridge Hall’s layout. Almost every corridor and every room had security cameras. But there was one washroom tucked into the corner. No cameras. Even the corridor leading to it had no surveillance. So if we knew that washroom corridor didn’t have any cameras, they might know it too."

Ana nodded slowly, her expression understanding. "So you hid there... waiting?"

"Exactly. And we got lucky. Tori and Missy walked in. They never realized someone was inside."

Ana stared at him, her voice dripping with amusement. "Vice President... hiding inside the ladies’ washroom."

Wade rubbed his forehead, his voice pained. "I know. It isn’t something I’m proud of."

Jasper laughed even harder, his hand slapping his knee.

Ana suddenly froze, her body going rigid. She slowly looked toward Mindy. Then toward Wade. Then toward James.

"WAIT." Her voice rose. "You bought the tiara for one hundred and fifty million."

Everyone nodded.

"Then you made Mrs. Cooper pay two hundred million..."

Again, everyone nodded.

"And you still got the Angel Tear back?"

Mindy smiled brightly, her expression triumphant. "Yes."

Ana counted on her fingers, her lips moving. "So... you earned fifty million dollars... AND Grandpa still got the Angel Tear?"

Wade nodded seriously, his expression grave. "Correct."

Ana stared at both of them for several seconds, her mouth hanging open. Then she suddenly burst into uncontrollable laughter, her body doubling over.

"If... if Missy ever finds out... she’ll faint!"

Jasper laughed so hard tears formed in his eyes, his hand clutching his chest.

James quietly smiled into his teacup, his expression serene.

Ana pointed at Mindy and Wade, her finger shaking. "You two... are monsters."

Mindy innocently blinked, her expression angelic. "We are?"

She looked toward Wade.

Wade nodded thoughtfully, his tone serious. "It was simply interest."

Mindy nodded in complete agreement, her voice matter-of-fact. "Business."

Jasper nodded, his voice dropping. "I was terrified of them when I heard their plan."

Ana doubled over laughing, her voice breathless. "I can’t... I seriously can’t... This is the funniest thing I’ve ever heard."

After laughing for nearly a full minute, she finally caught her breath, wiping her eyes. She looked at Mindy and pouted, her expression wounded. "Why didn’t you tell me? I was genuinely worried you’d be heartbroken."

Mindy smiled mischievously, her eyes sparkling. "I had to leave the auction because I couldn’t stop laughing. If you had known, you would’ve burst out laughing before me."

Ana thought about it, her expression shifting. Then she sighed dramatically, her shoulders sagging. "...That’s true."

Wade smiled, his voice warm. "We couldn’t risk it. The plan had to be perfect."

Outside the suite window, the lights of Cracros shimmered beneath the night sky, the city glowing like scattered jewels.

Inside, for the first time in many years, Maria Hawthorne’s Angel Tear had finally come home.

And for the first time, Mindy felt that justice had truly begun.