Chapter 342

"What secret?" Caden asked.

"When Ms. Bennett was very young, Phil conducted a paternity test," Hank replied.

"They're not biologically related?" Caden asked, surprised.

Hank looked at him, equally surprised. "You knew about this?"

"I didn't," Caden admitted, "I was merely speculating." He hadn't considered the possibility when Alicia described Phil's harsh treatment; he'd assumed Phil was simply aggressive. But Hank's revelation immediately made him reconsider. Such intense resentment from a father often suggests a hidden truth, such as not being the biological father.

Still processing the information, Hank asked, "I always thought Donna was faithful. She and Phil seemed very close. How could she have had an affair?"

Caden responded bluntly, "I've never believed in everlasting love between couples."

Worried Caden might be reflecting on his own past, Hank shifted the topic. "Mr. Ward, what do you plan to do about Shelia?"

Caden glanced at his injury. "With the sulfuric acid being so concentrated, she couldn't have obtained it alone. Have it analyzed and track down where she got it." Whether the Yates family or the Green family was involved, once the source was confirmed, they would all face the consequences.

Hank soon uncovered the truth: Shelia had used Jerald's connections. Clearly, both Shelia and Jerald intended to kill Caden. However, Caden had grown indifferent to his biological father's cruelty.

Hank, unable to hide his dismay, suggested, "Mr. Ward, should I hire some strong men to handle them? It would be ideal to beat them until they're half-dead, leaving them bedridden for the rest of their lives."

Caden glanced at the calendar. "There's no need. Handling Jerald requires no effort on my part." He then made a phone call to the hospital to arrange the necessary measures.

However, Shelia remained undeterred and soon stirred up more trouble. After Caden severely injured one of her hands, she no longer dared to provoke him directly. Instead, she shifted her focus to Alicia, using her mental health diagnosis as a shield. She manipulated images of Alicia's face and posted them on adult websites, widely disseminating videos and photos. When Alicia reported the issue to the police, Shelia feigned insanity at the station, striking random people. After a few days of detention and a warning, Shelia was released. Once Alicia's public relations team resolved the video scandal, Shelia found new ways to harass her, hanging around Alicia's home, engaging in disruptive behaviors such as vandalism and slashing her car tires.