Love beyond the mask ( Whitney )
Chapter 860

"Are you seriously asking me to go back and seduce Jason, to sell him aerospace tech so you can bail out the Patrick Group?"

Thea's face turned a steely shade of blue as she confronted Wade!

Wade slightly narrowed his eyes, his grip on her waist tightened momentarily before he gently pulled away. "Don't make it sound so ugly. You and Jason have a deep bond of marriage after all. If you appeal to him emotionally, maybe his heart will soften at the sight of your tears, and he'll hand over the product to you. That way, the Patrick Group could be saved."

Ha!

He still wants to buy it.

But he wants Jason to give it willingly!

Never before had Thea looked down on Wade as much as she did now.

But, he had always been like this, hadn't he? Rising in the shadows by leeching off the Lippert Group over the past thirty years.

Back then, love had blinded her, and she saw Wade through rose-colored glasses, even admiring his cunning and ability to conceal his true power.

Now, thinking back, what power did Wade really have?

His power lay in manipulating people, utterly despicable to the core.

And now, he had the audacity to set his sights on her, his words shamelessly suggesting she sell her body!

To save the Patrick Group, the woman he had loved for years was just another pawn to be sacrificed.

Or... had he stopped loving her a long time ago?

Thinking of Wade's dalliances with his secretary, the vague suspicions Thea had harbored now ignited her anger and fear. She tightly grasped Wade's arm, her voice trembling with rage, "Don't you dare lay your plans on me, Wade. You're underestimating Jason. He's not someone who can be manipulated easily!"

Wade observed her resistance, his expression gradually softening as he stood up. "Thea, I'm out of options. Give it a try. Maybe he's secretly hoping you'd come back to him."

Thea couldn't help but recall Jason's dignified features, a pang of pain striking her heart.

She had made a mistake demanding a divorce when Jason was critically ill, leaving no path for reconciliation.

"Thea, for me, for our son, can't you let go of your pride?" Wade turned back, pressing her further.

Thea's expression turned icy. "The Patrick Group's troubles are a result of your mismanagement, your decisions not outmatching Ludwik's schemes. You, as a man, should find a way to ensure the Patrick Group survives this storm, not exploit me." "If I had any other way, would I be forcing you?"

Wade's face suddenly darkened as he rebuked her. "Our son has been a disappointment, spending over two decades around Jason without learning a thing from Ludwik's cunning!

You blame me, but am I not worried about the Patrick Group's predicament?

I'm just asking you to reconnect with Jason, I'm not asking you to sell yourself.

Thea, I know what you're thinking. The Patrick Group will inevitably be Jarvis's.

But don't let me down. If the Lippert family's product can be secured just by your words, then you have to try. Otherwise, having a son and a wife who both let me down... I won't deny I've considered having another child."

"Wade..." Thea's face flushed with anger, "What are you implying?"

Wade, cold and merciless, lit a cigarette and looked at her disdainfully. "My secretary was pregnant. I had her abort last week.

But if you don't go to Jason now, I might let her keep the baby.

After all, no one fears having too many heirs."

"You... you're despicable! We've loved each other for thirty years, and now you're fooling around with your secretary, even fathering a bastard child. Wade, is this your undying love for me? I finally understand. All these years, I've been nothing but a tool for you to leech off the Lippert family. No wonder you didn't mind me being with Jason physically; you never cared about me!"

"Think whatever you want. Jason hasn't been intimate with you either, has he?

So, I'm not worried. Thea, you're the one I love the most, but men inevitably play their roles.

You better think about Jarvis's future." With those cold words, Wade left.

Thea wished she could grab the inkstone on her desk and smash it against his head!

Her nails dug into her palms, sending a chill through her body.

She had made the wrong choice. Jason wasn't the heartless one; Wade was.

Wiping away her tears, Thea took a deep breath and picked up her phone, dialing that long-unanswered number.

After several attempts, Jason didn't pick up.

Her heart sank, a complex mix of anger and sadness welled up inside her.

Frustrated, she threw her phone into her bag and quickly called Jarvis, instructing him to figure out Jason's whereabouts.

"Mom, are you going to see Jason? Why?" Jarvis asked, sensing it had something to do with Wade.

Tears welled up in Thea's eyes as she thought about her son's fate now in Wade's hands.

Maybe if she hadn't exposed Jarvis's true parentage to Jason, even if Jason didn't favor Jarvis, he wouldn't be in such a constrained situation now.

But it was too late for regrets.

Thea made up her mind to mend her relationship with Jason.

Wade's vile words rang true; she and Jason had shared thirty years of marriage!

Jason had never been one to desire other women; she had been his only intimate wife for years.

He must hold some unresolved feelings for her; even if he was angry, she could win him back by admitting her faults and being affectionate.

"It's for you, Jarvis," Thea's eyes darkened as she switched to a colder tone, "Keep an eye on Wade's secretary. Find a chance to take her to the hospital for an abortion."

"What?" Jarvis's eyes flashed wickedly, "Are you saying that secretary is carrying Wade's child?"

Thea's eyes turned crimson.

Jarvis cursed, "That bastard Wade, living off a woman's fortune. I'm going to confront him right now!"

"Jarvis! Don't be rash. Have you forgotten you don't yet have the Patrick Group's inheritance?"

We all got played by Wade, big time. I used to think that the Patrick Group, standing tall and unshaken in the heart of Harmonia Country, was invincible under his command. Now, with Ludwik throwing a curveball our way, the Patrick Group is in turmoil. And you bet, Wade's going to be even more paranoid about the people around him.

He's always been a bit of a skeptic, and now he wants me to go and plead our case to Jason.

As if! I might as well turn the tables. If I can get back in Jason's good graces, why not give our marriage another shot?

At the end of the day, it's me and my daughter against the world!"

Jarvis was visibly worried.

Undeterred, Thea ended the call and instructed her driver to head to an address Jarvis said Jason would be at.

But when they arrived, Thea was surprised to see it was Delight Mansion.

It was getting dark. Thea had heard that after leaving the Lippert Resort, the Lippert family had bought a quaint little cottage, not this grandiose Delight Mansion.

What was Jason doing here so late?

Following the address, Thea was shocked to discover-Delight Mansion was where Natalie lived!

As she approached, Thea caught Jason and Natalie stepping out of the house side by side.

The flirtatious smile Thea had practiced froze on her face, overtaken by a mix of intense jealousy and resentment.