Chapter 786 Trapped

The rest of them were hidden in a map which Gregory kept, and it could not be deciphered. Thanks to Vickie’s networks and skills that she learned while in prison, she drew it out and secured an opportunity in partnering with Gregory. The two of them stood still in silence. None of them spoke, and the atmosphere was quiet. After some time, Gregory said, “As soon as news about the Arcane Jade spread, the Vermilion Bird Organization and the Dragon Regiment, which were the influential local organizations, immediately got involved in a huge fight to obtain this rare artifact. While they were engaged in a merciless struggle, suddenly, someone leaked their deepest secrets.” “I admit that I used you last time. But had I not done so, we would have died as both parties were about to kill each other!” “While the sandpiper and the clam fight, the fisherman takes them all! Even though we defeated the Vermilion Bird Organization, we have suffered a huge blow to our morale. After the Dragon Regiment disbanded, people left and went their own ways. It was no longer the proud and mighty organization it used to be! Vickie, haven’t you thought about the reason behind this whole thing?” Appalled, she lifted her head and regarded Gregory’s charming face. She recalled something and a chill ran down her spine. “Are you saying that it was a set-up from the very beginning?” “Yes.” Gregory chuckled coldly in a self-deprecating manner. “Everything about the Arcane Jade and bringing people back to life was a lie. It was all an act that caused two big organizations to go to war with each other. In the end, both sides suffered great losses. In fact, that piece of jade, that incident, and that map were all fake.” He shot her a penetrating gaze and whispered, “Vickie, we’ve been fooled.” Vickie was stunned speechless. In her mind, she recalled what the boss of the Vermilion Bird Organization, who also used to be a ride-or-die, had once said to her. He said, “Vickie, I’ve never yearned for immortality. What’s the point of living forever when everybody else is dead? I just want to use it to save Peggy’s life. She’s dying. Vickie, if you’re my bro, help me.” Peggy was his only daughter. Of course, Vickie had to help him. To her, any sort of artifact was just an accessory. She did not care about it, but she never thought about whether others would feel the same way or not. That artifact, which resulted in a brutal battle between two organizations was, in reality, a set-up. Gregory observed Vickie solemnly. She looked him in the eye and asked, “When did you learn about this?” Gregory’s fingers twitched as he murmured, “Half a month ago.” “Which was when I was about to be released from prison.” He nodded. A painful smile appeared on Vickie’s face. “In that case, why do you still agree with my condition? Why do you want me to decipher that useless code in the map? Don’t you already know that it’s just a set-up and a pointless piece of paper?” The study was quiet as nobody spoke. Gregory stood still like a strong, lone tree. He kept his mouth shut. However, Vickie seemed to sense something. Deep down, she mocked herself and turned to walk out. The man focused his gaze on her once more. He grabbed her wrist. “Where are you going?” “I need to be alone.” Vickie’s voice was soft, but it no longer bore the prior unfriendliness. His hand froze. Soon, he let her go and withdrew his hand. He said, “You aren’t allowed to leave.” Vickie kept quiet and headed outside. Throughout the night, the atmosphere in the chateau was eerily tense. Nobody knew what had happened although everyone seemed more alert than usual tonight. The light within the study in the main building was on and was never turned off. As for the auxiliary building, the lights in one of the bedrooms were on the whole night, too. The next day, the rays of dawn shone through the window, illuminating the white bedsheets. Vickie opened her eyes. She shaded them immediately when the sun rays pierced her eyes. The clock on the wall showed that it was 9:00 a.m. It meant that she did not get much sleep. Last night, when she got wind of the truth, she rushed back to her room frantically. Feeling distressed, she found it impossible to fall asleep. She sat on her bed and brooded for hours. She managed to force herself into slumber when it was nearly morning. Until then, she had only slept for three hours. Even so, she did not want to sleep anymore. After getting out of bed, she picked a light, casual outfit and went out. Gregory was walking his dogs in the garden. The tall man had two dogs on leashes. He bent forward slightly to pet them. Evidently, he was fond of the two beasts. The dogs pounced on him and licked him, but he did not show any hint of disgust. Vickie observed him from the nearby cloister. When she remembered what he told her last night, those little details of her memory resurfaced, causing her to tremble. At the same time, Mr. Osborne arrived. “Miss Thomas, are you up?” Vickie turned around and saw him. She nodded. “Good morning, Uncle Osborne.” “Hey, morning.” Mr. Osborne was always nice to Vickie. He glanced at Gregory, who was walking the dogs on the field, and smiled. “The Young Master woke up late this morning too. He hasn’t had breakfast yet. Do you want to have breakfast in the main building, Miss Thomas?” Vickie lowered her gaze subtly and considered the offer. Then, she nodded. “Alright, if it isn’t too much trouble.” “Not at all. I’ll get the food ready.” As soon as he replied, he headed inside. Vickie was alone again. She eyed Gregory once more and walked to the dining room. Mr. Osborne had already ordered someone to prepare and serve the food in the dining room. Although it was just breakfast, it was lavish and exquisite. To Vickie’s astonishment, she noticed some of her favorite types of food on the table. She was not sure whether it was a coincidence or if it had been Mr. Osborne’s idea. Still, she did not think too much about it and sat down. Ten minutes later, Gregory entered. The moment he came in, he saw Vickie sitting at the table, but he did not look surprised. Perhaps, he had expected her to look for him this morning. He handed the dogs to a maid, washed his hands, and sat down at the table. “Have you decided about what we spoke of last night?” he wiped his hands and asked her. Vickie was momentarily silent. Deep down, she instinctively refused to face the bitter truth, yet she knew that Gregory would not lie to her. After all, there was no reason or need for him to do so.