Michael seemed to desperately want me to believe in him.


    “Michael” Yasmin called out, as if she couldn’t bear to be separated from him for a single second.


    Michael frowned and remained standing, as Yasmin walked over to hug his arm. He did not push


    her


    away, but looked at me worriedly, as if afraid that I might be jealous.


    “Wait for me in the car,” Michael told Yasmin. She hesitated.


    “There are reporters out there. The police have brought Steven away, you’ll be fine,” he continued


    in a low


    voice.


    Yasmin gritted her teeth and red at me begrudgingly. She then reluctantly left.


    “Stephie-” Michael started to say, as if wanting to exin to me.


    “You’re such a gentleman, Mr. Ford,” I remarked sarcastically.


    Michael said, “She had once saved me after all, Stephie. I promised that I would keep her safe. The


    killer already had their eyes on her, and the police cannot provide round–the–clock protection for


    her. I‘


    so that yo


    He was trying to make me understand him as he said, “I’m only doing this to find out the truth, so


    can see Steven’s true colors.”


    “Oh, so you’re doing this for me now?” I said with augh. How blind had I been before to be seeing


    Michael with rose–tinted sses out of gratitude?


    you


    “Sometimes, it is indeed possible for one to confuse gratitude and love. I can empathize with that,” I


    said Indifferently.


    Michael’s expression turned embarrassed as he said, “Stephie, I’m not–1-”


    “Even if you refuse to admit it, Michael, I’ll still have to tell you the truth. Stephanie Carlson is


    already dead. The person standing before you hows Stephany Larson,” I interrupted him


    indifferently.


    Michael’s words were stuck in his throat as his eyes became red. His mouth opened multiple times


    but


    nothing came out.


    In the end, he lowered his head andughed bitterly, saying, “I know that you are Stephanie


    Carlson.”


    “Look how you’ve ruined the funeral now, Stephany! Look at what’s going on now!” After seeing


    how Ignatius‘ body and Steven were taken away by the police, the rtives of the Lincoln family all


    but rushed toward me to make a fuss.


    One of the men was full of vigor as he rushed forward to ask me for an exnation. He said,


    “Stephany, you troublemaker! There hasn’t been a moment of peace since you married into the


    Lincoln family!


    “First, something happened to James. Then, Ignatius is now dead, Look what you’ve brought upon


    this family!”


    “He’s right! Ignatius can’t even rest in peace now. You’d surely be the end of the Lincoln family!” a


    woman started scolding me as well.


    “Go cause a scene elsewhere! The police have to provide us an exnation on whether Mr. Lincoln


    Senior had died of natural causes or was murdered,” I said with a frown.


    I then stepped back alertly. These people were in cahoots with Martin. If they were to identally


    hurt me and my baby, they would only be considered causing unintentional injuries.


    As expected, the man was nning to push me. Michael frowned before reaching out to stop him


    by the wrist. He said, “Stay away from her!”


    The man was stunned. He was somewhat afraid of Michael still. “You’ve got some capabilities,


    haven’t you, Stephany? Even Mr. Ford is protecting you now!”


    My gazended on Michael’s wrist, there was an ugly scar that stood out prominently. It looked like


    it was from cutting his own wrist.


    Michael subconsciously retrieved his hand in a hurry when he saw that I was looking at his wrist. He


    hid his hand behind his back and said, “It’s unsafe here. Follow me.”


    Ewan went forward to hold the other people back from me, and Michael grabbed my wrist to take


    me away. I shook away his hand and noticed Joel, who was wearing a t hat, among the crowd. It


    seemed like he had skipped school again.


    When Joel noticed that I was looking at him, he walked over with a darkened expression and took


    off his t hat to put it on me. He then red at Michael warningly before bringing me to the car.


    “Has he been taken away now?” Joel asked, displeased.


    I nodded. He cursed out loud, as if he had known that this would happen.


    “He purposely lured me away. I knew that he was going after that lunatic-” Joel continued cursing as


    he mmed the door hard. “Stay inside and don’te out!”


    The crowd was moring, and those from the Lincoln family were still causing trouble out there.


    Ewan couldn’t hold them back on his own.


    N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material.


    caro


    Some of them took the opportunity and rushed over to yank at my car door. They were trying to get


    me to


    give them an exnation.


    I sat in the car while the car door shook from their yanking. They were like zombies in the movies,


    eager


    to eat me alive.