Chapter 455: A Tragedy Struck
[T/W: Mention of suicide]
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The photo was clearly taken more than twenty years ago, but Ruediger wouldn’t mistake that face with anyone else. He tautened his grip on the yellowed photo, wrinkling the worn-out page further.
How could this be?
How could the mastermind be he?
Declan’s voice was grim, "You recognized him, right? Charles Eastwood."
Ruediger’s throat tightened. He felt cold sweat soak the entirety of his back.
"Yes. He’s... He’s a new teacher at Lettie’s school. A language teacher. He moved into the same building as us recently, but he... just resigned. So suddenly. Just this weekend."
Declan sighed, "As expected. I was shocked when I learned how close he was to you guys. I had my people verify his background, and that’s really him. I also learned more about him."
As he caught Declan’s last sentence, Ruediger narrowed his eyes, his tone darkening, "What else? What else did you find out about him? Did you know his motive? Was it revenge? But why?"
This revelation was too absurd. Not even once did he expect that the perpetrator was one of the people around him, especially within her social circle.
Ruediger recalled that Mr. Eastwood joined the middle school when the previous term began almost half a year ago. Being a language teacher, he was even in the same faculty as Lariette.
Mr. Eastwood lived in a place near the school before he relocated to their residential building last month. Perhaps he had been eyeing a place there, but no vacant unit was available until later.
Declan lowered his chin, his gaze distant as his mind was full of the recent findings. He let out a suppressed sigh, as heavy as his heart.
"His background isn’t simple," he resumed, "I think you’ve heard of the Eastwood family from the east of Velondia. It’s one of the major families there."
Ruediger frowned, "...yes, I’ve heard of them. Why? Was there any hostility between them with the Elshers? Or, the Delaneys?"
Ruediger had never collaborated with the Eastwood family, and neither had the Alvords, because their industries were not the same. But he was certain that Nathaniel’s investment firm had a link with them.
The fights between prominent families could be beyond vicious and bloody.
Based on Declan’s remarks, Ruediger assumed Mr. Eastwood’s revenge motive might be driven by his family’s enmity with either the Elshers or the Delaneys.
Declan took something out of the briefcase. The crease on his forehead deepened further as he slid it to Ruediger.
"Look at this. I haven’t shown it to anyone else. Not even Grandpa and Ray."
It was another yellowed and frayed photo. From his angle, Ruediger saw four people in the picture, two gentlemen and two ladies in stylish outfits from a few decades back.
He picked it up, bringing it closer to his eyes until... once again, he froze.
"Weren’t they..." Ruediger’s voice shook, his heart thumping wildly. He stared at Declan with incredulity, "Your parents and... Mr. Eastwood?"
Aside from the unknown blonde lady, he recognized everyone else.
The much younger Samantha in Jonathan’s arms, and the much younger Mr. Eastwood who had one arm around the blonde lady’s waist. Apart from the latter, the others smiled brightly.
"Yes, they’re my parents," Declan cast a look at the photo, "I asked the old maids at the Elsher main manor if they knew this Eastwood guy. They gave me this photo and told me everything."
According to the old maids who had worked for the Elsher family ever since Jonathan was young, Charles Eastwood was one of his close friends. The latter’s feelings for the young lady of the Kingsley family were known to all.
Unfortunately, everyone within the circle of young elites also knew that the lady, Deborah, was deeply infatuated with Jonathan.
Declan leaned back, a look of exhaustion evident on his countenance, "It’s a messy love affair. Deborah was my father’s childhood friend. Eastwood met her later."
Deborah’s feelings for Jonathan bordered on obsession. The old maids stated that he had been refusing her advances, but she didn’t stop.
Then, one day, Jonathan chose Samantha Delaney.
"From what I gathered, Deborah agreed to Eastwood’s proposal after my parents got engaged. Everyone thought she had gotten over my father, but... she hadn’t."
The Eastwood family objected to Charles Eastwood’s engagement with Deborah Kingsley, but the young man swore that he could change her feelings. Then, a tragedy struck.
"On the day of my parents’ wedding..." Declan’s expression was cold but sorrowful. He forced his next words out, "...she killed herself. And... Eastwood was the first to find her."
Deborah had never let go of her feelings for Jonathan. Her intense love and obsession turned into resentment. As she couldn’t accept him marrying another woman, she chose to end herself on his wedding day.
After the tragedy, Eastwood abruptly moved abroad to forget everything. He had also cut off his ties with Jonathan.
A suffocating silence filled the private room. Their drinks were left cold.
The unexpected and heavy load of the information struck Ruediger speechless. Declan’s face had also turned increasingly ugly with suppressed rage.
When Ruediger found his voice back, it was barely above a whisper, "Then... He switched the babies... because of revenge? Even after years? For a woman who had never loved him?"
Lariette was almost one decade younger than Declan, the firstborn. Despite the long years between them, Mr. Eastwood was still vengeful enough to commit such a crime.
Declan rubbed his temple, "He stayed in France for almost ten years before he returned. The time coincided with our mother’s pregnancy with Lari. He most likely followed our parents to the north. Whether he planned everything from the beginning, I’m not sure."
Samantha was heavily pregnant with Lariette when she and Jonathan went to the north of Velondia. Due to an emergency delivery, the lady was admitted to the nearest local hospital.
When the entire Elsher family rejoiced over the arrival of the new baby, no one knew that someone had actually played such a dirty trick behind them.