Chapter 982 - Plan to remove Shawn (2) (1/2)

~ Austin, White Mansion ~

Sunday, December 1

9:27 AM

JoAnna is frowning while scolding Sarah: ”Why do you have a need to pick up people? Or animals?”

JoAnna saw Ron talk with Jesse and Haru that morning and asked Sarah: ”Who is the boy who is acting so familiar with Jesse and Haru? Also, why are they wearing matching clothes?”

Ron is almost as tall as Jesse, and they have about the same lean built, so Jesse gave him one of his outfits. Now all six of them have matching clothes.

Sarah casually said that he is the guy they picked up last night and that information threw JoAnna into a fit of rage.

JoAnna got Sarah into the study room (where Jeff is) and started questioning Sarah about this newcomer.

Back to present…

Jeff is pretending to be invisible while reading news on his tablet. After breakfast he saw that JoAnna went to look for Sarah, so he decided to relax and catch up on news until the scheduled showdown with Shawn and his men at 11. Who would have known that he will end up witnessing his wife's rage? He knows not to get in-between two Hill sisters, so he is doing his best to hide his presence.

Sarah ignored JoAnna's scolding. ”I need more people. He will not be in the way and we are leaving tonight.”

JoAnna rolled her eyes. ”I didn't mean that he is in the way. Did you run a background check on him? Why did you just bring him here? What if he is a spy?”

Sarah looked at JoAnna who is overreacting. Why is she so edgy? It's not like she asked for Ron to stay at JoAnna's home. ”He is not a spy. His father remarried, and because his father is always away for work he is stuck with his stepmother who is mistreating him. So, he left.”

”Ahhh…”, JoAnna exaggeratedly exhaled. ”I didn't realize that you are a social worker.”

”He is a good fighter.”

JoAnna frowned. ”Is that the only thing that matters to you?”

”He needs help.” Sarah was getting tired from explaining to her sister. Why can't she let it go?

JoAnna snorted in disapproval. ”Yeah, right. He needs help until he makes up with his family and goes back home and takes all our secrets away with him! What exactly did his stepmother do? Refuse to give him a dessert after dinner? Or did she scold him for not doing his homework?”

”It's not that simple…” Sarah exhaled while choosing her words: ”For years, his stepmother used him as a dessert.”

”What do you mean?”

”I mean that… his father is not home most of the time, and his stepmother saw a teenager in the house, and she helped herself to fulfill her… needs.”, Sarah gave JoAnna a knowing look.

Jeff lifted his gaze over the tablet. He forgot to pretend that he is not listening. This was too… shocking.

Sarah continued talking to JoAnna whose eyes were widening the more she heard: ”He tried talking to his father, but he does not believe him. So, one day he left. It will be nearly impossible for him to forget how that woman mistreated him or forgive his father for not believing him.”

”And you believe that story?”, JoAnna's temper was rising. ”That all sounds like a very bad drama plot! Who knows what he is up to?”

”Anna, I gave him the truth serum.”

When JoAnna heard about the truth serum, her fighting spirit completely deflated. The boy was not lying.

JoAnna opened and closed her mouth few times before finally speaking: ”Why are you picking up troubled youth? He needs help, counseling, healthy environment to heal…”

”What are his options? To go back to that woman? Or to a foster home? How is that better than what we can offer? And no one said that he can't have counseling while staying with us. Look at all the kids we have, are they not doing well?”