After a while, Benjamin's breathing stabilized as he stopped coughing out blood. But he was still barely able to speak. "Stop… Stop it… That's enough… I can't take it anymore…"Everyone in the room was visibly in anguish.Simon and the doctors had already predicted that Benjamin wouldn't make it out alive when they wheeled him into the emergency room. No one could survive against cancer in its final stages.When Simon called Belle early in the morning, it was just a last resort as well as to hope for a miracle to happen. But to be realistic, Simon and the doctors already knew that Benjamin could no longer be saved.Belle sniffed and replied, "Let me try again."Benjamin shook his head as his voice grew weaker and weaker. "Please don't perform surgery on me… I'm scared of the pain…"She tried her best not to burst into tears right this very moment. "Should I call Hunter over? He's just waiting outside.""I… I'd like to speak to you first…""Of course. What is it?"Simon told al
Graverobbing was already an illegal activity, let alone its high-risk nature of operations.The tombs of the wealthy were often filled with all sorts of treasures. Graverobbers could always sell them off for huge amounts of money without paying any amount of cost other than the effort and risk to move them out from the grave.There were plenty of folks who had tried their chance at robbing graves to strike gold.Anyone who had learned of Hunter's identity would surely target him or even threaten him to rob graves in their stead.Every single attempt to go underground was very much a lethal risk.Benjamin had always been worried about Hunter going underground. He was deathly afraid that Hunter would follow their ancestors' footsteps and that one day, he would meet his untimely end in the tombs.Hunter came face to face with Benjamin in the emergency room, and tears finally started flowing down his cheeks.He looked away and wiped his tears before going any closer. "Dad."Benjamin looked
Benjamin responded, "You must remain an upright citizen and use your talents for good! My biggest regret is not being able to contribute to my country. "I may look like this now, but I was quite the patriotic young fella back then. I even wanted to join the military, but I was held back by various responsibilities. It's a pity…"Hunter sniffled. "I know.""I buried a bankbook under your mother's tomb. Once I'm gone, you should retrieve it and withdraw the money from the bank. It was passed down by your grandpa, and I never found the need for them. I'll be leaving you all by yourself soon. "And you're still a student. You won't have much spare time to work. You'll need the money for tuition, for your daily use, and when you're going to form your own family… So don't feel bad about using the money, okay?""I will, Dad."Benjamin let out a long sigh of relief as his face gradually turned pale. His health had made a short comeback so that he could relay his final words to his son. But no
Belle replied, "I'm fine. How about you?"Ginger responded, "Yeah, I'm fine, too. You should worry about yourself. Where's Hunter?""He's with his father. He wants to bring him home and bury him there. Grayson's currently dealing with the paperwork and stuff.""Mr. Sanders was a great father. It's a pity he left us so soon. Hunter must be having it really hard right now."Belle sighed and turned to Ginger. "We really need to take care of ourselves. Everything else in life is second to our own health."Ginger understood that Belle was also worried about her. She nodded. "Don't worry about me, Belle. I made it out alive, and I became mentally stronger than ever. It'll be nothing but upward from now on for me. I'll cherish my life and my health more than ever."Belle was pleased that Ginger was mentally strong enough to take another stand at life. It was something she had to decide for herself, and nobody could have helped her with her own thoughts.Ginger continued, "I'm just worr
Gabriel closed the door and handed a cup of milkshake to Belle and Ginger each. "Here you go."Ginger accepted the milkshake and asked, "When did you go get milkshakes?""There wasn't much for me to help with, so I went for a walk and came by a café."It was from the café next to the boxing gym. It was also extremely far away from the clinic. But Gabriel knew that the milkshake from that café was Belle's favorite.Belle realized Gabriel's efforts as she accepted the milkshake. She didn't even bother to thank him before taking a huge sip of her favorite drink.It was probably a response better than saying "thank you" to Gabriel."Have you seen Hunter?" asked Ginger."Yeah. He's currently talking to Mr. Grayson about the funeral. I think he seemed okay."Belle and Ginger frowned at the same time. They realized that Hunter was probably just forcefully holding himself up.Sometimes, it would be better to just let it all out and cry to one's heart's content. As a gesture of appr
Gabriel asked, "Are you implying that it was someone else who came to rescue her from the hospital and hid her away?"Grayson confirmed, "Yes.""But who else would be helping her if not her own family? Could it be the Waller family? I've heard they hated Xenia because of what she had done to Monica."Grayson shook his head. "Monica's parents, Margaret and Thomas had both fallen into a coma from shock ever since she died. I don't think anyone from the Waller family would take it up to themselves to enact revenge for Monica.""Then who could it be that broke Xenia out of the hospital?"Grayson remained silent.He'd heard about what happened to Ginger from Belle and how Colette and Xenia were involved. But Belle never managed to find any evidence to prove their guilt.Grayson also realized that Colette and Xenia might have hired someone else to do their bidding while they formulated the plans.At the end of the day, he still couldn't figure out who could benefit from helping Xenia.Grayso
Belle approached their car and leaned on the window as if about to ask something. Immediately, she frowned and chided, "What's with the smell of smoke? Have you guys been smoking in the car?"Gabriel hurriedly explained, "Mr. Grayson was smoking…"Ginger replied, "What are you so nervous about? I know you don't smoke."Gabriel averted his gaze to hide the blush on his face as he felt guilty.Grayson threw a glance at Gabriel but decided not to expose him. "I was just bored."Belle was furious. "Gabriel's in the car with you. Can't you at least be a little considerate with him getting second-hand smoke from you?"Gabriel was afraid that Grayson might expose him, so he quickly replied, "I'm fine, Ms. Belle.""You're not! Second-hand smoke is even worse than just smoking a cigarette directly. He's hurting you!"Belle then turned to Grayson and continued, "Never smoke in front of Gabriel again!"Gabriel felt a little guilty about the situation, so he decided to change the topic. "
The neighbors were all shocked. "What are you doing, Penny?"Penny Topps was visibly upset. "I won't allow the coffin to enter the house! It's going to lower the property's value!"The townsfolk were in disbelief as they scolded her. "This is his home! Hunter can do whatever he wants! Besides, where else do you want him to place the coffin?""Put it somewhere else. I don't care! Just don't bring the coffin inside!" Penny sat down in front of the door like a roadblock.Hunter pursed his lips and stared at her while holding himself back. He never expected Penny, of all people, to still be such a troublesome person after all these years.Hunter clenched his fists and calmly replied, "Please move aside, Ms. Topps."Penny glanced at Hunter for a second before turning away again. "I'm not trying to bully you or anything, Hunter. To be honest, it's because I've already found buyers for this place. The price is already set and all that. They're going to pull out if they ever hear about you pla
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