Chapter 207: Chapter 207: Plot Within a Plot

Lily Adler had given Sylvia this tattoo with her own hands, long before they decided to reunite with Hector Hayes.

The tattoo was tiny and curved, like a small, red crescent moon. The color was blended so naturally and was so much fainter than a typical tattoo that it looked just like a natural birthmark.

This was a skill Lily Adler learned from an old prostitute back when she first entered the trade. When she was young, that prostitute liked to tattoo red flower petals on her body, and her clients would marvel at them.

Back then, Lily was kind to everyone, including the old prostitute. So, before she died, the woman secretly passed the skill on to Lily.

Seeing that the tattoo was still in perfect condition and didn’t need a touch-up yet, Lily Adler felt a sense of relief and nodded in satisfaction.

She had previously heard from a maid in the Hayes Family that The Lover, Raymond Hayes’s wife, had this very type of birthmark on the back of her neck. That’s why Lily Adler had given Sylvia the tattoo—to give her an extra bargaining chip.

Only by getting past Raymond could the mother-daughter duo stay in the Hayes Family with peace of mind.

After confirming the tattoo was intact, Lily Adler turned and gave Sylvia Lancaster the gown she had prepared. Stroking her head, she said, "I had this gown ready for you a while ago. It was custom-made just for you."

Seeing Sylvia’s happy smile, Lily Adler added in a low voice, "Sylvia, many prestigious families will be at the banquet hosted by the Walsh Family this weekend. You need to be smart about it... A woman’s most important concern is marriage. Do you understand?"

Lily Adler was now growing anxious about Sylvia Lancaster’s marriage prospects. The Hayes Family appeared calm on the surface, but in reality, it was a whirlpool of undercurrents.

Lily Adler was more or less aware of the shady business dealings of Hector Hayes and Raymond Hayes.

Not only was Lily Adler aware of some of the business, but she had also participated in it. For instance, Ms. Archer—the woman at the Crestview Hotel who persuaded kidnapped girls to obediently become prostitutes—had been trained under Lily herself.

Ever since they learned that Roman Rhodes, the investigator in charge of the Crestview Hotel incident, wasn’t dead, Hector Hayes had worn a grim expression for the past two days. Lily Adler saw this and had a bad feeling.

She trusted her sixth sense. She felt that disaster was about to befall the Hayes Family, so she needed to pave a way out for herself and Sylvia in advance. Marriage was currently the best option.

Sylvia Lancaster had only just been accepted into the Hayes Family a few days ago. As long as they could marry her off quickly, the mother and daughter would have an escape route even if something happened to the family.

Sylvia Lancaster nodded. "Mom, don’t worry," she replied. "I understand!"

After her failed marriage to Ethan Sutton, Sylvia Lancaster was determined. ’This time, I have to choose carefully and find a reliable partner for life!’

Lily Adler gently caressed Sylvia Lancaster’s young, full cheeks and gave a gratified smile. She then began to tell her in detail about the potential marriage candidates she had been scouting, including their personalities, likes, and dislikes...

******

That night, the sounds of retching echoed ceaselessly through the quiet Hayes family villa—

"BLEGH—"

Clara Hayes was hugging the toilet, vomiting her guts out.

She had been starved in the family’s prayer hall for three whole days. When the maid brought her favorite salmon sashimi and fried sea urchin with shiso, she had wolfed it all down.

But she had forgotten how sensitive her stomach was. After not eating for three consecutive days, her digestive system definitely couldn’t handle such raw, cold, and greasy food...

Sure enough, by that evening, she was vomiting and had diarrhea.

Just as Clara Hayes was kneeling on the floor, looking half-dead, the door suddenly opened.

Clara Hayes had vomited so hard that tears were streaming down her face. Hearing the door open, she blearily raised her head and saw the maid, Mrs. Young, walk in.

With a pained look on her face, Mrs. Young helped Clara up from the floor and handed her a glass of water and some stomach medicine. "Miss Clara," she said, "rinse your mouth and take this. You’ll feel better after."

Clara Hayes’s hand trembled as she took the glass. Under Mrs. Young’s worried gaze, she swallowed the medicine.

Mrs. Young sighed, her expression full of pity. "Mr. Hayes is too biased," she said to Clara. "He only knows how to protect the Second Miss. If this goes on, I’m afraid you’ll always be the one at a disadvantage."

Clara Hayes gritted her teeth, her eyes filled with hatred. She now regretted bringing Sylvia Lancaster back to the Hayes Family more than anything. ’I wish I could just drag her out by the hair and feed her to the dogs right now!’

But there was nothing Clara Hayes could do right now. Both Hector Hayes and Raymond Hayes had warned her not to provoke Sylvia Lancaster again.

