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
Xenia glanced toward the second floor periodically. Upon confirming that Grayson was not coming back down, she inched closer to Belle and whispered, "Listen, Belle. I've had a few friends under similar circumstances as you. "Their husbands could not make it work, and the wives were left full of stress. And when the stress finally tips over, they then go outside to find another."Belle was speechless and just stared at Xenia.Xenia failed to convince her to divorce, and she immediately tried to convince her to cheat in a relationship.Belle finally uncovered Xenia's plan. If Belle were to follow up with finding another, Xenia would report this to Grayson. Subsequently, Grayson would proceed to divorce Belle, and Xenia would assume the role of Mrs. Page upon its vacancy. Belle could not help but laugh inwardly. Still, she pretended to be interested in Xenia's advice."For real? Did her husband allow it?""Her husband was sick and could not do much about it. You just don't ha
Belle's spirits lifted as she observed Xenia in a state of panic.It wasn't that Belle derived happiness from witnessing Xenia's distress, but she didn't harbor any remorse for causing Xenia's anxiety, either.Since she couldn't remove Xenia from the situation at the moment, she resolved to torment her out of sheer boredom.She found it funny how Xenia went from delighted to depressed throughout the conversation. It was as if she was teasing an animal with treats.After a while, Belle finally got bored of teasing Xenia."Relax, if you don't want me to tell Grayson about it, then I won't tell him about it."She recognized that merely informing Grayson about it wouldn't serve a purpose. Furthermore, she hadn't recorded their conversation to provide concrete evidence of Xenia's words.Xenia could easily deny everything, and even if Grayson were to believe Belle wholeheartedly, it might not necessarily prevent Xenia from causing further disruptions in their lives.And thus, Belle d
Grayson was on cloud nine as he indulged in Belle's every request. Xenia witnessed the entire scene unfolding before her. It hurt her heart to witness Grayson playing the role of a doting husband to another woman.The couple's performance was so convincing that Xenia began to think Grayson favored the cute and compliant type of women over the gentle and dignified ones.And so, she attempted to adjust her approach."Grayson, the cookies made by Meredith sure are tasty! Do you want one?"Grayson turned toward Xenia and frowned. "What's wrong with you? Is your throat okay?""Huh?""You're not speaking clearly like usual. You sound really weird just now. It gave me the creeps."Xenia was speechless.It was just fine when Belle was doing it. And now when she attempted it, she was called creepy. Xenia felt hurt by his remarks, but she merely covered it up with a cough and took a sip of water. "I had a dry throat for a moment there. I'm okay now. Do you want a taste of this cookie
While awaiting Belle's return in her dance costume, Xenia quickly shed her dress, revealing her dance attire, and entered the dance practice room.She had long, beautiful legs paired with a slim waist. Her dance attire also further enhanced her already beautiful body.Xenia took great pride in her beautiful physique, confident that she could capture Grayson's heart with it.She looked at herself in the mirror to check for any imperfections. She then took some deep breaths before turning toward Grayson.He had changed into a white shirt and a pair of trousers. He crossed his legs as he sat on the sofa before the window, reading financial magazines. The sunlight shone on him, adding a touch of warmth. He looked even more attractive now.Xenia's heart started to race as she observed the scene unfold. She believed that only a man like Grayson could be her equal.Consequently, she felt that only a woman like her could be a match for Grayson. In her perspective, they were a match mad
Grayson ushered Belle into the nearby gym room, and upon entering, he pressed her against the wall. He remained somewhat agitated."You know that I don't like her. Why won't you believe me? How can I make you trust my words?""Huh?" Belle was perplexed. Grayson wore a somber expression, and he was slightly out of breath."Why don't I take these pants off and have them tested to see if it's water or my sem—""Shut up! How can you say something like that with a straight face? You're shameless! You're a dirty pervert!" Belle quickly interrupted him. Her face was bright red.His lips twitched as he delivered a cold explanation, saying, "All of this is because of you. Despite my repeated explanations, you simply wouldn't believe me. You've always claimed not to like me, yet you're the most jealous woman I've ever encountered!"Belle was shocked. "Jealous? Me? When did you ever see me being jealous over you being with another woman?""Nonsense! What else, if not jealousy, made you s
The interlude ended, and nobody brought it up again. When Grayson returned in clean clothes, he still ignored Xenia.He looked at Belle and asked, "Why haven't you changed your clothes?"Belle got annoyed at the mention of that. She had never worn a dance costume before this. She felt naked wearing it. It also made her uncomfortable. Belle said, "Can't I just wear normal clothes for practice?"Meanwhile, Xenia thought that Belle was embarrassed to wear such a revealing outfit because she didn't have a nice figure."It's not that you can't, but wearing a dance costume makes your figure and poise stand out more. It also makes it easier to spot mistakes. You've just started learning, so you must wear a dance costume. You don't have to once you're more experienced," said Xenia.Belle frowned with a reluctant expression. Grayson thought she looked cute when she was embarrassed, and he smiled subtly. Belle noticed and thought that he was making fun of her, so she pouted and glared a
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