August 21, 2024. Chapter 1-2.
“Are you ready, Honey?” Riley asked Adrian in excitement. “Not really the kind of bonding I was hoping for, Honey,” Adrian hissed as he sat beside his wife. Riley ignored her husband’s lack of interest. Instead, she turned to her father with a gleeful smile and said, “This is going to be so relaxing, Dad, and didn’t you say you’d like to relax?”“I -” Charles’ brows met. While in his seat, he turned to Riley with a complicated expression and answered, “I - I trust you, my daughter.”Riley and Adrian had been with Charles in Dowel City for two days. On the first day, they focused on gathering feedback from Charles’ doctor to understand how best to support him. The following day, they visited Raelyn’s grave. In the evening, they enjoyed a delightful dinner at the city’s top restaurant.Charles’ psychiatrist advised that spending quality time was the best way to support a family member dealing with depression. For Riley, the most effective way to do this was to enjoy a foot spa together
"So, you never got to see Mom's body, right?" Riley asked Charles. "No, she was already buried in Sever Port's cemetery when I found her. The police confirmed it was her through her belongings, and they said that -" Charles frowned, trying to recall the day that he discovered Raelyn's death. "The police said someone identified Raelyn - a neighbor.""There was—" Charles paused yet again. His hand covered his mouth as he explained, "There was no DNA I could compare Raelyn's body to, so I couldn't do that confirmatory test.""But the police," Charles resumed. "They reassured me it was her. I checked the documented identifications. They had Raelyn's driver's license and social security ID."The moment Charles said that, dead air fell upon the room. Almost everyone looked at each other and came to the same conclusion. "The police were in on it," Adrian suggested. Instead of going to Dowel City, the couple returned to Adrian's villa, regrouping after Ramona requested freedom. Renee and Ab
"Leni was here earlier," Charles revealed on the phone. "She came to pick up the rest of her things.""How did you feel about seeing her again?" Riley inquired as she exited her car. She had just arrived home from checking the Adley store when her father called."I was okay. I feel sorry for Leni, but she really needs to stand on her own two feet now," Charles described. "She begged me to help her get another endorsement.""Oh, " Riley said, making a face. "You are right, then. She does need to learn to stand on her own."Quickly shifting the discussion, she reminded, "Adrian and I will be in Dowel tomorrow. You said the results for the DNA test would be out by then, right?"Yes, they had, in fact, exhumed Raelyn's body. It had already been ten days since Ramona had dropped the big bomb on them, and it had been seven days since they had dug up Raelyn's remains. Despite waiting for the test, they had already begun searching for other properties that belonged to Calvin, Ramona, or any o
Riley observed her father as he scanned the results, his face draining of color before a storm of anger erupted. His voice trembled with fury as he exclaimed, “Calvin, how could you?!”Charles’ hand trembled as he turned to Riley. He revealed, “Riley, the person in your mother’s tomb did not match your DNA, nor did it have any match to Renee!”“That means Ramona could be telling the truth,” Riley muttered. “And my mother could still be alive?”“Oh, my goodness, my sister is alive,” Renee remarked. She almost fainted at the news that Anthony supported her weight. “Are you okay?” Anthony asked, and Renee balanced herself again with her walking crane. “Dad,” Riley cried out, rushing into her father’s arms and holding him close. “I know this is devastating, but on the bright side, Mom might still be alive!”Charles nodded as tears stung his eyes. He pulled away and said, “We need to find your mother as soon as possible.”“We will double our search and use all our resources,” Adrian offe
No one opened the gates. The police were forced to enter the premises by force. Charles, Adrian, and Riley were instructed to wait outside after the authorities had cleared the house. Ben also stayed behind, and Ramona was kept inside the car with a police officer guarding her. "This is nerve-wracking," Riley said while waiting by the car. Adrian put his arm around her and said, "Any minute now."When Riley turned to her father, she saw him equally anxious. Charles was taking deep breaths, his hand resting on his chest. After an hour, one police officer exited the gate and announced, "No one is here. The place is a mess. It looks like they were in a hurry to leave."Riley sighed with a heavy heart. She felt devastated that it had resulted in a dead end. Tears immediately stung her eyes as Riley felt her chest congesting. She almost lost her balance if Adrian had not held her. "No," Charles said. He panted as he walked towards the house. "This cannot be."Ben, Riley, and Adrian qui
"I swear I did not trick you," Ramona said. She was also upset when she discovered Raelyn was not in the villa. "Have you tried to contact Jasper?" Charles asked. "I did as you instructed," Ramona replied. "He doesn't answer to unknown numbers. Besides, he probably already knew that I was arrested, okay!""How come you don't know anything about this Jasper?" This time, it was Adrian who asked. "He is a secretive guy and works for money," Ramona said. "I don't know how he remains loyal to Calvin, but he does. He is probably protecting Raelyn, so if you find him, you can find her too!""Please," Ramona begged. "I swear I did not know Jasper would move Raelyn."They were still at Pelican Island, interrogating Ramona in one of the villa's rooms. The police, including Adrian and Charles, had grilled her for almost two hours, trying to get more information about where Raelyn could be. Riley chose not to participate in the questioning. So far, the only information Ramona shared was what t
6:00 AM, Pelican Island. "Yes, Aunt, we are counting on you," Riley said on the phone. "I'll give the phone to Dad."Riley's party awaited the helicopter to bring them back to Hinesville. They called Renee before leaving. Her aunt was already in Dowel and was the best person to reach Leni. If Raelyn were looking for her daughter and if she still assumed it was Leni, then they were banking on a mother's primary instinct: Raelyn would go straight to Leni. "Renee, Ben has ordered the rest of my bodyguards to accompany you around Dowel. Based on my last surveillance on Leni, she was eyeing the Sterling Homes, Maplewood, or the Blue Horizon," Charles said on the phone. "My men know where to go first. Don't hesitate to use my name.""Thank you," Charles said just before the helicopter was in their view. They still brought Ramona with them, hoping she would be of help later on. As they hurriedly got on the helicopter, Adrian shared, "I was just on the phone with Kyle. So, Jasper is under
11:00 AM Dowel City. "Okay, we are clear to leave. We are entering the airport now," Jasper reported. "I coordinated with the private plane company to adjust our departure time."Leni let out a heavy sigh. She said, "What a relief."Earlier, she had been very nervous about how Anthony had discovered her with Raelyn. She did the math and knew that Adrian and Charles would already know by then.There was no escaping the situation. Leni would just have to stand by her decision. She had decided that Raelyn was her chance of an easy life. So, of course, she grabbed the golden opportunity. Thinking of Charles, she said in her head, 'This is your fault, Dad. You did this to me.'Charles could not grasp that she had been accustomed to a life of luxury, and by taking it all away, he left her no choice but to use any means necessary to survive. She simply could not handle being thrust into poverty!"Don't worry, Leni. Everything will be fine soon. When we leave here, we will forget about Charl