The CEO's Mischievous Little Bride
Chapter 423 Not Gullible

Shawn was flattered, but being as smart as he was, he quickly sensed that something was off. Coupled with his previous unpleasant experiences, he immediately became wary. "Are you trying to trick me?" Vera looked innocent. "How could I? I just wanted to share some good food with you, Shawn."

Shawn pointed to his face. "Do I look that gullible?"

Vera shook her head. "Who could ever fool you?"

Shawn became even more suspicious.

Before long, Molly appeared, holding onto one of Shawn's arms. "Shawn, I'll go eat with you. Don't worry-having me around means Vera won't try to pull anything on you."

Shawn had Molly on his left and Vera on his right.

He immediately turned to look at Randall. Randall met Shawn's gaze but quickly looked away, picking up a nearby vase and pretending to admire it.

'Oh no, they're definitely up to something again!' Shawn thought to himself and firmly refused, "I'm not eating, and I'm not going with you."

He grabbed his cane and quickly fled the dining room.

Patrick also sensed something was off. He turned to look at Randall, who was still pretending to admire the vase, then at Molly and Vera. Patrick squinted, already on guard.

He ordered, "Randall, come with me to the study."

Vera immediately said, "Randall, come eat with me."

Patrick walked up to Vera with a smile, bent down slightly, and looked at her face. "Let Molly eat with you."

Vera pouted and shook her head. "No, I want Randall to eat with me."

Patrick said, "I need him for something."

"Isn't eating with me important? You don't love me anymore, do you? You won't even let Randall eat with me? Patrick, we've only been married for less than a year, and you're already ignoring me?" Vera preemptively complained.

Patrick chuckled and compromised, "Fine, let him eat with you. I'll watch from the side."

Vera said, "I can't eat with you watching."

Patrick sighed, shaking his head in defeat.

Randall and Molly secretly gave Vera a thumbs up, acknowledging her prowess.

Compromising once would lead to a second time. As Patrick left the dining room, he gave Randall an intense look and instructed, "Come to the study later!" Randall replied, "Okay."

After Patrick left, Vera stood on tiptoe to make sure he was completely gone, then patted her chest in relief and urged Molly and Randall to go inside quickly.

"Vera, you're definitely spoiled. If I recorded Patrick's expression just now and posted it, everyone would be shocked," Molly said after sitting down. "Patrick is so domineering, but he always backs down in front of you." Vera took a deep breath. "My heart was racing just now, but I couldn't back down, right?"

Randall was the one caught in a bind. Patrick cherished Vera and doted on Molly, but Patrick would beat up Randall!

Vera looked at Randall. "I asked you to stay because I know you'll snitch. As soon as Patrick intimidates you a little, you'll spill all our plans. The plan would be over before it even started."

Randall said, "But I still have to go to Patrick's study later."

Vera replied, "I'll figure something out."

Molly thought about Shawn's earlier wariness and said, "Why isn't Shawn as gullible anymore?"

Vera was really hungry. She started eating as soon as she saw the food. She took a spoonful of soup, blew on it to cool it down, and drank it. "He's been tricked so many times that he's developed a conditioned reflex." Molly nodded. "Luckily, that's not important."

Earlier, they had wanted to use Shawn to find out about the Dennis family and Jeffrey's background. If they could get the address, that would be even better.

But Shawn didn't fall for it at all.

He escaped so quickly that he didn't even seem to need a cane.

Randall leaned back in his chair, bored, watching Vera eat soup and meat.

Randall asked, "You asked me to stay just to watch you eat?"

Vera glanced at him. "Do you want to try?"

Shawn, who had hidden away, had clearly escaped a trap, but his curiosity got the better of him, and he wanted to know what they were up to.

"Go find out what they're discussing," Shawn said in his bedroom. After thinking for a long time without any clues, he decided to send the butler.

The butler suggested, "Shawn, if you tell Patrick about Vera, Molly, and Randall's plan, you won't need to investigate yourself. Patrick will crush their scheme." Shawn waved his hand. "No way. I'm just curious about what they're plotting. I won't interfere."

The butler understood.

Shawn just wanted to be an all-knowing, yet passive "God."

Shawn thought for a while, pressing his hands on the cane's handle, and said, "I'll just sell them out when you can't find out what's going on."

Patrick was in the study waiting for Randall, but Vera showed up instead.

Without knocking, Vera carefully peeked her head in.

"Honey, what are you doing?" Vera asked with a smile.

Patrick asked, "Where's Randall?"

"I sent him out to buy something for me," Vera said as she entered the study.

Patrick asked again, "Where's Molly?"

"She went to find Sebastian."

Patrick immediately picked up his phone and called Sebastian.

Sebastian thought the call was about a new development in their investigation, but when he answered, Patrick was just reminding him, "Keep an eye on Molly. Don't let her slip away." Sebastian slowly closed the file in his hand.

In the study, Vera's eyes were darting around. Patrick glanced at her and said to Sebastian, "I'll keep an eye on Vera."

He hung up the phone.

Patrick said, "You're staying with me from now on."

Vera replied, "But you still have to work."

Patrick insisted, "You'll come to the office with me."

"But you still have social engagements."

Patrick continued, "I'll cancel them."

"Do I have to follow you to the bathroom, too?"

Patrick's temples throbbed slightly. "Yes!"

Vera thought to herself, 'I'm doomed!'

The butler hadn't even started gathering intelligence yet, and here was Vera trapped by Patrick-wherever he went, she had to follow. Molly had slipped away smoothly, perfectly inheriting Shawn's knack for disappearing. As for Randall, he had vanished, too.

Shawn, hearing this, regretfully slapped his thigh in the bedroom. "I should have gone over there first."