Chapter 15

"Back then, he gave me a jade pendant. I should be able to find him with it, but I lost it five years ago. Without any clues, how can I find him?" Willow said. Willow was open with Rachel. Between the two of them, there were no secrets. "Can you still remember what the pendant looked like?" Rachel probed. "I remember roughly, but not the details." So much time had passed since the incident, and she had been overwhelmed by pain and anger. She hadn't paid much attention to the jade pendant at the time, so she didn't remember the details clearly. "In that case, sketch the basic outline of the pendant, and let me take a look," Rachel suggested. She was a jewelry designer, and had a keen eye for gems and jewelry. Perhaps she could be of some help. Dipping her finger in water, Willow sketched the pendant's outline on the table. It had a cloud-like shape. Rachel scratched her head in frustration. "Hmm. I guess my knowledge is still lacking. I have no idea where this pendant could come from." At this moment, four little heads emerged one by one, from high to low, and they all saw the shape of the pendant on the table. After that, they quickly retreated to their rooms. Tristan picked up a tablet and swiftly tapped on it, and a variety of cloud-shaped jade pendants appeared on it. Lilith, the sharpest-eyed out of them, pointed at one of the pictures. "This jade pendant is from an ancient period, and it belonged to an emperor. The rest are modern imitations." Lilith had a keen interest in studying antique jade artifacts. Whenever she saw a picture, she could determine whether the item was genuine or fake. She was a prodigy in the field of antique appraisal. Willow was focused on cultivating her children's cultural knowledge. Whenever they had free time, she often took them to bookstores to read and learn. When the four little ones went to the bookstore, they would find books they liked. Willow thought they were reading fairy tales, so she didn't interfere much. In truth, the books each of the four children read were all different, and had nothing to do with fairy tales. After hearing Lilith's appraisal, Tristan quickly conducted an investigation online about that particular pendant. Soon, the origins of the pendant were revealed to them. Indeed, the pendant had been passed down from an ancient period. Later, it had been acquired by the top family in Buscen City—the Hughes family. It became a cherished heirloom. The Hughes family! Tristan's brows furrowed slightly, astonishment lacing his young voice. "Jasper Hughes!" It was the same man their mother had offended. "Is he our dad?" Hailey asked softly. Lilith shook her head. "Not sure. If the jade pendant we found isn't the same one as Mom's, then we might be wrong." "Yeah. What if Dad gave Mom a regular pendant, one with his name or some information on it, to help her find him, instead of this antique piece? Our investigation might be going in the wrong direction," Julian said. He usually cried a lot, but now, his demeanor had changed completely. He rubbed his chin thoughtfully, resembling an adult. "The only way is to find Jasper and ask him if he's our dad," Tristan said, making a decision. When they were divided in opinion, Tristan was usually the one to make decisions as he was the oldest. Julian agreed. "Yeah, that sounds like a good plan." At that moment, the door was pushed open, and Willow walked in. Tristan quickly closed the tablet and placed it on the bed, pretending as if nothing had happened. Willow smiled slightly at the scene, but admonished him gently, "Tristan, you're still young. You shouldn't play games on the tablet with your siblings. It could harm all of your eyes." "Okay, Mommy. I won't do it again," Tristan replied obediently. Whenever he used the tablet to search for information, Willow always assumed he was playing games. He once explained that he was doing something important, but his mother had just laughed and said, "What important things could you be doing on it?" Tristan was afraid that revealing his genius talent would startle his mother, so he had kept quiet. He couldn't reveal it now, especially since they had decided to look for their dad. If he told Willow, she would surely stop them and worry about their safety. However, they were too eager to find their dad. "Alright, play with your toys for a bit. It's almost time for dinner." Willow's voice was gentle and warm. She never raised her voice at the children, because they were truly well-behaved. The children all came out one after another, heading to the sofa to play with their toys. Willow sat back at the dining table, and continued chatting with Rachel. "Today was your first day at work, right? Are you adjusting well?" Rachel asked, obviously concerned for her friend. "It was mostly fine. Except there's this weirdo, Dale. He keeps bothering me for no reason, and used foul language with me. I almost got a heart attack from the fright." When Willow mentioned Dale, her face turned angry and annoyed. She waved her hand to fan away her anger. "Ah, Hughes Corporation is known for good etiquette. I never thought there'd be someone like that," Rachel said in surprise. Hughes Corporation was a large conglomerate, and those who could work there were elite individuals with excellent character. How could someone like that weirdo find a place in such a reputable company? "In any company, there's a mix of all kinds of employees. Besides, there are many people who hide malicious intentions behind a façade of innocence. They might seem honest on the surface, but who knows what sinister thoughts they harbor inside?" Willow said. She was generally positive and optimistic, but she knew one should always be cautious of others. It was easy to know one's face, but not their heart. She knew she would need to be more cautious at her workplace in the future. Rachel agreed with her. "You're right. Protecting yourself means protecting your family. You have to take care of yourself." - The next day was a gloomy day. From early morning, the sky was covered with dark clouds, as though rain could pour down at any moment. Willow dreaded this kind of weather. Despite her reservations, she had to go to work. She hailed a taxi, and headed to the company. Because she arrived late yesterday, she hadn't finished cleaning the top floor before the CEO arrived for work. Today, she arrived early and quickly mopped the floor. Before nine o'clock, she completed the cleaning tasks at the top floor. She entered the elevator, ready to head to the tenth floor for a break. Unbeknownst to Willow, Edith emerged from the secretary's office with a downcast expression. She stared at Willow's retreating figure. Willow Nason! On her very first day, she had curried favor with Tyson and persuaded him to stand up for her, resulting in Dale's dismissal. Edith had underestimated her. Willow wasn’t an ordinary woman, that was for sure. Otherwise, how could she have remained on Jasper's mind all these years? Willow suddenly felt a sinister presence behind her. She turned her head to look at the source of the feeling, only to find the area empty. There was no one in sight. Perhaps it was just her imagination. Shaking her head, she stepped into the elevator. Rainy days always made her feel uncomfortable. Upon reaching the tenth floor, Willow sat down in a chair to rest. Suddenly, a sharp, middle-aged woman's voice echoed through the entire lounge. "Lara Smith! Get out here!" Willow quickly stood up, and saw a woman. She had sharp features, a pointed chin, and a gaunt appearance. She stormed in with obvious fury. Feeling slightly panicked, Willow asked, "Ma'am, may I help you?" The woman's eyes were almost bulging from rage. "That vixen Lara seduced my husband Dale! And when that didn't work, she had someone break his leg! I'm gonna break one of her legs today and make her pay!" Willow was taken aback. What was going on? When did she seduce Dale? And when did she break his leg? The head of the janitorial department walked in at that moment. "Lara, go clean the meeting room." "You're Lara?! I'll kill you!" The woman's face contorted in a malevolent expression as she raised her hand and charged at Willow.