The Contract Bride of Mr. Reid-Chapter 229: The hidden mission

Gina came to the Reid family mansion with a mission in her mind. She found Claudia in the hall, casually chatting on the phone.

The moment Claudia noticed Gina, a warm, welcoming smile lit up her face. "Gina, my darling! Come, sit with me," she said cheerfully as she ended her call, gesturing toward the sofa beside her.

Gina felt a pang of disgust twist in her stomach. She couldn’t believe how effortlessly Claudia wore the guise of a caring, affectionate woman, all while scheming behind the scenes. Gina wanted nothing more than to confront her, to demand how she could treat Theodore the way she had. But Theodore’s warning echoed in her mind—she had to play it smart, bide her time.

Forcing a smile onto her face, Gina sat beside her, pretending to be carefree. "Who were you talking to?" she asked, injecting a note of curiosity into her voice.

"Oh, just a friend," Claudia replied. "They’re organizing a kitty party this evening."

"Are you going?" Gina asked with an air of excitement, hoping this would be the perfect opportunity to sneak into Claudia’s room and find the videotape Theodore was desperate to recover.

"I haven’t decided yet," Claudia said.

"You should go and have fun! It sounds like a good time," Gina suggested, anticipation brimming in her eyes.

However, Claudia’s response disappointed her. "Since you are here, I won’t go. We’ll have dinner together. I’ll cook for you."

Gina’s face fell, her smile disappearing. If Claudia didn’t go out, how could she carry out her plan? "No...I don’t need you to cook for me," she blurted out.

Claudia’s smile faltered, her hand that outstretched to pat her head froze in the mid-air. "Why? You won’t eat if I cook?" she asked, clearly caught off guard by Gina’s abrupt response.

Gina instantly realized she had overreacted. She couldn’t afford to raise suspicion. Forcing a nervous laugh, she took Claudia’s hands in hers, trying to appear as earnest as possible. "No, no, that’s not what I meant! I just don’t want to ruin your plans. I want you to enjoy yourself with your friends. We can have dinner another time, right?"

Claudia’s smile resumed as she caressed her hair. "I’d rather be here with you than waste time with those kitty party friends," she said sweetly. "Trust me, we’ll have fun. If you’d like, we can even go out—do some shopping, then grab a bite to eat."

"Sounds good," Gina replied, though her heart wasn’t in it. Hugging Claudia and leaning on her shoulder, she added, "But I’d rather stay at home tonight." Changing her strategy, she ventured cautiously. "Can I spend the night here?" If she stayed there, she would find a suitable time to search Claudia’s room.

Claudia’s face brightened at the request. "Of course, you can stay! You’re always welcome. Stay as long as you want—this is your home, after all."

"Thank you, Mom," Gina gushed with a mix of genuine excitement and hidden purpose. She couldn’t wait to prove to Theodore that she was brave and that she could go to any length to help him expose Claudia.

However, she was blissfully unaware that she was working against her own mother.

They had a nice time together. Gina, hiding her true intention, helped in the kitchen, moving through the motions with ease, even offering to serve dinner to Malcolm. She sat with him like an attentive, loving granddaughter, even reminding him to take his medicine.

Her sudden shift in behavior didn’t go unnoticed—both Malcolm and Claudia were taken aback.

"God bless you, Gina," Malcolm said, his eyes shining. "You have grown smarter."

Gina giggled. "Thank you, Grandpa. Once I marry Theo, I’ll take care of you. I promise I won’t let anyone hurt you."

"Who is going to hurt him?" Claudia quickly chimed in with a smile. "The one causing trouble in this family is gone. We are all good here."

"Yes." Gina shot her a bright, innocent smile, though her thoughts were far from friendly. ’The real troublemaker is you,’ she thought. ’I and Theo will chase you out of the family.’ Keeping her mask intact, she turned back to Malcolm. "Let me take you to your bedroom, Grandpa."

Carefully, she helped Malcolm to his feet, supporting his frail frame as she led him to his room.

Claudia gaped at Gina, surprised as to how she was taking care of the old man. A slow, sly smile began to creep across her face.

"What I couldn’t accomplish, my daughter will," she mumbled under her breath. "With her caring nature, she’ll win Malcolm’s heart completely. Maybe he’ll leave everything to Gina... and her future child."

