The Returned Heiress Who Never Fit In novel Chapter 711

Artemis said, “Ask your question.”

Even faced with Dan’s cruelty and coldness, her face remained full of tenderness.

Dan shot her a frosty glance. His eyes were sharp as blades, yet Artemis still looked at him with the same softness, as if she could melt him with her gentleness alone.

She wished her gaze could soothe his rage, heal him.

But it was useless.

Dan had already seen her true viciousness. How could he be moved by the woman who murdered his mother?

“Who exactly took Tessa away?”

The question was addressed to both Dale and Artemis, but his eyes never left her.

His voice was cold and cutting. Dale instantly exploded. “That’s enough, Dan. None of us took Tessa.”

“Funny,” Dan sneered, “because Tessa is either with Ashen Pact, or Manny took her.”

His tone grew darker, sharper.

“You… you’ve gone too far!” Dale was trembling with fury. Was there no place for reason anymore? It was maddening.

When Artemis heard Dan drag Manny into it, the tenderness in her eyes flickered, revealing a flash of hidden frost.

“Dan, Manny didn’t take Tessa either,” she said gently. “Your father is right. None of us took her.”

“That’s a problem, isn’t it?” Dan replied. “Marie, Derrick, and even Mr. Victor are convinced Tessa is with Ashen Pact. Victor is already on his way to Noctarth.”

Artemis and Dale froze.

At the mention of those troublesome names, Dale’s face darkened. “This is all your doing!” he spat through gritted teeth.

In this moment, Dan was certain Tessa had been taken by Dale’s side.

And Dale was just as convinced Dan had taken her–out of resentment, out of jealousy, to

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Dan arched a brow and let out a cold laugh. “Whether I took her or not doesn’t matter. What matters is you’d better find a way to give her back. Because…”

His words trailed off, his lips curling into a mocking smile.

His eyes shifted from Dale to Artemis. “If you still want Manny to inherit Ashen Pact intact, you won’t get away with just saying ‘we didn’t take Tessa. That excuse won’t hold.”

With that, Dan turned and left.

Left behind, Dale slammed his fist on the table, shaking with rage.

“That ungrateful brat! Tessa must be with him,” he growled.

He was certain Dan knew the tangled ties surrounding Tessa.

That was why he had taken her–deliberately–to pit Abraham and Mr. Nathaniel’s outside forces against him.

Artemis turned, masking the chill in her eyes. “Don’t be so quick to blame him. Maybe it wasn’t Dan.”

“Who else could it be? He hates me, he hates Manny… and he hates you!”

Artemis: “…”

Yes. Who else but him? His heart was full of hatred.

Hatred for Dale. Hatred for her. Hatred for her Manny….

“And after you raised him for three years, he shows no gratitude at all,” Dale snarled.

At the mention of those years, a flicker of guilt passed through Artemis’s eyes.

Her face stiffened as she forced out, “He was so young then. He doesn’t remember anything. Forgetting the good I did for him… that’s to be expected.”

Yes, he had been too young. Too young to remember.

The thought gave her a shred of comfort.

“Right now, we need to focus on finding out where Tessa actually is. If Mr. Victor comes demanding her, he won’t care whether she’s in our hands or Dan’s. As long as someone from the Morris family has her, Ashen Pact will be in serious trouble.”

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“I’ll call Manny. He needs to come back at once.”

“Fine,” Dale muttered irritably.

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