Grayson became worried as he stared at Angora. He realized that he shouldn't judge a book by its cover, and that his sloppy demeanor could be hiding immense strength.The Hannibal brothers must have a reason to have chosen him to fight against Seven after losing their previous fighter. They wouldn't have brought some random fighter just to embarrass themselves again.The Hannibals' men approached Agora and relayed Cadel's orders to stop eating. Agora then stared straight at Cadel as he shoved the rest of the food into his mouth and began to chew slowly as if he was provoking Cadel.Agora had his cheeks filled to the brim with food. The Hannibals' men just assumed that he was a lunatic on his usual behavior.Grayson felt that Agora looked cute more than anything, as it reminded him of Belle whenever she was eating.But Belle was undeniably still within Maltford.He fell into deep thoughts for a while before sending a message to the bodyguards back home. "Where's Belle?"The bodyg
Seven approached his target with lightning speed with the intention to end the fight with a single uppercut.However, his fist was stopped against his will before it even connected to Angora's chin.Angora stood still as he caught Seven's fist with his own hands.Despite his frail stature, Angora managed to stop Seven's attack as if he were stopping a piece of paper flying toward his face.Seven realized that something was wrong. He immediately tried to retract his arm, only to find that it had already lost all senses as if he was poisoned. "You…"Angora reached out to grab Seven and pulled him in. "Don't you recognize me?"While everyone was still confused by what Angora was doing, Grayson had already stood up from his seat.Angora and Seven were now so close that the crowd thought that they were about to kiss!Grayson's jealousy was so intense it felt like it might consume him.Even after confirming that Angora couldn't be Belle and realizing the fighter in the ring was undo
Belle publicly flirted with Grayson. "Hey, there, handsome. Why don't we make a bet? If you lose, you'll be mine tonight. And if I lose, I'll be yours tonight! What do you think?"The crowd lit up with excitement.The bet added an extra layer of excitement to the fight, where the winner would end up spending the night with the other.Noticing his silence, Belle took a few steps forward to try and touch his face.Grayson angrily grabbed her wrist.Belle then fell into his arms and exclaimed, "You've won! Guess I'll be yours tonight!"The crowd watched in awe at the romantic scene.Grayson stared back at her cunning gaze, wishing he could bully her into submission on the spot.He remained silent as he picked Belle up by the waist and walked out of the ring.The colosseum fell silent for a few seconds before the crowd exploded with joy."Oh, my God! This is so romantic.""This is my first time seeing something like this on the ring. This is weird, but great."Cadel, back on th
Meanwhile, Grayson had stuffed Angora into the passenger seat of his bulletproof luxury car. He then sat in the driver's seat, fastened his seat belt, and drove off.Sam and Rodney both froze up on the spot. "Did Mr. Page just forget about us?""I mean, he already drove away all by himself."Rodney turned to look at Sam. "Didn't you say that Mr and Mrs. Page are a match made in heaven? Then what the hell is going on with that Angora guy?"Sam was puzzled, as he had never recognized the man to be Belle. "I don't know! Mr. Page isn't into guys!""Then what the hell is happening right now? Angora had obviously flirted with Mr. Page on the ring, and Mr. Page brought him away from the ring, with a bridal carry even!""I… I guess Mr. Page was willing to make sacrifices so that he could bring a powerful fighter like Angora to our side?"Rodney was in disbelief. "Do you really think Mr. Page would do that?"Sam shook his head. "Absolutely not! Unless it's because Mr. Page couldn't hold
Sam and Rodney politely refused Shane's invitation. "We still need to take care of things." Seven had been brought back to the residence earlier.Despite Shane's efforts to retain them, he ultimately chose to have his men escort them home. Sam and Rodney, unable to decline the last offer, reluctantly got into the car.Shane explained, "I hope you can help put in a few good words for me to Mr. Quinn. And also let me know about his interests beforehand, would you? I wouldn't have given him all the women yesterday and angered him if I had known that he's into men."Sam and Rodney remained speechless. Meanwhile, Grayson was driving back to the residence.Belle sat on the passenger seat and looked up at him. "Grayson? Honey? Hey, I'm trying to talk to you."Grayson remained silent and didn't even bother to look back at her.Overwhelmed with emotions at that moment, he feared that any further glances at her could lead to unforeseen consequences. As he was still behind the wheel, prio
The couple was satisfied after a session of profuse sweating.They lay down beside each other with their fingers intertwined. They both panted for air as they stared up at the ceiling together.The next second, Belle broke the silence. "Honey, look at me."Grayson turned to face Belle, who had already reverted to her original appearance, holding the disguise in her hand.Grayson found Belle's disguise attractive but not as captivating as Belle herself. The couple was so desperate that Belle didn't even have the time to take off her makeup before they started making love. Grayson regained some vigor upon seeing the familiar face before him.He flipped over and lay on his side while staring at her. He then gently wiped off the sweat from her forehead before tenderly tracing his fingers over her cheeks, nose, and finally, her lips.His fingertips lingered near her lips as he subconsciously swallowed.Grayson felt a surge of heat coursing through his body, akin to a dam about to b
Belle knew that Grayson was worried about her. She wrapped her arms around his neck and explained, "Relax, I didn't put myself in actual danger. Besides, it's just a minor injury. I don't really care."Grayson bellowed, "Well, I care!""I understand. I promise I won't put myself in harm's way again, alright?" Belle reassured him, sealing her words with a kiss as she stood on her tiptoes.Before she could lower herself, Grayson swiftly swooped, seized her by the waist, and pulled her into a passionate embrace before kissing her fervently.Belle was slightly startled. "Grayson! You—"The couple relished each other's company in the steam-filled bathroom.Outside the window, two branches were similarly intertwined, casting fluttering shadows on the ground. It mirrored the intimacy of the couple inside the bathroom at that very moment. Meanwhile, Rodney and Sam had finally made it back.Upon entering the residence, they furrowed their brows upon realizing that Grayson had locked hi
Cursing inwardly, Grayson affectionately kept an eye on her. He delicately moved the strands of hair obscuring Belle's face behind her ears and leaned in for a tender kiss.Just as he was getting ready to snuggle up and fall asleep, he remembered the messages from Belle and her assigned bodyguard. They had replied when he texted both of them simultaneously.Grayson was confused. Just how did she sneak out of the house without being noticed by the bodyguards he had stationed back home? And how did she manage to reply to his messages?Back in the colosseum, she had replied to his messages instantly.Grayson was convinced that Angora was engrossed in a meal in the ring, without a phone in hand, when he got her reply—unless someone else was responding to his messages on her behalf.Grayson decided to give a call to the bodyguards back home.The call was promptly picked up. "Hello, Mr. Page?"Grayson's expression darkened as he asked, "Where's Belle?""Mrs. Page is currently resting
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