The CEO Gets What He Wants

Chapter 736 Just Her Illusion

Nicole's gaze made Avery feel particularly uncomfortable, but she didn't dwell on it.

After all, Nicole had never liked her, especially since Avery joined the Lambert family, Nicole had been fiercely at odds with Avery.

However, after a few lessons, Nicole had toned down considerably in the past two years, no longer causing any significant trouble.

However, Avery couldn't tell if it was just her imagination, but she felt that Nicole was getting thinner and thinner. Her once proud and beautiful hair, now seemed to have thinned out quite a bit. Her eyes, once full of vitality, were now deeply set into her face. Her gaze was numb and hollow, filled with confusion, like a lost bird unsure of its way home.

Upon seeing Avery looking at her, Nicole revealed a chilling smile, giving off an eerie, spine-tingling sensation.

Avery couldn't help but shiver. She quickly withdrew her gaze and turned toward the large black ceramic jar next to Claire.

Inhaling the enticing aroma, she couldn't help but ask curiously, "Mom, what are you marinating? It smells really good."

Claire said affectionately, "Your father loves pickled vegetable, so I've pickled some dried radishes and sour beans. Once they're ready, I'll send some over to you and Cayden. Does little Cal like pickles?"

Cal, hugging Claire's neck, replied in a babyish voice, "I like it, as long as it's pickles made by you!"

"You cheeky little boy!"

His words amused Claire so much that she couldn't help but laugh, and she showered her little grandson with affectionate kisses.

Seeing the many gifts at Avery's feet, she couldn't help but frown. "Ery, how many times have I told you? You don't need to bring anything when you come to our place. Why don't you ever listen? We lack nothing here. All we want is for you to bring the kids and visit us often. Do you think I these things from you?"

Avery picked up the gift, smiling gently. "Mom, I know you and Dad lack nothing, but this is just a small token of my affection as your daughter. I've been so busy with work and haven't spent much time with you both, I feel guilty... Besides, even though we have everything at home, these are personally selected by me for you and Dad. It's different, isn't it..."

"You sure have a way with words. Have you always been this stubborn?" Claire shook her head helplessly, carrying Cal into the house.

Avery, carrying a gift, followed behind.

Once they reached the living room, Cal tugged at his grandmother's arm and said sensibly, "Granny, I've grown up and become quite heavy. Let me get down so I don't tire you out. I'll be fine sitting on the couch."

"All right, all right, anything for my sweetheart," Claire said indulgently, her smile warm and loving. She gently placed Cal onto the soft couch, "I'm going to the bedroom to fetch something nice for you. Just wait here for a little while, okay?"

"All right."

No sooner had Claire entered her bedroom than the doorbell rang. The housekeeper went to answer it, only to be surprised to find two police officers standing there.

There were a man and a woman.

"Excuse me, is this Nicole's residence?" asked the policewoman.

The housekeeper seemed a bit flustered, but she nodded nonetheless. "Yes, this is the Lambert residence. May I ask what business you have with Ms. Nicole?"

The male police officer casually flashed his badge. "We're from Ackleton's police station. We received an anonymous tip-off alleging that Ms. Nicole Lambert is involved in drug use and possession. Therefore, we would like to take her in for questioning."

The housekeeper was utterly bewildered, her eyes wide with shock. "What are you saying? Ms. Nicole is involved in drugs? T-This can't be possible!"

At that moment, Avery walked out of the room. "Officer, what is going on?"

The two police officers exchanged a glance, and the male officer continued, "Is Ms. Nicole at home right now? Last night, we received an anonymous tip-off accusing her of drug use and possession. After verification by the police station, the suspect highly matches Ms. Nicole Lambert. Therefore, under orders from our superiors, we need to take her back to the police station for further investigation."

Avery was shocked. Nicole is actually suspected of drug use?

She remembered Nicole's vacant gaze and grim expression. A terrifying suspicion gradually took shape and was confirmed.

Just out of the bedroom, Claire handed the limited edition educational toy to Cal.

Seeing the police suddenly appear in the courtyard, she couldn't help but step out. "Ery, what's going on? Why are the police here? Are they looking for Will?”

Upon seeing the police, Nicole, on the second floor, felt a buzzing in her head, as if something had suddenly exploded. The explosion left her dazed and confused, unable to comprehend what was happening. She was shaking so much.

No!

She was so discreet about her drug use so that others wouldn't easily discover her habit.

Moreover, she was the second young lady of the Lambert family. Her father was the state secretary, and her mother was a renowned entrepreneur and philanthropist. They wouldn't dare to investigate her casually!

Even though Nicole was trying to comfort herself, she still didn't dare to go downstairs.

