Chapter 494: Have You Found Addie?
Chapter 494: Chapter 494: Have You Found Addie?
Renee Jennings gently patted Ducky’s little head. "So what did Dee tell you before she left?"
"QUACK~" Ducky answered. "Dee just said, ’I’m sorry, Ducky. I can’t take care of you anymore.’"
Hearing this, Renee Jennings’s expression grew worried.
’For Addie Sutton to say that... this feels like more than just running away.’
She scooped Ducky into her arms and hurried back to the living room.
When Felix Sutton saw her approaching, he adjusted his glasses. "Consultant Jennings, my apologies. My wife is tied up with work and couldn’t get away. If you have any questions, you can just ask me."
"Is that so." Renee Jennings gave a slight nod, sitting down in an armchair with Ducky in her arms. "As a matter of fact," she said coolly, "I do have quite a few questions."
"Mr. Sutton, did you consult Addie before deciding to have a second child?"
Hearing this, Felix Sutton looked astonished. "Do we need to ask her opinion about having a second child?"
Renee Jennings’s expression remained impassive, but her lips curved into a faintly mocking smile. "Then let me rephrase."
Felix Sutton looked at her, puzzled.
Renee said, "If Addie were your biological daughter, would you have consulted her about it? Or, to put it another way, would you even be having a second child at all?"
The color drained from Felix Sutton’s face. His pupils contracted, and a look of pure shock seemed ready to burst from his eyes.
Director Leto and Raleigh were also completely stunned.
’Addie Sutton... isn’t his biological daughter?’
But there were no formal adoption papers between her and Felix Sutton.
Felix Sutton lowered his gaze, quickly composing himself. He adjusted the arm of his glasses. "You must be joking, Consultant Jennings. Addie is my wife’s and my biological daughter. The second child was an unplanned pregnancy. Since it happened, we couldn’t just have an abortion, could we?"
Renee Jennings nodded lightly, her smile laced with mockery. "Alright. Then let me ask you this, Mr. Sutton. When your mother accused Addie of stealing money, why didn’t you clear her name after you learned the money had been found and she had been wrongly accused?"
"Why do you let your son call her a thief? Why do you ignore the way your mother ostracizes her?"
Hearing this, Felix Sutton glared at Renee Jennings, his hands clenching tightly on his knees.
’How could she know all this?’
After a moment of thought, Felix Sutton came to a conclusion: ’The police must have found Addie. She’s the one who told them.’
’But that didn’t feel right, either.’
’How could Addie possibly know she wasn’t their biological daughter?’
’Only a handful of them knew that secret. Not even Helen’s parents were aware of it.’
Felix Sutton didn’t answer, so Renee Jennings pressed on. "Addie’s grades were clearly good enough for a four-year university, yet you made her choose a vocational college. Was it because she could graduate a year earlier to start earning money, saving you a year of tuition? Are you truly her biological father?"
Felix Sutton’s eyes darkened. He was suddenly certain of his earlier guess.
’Addie told them!’
He ground his back teeth, forcing down his resentment and putting on an anxious expression. "You’ve found Addie, haven’t you? Where is she now?"
"Mr. Sutton, we have not found Addie," Renee Jennings said coldly. "What we can confirm, however, is that she didn’t run away because she did poorly on her college entrance exams. She ran away because of her parents’ neglect, her brother’s bullying, and her grandmother’s targeted abuse."
Director Leto’s face darkened with displeasure. He said in a heavy voice, "If that’s true, then your family has gone too far!"
Felix Sutton immediately denied it. "No! It’s not like that! You’re lying!"
"Whether I’m lying or not, you know the truth." Renee Jennings stood up, holding Ducky. Her voice was like ice. "If anything happens to Addie, your entire family will be the killers."
With that, she turned and walked out.
Downstairs, Raleigh said in a low voice, "See that woman in the red dress up ahead? That’s Felix Sutton’s wife, Helen Lockwood."
Hearing this, Renee Jennings narrowed her eyes, sizing the woman up.
The woman was elegantly dressed in a form-fitting red dress and black high heels. She wore a full face of makeup, and her long, curly hair was dark and glossy.
Renee Jennings walked up to her and said calmly, "Excuse me, are you Felix Sutton’s wife?"
Helen Lockwood stopped, glanced at Renee, then turned to greet Director Leto. "Director Leto, hello."
A familiar, acrid smell filled Renee’s nose. It was wafting from the woman’s hair—the chemical scent of a fresh perm or dye job.
Renee Jennings frowned slightly. "Did you just get your hair done, Mrs. Sutton?"
Hearing this, Helen Lockwood’s expression faltered. She was inwardly furious.
’Didn’t I tell them to say I was at work? Why did they tell the truth!’
Seeing her silence, Renee Jennings pressed, "Is it because Addie isn’t your biological child that you aren’t worried even when she’s missing? You have enough free time to go get your hair done."
Helen Lockwood’s expression changed again, her eyes widening in disbelief.
’Has Felix gone mad? How could he reveal that secret?’
"Surprised?" Renee Jennings asked. "Mr. Sutton told us everything about Addie."
"I..." Helen Lockwood was at a loss for words, clutching her handbag tightly. Her lips trembled, and it took her a long moment to speak. "Of course I’m worried! Even if Addie isn’t my biological daughter, I’m the one who raised her from the time she was in diapers! If I weren’t worried, I wouldn’t have called the police."
"And went to get your hair done right after calling the police?"
"It’s just... the discount coupon for the salon was about to expire..."
Renee Jennings stared at her, her voice cold. "Addie might be suicidal."
A look of terror filled Helen Lockwood’s eyes. "How could that be?"
"How could that be?" Renee Jennings repeated, her face devoid of expression. "Why do you think? Figure it out for yourself."
Helen Lockwood froze on the spot. A long moment passed before she turned to look at Renee Jennings’s retreating back.
Renee was just ducking into the police car.
Helen Lockwood thought about what Renee had said. Her chest felt tight and heavy, as if stuffed with water-soaked cotton, making her heart pound with panic.
She spun around and started jogging in her high heels.
"Felix Sutton!" Helen Lockwood burst through the door, shouting frantically, "Are you insane?"
"What are you screeching about?" Felix Sutton snapped, already in a foul mood.
Helen Lockwood saw him smoking on the balcony and shouted in fury, "Why did you tell those cops that secret?"
Felix Sutton took a drag from his cigarette, frowning. "What are you talking about?"
Helen Lockwood was flustered and furious, but she was also afraid the neighbors would hear. She lowered her voice to a hiss. "About Addie! How could you tell them she’s not our biological daughter!"
"I didn’t tell them!" Felix Sutton’s expression turned grim. "You ran into them?"
Helen Lockwood’s eyes flew wide. She clapped a hand over her mouth, her face a mask of panic and dread. "You... you didn’t tell them?"
Felix Sutton’s brow furrowed, his voice sharp with anger. "What did you tell them?"
"They said... they said you had told them about Addie not being ours..." Helen Lockwood stomped her foot in vexation. "I thought you’d already told them, so I... I admitted it..."