"No, we only have the same starting point, and we all want to force Joseph to leave Runestone Group, but our goals are totally different. I only want him to admit that I am stronger than him. How about you?" Is your goal the same as mine?" asked Leo, who stared at Fredrick.
"What are you trying to say?" Leo leaned forward, his expression impassive. "You seek revenge on both Joseph and Roy because they took two women you cared about away from you," he stated flatly.
Fredrick's face hardened like a stone as he listened to Leo's words.
"You hold a grudge against Roy because he married your fiancée. However, you harbor a deeper hatred for Joseph because Irish, the woman you loved for many years and secretly considered your own girlfriend, ended up with him. Despite being a psychologist, you are also concerned about maintaining appearances and enjoying the attention of having two women by your side. Even though you have a girlfriend, you cannot relinquish your feelings for Irish. The fact that she ended up marrying Joseph came as a devastating blow to you. So, compared to Roy, your resentment towards Joseph is even greater," Leo stated, his smile taking on an eerie quality.
Fredrick gnashed his teeth and said word by word, "Leo, don't be wise in your own conceit."
"I didn't," Leo replied casually, seemingly unfazed.
"You know nothing about me!" Fredrick retorted, his irritation palpable.
"What is it that you want to know?" Leo inquired in response.
"Irish should be with me. Only by staying with me can she be safe," Fredrick continued, emphasizing his conviction.
"Do you know what you are talking about?"
"I am clear what I am talking about, but you are all self-righteous," said Fredrick, who gnashed his teeth in anger. A small pause later, he then added, "Do you know why I disclosed Irish's psychological report and forced her to leave this field? Do you think I want to cope with Joseph? You are wrong. I am protecting her. But I also hope Irish can deceive herself and live a peaceful life."
"What do you mean?" Leo was shocked.
"Irish did get some mental problems," replied Fredrick, word by word, while looking into his eyes.
Leo still felt confused by his words.
Fredrick pointed to his head and proceeded to explain, "There is a secret locked away in Irish's mind. While I am not entirely certain about the specifics, I have observed that it deeply disturbs her whenever I attempt to hypnotize her. Clearly, she cannot recall this secret due to some self-protective mechanism of her brain. Initially, I believed that Adam's death had caused her immense pain, but upon realizing that she remembers their past together, I came to understand that there must be another secret buried in her mind."
Leo's eyebrows furrowed as he processed the information shared by Fredrick. It seemed that there was more to Irish's situation than he had previously known.
"I don't want anything or anyone to bother her. In other words, I hope she does not remember the secret because only in this way she could be happy." Fredrick snorted and showed a sneer and then continued, "Do you think Joseph is really her, Mr. Right? Irish should be with a man without any ambitions and live a peaceful life."
Leo was absorbed in his thought.
A small pause later, Fredrick said again, "I am jealous of Joseph because I really love Irish."
Leo maintained his silence, observing Fredrick closely as he spoke.
"Men are inherently selfish. Regarding Cassie, she is my girlfriend, so naturally, I would be angered by Roy's actions. However, when it comes to Irish, my intention is solely to protect her. I believe that Joseph is incapable of ensuring her safety," Fredrick asserted.
Leo couldn't help but sneer at Fredrick's words and responded, "Fredrick, don't assume that you are the only one who wants to protect Irish in this world."
Fredrick remained indifferent, unaffected by Leo's retort.
****
Joseph was about to go out when Irish went back home. She was shocked and asked him where he was going. Joseph heaved a sigh of relief, put down his portfolio, and embraced her.
"Why did you go there today?" asked Joseph in a soft voice.
"Are you going to find me?" Joseph neither admitted nor denied it but told her not to go there anymore.
"Why?" Irish was confused.
Joseph started for a while and kissed her forehead gently. "I don't want you to grieve."
"I just think maybe I can get some clues there," replied Irish.
"Irish, don't get involved in this matter," Joseph interrupted her and uttered seriously.
Irish paused and refrained from informing him about her discovery of a suspicious photo.
"Okay. I get it." She leaned against his chest and put her arms around his waist.
Joseph suddenly became aware that he had spoken too harshly to her. He let out a sigh and calmly reassured her, saying, "I'm not blaming you, and I genuinely don't want you to feel upset any longer."
Irish looked up and squeezed her lips into a smile. "You mean that you could handle this, right?"
Joseph showed a faint smile and raised his hands to touch her forehead. "You have to trust me."
Irish nodded quietly while Joseph reached out and embraced her.
Nevertheless, Irish's brow furrowed tightly over time as she developed a strong sense that there was a hidden secret within the ancestral house of the Lake family.
****
Irish went to meet Jay the next day when Joseph went to the police station.
Jay was waiting for Irish in a mall.
There were only a handful of individuals present as they met during regular working hours.
The weather was pleasant, prompting them to take a seat outside a coffee house. Lilith accompanied Jay going out but chose not to participate and instead spent her time casually strolling through the shopping mall. Lilith remained quiet and patient, much like a small child, waiting for their return not too far away.
Indeed, Jay also didn't want her to join their conversation because it was related to her parents.
Irish asked for a cup of Mocha, but she forgot to add some sugar.
Taking out the photo, Irish handed it to Jay, who was absorbed in his thought as he took a glance at the photo.
"William and Kelly often use this study room while the housekeeper would clear this room in time, so I think this photo must be related to them," analyzed Irish with a frown. She thought for a while and then added, "I also learned that it was William who cooked for my father before his death. William bought some books about plants and food during that period, so I think..." She stopped in the middle sentence.
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