Watching Frank's reaction, it felt like spotting a glimmer of hope at dawn. I immediately pressed on with the topic of his son, "But his conditions, the cleft lip and palate, and the deformity in his fingers, they require multiple surgeries, staged over time for repair."
Frank's chapped lips parted slightly, "How long will it take?"
"I'm not certain, but if they could get to a better hospital, naturally, they'd receive superior care. The kid's still young, oblivious now, but growing up different in appearance could breed insecurities, impacting his social life, even in finding a girlfriend," I pressed on, aiming to breach Frank's psychological defenses.
If he was doing all this purely for his family, my words would undoubtedly seed great anxiety within him.
He was already behind bars, powerless to aid his family in any crisis.
"What's going on, Kar—" Frank almost spilled a crucial name but abruptly sealed his lips, his expression turning grim.
Karina, she was the one he was about to mention.
My excitement surged. If I could directly obtain evidence of Karina being the mastermind here, it would be beneficial for both me and Neil.
Neil's lawsuit against Karina for custody was bolstered by ample evidence, and with my proof of Karina's involvement in a murder-for-hire, the odds of winning were nearly a hundred percent.
Even if Karina confessed that Hiram wasn't Neil's biological son, her criminal offenses would strip her of custody rights, allowing me to adopt Hiram directly.
"Frank, if you wanted me dead, you must've researched who I am. I want to help you, understand?" I patiently continued to tempt him, "Your elderly mother's living in a care home, but it's not the best. I can have her moved to a top-notch facility to live out her days in comfort. And for your son, I can cover all his surgery expenses and education fees until he's grown and can support himself."
My proposition seemed to relax Frank's demeanor. He looked at me, his eyes brimming with unspoken words, yet silence prevailed.
As the visitation time ended, I didn't linger, merely informing Frank that my lawyer would continue discussions with him, urging him to inform the lawyer once he's made up his mind.
Frank nodded heavily.
Exiting, I found Russell still waiting; he hadn’t left.
Having already visited Frank, Russell's trip seemed in vain. Holding my bag, I approached him, "Russell, let's talk."
"Sure." His response was crisp and direct.
It had been a while since I returned to Rosemont. Though it was in the suburbs, I felt a familiar connection. Riding in Russell's car, he drove around the area, the silence between us growing.
This silence differed from his previous aloofness; it was the silence of someone who had closed off their heart after enduring certain experiences.
"Aren't we supposed to talk? Why the silence?" After several rounds, Russell was the first to break the silence.
"Why did you go see Frank?" I turned to look at Russell's profile, noticing a cold aura that hadn't been there before.
The previous incident with Russell fabricating a DNA report lingered in my mind. If Karina had evidence, along with the forged death certificate, these illegal actions could lead him into serious trouble.
That was just the tip of the iceberg. I feared Karina might hold even more leverage over Russell.
"I won't be in trouble, don’t worry." Russell finally showed a hint of a smile, appearing slightly relieved, "Is this you caring about me?"
"Of course, we're friends, after all!" I rolled my eyes in exasperation.
"There really won't be any trouble. I just wanted to make it up to you," Russell's smile deepened, his words carrying a sense of resolution.
I asked in surprise, "Make it up to me? You owe me nothing. If anything, I've used you more, though it's a shame we never clicked."
Despite Russell being such a great guy, I just couldn't muster the interest.
Russell didn't try to persuade me like he used to. Instead, he calmly replied, "Yeah, I remember back when you were on the brink of divorcing Neil, after a few drinks, you'd caution me not to compete with Neil over a woman. I thought you meant Bonnie, but looking back, you might've been referring to yourself."
I felt a bit awkward. I never imagined in this lifetime I'd become the object of affection for an ally. In my past life, our collaboration was driven by different motives—he for Bonnie and I for Neil.
"Russell, let's drop this subject. After you cut ties with Karina, why don't you get back to being a doctor? Dive back into the career you're passionate about, okay?" I tried to persuade him to return to his medical profession.
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