"I’ve been watching her closely for so ti now,"Corrick began, a glint of calculation in their eyes. "Her weakness lies in her emotions. Unlike Edwina, she isn’t driven by greed or an obsession with wealth. She takes after her father in that regard—idealistic, sentintal, and painfully naive. It’s almost pitiable, really. She hasn’t inherited a shred of Edwina’s cunning or ruthlessness, and that will be her downfall. We won’t even have to get our hands dirty for now."
Matthew’s brow furrowed, his tone sharp. "And what exactly are you getting at?"
"Isn’t it obvious?" Corrick continued, leaning forward as though revealing a well-kept secret. "The only reason she’s pushing so hard is this misguided notion of ’justice’—for her late grandmother, for her father. She believes she’s fighting a righteous battle. But that idealism is her Achilles’ heel. Now, imagine what would happen if we planted the idea that Edwina was the one who orchestrated her mother’s death or caused harm to her brother. It wouldn’t take much to break her resolve. She’d lose focus, question everything she’s been fighting for, and step back from the ga entirely."
"You really think it would be that easy?"
"Of course. Look at what she’s already done—offering Ava a way out, practically handing her an escape route without hesitation when a few days ago, she was the one intent on digging her grave.. That’s not the move of soone hell-bent on winning. It’s the move of soone too soft to see things through to the end. She is already feeling guilty and all she has done is spoken to Nvidia once and heard those tapped phone calls. Play on that softness and guilt, and she’ll fold like a house of cards."
Matthew shook his head slowly, his expression dark with skepticism. "No, I don’t think so," he said firmly. "When she left after Edwina’s death—after everything fell apart—I might have agreed with you back then. She was broken, disillusioned, and left with no intention of holding on or coming back, much like Edward did. But things have changed. She returned, didn’t she? And not just to linger or pick up the pieces. She ca back, took up the mantle, and took action. That kind of thing, isn’t easy to shatter. She is thirsty for revenge."
He paused, his gaze sharpening as he continued. "Even if, sohow, you manage to divert her attention from Edwina, make her question revenge in that direction, there’s no way she’s letting things slide when it cos to Edward. He’s too deeply rooted in her sense of loyalty and purpose. She idolises her father.. And let’s not forget, she’s been attacked. That’s not sothing she’s going to take lightly. You’re underestimating her. I don’t think this is going to be as simple as you imagine."
"Oh, but that’s where you’re wrong. I’ve already crafted the perfect plan to deal with all of that," Corrick answered smoothly in a tone laced with confidence. "Once I’ve planted the idea in Serena’s mind that Edwina was behind her mother’s death, her energy will shift. She’ll focus entirely on finding her missing brother, driven by a need to protect what remains of her family. While she’s distracted with that, I’ll ensure Nvidia is well-prepared for the next phase. Nvidia will learn to play the role perfectly—to convince Serena that Edward’s death was, in fact, nothing more than an accident."
"Nvidia will assure Serena that she never targeted Edward. She’ll insist her target had always been Edwina, and only Edwina. That narrative will absolve her in Serena’s eyes. Once that seed is planted, all we have to do is redirect Serena’s suspicions about her own attacks. We’ll turn her focus onto Sidney, shift the bla in a way that muddies the waters completely. With Serena pulled in every direction, confused and isolated, she’ll crumble. And when she does, we’ll have won."
Matthew shook his head, doubts still weighing heavily on him. The plan seed convoluted, rife with manipulations and deceit, and he couldn’t shake the nagging feeling that it would spiral out of control. Yet, as he turned his attention to the ssages he had received, with the breaking news about Ava being cleared of the tax evasion charges, a flicker of hope stirred within him. Perhaps, just perhaps, there was a way to salvage sothing from all this ss.
He sighed, his thoughts churning. He had never wanted to be a part of this web of sches and vendettas. From the very beginning, he had tried to stay on the sidelines, avoiding the manipulations his uncle seed to thrive on. It wasn’t out of fear or lack of ability but because he didn’t have the stomach for it. His uncle often saw this reluctance as a sign of weakness, a flaw in Matthew’s character. But Matthew knew better. He wasn’t weak—he simply didn’t see the value in perpetuating cycles of revenge and bitterness.
His gaze turned inward as mories of Edwina surfaced. "Edwina wasn’t a bad person," he muttered under his breath, almost as if trying to convince himself. Despite being their stepmother, she had never actively hard them. Yes, she had her faults—she had favored Edward at tis, perhaps a bit too obviously, and her deanor had been more formal than warm. But she had never been unfair, never crossed a line that couldn’t be forgiven.
This entire saga of revenge, all these intricate and heartless gas—they had always left a bad taste in his mouth. And now, knowing his daughter was entangled in this ss, his unease only grew.
"Sidney is important to Ava," Matthew said quietly, his voice tinged with hesitation. He wasn’t sure if he was stating a fact or issuing a plea, but the words hung in the air between them. He didn’t want his daughter to suffer unnecessarily.
"Don’t be a fool, Matthew," his uncle snapped, his tone dripping with condescension. "Sidney’s loyalties ultimately lie with Serena, not Ava. That’s the truth, whether you like it or not. If you care for your daughter, you’ll tell her to stay away from Sidney. Better that than pushing her into a hell like this, where she’ll only get hurt."
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