Grayson fell silent. He had guessed it right last night. She did grow up in an uninhabited area in the mountains!Before Grayson could ask further, Belle spoke. "Last night, I said that no beasts dared to disturb me when I slept in the mountains. Is that why you guessed that I grew up in the mountains?"Grayson narrowed his eyes. In reality, Belle wasn't silly most of the time."That's right. Since you've admitted to it, tell me. Why would you live in an uninhabited area? Who are you hiding from? Who are your parents? What jobs do they have? Are they—"Belle interrupted him with a stern expression."Stop asking. I won't tell you even a word! Also, stop trying to investigate me. Our contract clearly states that we will only be married for two years."We will be divorced when the time comes! Why would you investigate me and pay attention to me? If you keep doing this, I'll think that you've fallen for me!"Grayson's train of thought was instantly derailed.He just wanted to know
Belle was stunned at his question.Henry had kept urging her to carry out the investigation. So, naturally, she knew it had to come from Grayson!To hide her identity as a hacker, Belle could only mention her fake 18 relationships."If you haven't investigated me, how would you have known that I've been in 18 relationships? You're the one who said it yourself."At the mention of the 18 relationships, Grayson was pissed for some reason. His train of thought was getting derailed again. He shouted at her, "Aren't you ashamed to talk about that? You don't know how to respect or love yourself. Do you think that jumping from one relationship to another is something to be proud of?"You may be proud of your experience in romance, but you don't know the things men say behind your back!"You're the one who suffered losses and was being taken advantage of, but you think you're all that! You're childish, stupid, foolish, and an idiot …" Grayson rattled on. He had gotten himself red in t
Looking at the bulging spot, Belle widened her eyes. Her face instantly turned red like a tomato when she thought of the scene she saw last night. She hastily looked away.Sixteen didn't know better. Seeing that it had pulled down Grayson's pants, it got even more excited. It tried to pull down Grayson's boxers as well."Sixteen!" Grayson shouted in anger. He hastily put his pants back on.It was only then that Sixteen noticed something off about Grayson's expression. With its tail between its legs, it turned around and ran away. It soon disappeared from the room.Grayson was so pissed that his expression was dark to the extreme. Looking at Belle's shy behavior, he knew what she was thinking about. He shouted at her, "Belle, you'd better forget everything about last night! Don't you dare get any ideas about me!""Get ideas about him?" Belle thought.Belle's face was red as she retorted, "Who's getting ideas about you, huh?""You!""You … I'm telling you, don't accuse me like
Noah laughed, "You sure have good ears! Don't worry. I won't go back on my word! Anyway, just enjoy your time at Maltford with Grayson, okay? I won't disappoint you."Belle quickly added, "Relax! I promise to be peaceful with Grayson. I won't disappoint you either! I won't divorce him until the time is up."Noah replied, "I actually wanted you to stay with him forever, not just for these two years!"Belle turned slightly hostile. "Grandpa! We promised to do this for only two years and nothing more! I agreed to everything just for Lovy, after all. Not a single day more!""Lovy this, Lovy that, people might think you're still a kid!""What's so funny about it! Grandpa, you promised to take care of Lovy! Oh yeah, tell Lovy I would come back to visit whenever possible.""No visiting! You said so yourself, two years! Not a single day less!""Alright, alright. I'm just saying that I miss Lovy!""Alright, alright. But you should be thinking about your husband instead since you're marr
Xenia sat on the sofa on the first floor.She hurriedly stood up when she saw Grayson coming out from his bedroom on the second floor. But before she could greet him, he had gone to his study with his phone. At last, he emerged from his study.Xenia was wearing a long white dress and a gentle expression despite her fiery emotions. She smiled and greeted Grayson, "Good morning, Grayson."Grayson, however, just hummed in acknowledgment. He then left the house for a jog.Xenia felt slightly embarrassed after being given the cold shoulder.She turned to Meredith after Grayson had left the house."Is Grayson angry with Belle?"Meredith could tell that Xenia had no good intentions and was always keen to ruin the couple.Nonetheless, Meredith never dared to display her displeasure. She responded to Xenia calmly, "I'm not sure. We shouldn't discuss Mr. Page and Ms. Walters behind their backs."Xenia curiously scanned Meredith but refrained from saying more. She was indeed looking forw
Belle ignored Xenia and sat at the dining table.Xenia swiftly took a seat across from Belle. As she was about to speak, Belle asked, "Does the Sanchez family not have breakfast?" "Huh?""Why do you come to my house every day for breakfast? Have you fallen in love with the breakfast over here, or have you perhaps fallen in love with someone over here?"Xenia's lips twitched out of embarrassment. "Haha, your jokes are pretty funny, Belle. I—""Do you think I'm joking? I'm not that close with you."Xenia was taken aback by the sudden surge of hostility. Nonetheless, she held back her anger and quietly asked, "Belle, are you angry at Grayson again?""I'm not. Why do you expect me to be angry at him all the time? Is there any benefit to you for us to be quarreling?""You misunderstood me. I noticed Grayson looked unhappy when he left. And now I noticed that you don't look too happy either. That's just it.""What about it?""Just … concerned about both of your well-being.""We d
Belle was afraid of falling and tightened her arms around Grayson's neck out of reflex. "Grayson, what are you doing?"Grayson ignored her cries and just continued upstairs.Meredith could not help but smile at the sight. Belle's face, however, turned red as she shouted, "Grayson, put me down! You stink of sweat! Put me down right now!"Grayson angrily retorted, "Keep yelling, and I'll kiss you again!""You … asshole!"He continued upstairs after he had successfully "persuaded" her.Xenia bit her lips as she watched the scene unfold before her. She had expected Grayson to stand up for her when she saw him angrily walk toward Belle.She briefly experienced a moment of happiness, only for it to be shattered when Grayson swept Belle upstairs in a princess carry.Her heart sank further when she heard Grayson saying he would kiss Belle again if she did not cooperate.Xenia was crying from envy after witnessing the scene.On the second floor, Grayson carried Belle into the mast
Grayson continued, "But it is a fact that you made her cry today. More troubles would come if she were to tell Grandpa and Dawson about this.""Are you scared?""What could I be afraid of? I just don't want to make things difficult for myself. And I don't want to make things awkward for Grandpa either."Belle pouted and remained silent upon the mention of Finneas.Grayson further explained, "Grandpa is already arranging for her marriage with Dawson. Once their wedding is confirmed, things should settle down. I'll do my best to expedite it, and you just need to maintain peace for a few more days.""Peace, my ass!" Belle angrily replied. "Her engagement with Dawson never stopped her. Why do you think a marriage certificate will do the trick?""A marriage certificate is just some government-issued documentation that loving couples hold in high regard. It doesn't mean jack shit for the people who actually have eyes for another."Belle continued with an example, "For example, you and
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