Grayson returned from a run before Belle finished eating.He was wearing black sportswear and black running shoes. At that moment, he was dripping with sweat.Grayson had a rugged look and was exuding a sense of masculinity. At the sight of that, Xenia hurriedly got up and approached him. "Grayson, you're back! You must have run a lot. Look at you, all sweaty."She continued, "Quick, wipe yourself. Otherwise, you'll catch a cold."Xenia took a white towel and handed it to Grayson as she spoke. She acted like she was the lady of the house. On the other hand, Belle sat at the dining table without moving. When she saw what Xenia did, she pouted and continued eating. Belle was annoyed at both Xenia and Grayson at the moment. Xenia wouldn't be there if it were not for Grayson. He had invited her over. Even though he did not like Xenia, he was still to blame. Grayson sensed that Belle was not in a good mood. He glanced at her and did not take the towel from Xenia. Instead,
In an instant, Grayson felt an inexplicable sense of ease. He did not reach out to take the glass from Belle. Instead, he took a sip as she held it. Belle was momentarily stunned. She frowned and thought Grayson was shameless. After all, she was only acting in front of Xenia. How could he actually drink from her hand? Belle was annoyed by his actions. She pouted, handed the glass to Grayson, and said, "Finish this glass of water first. I'll go upstairs and run the bath for you."She added, "Be quick! I'll be waiting!"After hinting at him, she turned and headed upstairs to wait for Grayson. She needed to talk to him.Looking at Belle's departing figure, Xenia frowned. Then she turned to Grayson and smiled. "Belle looks like a gentle person. Who would have thought she had a fiery temper? She was fierce to me and had the guts to throw a tantrum at you, too."Xenia continued, "Does she know who you are? How could she do that to you? I … "Grayson interrupted her before she could
Grayson was rendered speechless by Belle's reaction.He wondered if her intense reaction was because she was furious. After all, he had exposed her. Would she start yelling in the next second?Just as Grayson expected, Belle indeed started yelling. "I don't like you, and I've never wished for you to like me! Are you out of your mind, Grayson?" He knew he had guessed it right. She was indeed mad because he had exposed her hidden motive.Meanwhile, Belle had no idea what was going through Grayson's mind. He was driving her crazy. Why was he acting like a madman all the time?He had been saying she was trying to seduce him some time ago. He thought she was seducing him when she accidentally left her foot out of the blanket at night. Grayson assumed it was seduction even when Belle glared at him. And at that moment, he had claimed that she liked him. Belle could not help but wonder if she had done or said anything that led to this misunderstanding. She was certain she did
Belle was seething with anger. She struggled with all her might but could not move. This time, she was indeed outraged. Her face had turned red."Grayson Page! You're shameless!"On the other hand, Grayson was furious, too. "Am I shameless, or did you do it on purpose?"He added, "You deliberately started a fight with me so I would hold you, right?""L-Let go of me! I'm killing you!" "Why are you so unreasonable? How could you resort to violence at the slightest provocation? And all you do is talk about fighting and killing!""If you're a reasonable person, then let me go! Let's settle this with a fair fight!" Belle yelled. "You still want to fight? Even when I'm hugging you, you still won't stop. How am I supposed to subdue you?""You—" Belle was on the verge of crying. She had never felt this frustrated in her whole life. "Grayson Page! This isn't over between us!" Belle shouted as she struggled with all her might. Even so, Grayson looked fierce and commented, "You can'
Xenia squinted her eyes. She wondered if Grayson and Belle were fighting in the room. Just as she was about to enter, the door suddenly opened with a creak. Belle appeared at the door with a frown. She looked displeased.At the sight of her, Xenia was momentarily stunned. Judging by Belle's expression, she was confident they had fought. Thinking about that made Xenia happy. However, she put on an anxious look and asked, "What's wrong, Belle? Did you fight with Grayson?"She added, "Tell me if there are any issues. I'll talk to Grayson on your behalf!"Belle frowned after hearing that. "Can't you just hope that Grayson and I are fine? Besides, are we even that close? Why do I need you to talk to Grayson for me?"Xenia was unhappy that Belle retorted. Nevertheless, she was patient and could endure it. Moreover, Xenia was good at acting. She frowned slightly before commenting, "Alright, don't get angry. Of course, I hope you guys are okay. I just thought Grayson seemed mad a
After some while, Grayson went downstairs.He had already changed into a clean set of clothes, a black shirt and pants. One could tell how buff he was through the outfit's fabric. When Xenia looked at him, her initial depressed mood brightened up. Grayson's handsome and charming appearance could captivate any woman. Xenia felt a bit hesitant after hearing Belle's words. However, Xenia couldn't help but feel enthralled after seeing Grayson.It didn't matter if Grayson was impotent. His prestigious status could make Xenia overlook all of his shortcomings.Xenia would become the world's richest woman once she married Grayson. By then, she could sleep with whichever man she wished in private.An infatuated look gleamed in Xenia's eyes as she looked at Grayson. Grayson didn't know that Belle had slandered him. Therefore, he was relaxed and in a good mood.Grayson treated Xenia like air and wholly overlooked her. After scanning the living room, he failed to find Belle. "Where'
Grayson was already seated at the dining table. "Grayson, I'm unsure if I should tell you something. It's about …" Xenia quickly sat across from him and started hesitantly."Don't say it if you're not sure. I'm going to eat now," Grayson interrupted her indifferently, not even bothering to lift his head. Xenia furrowed her eyebrows aggrievedly. Just when she was about to continue talking, Grayson suddenly lifted his head."Why did you sit down again? Didn't you already eat?"Upon hearing that, Xenia hurriedly tried to appease him, "I haven't eaten yet.""Not yet? Didn't you eat with Belle?""Nope. Belle was the only one who ate. I thought it was inappropriate for me to eat before you returned.""Why's that?""You're the man of the house. I figured I should wait for you to return before eating."Grayson furrowed his eyebrows. "Must the man of the house accompany you? It's not enough for the lady of the house to accompany you to eat?"Xenia's expression turned meek. "Men are s
Meredith comforted Sixteen before telling Xenia, "Sixteen likes Mr. Page and Ms. Walters. It's probably hostile toward you because it has never met you before. Are you going upstairs to look for Mr. Page? Should I go up and inform him first?"Xenia quickly shook her head. "No need."She only wanted to go upstairs and check out Grayson's living environment. Plus, she wanted to find a chance to talk with him.Xenia didn't want to call him downstairs. It would make her look ignorant. However, she couldn't go upstairs now that Sixteen was blocking her way.Although she couldn't go upstairs, she didn't want to leave just like that. Thus, she could only stay on the first floor.Meanwhile, Belle had arrived at Syl Hospital.Dorothy was already at the hospital waiting for her. Upon seeing her, Dorothy was ecstatic and personally led her to the intensive care unit.Coincidentally, Simon was there as well. Although Belle was wearing a mask, he still recognized her.However, before Simon
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