Chapter 285: Enrico’s Astonishing Question
The autumn air was crisp, and even the falling leaves were beautiful.
In the new Rose Estate, Paige was unusually in the mood to play chess on the balcony with Angie. Paige’s chess strategy always involved planning each move with the entire game in mind. As a result, Angie found it difficult to keep up, needing to anticipate Paige’s next move and how to respond before making her own move.
The game was progressing very slowly.
Seeing this, Paige, not wanting to make it too hard for her, peeled a candy and popped it into her mouth, taking her time with the game.
Noticing Paige’s intention, Angie sighed in relief, began moving her pieces faster, and brought up the situation with the Grissom family. “That Tiffany, just as you predicted, has already discovered that Molly is Bryan’s ex-girlfriend.”
Paige rolled the peppermint candy around on her tongue, savoring its coolness, and smiled faintly. “People tend to overthink things.”
Miss Tiffany would inevitably overthink the situation, having found out that Molly was Bryan’s ex-girlfriend and now Rachel’s assistant. It would be hard not to imagine that Bryan had reconciled with his ex, betrayed her, and was playing this six-billion-dollar trick to spite her. Most people wouldn’t be able to tolerate that, especially a pampered young lady from the Grissom family.
Angie moved her chess piece and asked, “Do you think Tiffany might confront Bryan and Rachel, only to have it cleared up?”
Rachel was clever enough to clear things up if it came to that.
“Tiffany’s temper would drive her to do it, but Mr. Grissom wouldn’t allow it,” Paige said, glancing up at her.
“Why wouldn’t Mr. Grissom?” Angie was puzzled.
Before Paige could answer, a deep, magnetic voice suddenly chimed in, “Because Mr. Grissom would also overthink. In his eyes, if his future son-in-law is still entangled with an ex-girlfriend, secretly swapped a painting, and gifted it, while Rachel tried to stop the investigation and let everyone leave the hotel, it would seem like a deliberate act of collusion. If Jason finds out, it would confirm to him that the Smiths family and Artisans might have been secretly conspiring all along.”
Hearing this, Paige looked up to see Enrico walking toward them. Seeing him, she propped her chin on her hand, her eyes full of admiration. “Exactly, you’re very clever.”
Her calculations were entirely seen through by him.
“…”
Enrico didn’t appreciate her tone, which sounded like she was praising a child. He looked at her unhappily but was too captivated by the sparkle in her eyes to stay angry.Content provided by NôvelDrama.Org.
Angie finally understood. “I get it now. Mr. Grissom is a shrewd businessman. If he suspects that the Smiths family and Artisans are secretly colluding, he’ll wonder if they’re plotting against him, and whether their alliance is just a cover. So, he’ll hold off for now, watching to see what these two families are really up to.”
“So, what we need to do next is make Mr. Grissom believe that the Smiths family and Artisans are truly conspiring together to slowly devour the Grissom family.”
Paige looked at Angie, smiled, and placed her piece on the board. “I’ve won.”
Angie glanced down and saw that she had indeed been defeated, her forces completely overwhelmed without any chance of a comeback.
Instead of feeling discouraged, she was delighted. “If that’s the case, Mr. Grissom will start secretly opposing the Smiths family and Artisans. By the time they’re done fighting, Miss won’t even have to lift a finger; they’ll destroy each other.”
Once the Smiths family and Grissom family are defeated, the goal of rebuilding the slum would be within reach.
As Angie was thinking this, she looked up to see Enrico standing there, staring intently at Paige. Realizing she was probably in the way, she quickly stood up. “Miss, I’ll go attend to some matters.”
Angie hurried off, leaving the balcony to them.
Enrico sat down across from Paige, observing the overwhelmingly one-sided chessboard. “All this plotting over a single painting.”
The Smiths family, the Grissom family, and Artisans were all involved in her schemes.
She was truly intelligent.
No, not just intelligent-she was full of cunning. And yet, she had a face that was pure and innocent, even more so than his sister’s.
Paige still had the taste of candy in her mouth. She smiled at him. “Now you understand why I didn’t let you take the painting?”
The painting was too important; she couldn’t give it to him.
“…”
Enrico remained silent, still looking rather displeased.
“Don’t worry. Once this is all over, I’ll make sure to get the painting back for you, no matter what it takes,” Paige reassured him.
“Really?” Enrico looked at her immediately, unable to hide the eagerness in his eyes.
“Do you really like my painting that much?” Paige asked, watching him. She enjoyed seeing how much he cared, even if it was just for a painting.
“Not that much,” Enrico quickly reined in his emotions.
“…”
This guy…
Paige smiled helplessly, starting to gather up the chess pieces. She didn’t continue the topic and instead asked, “By the way, I heard you had Jaden bring in Dr. Clinton. Is there something wrong with your health?”
She had been keeping an eye on his health, and he was recovering steadily.
And if he wasn’t feeling well, shouldn’t he have come to her? Although she was a descendant of the Medicine Curse Sect, she could handle minor ailments.
At her question, Enrico’s expression shifted, his eyes darting left and right but never meeting hers. “Nothing, just wanted to ask about my past health issues.”
“…”
Really?
Paige found his reaction suspicious, but before she could probe further, the guard downstairs called out, saying Jaden and Dr. Clinton had arrived.
“I’ll be going then.”
Enrico quickly got up and left, his retreating figure looking a bit like he was escaping.
“…”
Paige was puzzled. She hadn’t even pressed him for answers, so why was he acting like this?
…
Enrico led Jaden and Dr. Clinton to the community basketball court.
Dr. Clinton, looking utterly bewildered, was dragged there by Jaden, and then forced to play basketball for nearly an hour, by the end of which he was completely exhausted.
*Thud!*
Enrico made a powerful block, sending the basketball straight into the hoop, looking effortlessly cool.
Standing there, Dr. Clinton was panting heavily, leaning on his knees. “Mr. Gustin, did you bring me here just to play basketball?”
He hadn’t expected that under Paige’s influence, Mr. Gustin would have such a youthful vibe, avoiding smoking and drinking, and choosing basketball-a healthy and energetic sport-over shooting targets.
Jaden was somewhat used to this side of Enrico by now and stood silently, drinking water.
Enrico, standing there, looked intently at Dr. Clinton, his expression unreadable as the basketball spun on his fingertip.
Despite knowing that Enrico’s inner self was only nine years old, Dr. Clinton couldn’t help but feel nervous under his gaze. He instinctively stood up straight, beads of sweat on his forehead gleaming under the sun.
“I have a question for you,” Enrico said deeply, staring at him.
Hearing this, even Jaden stopped drinking his water, looking at Enrico with a serious expression. Could it be that the previous shooting incident had left Mr. Gustin traumatized?
Jeremy’s men were no good, so shooting them was no big deal.
“Mr. Gustin, you can ask. Or should we go somewhere more private?” Dr. Clinton replied, also taking the matter seriously.
“Here is fine.”
This place was open, and he wasn’t sure if Paige had placed surveillance cameras elsewhere.
Enrico stepped closer to Dr. Clinton, lowered his voice, and asked him something quickly.
Jaden tried to step closer to eavesdrop, but Enrico had already stepped back, continuing to spin the basketball on his hand.
Dr. Clinton stood frozen in the middle of the court, his expression completely blank.
He wasn’t just dazed-he was utterly…
“Does a man having a physical reaction to a woman mean anything?”