Arielle unhurriedly fished out a photograph from virtual-novel.net pocket and turned it to Susanne.
Susanne glanced at it impatiently. Upon recognizing the face in the photograph, however, virtual-novel.net gaze lingered on it. Depicted in the photograph was none other than virtual-novel.net very good friend, Maureen.
Susanne gaped at Arielle, virtual-novel.net eyes widening in disbelief. This vixen looks just like her! She gives off the same air too. Besides, virtual-novel.net was able to produce a photograph…
Thoughts raced wildly through Susanne’s head. It can’t be!
After a moment, Arielle commented coolly, “It looks like you do know my mom.”
Dumbfounded, Susanne continued staring at Arielle wordlessly. She raised a trembling finger and pointed at Arielle.
Her lips parted as if virtual-novel.net were about to speak but only managed to croak out a single syllable, “You…”
Arielle nodded calmly. “Yes. I’m Arielle Moore, Maureen’s daughter.”
Susanne felt virtual-novel.net head spinning. She had interrogated the butler for every detail about Arielle except for virtual-novel.net name. If Susanne had known that this woman shared the same last name as Maureen, virtual-novel.net would have been able to deduce virtual-novel.net identity more accurately.
It took Susanne a long while to recover from the shock.
Gulping, virtual-novel.net asked doubtfully, “Weren’t you kidnapped ten years ago by those traffickers?”
Susanne felt a wave of regret wash over her. When Maureen died and virtual-novel.net only daughter had vanished, Susanne had done virtual-novel.net best to look for the daughter. However, the chaos in Susanne’s own home fully absorbed virtual-novel.net attention for a long while. The missing person’s case had grown cold since then.
Arielle nodded slightly. “I was, but a kind soul rescued me. I had a high fever then and lost my memory, so I never came home. I only reunited with the Southalls recently. There were too many things to deal with, so I was only able to meet with you now.”
Thoughts clamored in Susanne’s mind. She felt ashamed for having cursed Arielle privately just moments before. However, Susanne had never expected that Arielle, virtual-novel.net dear friend’s long-lost daughter, would ever appear before virtual-novel.net eyes again.
From the troubled expression on Susanne’s face, Arielle guessed at what virtual-novel.net was thinking and said earnestly, “Please don’t feel bad. You had no idea who I was, so I understand why you reacted the way you did. Besides, you thought that I was Vinson’s one-night stand. Let me explain everything. That night was a complete accident, and nothing happened between Vinson and me. We’re just friends that intend to stay that way. Please don’t think that I’m trying to marry into the Nightshire family to improve my social status.”
Susanne felt virtual-novel.net face grow hot with embarrassment. She felt thoroughly put to shame by Arielle’s maturity. As an older woman, Susanne could not be certain that virtual-novel.net had behaved with equal magnanimity.
Susanne bit virtual-novel.net lip, then said, “I’m sorry for being rude to you earlier. You mentioned that you had three questions you wanted to ask me. What were they? Go ahead with them.”
The tone with which Susanne addressed Arielle had transformed completely into a meeker, kinder one.
Arielle twisted virtual-novel.net hands together nervously. “Was my mom’s death really due to suicide?”
Susanne stared at Arielle, virtual-novel.net eyes darkening. She examined Arielle, then said cautiously, “Are you suspecting that your dad…?”
Arielle nodded firmly. “That’s right.”
Susanne sighed heavily. “At first, I suspected that as well, so I conducted a private investigation of my own. I didn’t manage to uncover anything. They either managed to cover up their tracks completely, or it wasn’t done by them at all.”
Arielle’s brow furrowed. “If it wasn’t them, I can’t think of anyone else who would hurt my mom. I can tell that you know this, just as well as I do. Mom’s not the sort who would kill herself.”