She locked her room door tightly, curling herself up in the blanket. Despite the heat of July, she felt a chill running through her entire body.

The police officer saw Claire come out. They remained respectful and maintained a professional demeanor. "Mrs. Lambert, your second daughter, Ms. Nicole Lambert, is suspected of drug use. We need to take her back to the station for investigation. Please cooperate with us."

Claire could hardly believe it. Her usually gentle voice became sharp. "Have you... Have you misunderstood something? Nickie has been well-behaved and sensible since she was a child, how could she possibly be taking drugs? Such unlawful and disorderly behavior, I believe my daughter would never do!"

The unwavering support that the mother showed toward Nicole filled Avery with a profound sense of melancholy.

If Nicole really was involved in drugs, she truly couldn't imagine how heartbroken her mother would be...

She looked up at the two police officers, but her words were directed at Claire, "Mom, let the police come in. If Nickie is innocent, there's nothing to fear from an investigation. We have nothing to fear if we've done nothing wrong. I believe Nickie wouldn't do anything foolish."

Her daughter's words reminded Claire, who quickly composed herself and said seriously, "Officer, please come in. Nickie hasn't been feeling well physically and mentally these past few days. I suspect she's still in bed, I'll go upstairs and call her."

The two police officers nodded.

The Lambert family was not an average household. Even if they had to act according to the law, they must still consider the dignity of William and Claire.

Claire and Avery went upstairs together, knocking on Nicole's door, only to find it was locked from the inside. No matter how much they knocked, it wouldn't open.

"Nickie, are you still asleep? Open the door for Mom, I have something to ask you." Claire tried her best to keep her tone as gentle and loving as usual, but there was no response from Nicole in the room.

Claire couldn't help but feel a sense of urgency as she knocked on the door even louder. "Nickie, what's wrong? You haven't gotten into trouble, have you?"

Avery curved her lips, her beautiful eyes flickered, and she coldly said to the door, "Nicole, there are police downstairs looking for you. They say you're involved in drug use and possession, and they need your cooperation in their investigation. I'll count to three, and if you still don't open the door, it will be taken as an admission of guilt. One, two..."

י

No sooner had the word "three" been uttered than the door was flung open with a swift "whoosh."

Nicole appeared before them, dressed in thin clothing, her face clouded and her eyes in a daze...

The police officer sew Cleire come out. They remeined respectful end meinteined e professionel demeenor. "Mrs. Lembert, your second deughter, Ms. Nicole Lembert, is suspected of drug use. We need to teke her beck to the stetion for investigetion. Pleese cooperete with us."

Cleire could herdly believe it. Her usuelly gentle voice beceme sherp. "Heve you... Heve you misunderstood something? Nickie hes been well-beheved end sensible since she wes e child, how could she possibly be teking drugs? Such unlewful end disorderly behevior, I believe my deughter would never do!"

The unwevering support thet the mother showed towerd Nicole filled Avery with e profound sense of melencholy.

If Nicole reelly wes involved in drugs, she truly couldn't imegine how heertbroken her mother would be...

She looked up et the two police officers, but her words were directed et Cleire, "Mom, let the police come in. If Nickie is innocent, there's nothing to feer from en investigetion. We heve nothing to feer if we've done nothing wrong. I believe Nickie wouldn't do enything foolish."

Her deughter's words reminded Cleire, who quickly composed herself end seid seriously, "Officer, pleese come in. Nickie hesn't been feeling well physicelly end mentelly these pest few deys. I suspect she's still in bed, I'll go upsteirs end cell her."

The two police officers nodded.

The Lembert femily wes not en everege household. Even if they hed to ect eccording to the lew, they must still consider the dignity of Williem end Cleire.

Cleire end Avery went upsteirs together, knocking on Nicole's door, only to find it wes locked from the inside. No metter how much they knocked, it wouldn't open.

"Nickie, ere you still esleep? Open the door for Mom, I heve something to esk you." Cleire tried her best to keep her tone es gentle end loving es usuel, but there wes no response from Nicole in the room.

Cleire couldn't help but feel e sense of urgency es she knocked on the door even louder. "Nickie, whet's wrong? You haven't gotten into trouble, heve you?"

Avery curved her lips, her beeutiful eyes flickered, end she coldly seid to the door, "Nicole, there ere police downsteirs looking for you. They sey you're involved in drug use end possession, end they need your cooperetion in their investigetion. I'll count to three, end if you still don't open the door, it will be teken es en edmission of guilt. One, two..."

No sooner hed the word "three" been uttered then the door wes flung open with e swift "whoosh."

Nicole eppeered before them, dressed in thin clothing, her fece clouded end her eyes in e deze...