My Mute Bride - Season 1 Episode 83

I Cannot Do That

Rachel rested her head against the pillow, looking at Janice curiously. What did you guys talk about?

Janice was sitting beside the bed, peeling an orange. “Hudson Pharmaceuticals’ contraband. Wanted to know if he’s looking into it. Makes it easier to see you using that excuse.” She gave half the orange to Rachel.

He admitted it?

“Of course not. He’s not stupid. Businessmen hate getting involved with us. If he admits to it, he’s gonna have to help us, and that means we’ll be going to his company a lot. You think he’ll let us do that?”

So are they really looking into Hudson Pharmaceuticals?

“I have no idea.”

Rachel was obviously surprised.

“Hey, don’t give me that look. Everyone knows the Burtons have been antagonizing the Hudsons for a while now. And from what you told me, I can see what he thinks about the Hudsons. I don’t know much about business, but it’s important to know everything about your competitor. That’s why they must have been looking into the Hudsons. As for what they’re investigating, it doesn’t really matter.”

You’re trying to wheedle something out of him?

“And I failed, obviously.” Janice looked at her. “Hans is right. Justin is more complex than he lets on. You’re right to leave him.”

Rachel paused for a moment. If it weren’t for him, I would have been gone forever.

Worried that Justin might get suspicious, Janice didn’t stay for too long. After all, there were people guarding Rachel 24/7 now, and Janice knew they’d report everything back to their boss—Justin.

Back at Burton Group, Frankie came into Justin’s office with a bag. “The repair shop’s mechanic sent this over, President Burton. Probably the madam’s personal belongings. She must have left it in the car.”

The dirty canvas bag made Justin frown. She doesn’t even have a decent bag. This is the same one she’s been using since I met her. “Put it here.”

“Yes.”

“How’s the investigation going?”

“Janice visited the madam the last time the madam was in the hospital. The staff told me she got into a fight with Amber then. Apparently, that’s the first time she met the madam. They have never seen each other before.”

“What’s her relationship with Hudson Pharmaceuticals?”

“The Investigation Bureau is very secretive, but they usually only take on big cases. She didn’t do anything after she got into their company, though I suspect that she’s related to Hudson Pharmaceuticals’s agent’s death.”

Justin thought about what Frankie just said. He knew that case too, so he wanted to see if the connection was there.

“Should we look into this, President Burton?”

“No.” Justin looked at his desk. “And get everyone back. I want them to stop looking into this. Cease the R&D’s activities on Hudson Pharmaceuticals’s meds. Delete all the data as well.”

Frankie was shocked. “But we spent a lot of time getting those. There’s even Hudson Pharmaceuticals’s sleeping pill’s recipe in there. If we delete everything, everything we did would have been for nothing.”

“Do you really think the bureau’s deputy chief would personally look into a regular agent’s death?”

Frankie stopped talking.

“There must be something off with them. Something we don’t know.” Justin’s eyes twinkled. Ever since Janice brought up Hudson Pharmaceuticals that morning, he knew his plans had to be changed.

After the doctor was done checking up on Rachel the next morning, a guest came uninvitingly. When she saw who it was, she couldn’t believe it. Jefferey?

“Why didn’t you tell me you’re in the hospital, Rachel? I wouldn’t have found out if Amber hadn’t told me. You shouldn’t keep quiet about everything, you know.” He put the fruit basket down. “I got your favorite fruits here.”

A frown creased Rachel’s forehead. Why are you here? After everything that happened, she had stopped seeing Jefferey as her father.

“You’ve been getting along well with Justin recently, haven’t you? I heard Arthur has allowed you to stay in the villa. That’s the Burtons’ most important estate. Only those who Arthur acknowledges get to stay there.”

Rachel looked at him calmly, but that only made Jefferey nervous. A while later, he cracked a smile. “But that’s not important. I know you’ve never been one to chase after something like fame or fortune. As long as you’re happy, I’m fine with it.”

Rachel forced a smile and kept peeling the orange. Always holier than thou. No matter the case, he can justify his actions, just like the time he married me off to Justin. After she finished peeling the orange, she put it on the table, telling Jefferey to eat it.

That delighted Jefferey. “Rachel, I know Amber’s wronged you, but she’s still your sister after all. Just let it slide this time. She’ll need your help.”

Rachel’s face fell. Why? So she can sleep with Justin? So she can keep urging Tina to kill me?

Jefferey froze up.

Dad, I know I’m a mute, so I’ve never asked for much. But that doesn’t mean I’m an idiot. I know more than I let on. Amber tried to kill her on multiple occasions. That was just pure evil.

“Rachel.”

Why are you here? Get to the point.

Jefferey stopped acting loving and resumed his cold, indifferent self. But Rachel was used to it. A moment later, he put something metallic on the table. It was the size of a nail, so it was inconspicuous.

“Put this in Justin’s car.”

What is this?

“A listening device.” He looked at her darkly. “The company’s running into some trouble. I suspect that Justin’s getting in touch with our supplier.”

The listening device glinted menacingly under the light.

Rachel frowned. I can’t do this.

“You have to. The family’s survival rides on this. You’re a part of us. Don’t forget about that.”

If that’s true, then why didn’t you come visit me the last time I was in the hospital? Rachel brought up the last time she was hospitalized.

Jefferey froze up.

Do you know why I was hospitalized last time? Rachel stared at Jefferey coldly. If you really think of me as family, you wouldn’t have tried to kill me. That poison almost killed me. You think you can still get me to help you after that?

Jefferey was fuming, but he couldn’t say anything to that. A while later, he gritted his teeth and asked, “Can’t you help me this time, Rachel?”

Rachel frowned, but her silence was the answer. Now that her grandmother was no longer held hostage, Jefferey couldn’t control her anymore. It would be pure stupidity if she kept sabotaging Justin for him.

Slam! Jefferey slammed open the door and stormed off, but his voice rattled across the corridor. “You ungrateful cur! All the money spent on you, gone to the dogs!” Arriving at the elevators, Jefferey angrily tossed the listening device into the trash can.

With a ding, the elevator arrived. Jefferey went inside the moment the doors opened, but right after he left, a person in white came out from the corner and rummaged through the trash can. When they found the listening device, they looked at it for a while before holding it tightly.