Free Web NovelChapter 480: Chapter 480: The Deal
In the Walsh Villa, just a wall away from the Summers’ residence, a few scented candles were lit in the exquisitely decorated living room, filling the air with the refreshing fragrance of grapefruit.
Nina Summers sat anxiously on the sofa, her face a little pale as she stared at the Pink Diamond Ring in front of her, looking completely at a loss.
Zara Walsh sat opposite Nina Summers, calmly observing her expression. She subconsciously raised a hand to tuck a stray strand of hair behind her ear, only to remember that her long hair had been cut short when she went to prison. She could only lower her hand, a little awkwardly.
After a long moment, seeing Nina keep her head down in silence, Zara Walsh spoke impatiently, "Well? Have you made up your mind?"
Conflict was written all over Nina Summers’ face. After a moment, she gently shook her head and said in a small voice, "No... I... I can’t do this..."
Zara Walsh scoffed at her words. She picked up a glass of red wine, took a small sip, and said, "Alright, cut the act. I’ve looked into you. I know you don’t have a good relationship with your grandmother’s family. They don’t have much affection for you, do they?"
Hearing this, Nina Summers bit her lower lip and remained silent.
Zara Walsh was right. Her relationship with her grandmother’s family wasn’t good. Her only contact with them had been a few times when she was young, when she had gone back with her father as the Summers Family relocated their ancestral graves. Other than that, there was nothing.
Caleb Summers had married into his wife’s family, so Nina Summers always spent holidays with her maternal grandparents. She rarely interacted with her paternal relatives and naturally felt little emotional connection to them.
Zara Walsh saw the dejection on Nina Summers’ face and grew even more confident.
She curved her lips into a smile and continued, "What’s the point of living under someone else’s roof like this, always having to walk on eggshells? Your relationship with that cousin of yours, Melody Summers, is terrible, isn’t it? One day, she’ll get upset, kick you out, and you won’t even have a place to cry!"
Nina Summers’ expression shifted again at Zara Walsh’s words.
Zara Walsh’s voice was full of temptation. She pushed the Pink Diamond Ring on the coffee table closer to Nina Summers and said in a low voice, "As long as you do what I say—plant this ring in Melody Summers’ room and then accuse her of theft—I will make it well worth your while..."
"Besides the five hundred thousand in cash I promised you, I can give you another gift... I know your father, Caleb Summers, is competing for a director position. I have an uncle who’s a deputy chief at your father’s workplace. If you help me with this, I’ll put in a word with my uncle and make sure your father gets that director position he wants."
Hearing this, Nina Summers jerked her head up, stunned. "Really?... You can really do that?"
Seeing her reaction, Zara Walsh chuckled and nodded. "Of course, it’s true. I heard from my uncle that the competition for the director position is pretty fierce right now. With your father’s qualifications, I’m afraid it’ll be very difficult for him to succeed without some help..."
Noticing that Nina Summers still looked conflicted, Zara decided to add more fuel to the fire.
She took a sip of her wine and said in a heavy tone, "I heard your mother died, your father remarried, and they even gave you a little brother. Ever since your father had a son, he’s stopped caring about you, hasn’t he..."
At these words, Nina Summers trembled slightly, and an unconcealable look of hurt and grievance flashed in her eyes.
Seeing the look on Nina’s face, Zara Walsh smiled faintly.
She set down her wine glass, leaned forward to pat Nina’s shoulder, and spoke in the tone of someone with experience. "Listen, little sister, let me give you a piece of advice. The most important thing in any relationship is mutual benefit. That’s true even between a father and daughter..."
"...As long as you help your father secure that director position, you’ll prove your worth to him. You’ll show him how useful you are, and he’ll naturally start to love you again. When that happens, the son your stepmother gave him won’t be able to overshadow you!"
Nina Summers didn’t answer right away. She lowered her head, her hands gripping the hem of her clothes tightly, her eyes filled with conflict.
Zara Walsh knew Nina was wrestling with a difficult decision, so she didn’t press her. Instead, she picked up her glass and drank by herself.
Zara Walsh wasn’t worried that Nina Summers would refuse. The choice was between going home to be her father’s cherished little Princess again, or staying here, living under her grandmother’s roof and groveling before a cousin she despised. As long as Nina wasn’t a complete idiot, she knew what to choose!
And just as Zara Walsh expected, after a long moment, Nina Summers seemed to make up her mind. She looked up at Zara and replied, "...Okay... I’ll do it!"
A victorious smile spread across Zara Walsh’s face. She patted Nina’s shoulder approvingly and said, "That’s more like it. I knew I wasn’t wrong about you. You’re a smart girl who knows how to adapt to the situation!"
"Then it’s settled. Tonight at eight, I’ll call the police and report my ring missing. When you hear the commotion next door, you’ll come forward and identify Melody Summers."
"All you have to do is tell the police that you personally saw Melody Summers sneak into my house from the second floor. Don’t worry about the rest. The police will naturally search Melody’s room. Understand?"
Once the police went in to investigate, they would find the ring Nina Summers had planted in Melody Summers’ room ahead of time.
With both a witness and physical evidence, the case would be airtight. The Pink Diamond Ring was worth hundreds of millions. A theft of that magnitude would be a massive case, and the Summers Family would surely be taken in for a period of investigation.
Even if they couldn’t be convicted in the end due to insufficient evidence, as long as she could get Melody Summers and her family thrown in a detention center to experience the same suffering she had, Zara Walsh would be satisfied.
Nina Summers bit her lip and replied in a low voice, "Okay... I understand..."
Hearing Nina Summers’ words, the corners of Zara Walsh’s mouth lifted into a smile, savoring her successful scheme.
She lifted her head, drained the red wine in her hand, and set the empty glass back on the table with a sharp CLACK.
Then she stared into Nina Summers’ eyes and said in a warning tone, "Little girl, you’d better do exactly as I say and not get any funny ideas. If you dare to betray me or tell your cousin about our plan... then I’m afraid your father won’t be able to keep his job..."
"And if you make your father lose his job... what do you think? Will he still even acknowledge you as his daughter?"
Hearing Zara Walsh’s threat, Nina Summers’ face turned several shades paler.
She knew Zara Walsh was right. If she caused her father to lose his job, he would probably disown her completely...
So Nina Summers gritted her teeth and quickly promised, "Don’t worry, I’ll do exactly as you say!"
Zara Walsh was very satisfied with Nina’s reaction. She snorted and said coldly, "As long as you’re obedient, after this is done, I’ll give you the five hundred thousand, and I’ll even have my uncle personally escort you home. When that time comes, you’ll surely be the apple of your father’s eye once again."
...
After Nina Summers left, Zara Walsh pinched the bridge of her nose and poured herself another glass of wine.
Just then, the figure of a slender, frail girl emerged from the balcony. She was thinly dressed, and coincidentally, just like Zara Walsh, she also had very short-cropped hair.
She walked up to Zara Walsh, hesitated for a moment, and then asked, "Zara... do you really trust this Nina Summers? What if she just takes the ring and runs?"
