Chapter 234: Surprise gift
Ginna’s words added to his fury, but Theodore kept his face blank. He reminded himself he couldn’t let her suspicious of him. "I don’t care what she does, who she meets, or where she works. Don’t bring her up again," he said, keeping his expression cold, masking his fury. "By the way, Grandpa mentioned you were at the mansion last night. He was impressed with your help."
He changed the topic and praised her to make her happy. This was a part of his plan he was going to execute.
Gina smiled gleefully as she took a seat, diving eagerly into the details of how she had spent the evening. Her chest swelled with pride as she continued speaking, but Theodore was not interested in all this. Gina’s voice sounded annoying to his ears, grating on his patience. He reached up, rubbing the back of his head in an attempt to conceal his irritation.
Gina’s voice dropped to a murmur the next minute, sparking curiosity in Theodore. "I wasn’t there for dinner with Claudia." She leaned forward and added, "I went to find that footage she has holding onto."
Theodore, who had not been paying attention, listened to her intently, but his expression was guarded.
Gina then told him how she had administered Claudia the sleeping pills. "I searched her room, every drawer and cabinet, but it was nowhere. She must have hidden it somewhere else," she admitted, frustration lacing her voice. "I’m going to keep an eye on her, follow her. Eventually, I’ll find it."
Theodore narrowed his eyes as he took in her words. He had never expected Gina to go to such lengths to aid him. A stab of shame wrenched his gut for a second. He had been using her and manipulating her emotions. But he remained silent, quickly brushing the thought away.
This was his war against Claudia, and he was too close to expose her. He couldn’t let anything distract him at this moment. Bella’s absence gnawed at him every day, intensifying his drive to end things swiftly.
"Gina, maybe we should leave this alone for a bit. It’s exhausting. My life is a mess, and sometimes I just want to disappear from all of it," he murmured, rubbing his forehead as if burdened by helplessness.
"I do want to think about us—about a future together. But with Claudia’s constant threats, I feel trapped. I don’t want to drag you into this. You deserve better."
"I am happy with you," Gina said, cutting him short. "There is no one else for me but you. I won’t be happy with anyone else. Don’t worry about Claudia. I’ll deal with her. Just have faith in me."
Theodore softened his expression, giving her a grateful nod. "Thank you, Gina. I need your support more than ever."