Grayson rolled his eyes. "Just say it."Tristan whispered his secrets, and Grayson's expression gradually turned sour."See? I was worried that you might not be able to do it," teased Tristan.Grayson pursed his lips and stayed silent, acknowledging that he couldn't do it.Tristan continued, "I'm telling you, when it comes to this, women usually need it more than we do. They're just more embarrassed about it, even though they like it just as much. Just take a look at other married couples if you don't believe me—""Do you think I'm crazy enough to go and ask other married couples?"Tristan's expression was distorted with disgust. "I'm not telling you to ask them directly, dude. I'm just saying that when it comes to married couples, especially those that have been married for decades, the wife is usually more demanding than the husband. While the husband can be satisfied with just a few times per year, the wife would need more than that."He then nudged at Grayson with his should
Belle narrowed her eyes with intrigue and smiled. She carefully chose her words just in case Colette was recording. "Who told you that I did it? You should present your evidence right away if you have any. And if you're slandering me without any evidence, you're the one breaking the law!"Colette was rendered speechless as she indeed had no evidence to prove her claims.Belle continued, "So you have nothing to show, hmm? Are you addicted to slandering others or something? First, you slandered Ginger, and now you're slandering me. Do you think we're easy targets to bully?"Colette remained silent.Belle's expression turned cold and distant. "I don't know why you're working here, Colette. But I'm warning you right now—don't try to go after Grayson. I'm petty, so your days here will not be pleasant if you make me angry. "Listen, I can deal with you with just a wave of my hand if I wanted. If you know what's good for yourself, you should stay away from Grayson, Ginger, and me."Co
Meanwhile, everyone within the Page Corporation was elated that the contract was finally signed.The dark clouds enveloping the Page Corporation were finally lifted.The entire company had been in disarray for a few days because Grayson was severely annoyed by the contract with Carthus.Sam willingly treated everyone to coffee and snacks with his own money.The secretarial department was delighted, and someone asked, "Hey Sam, now that Carthus is gone, can you tell us what kind of grudge there is between Carthus and Mr. Page? Why did Mr. Page get so upset the moment he appeared? Mr. Page didn't even bother to show up when he came to sign the contract as well.""Curiosity killed the cat, girl. Don't try to look into other people's private matters."The young secretary stuck out her tongue and stopped asking questions.Sam then received a phone call from Geoffrey. "I heard Carthus is already on a plane back home?""Yeah, he should be back in Krowdon by tonight," replied Sam."I
Sam was deep in his thoughts when someone knocked on his door to talk about a contract that needed Grayson to sign.He knew that Grayson wasn't at the office right now, so he called Grayson a few times to no avail before running to look for Belle."I don't know where he's at either. I haven't seen him since I came back. You couldn't reach him or something?" answered Belle."Yeah. I tried calling him several times, but he didn't pick up.""What about Jake?""Jake never picked up as well. I have no idea where they went."Belle picked up her phone and called Grayson, but he didn't answer. She was afraid that something might have happened and decided to boot up her computer to check on his location, only to find that he was at sea.She was surprised. "What's he doing at sea in the middle of the day?""He's at sea?""Yeah, his location shows that he's at sea."Sam took a look at Belle's computer screen and exclaimed, "But Mr. Page's whereabouts are always kept a secret. Ordinary
Belle looked back at the beach with confusion for a while before retracting her gaze.The door to the bedroom was left unlatched, and she easily pushed it open.She then curiously walked in to see what was going on.The bedroom within the cruise ship was decorated with subtle furnishings, while the overall color was painted blue with both shades of the sky and the sea.The white curtains and a vase of white roses gave the room an extra touch.Belle didn't see Grayson anywhere as she looked all over the room. "Grayson?"There was no reply, but the blanket on the big bed moved. She curiously looked at the bed for a while before walking over to lift the covers. "Gray—"Her eyes widened in shock before she could finish calling out for him.Grayson was tied to the bed in nothing but his boxers. His sexy body was tied up with thick hemp ropes that outlined his physique—two of his burly pecs, six of his toned abs, along with a clear shot of his waistline and Apollo's belt.Belle im
Belle lay atop Grayson's body as her own body began to rise in temperature. Her breathing became rapid as her heart was beating so fast that it felt like it was bursting out of her chest."Relax, we're on the sea with no one else around us for miles. We can do anything we want without anyone knowing," said Grayson.It sounded like he was both reassuring and seducing her."You … What're you trying to do?""What do you think?"Belle stammered, "I … I don't know!"Grayson whispered the answers directly to her ears.She froze up for a few seconds before her face turned bright red once more.She tried to run away again. "You're shameless! You … You … You're no longer a gentleman!"He felt a little helpless and began to panic upon noticing that she wasn't taking it well.He had put in too much effort and mustered extreme amounts of courage to follow Tristan's advice to seduce his wife.Grayson had basically just offered his body to her. He was shocked when Belle didn't jump on him