She was satisfied, a sense of triumph buzzing through her veins. She could tell her dream was going to be fulfilled soon. All she had to do was marry Gina to Theodore as soon as possible. With Malcolm’s favor on their side, she would secure the Reid family’s power and fortune.

Malcolm couldn’t shake the feeling that Gina’s sudden attentiveness had a purpose behind it. As she helped him to bed, the question slipped out before he could stop himself. "Do you want something from me?"

Gina stiffened for a moment, confused. Why would he ask that? She quickly shrugged it off, offering a light-hearted response. "No. Why, Grandpa? Aren’t you happy that I’m taking care of you?"

"Uh!" Malcolm let out a small sigh. "It’s not that." In truth, he couldn’t remember a time when Gina had gone out of her way to care for him. It was natural to be suspicious. "I’m just surprised, that’s all. You—"

He paused again. He was about to say that why she had been so caring toward him all of a sudden. What did she have on her mind? However, he swallowed the words.

Instead, he said, "Theodore is lonely," his tone turning serious. "He longs for true love. Bella’s betrayal has wounded him. I hope you won’t hurt him."

"I’ve loved Theo since I was a child, Grandpa. I’ve always dreamed of being his wife. I’ll never hurt him. You can trust me. I’ll stand by him through everything— and eliminate all threats around him. Now, it’s late. You should sleep. Good night."

Flashing a charming smile at him, she left the room, closing the door behind her with a soft click.

Malcolm’s brow furrowed deeply. Her words echoed in his mind, especially that last part. ’Eliminate all threats around him...’

"What does she mean by eliminating the threats?" he mumbled in a daze, even more taken aback.

Gina, instead of going into the guest room, headed to Claudia’s room with a glass of milk in her hand. She had mixed in sleeping pills, hoping it would give her enough time to search Claudia’s room undisturbed. Taking a deep breath to steady herself, she knocked softly on the door.

Claudia opened the door and was surprised to see her. "Do you need anything?" Her eyes dropped to the glass of milk in her hand.

Gina smiled, stretching the glass toward her. "I brought you some milk."

"For me?" Claudia raised an eyebrow, clearly taken aback. "You didn’t need to do that. I don’t usually drink milk before bed."

"Oh..." Gina’s face fell. "I’m sorry. My dad always drinks a glass of milk after dinner, so I thought you might like some, too. But it’s fine. I’ll just take it away." She turned to leave.

"Wait." Claudia stopped her, gently tugging at her arm. "I’ll drink the milk." She took the glass from her.

A flicker of excitement sparked in Gina’s eyes as Claudia took the glass from her, but she quickly masked it, dropping her gaze to the floor. A small pout formed on her lips. "I suddenly miss my mom," she murmured with false emotion. "Can I sleep with you tonight?"

Claudia’s heart melted at her request. "Of course, darling. Come in." She stepped aside, inviting Gina into her room.

She guided Gina to the bed, her emotions swelling as she watched her daughter settle beside her, her eyes misting with unshed tears. The thought of her beloved daughter, sleeping right next to her filled Claudia with a deep sense of joy. It was a moment she had longed for but never thought she’d experience.

Gina, on the other hand, was taken aback. The genuine love in Claudia’s eyes caught her off guard. It was hard to reconcile the warmth she saw now with the cold cruelty she knew lurked beneath—the same woman who had plotted to destroy Theodore.

For a fleeting moment, Gina felt a strange pang of guilt, but she quickly shoved it aside. She reminded herself of her mission—she was doing this for Theodore. She couldn’t afford to let her emotions interfere.

"Why are you looking at me like that?" Gina asked innocently.

Claudia chuckled, blinking her tears away. "I always wanted a daughter, you know. And now, with you here, that emptiness I’ve carried in my heart for so long feels filled. I’m truly happy tonight."

"Then sleep," Gina urged. In the meantime, she noticed the glass of milk was still untouched on the side table. "You haven’t had the milk yet."

"Oh, right," Claudia said with a small laugh, picking up the glass. Without hesitation, she drank the milk.

Gina’s heart jumped with excitement. She couldn’t wait to see her fall asleep, then she would carry out her mission.