The True Lady Strikes Back novel (Cecilia and Christopher)

Chapter 199

Aiden arrived in Yowhayton with a sizeable entourage but refrained from involving his own people in the "investigation."

Instead, he delegated the task to the local police, with the Peacekeeping Forces overseeing the process.

Despite reluctance from Lusterg officials, they dared not defy Aiden, fearing they might meet a fate similar to Eric's.

After assuring a "thorough investigation" of the tourist attractions, the officials left the conference room to make the arrangements.

Turning to his secretary, Aiden instructed, "You go and oversee things for now. I'll make a phone call and join you later."

"Yes, Commander."

The meeting room was soon empty, with Aiden remaining behind.

His bodyguard stood guard outside the door, staying close by as he was unwilling to venture too far for fear of any unforeseen events.

Aiden picked up his phone and promptly dialed Elaine's number.

Expecting his call, Elaine answered promptly, "Denny, have you finished your work?"

The serious expression on Aiden's face gave way to gentleness.

"Grandma Elaine, I've just wrapped up. You called me at this hour. What's going on?"

Elaine held the highest expectations for Aiden, but she was equally demanding.

Their conversation carried a somewhat businesslike tone.

"Something has happened to Ceci and Christopher. You're aware of it, right?"

"Yes, I am aware of the situation. Evan informed me, and I'm currently investigating the individuals responsible in Yowhayton." "This isn't the first time something has happened to Ceci. Have you not uncovered any leads after an extended investigation?" Elaine, deeply proud of her eldest grandson, didn't think he would be so incompetent.

She felt that the children were keeping something from her.

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While Aiden had never been dishonest with Elaine, he chose to withhold the full truth this time.

He responded, "Grandma Elaine, we do have leads, but they're not sufficient to identify the mastermind. However, they've become

increasingly active and have started making mistakes. I believe we are on the cusp of discovering their identities."

Not wanting to burden Aiden further, Elaine refrained from pressing him. However, she couldn't shake her anxiety about Cecilia's safety.

If the mastermind's intention was to take Cecilia's life, they could've very well succeeded.

"Denny, Charlie has already suffered at their hands. We can't afford another incident with Ceci. Do you understand?"

Aiden took a deep breath and made a solemn promise, "Don't worry, Grandma Elaine. What happened 20 years ago will never be repeated."

He refrained from disclosing to Elaine that it was highly likely that Charlie was the one relentlessly targeting the Shaw family.

Nevertheless, Elaine found little solace in Aiden's assurances.

She sighed and reflected, "I often wonder about Charlie's situation up there... Whether he hears the prayers I offer every night." Although she had nothing to be ashamed of in her life, she couldn't help feeling sorry for the second grandson she had to give up on. Aiden's heart weighed heavy, his eyes welling up as he heard this.

"Grandma Elaine, please do not blame yourself. Charlie is a Shaw, and he not only comprehends your decision but would also support it."

For the greater good of the nation, individual sacrifices were often

necessary.

Elaine recognized the futility of revisiting the past, choosing to avoid the topic. She voiced her concern, "Denny, you are the mastermind's primary target. Your safety is paramount. I cannot bear to see harm befall any of you."

"Grandma Elaine, rest assured. I have a lot of people ensuring my safety when I'm outside. Nothing will happen."

"When do you plan to return?"

Aiden, standing by the window, gazed towards the scenic area and

replied, "I'll return once the situation in Yowhayton is resolved. If all goes

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well, I should be back in five days, just in time to pay my respects to Mom and Dad."

"It has been several years since your last visit. As the eldest son, you should return to commemorate their death anniversary."

"Understood. Grandma Elaine, I have some pressing matters to attend to, so I'll end the call now."

Elaine, aware of Aiden's busy schedule, responded with a soft hum before disconnecting the call.

Aiden rubbed his temples, and after momentarily pushing the name "Charlie Shaw" to the back of his mind, departed the meeting room.

Upon his arrival at the location under investigation, it had been ravaged, and he had successfully uncovered one of the divisions operated by the mastermind. The division's operatives had fled.

Aiden's arrival in Lusterg, Yowhayton, had rattled the mastermind to the point that he had the division's members hastily evacuated.

Nevertheless, their escape efforts were in vain, as Aiden had already arranged for all traffic to be sealed.

Given Lusterg's relatively small size, it was not a Herculean task to track down the division's members.

Moreover, Aiden's trip to the city proved fruitful as the mastermind's raw materials and equipment for his illicit activities had not been removed in time.

The area resembled a makeshift sweatshop, with a grimy floor emitting the acrid scent of chemical reagents. White powders and crystals were strewn about, and shattered reagent bottles littered the ground, making it challenging to find a clean space to stand.

Aiden instructed his secretary, "Take photographs. I want this exposed on a global scale."

"Yes, Commander."

Local authorities in Lusterg were eager to intervene, but they were paralyzed by fear. Beads of sweat formed on their foreheads as they contemplated the consequences.

The international scandal that might arise from a major expose could spell the end of the city's thriving tourism economy.

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However, the principal source of revenue in Lusterg wasn't tourism or local businesses but rather the highly profitable illegal operations.

The collusion between government officials and businessmen was a stark reality in Yowhayton.

Now that the city's economic lifeline had been laid bare, Lusterg could no longer depend on this shady enterprise for income.

Lusterg was over!

No matter how much the local officials lamented privately, they were powerless to change the unfolding situation.

Aiden's secretary documented the division's activities and handed the case over to the local authorities.

Lusterg was now under the scrutiny of the international community, and even if the local police harbored ulterior motives, they dared not engage in covert activities in the current spotlight. The next step involved investigating the entire city of Lusterg.

When Aiden issued the order for the investigation, Cecilia had received a diagnosis report from Samuel.

Samuel handed her the report with a joyful expression, saying, "Your empathy disorder has essentially recovered. Congratulations."

As he spoke, he wore a look of disbelief.

Cecilia had been one of his most challenging patients, and despite his thirteen years of efforts, he had been unable to cure her.

"I thought she'd never get better," he mused.

In fact, when she returned for a follow-up visit the previous year, her condition had not improved; instead, it had shown signs of deterioration. Yet, half a year later, she had managed to surprise him. While he hadn't technically cured her, he felt genuinely happy for her. Cecilia accepted the diagnosis report and gazed at the elegant man with brown hair and blue eyes. She smiled and expressed her gratitude, "Dr. Cohen, thank you for your help all these years."

"You're my patient, and it's my duty to assist you. I hope you won't need to return to my office again."

"Yeah, I guess this is farewell, Dr. Cohen," Cecilia said, bowing to Samuel. As a parting gesture, Samuel handed her a box of chocolates and said,

"Here's a little gift to celebrate your recovery. Enjoy it"

His intent was simple, chocolate had a way of brightening people's spirits.

Cecilia accepted the gift with thanks and then turned to leave.

Once she exited the clinic, she lowered her gaze to review the report's findings. However, she was abruptly bumped on the shoulder by an inattentive man. Send gift