Belle stared upon the endless sea and said, "I was quite content with life back in the mountains. Grandpa treated me very well. But the scenery in the forests was certainly lackluster. "You'll know when you have the chance to visit. It's damp and gloomy since the trees have blocked off most of the sunshine. Even the daytime may seem like it was already nighttime."Grayson pitied her as he tightened his hug. "I know. I'm sorry that I didn't get to know you earlier. It must've been hard on you."She shook her head and replied, "It's not hard for me or anything. The scenery was lackluster, but I was still very happy with my life back then. I had Grandpa and Lovy by my side. Even the wild animals in the mountains kept me company.""But … Seriously …" Belle turned to face Grayson as she spoke. "It's the first time I've ever felt so enamored about staying alive in this world. I'm afraid that I might die and leave everything behind. I'm afraid of losing you."Grayson tenderly stroked he
The sun had risen high in the sky by the time they finished their kiss. Belle gasped for air and scolded Grayson. "It's your fault that I missed the sunrise."Grayson smiled and replied, "We can see it again tomorrow.""Watching the sunrise at home doesn't even compare to watching it on the sea! It's my first time watching the sun from such an angle.""We can see it again on the sea tomorrow. It's not like we're heading back anytime soon.""Huh? Aren't we going home tonight?""We don't have to.""Then where are we going?""We'll let the wind decide. We'll go wherever the wind and the waves take us on our boat."Belle's eyes widened with shock. "Are we just going to stay adrift?""Yes.""Don't you need to go back to work?""Work couldn't possibly compare to being with my wife. I'd rather be with you for the next few days."Belle was overjoyed, but then she immediately calmed down and pouted. "Why didn't you tell me about it earlier? I never even prepared anything.""There's
Belle playfully reached for Sixteen again. "Come here!"Sixteen barked back, seemingly firm in his stance. "I'll cry if you don't come here, okay?" Belle then held her face in her hands and pretended to cry.Sixteen immediately calmed down as it nudged Belle's hands with its paws, trying to comfort her. Belle broke character, revealing a grin. "Are you still mad at me?"Sixteen, appeased, finally got into her arms and launched into enthusiastic licks.Grayson watched the exchange with a hint of envy. "Hey, Sixteen!"Sixteen whimpered and offered Grayson a sheepish look.Belle scolded, "Why are you scolding Sixteen? You're a bad guy!"She then petted Sixteen on its head and stood up. "Let's go! We'll get something tasty to eat! Just ignore him, okay?"Grayson was left speechless. He felt defeated by the pet dog as he watched Belle and Sixteen skip and hop into the house.Meredith had already finished preparing dinner when they arrived. She put on a gentle smile as she watched Belle
After returning to the house, Ava asked, "Why did Xenia go crazy? Wasn't she fine not long ago?"Lena wiped her hands and handed the towel back to Ava. "Someone drugged her and induced hallucinations of her worst fears. She's been on the edge ever since. After all, she did commit all sorts of misdeeds." "Someone?""Belle Walters."Ava was shocked. "Why would Belle drug Xenia?"Ava and Lena had been moving from place to place, seeking a safe hideout ever since they picked up Xenia. They had only found a relatively safe place today, so Ava finally had the chance to inquire about the details.Lena shot her a look of disgust and proceeded to ignore her question.Ava dared not press further and changed the topic. "Now that Xenia's lost her mind, can we still get her to talk?"Lena continued to ignore her and went to scribble down a prescription. She had spent the entire day with Xenia in the basement but hadn't managed to extract any useful information from her. Ava sheepishly c
Meanwhile, Ginger, too, was grappling with confusion. She'd also offered Hunter money, only to be stunned into silence by the astronomical sum in his bank statement. Compared to him, she was practically penniless. The largest amount she'd ever held was a few million Gabriel had won in the lottery—a drop in the bucket compared to Hunter's wealth."Why do you think Mr. Sanders was so wealthy?" Ginger queried, seeking Gabriel's insight.Gabriel was similarly grappling with confusion and remained quiet. However, he was preoccupied with a different mystery. His mind was consumed by the deaths of Penny and Terry. He had taken time to visit the corpses and noted the peculiarity surrounding their deaths. Their autopsies revealed unusual injuries that baffled forensics.Both victims, young adults in their prime, looked as if they'd been scared to death.Aware of Hunter's ties to the Nightwalkers, Gabriel wasn't surprised by the inheritance. Compared to the wealth amassed during the Sanders f