Clara Hayes knew her father’s and older brother’s tempers well. If she made things difficult for Sylvia Lancaster again, she would probably be locked in the prayer hall once more...

Remembering the three days and nights she’d spent without a single grain of rice, Clara Hayes felt another pang in her stomach. ’I never want to go through that again!’

Mrs. Young carefully watched Clara Hayes’s expression, then gritted her teeth and whispered in her ear, "I heard Mr. Hayes is planning to arrange a match for the Second Miss at the banquet at the Nimbus Hotel this weekend. If she secures a good marriage, I’m afraid Mr. Hayes will favor her even more..."

At her words, Clara Hayes’s face, already pale from her stomach ailment, turned even uglier. She gritted her teeth and said, "...What can I do? That bitch is a seductress..."

Though Clara Hayes was filled with bitter resentment, she had to admit that Sylvia Lancaster had always been more popular than her, even when they were children.

From elementary school to university, the boys in their classes had always liked Sylvia Lancaster. Clara Hayes knew perfectly well that if they were both to be married off, Sylvia would definitely find a better match.

At this thought, a wave of regret washed over Clara Hayes. For the first time in her life, she regretted not learning how to get along with people, not scheming like Sylvia Lancaster to make herself more appealing to men.

She had spent her whole life being flamboyant and willful, disdaining any comparison with other girls and never envying other women for being liked by men. But now, she was about to be outshone by an illegitimate daughter. ’For her, this was the ultimate humiliation!’

’As the child of the legitimate wife, to lose to the child of a mistress... Clara Hayes was truly indignant!’

’She felt like she was being driven mad!’

Mrs. Young patted Clara Hayes’s back sympathetically and leaned in to whisper in her ear, "I actually have an idea..."

As Clara Hayes watched in confusion, Mrs. Young laid out her plan in a soft voice. "I heard the Second Miss was married once, but was divorced for cheating. If we could get her ex-husband to cause a scene at the banquet..."

As Clara Hayes listened to Mrs. Young’s plan, her eyes grew brighter and brighter.

’This was a great idea!’

Clara Hayes thought to herself, ’Even though Hector Hayes had sternly warned her not to cause trouble for Sylvia Lancaster, he couldn’t stop Ethan Sutton from causing trouble for her!’

’Ethan Sutton was the victim of Sylvia Lancaster’s affair and pregnancy. If he came to cause a scene, even Hector Hayes wouldn’t have the audacity to say much, right?’

’Besides, Ethan Sutton despises Sylvia Lancaster right now. As long as they promise him something, he’ll definitely go along with the plan. And then...’

Clara Hayes gave a cold smirk. ’She refused to believe that Hector Hayes could tolerate a daughter like Sylvia Lancaster, who would bring him so much public shame!’

At this thought, Clara Hayes grabbed Mrs. Young’s hand and said with satisfaction, "Mrs. Young, I’m so glad you’re here to help me. Unlike everyone else, who only knows how to suck up to Lily Adler and her daughter..."

Mrs. Young gently patted the back of Clara Hayes’s hand and gave her a loving smile. "Miss Clara, I’ve been with the Hayes Family for over twenty years. I started working here when Mrs. Hayes was still alive. I watched you grow up. How could my heart not ache for you?"

Hearing this, Clara Hayes broke into a sincere smile. "Mrs. Young, don’t worry. As long as this works, I’ll have my dad give you a raise!"

Mrs. Young nodded at Clara with a look of gratitude, then helped her to the bed and told her to rest well before leaving.

After closing the door, the loving smile on Mrs. Young’s face vanished. She took out her phone and sent a message to Lily Adler. 𝚏𝐫𝚎𝗲𝕨𝐞𝐛𝕟𝚘𝐯𝚎𝗹.𝕔𝐨𝗺

Mrs. Young muttered to herself, ’Miss Clara, you can’t blame me for this...’

It was true that Mrs. Young had worked for the Hayes Family for many years. Mrs. Hayes herself had been the one to hire her.

And because she had worked there for so long, Mrs. Young knew that the late Mrs. Hayes had a terrible temper, was irritable and quick to anger, and treated the servants quite harshly.

Lily Adler, in contrast, was undoubtedly an excellent mistress of the house.

Lily Adler was gentle by nature and was very considerate of the villa’s servants.

After the natural disasters, Mrs. Young’s young granddaughter had fallen ill several times. It was always Lily Adler who arranged for the child to be seen at a private hospital and even helped cover the expensive medical fees...

Before long, a reply from Lily Adler arrived on Mrs. Young’s phone: "Thank you, Ms. Young. I’ve already arranged for someone to take care of your son’s situation. Don’t worry."

After reading the message, a genuine smile spread across Mrs. Young’s face, and she returned to her room, thoroughly pleased.