Chapter 642: Mother and Daughter’s Nature (4)
Chapter 642: Chapter 642: Mother and Daughter’s Nature (4)
Once Vera Xavier figured this out, she felt certain that Winter Sullivan wasn’t the type to blindly protect her own. So, she asked softly, "May I ask how Susan Caldwell described that incident to you?"
Winter Sullivan replied with just four words this time: "She downplayed her part."
Vera Xavier smiled. Winter Sullivan then added, "To be frank, I have a report here that conflicts with her story. You were directly involved, so I’d like to get your side of it."
"May I ask how you plan to handle this once you know the truth?" Vera Xavier asked.
Winter Sullivan spoke slowly. "It will be handled according to the truth. If she truly did something heinous, I will be the first one to make sure she answers for it."
Vera Xavier asked again, "She’s your daughter. If she really did something wrong, could you bear to see her go to prison, or face legal sanctions?"
Winter Sullivan faltered. ’She’d never really considered that.’ In her mind, Susan was just a girl who told the occasional lie, liked to act spoiled, and was a little vain. She wasn’t capable of doing anything truly heinous.
Seeing her expression, Vera Xavier understood with perfect clarity. She then said in a calm voice, "The matter with Trellis happened a long time ago, and it’s far away. Anything I say now would just be my side of the story, and it might even sound like I’m trying to stir up trouble. But what happened in the Veridia University cafeteria on the first day of military training—that would be much easier to verify."
Winter Sullivan had heard from Sheldon Caldwell about what happened in the cafeteria on the first day of military training at Veridia University. In fact, that incident was the primary reason she had sought out Vera Xavier.
Winter Sullivan had simply assumed that the bad blood between Vera Xavier and Susan Caldwell most likely traced back to Trellis, which was why she had brought it up first. She never expected Vera to respond this way.
Hearing this answer, Winter Sullivan understood. ’If Vera didn’t have a clear conscience, how could she answer my questions with such composure? Susan, on the other hand, was always evasive whenever the incident with Trellis came up. She even used her illness to threaten me not to investigate it.’
Winter Sullivan said calmly, "I understand. But I would still like to hear your account of what happened with Trellis."
Vera Xavier looked at Winter Sullivan, noticing her slightly furrowed brow. ’There’s really no reason not to talk about what happened with Trellis,’ Vera thought. So, she gave a brief account of the incident.
She recounted the events plainly, without any leading statements, embellishments, or mentions of her own feelings.
Vera Xavier’s version was nearly identical to the report Winter Sullivan had previously obtained from the military. Furthermore, the investigator she’d dispatched would be delivering the final report to her in a day or two.
By now, she had a rough idea of what had happened with Trellis. Vera’s and Susan’s versions of the story were worlds apart, but for some reason, she found herself more inclined to believe Vera.
Winter Sullivan nodded slightly, then brought up the incident in the cafeteria in more detail. Vera recounted her side truthfully as well, adding one final sentence: "Susan Caldwell claims she didn’t know I was saving someone, and that the whole thing was a misunderstanding. But I don’t believe that."
As Winter Sullivan heard this, her gaze grew distant and she looked out the window. Vera Xavier followed her line of sight and saw Sheldon Caldwell pulling someone out from behind a corner of the teahouse. To her surprise, it was Susan Caldwell.