Belle pondered aloud, "While Hunter isn't as averse to exploring tombs as Benjamin, they share a similar disposition. Otherwise, with his expertise, he could easily be making a fortune.""The Sanders ancestors might not have been saints," Grayson conceded, "but perhaps Hunter's grandfather started a positive trend. Like Benjamin, he likely tried to shield Hunter from their legacy. A truly evil man couldn't have raised such a kind son."As Benjamin grew, he remained kind-hearted despite his timidity. And now, Hunter has grown into an upright, kind, and courageous young man. His talent for exploration makes him the pride of his lineage."Belle nodded and sighed. "Money is crucial for a comfortable life today. With what Hunter has, financial worries shouldn't trouble him. He'll be well provided for."Grayson pulled her into his arms and responded, "Don't fret. While Hunter may still be in school, he's mature for his age. He can take care of himself just fine."Belle leaned onto his s
Hunter crouched by the bed, methodically clearing away the books until a single floor tile lay exposed. Prying it open revealed a dark hole just big enough for one person. Grabbing a flashlight, he squeezed through the narrow opening and emerged into a moderately sized room of perhaps about 130 square feet. Wooden boxes, weathered with age and adorned with simple designs, filled the space.Hunter made a beeline for a particular box, brushing off the dust before prying it open. The wooden box was filled to the brim with notebooks. Hunter sat down on the floor, picked up one of the books, and started reading it.This hidden chamber and its contents were discovered by a young Hunter, seemingly guided by destiny. Hunter's father, Benjamin, had buried them, driven by a desire to safeguard their knowledge from Hunter's curious gaze. Fear had gripped Benjamin after learning about the Sanders family's history, the expertise that had seemingly drawn them toward a dangerous path. He
Nora let out a long sigh. "It's fine. Just keep it with you! I don't really need the money right away or anything. Besides, an old woman like me won't be spending much in town even if I tried."Hunter stopped Nora as she was about to leave and took a wad of money from his bag. "I have 20,000 dollars right here. It's far from the actual price, but you can keep it for now. I'll pay you the rest when I can."Nora was stunned. "Where did you get so much money?""It's the money I gathered from donations for the funeral, mostly from Ms. Belle and Mr. Grayson.""Oh, that makes sense. Here I was, wondering how you managed to get such a huge amount from donations. I can tell your friends are really kind-hearted people. You should treat them just as well as they treat you, okay? Study hard and make a name for yourself, and then you'll be able to properly repay their kindness.""Yeah, I know. Anyway, the gold nugget weighs slightly over 17 ounces. So, its worth is about 37,500 dollars. I'll pay y
As the final step of the funeral, the townsfolk gathered for a meal after Benjamin's burial. After Benjamin was buried, Belle and Ginger approached Hunter, inquiring about his plans for the future. Belle expressed her desire for Hunter to stay with her and Grayson, mentioning that their house had plenty of spare rooms. The only drawback would be that it was quite the distance from his school, but they could always arrange a driver for him.Ginger also invited Hunter to stay with her and Gabriel as their house had just finished with renovations. They also had a spare room for Hunter if he were to join their house.Hunter was genuinely touched by their offers, but he still declined them both. "I'd like to stay in my school's hostel for now. I'll think about what to do next when I graduate."Belle and Ginger recognized that they couldn't sway Hunter's decision, so they ceased their attempts to pressure him into making a choice."If you run out of space for your belongings, you ca
Hunter detailed, "I recall every person who came to offer prayers for my father... However, it was during my trip to the restroom that the dogs began barking. Upon my return, I spotted some unfamiliar footprints. Without seeing anyone there, I dismissed it. But upon hearing about Penny and Terry's deaths this morning, I began to connect the dots..."Both Gabriel and Grayson were left speechless.Gabriel exchanged a glance with Grayson before turning back to Hunter. "So, you're suggesting that the stranger who came to town also visited your house to pray for your father before departing to exact revenge on Penny and Terry for Mr. Sanders' death?""Yes.""Why didn't he meet you then?""I don't know.""Any other suspects you have in mind?"Hunter shook his head. "My father and I don't have friends other than you guys. It's just the two of us for as long as I can remember.""Could it be someone else from the Sanders family?" asked Gabriel."I don't think so. I'm an only child, and
Belle, Ginger, and the rest of the group arrived at 8:00 am. They noticed the crowd alongside police cars at the entrance to the town. The two of them then squeezed through the crowd to make it to the house as soon as they could. "What happened, Hunter?"The policemen were stunned by their sudden arrival. "Who are you?""We're Hunter's friends. You can tell us about what happened."Hunter's eyes gleamed with hope as he greeted them. "Ms. Belle and Ms. Ginger!"Grayson's car stopped in front of the town alongside a truck filled with equipment for the funeral.Without Belle and Grayson's friendship, Hunter would have had to manage all the funeral arrangements alone, and he wouldn't have had the opportunity to meet Ginger.Sam remained outside to stand guard while Grayson and Gabriel entered the Sanders family's old home.The townsfolk and the police were shocked when they saw them.They didn't recognize Grayson or Gabriel, but they could tell at a glance that they were really special peo