NovelEnglishLeopold was only ever concerned about Aurelia and Kane. As long as they remained unharmed, he felt invincible.
At the sight of Lisbeth stepping out of the room, Fredric couldn't help but ask, "How's Raines doing?"
"Not great," Lisbeth replied, "completely paralyzed."
Fredric was seething with rage. "That damn Geoffrey. He's laid it on thick with the poison. When | get my hands on him, he's a dead
man."
Lisbeth was itching to figure out who was behind the poisoning.
Leopold and Aurelia had already been aware of Agent A's real identity, but Fredric was kept in the dark. If someone were to
administer the poison, Leopold and Aurelia were the more likely suspects. And only Aurelia had the influence to get Skyler on
board.
Aurelia had arranged for a caretaker to look after Agent A in the sickroom while the others returned to Mossy Rock Retreat.
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After sdigging by the security team, it turned out that the chef who prepared the hot chocolate was a prsuspect.
He had taken off from Mossy Rock Retreat right after making the hot chocolate, using an excuse to get the day off.
Lisbeth then pulled Aurelia aside into a room.
"How do you see this whole poisoning of Agent A? Was it Geoffrey's doing? Agent A is convinced it was you guys."
Aurelia stirred her juice thoughtfully, "The poison was Geoffrey's initiative, but we got wind of his plans in advance. We switched
the poisoned drink with one meant for Agent A."
Lisbeth gasped, "Isn't Geoffrey supposed to be our boss? He didn't clue in Agent A about this plan?"
Aurelia shrugged, "I'm not privy to their internal affairs. Maybe they've been too wary to make a move, not daring to communicate
secretly due to our tight surveillance."
"That's possible," Lisbeth nodded. "Agent A said Skyler could whip up an antidote and toldto get it from him. But didn't Skyler
say he couldn't make it and that only Geoffrey had the antidote?"
"Skyler can't make it, but Leopold has commissioned a BioResearch lab to develop one. They might just cup with something.
You could use it to bargain for Raines' location. If he refuses, he'll be bedridden for life," Aurelia plotted.
Lisbeth's thoughts aligned with Aurelia's.
"That's exactly what | was thinking. I'm just afraid Agent A doesn't know where Raines is. Raines might only be known to the boss."
"Either way, we exchange the antidote for Raines. If he doesn't produce Raines, he gets no antidote. He'll have to reach out to
Geoffrey one way or another," Aurelia said.
Lisbeth pursed her lips, "Alright, I'll give it a shot."
Aurelia patted her shoulder, "After this negotiation, you're burnt with Agent A. You can't stay by his side anymore. I'll set you up
somewhere safe to lay low and focus on your pregnancy."
For Lisbeth, leaving this mess behind wasn't a bad prospect at all.
"The only thing | worry about is them lashing out in their fury and harming Raines."
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"Raines is their last bargaining chip. They won't risk his life until their plans are completely shot," Aurelia assured her.
According to Leopold's calculations, Geoffrey would eventually use Raines to trade for Tanya.
Whether this ploy would work depended on the importance of Agent A.
That evening, Jessica arrived, and the family gathered around the turkey, celebrating the new year.
Fireworks burst over the lake, painting the night sky with brilliant colors. It was a beautiful New Year's night, only Raines was
missing for a true family reunion.
The next day, Aurelia visited fake Raines at the hospital. He was on the verge of a breakdown, having been outmaneuvered for the
first tin his life!
Desperate to reach out to his people for a rescue, he was immobilized, unable to make contact himself, and doubtful of Lisbeth's
trustworthiness.
Leopold had positioned security guards at the door, ostensibly for protection, but they could just as well be his jailers.
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