Supreme Magus novel Chapter 1338

Chapter 1338 - The Prodigals’ Return (Part 2)

Just looking into Lith’s eyes had covered Crefas in a cold sweat. He had met enough criminals to recognize someone who had no qualms to hogtie him with weights, throw him into a well, and make a wish.

’Vastor, instead, looks like a man desperate enough to chase someone who could be his daughter and stupid enough to do anything to keep her by his side.’ Crefas thought.

"Not much, just a couple of years." Vastor said with a warm smile. "Yet it took me less than one hour to notice the abuses she was subjected to. I always wondered how could you miss it or why you didn’t stand in court by her side when Zinya fought for her children’s custody."

Vastor’s act was so perfect that Clefas stuttered in embarrassment the excuses he had repeated from the day Zinya had become a widow. Otherwise he would have noticed much sooner that the Professor neither listened nor believed a word Clefas said.

Vastor’s gaze held a list of promises of pain that got longer the more bullshit he had to listen to.

"Is everything fine?" Kamila’s quick return relieved Orpal’s wounded ego and saved her father from a "sudden" heart attack.

"Peachy. Your mother and I were just telling Zinya how lucky she is to have found an outstanding man like Professor Vastor. Taking care of two children born from another man speaks volumes about your noble character." Clefas said.

The carrot and the stick was one of his favorite negotiation tactics. S.u.c.k.i.n.g up to Vastor would curry his favor while reminding Zinya of her failed marriage and of her baggage would make her submissive.

"Dad, Zogar and I are not in that kind of relationship." She blushed up to her ears, too embarrassed to even met Vastor’s eyes.

Clefas knew that Zinya had never been with a man besides Fallmug. She knew nothing about love except for what her parents had told her, making her easy to manipulate.

"Just like ignoring your daughter and your two grandchildren for ten years speaks volumes about yours, mister Retta." Vastor’s reply made it clear that one out of two was the best result that Clefas could hope for.

"That’s not true, Zogar. My mother came to visit every time she could and she did try to help me. Sadly, between the gap in status between the conflicting households and my father’s economic issues, Fallmug always had his way." Zinya said.

She was too happy for being finally able to see her parents after being blind from birth to question their words or their honesty.

"I hope you are right." Vastor had tried and failed to find any evidence that the Retta had reported Fallmug’s abuse or of their attempts to take their daughter back so he assumed that didn’t even try to.

"By the way, how did you meet with Meln?" With no evidence, however, the only thing he could achieve by expressing his suspicions was to hurt Zinya’s feelings so he moved to another unclear aspect of that situation.

"It happened by chance at Lutia’s only inn. Mister Narchat was about to leave when we arrived." Clefas didn’t miss the allegations hidden in Vastor’s question and rushed to clear his position.

"We heard the innkeeper talking to him after recognizing mister Narchat as a member of the Verhen family and we naturally became friends." Clefas said with a huge smile on his face.

Not only it was the truth, making it impossible for Vastor to dig more dirt on them, but it also helped Orpal, making him feel indebted.

He didn’t trust the Retta couple farther than he could throw them and Orpal couldn’t risk exposing to them his real goal or nature. He considered them as a disposable means to his end. _{freeweɓnøvel.com}