Tristan was about to take a closer look when Belle approached them first.Belle carried herself with an attitude that was neither humble nor arrogant, not sad nor happy. She didn't put on airs, nor did she appear immature. Her tone was very calm as she said, "Hello, I'm here to pick up Grayson."The group of people looked at her in shock!Was she really Grayson's wife? The woman who was supposedly fiercer than a tigress?She looked nothing like what Grayson had described!Belle looked so adorable that she couldn't possibly be a person with a fierce temper. She seemed like the type of girl everyone would love. The group of wealthy young men stared at Belle in astonishment. They seemed to have forgotten how to speak.Tristan was the first to recover from the shock. He asked, "You are Grayson's wife?""Yes," Belle replied.Tristan's expression was complicated as he glanced at Grayson, feeling a twinge of jealousy.Grayson was already 29 and turning 30 in a few months, yet he
Belle furrowed her brows slightly as she looked at Grayson, who was still on the ground. Grayson isn't reacting at all. Could he be genuinely drunk? If he weren't drunk, he would have scolded her if she made him fall on purpose.Belle was still deep in thought when Tristan and the others helped Grayson up and said to her, "It's normal if you can't lift him because you're so slim. We'll take him to your car. Which is your car?"Belle was delighted because she didn't want to touch Grayson at all. She pointed to a taxi parked by the roadside and said, "That one."The others were stunned by her words. "You don't have a car?""Grayson is too stingy, and he doesn't want to buy me a car," Belle said.Upon hearing this, Grayson's friends immediately started condemning Grayson again."Grayson is really out of the line. It's been half a year since you two married, and he still hasn't bought you a car. When he wakes up, we'll make sure to scold him.""That's right! We won't let him off
Grayson was clueless. But after venting her frustrations, Belle felt better. She had a rough day because of him.Grayson had made a big fuss during the dance practice in the morning. Hence, everything ended unpleasantly. In the evening, while Belle was studying medical cases, she had to put everything down to pick him up. Belle was utterly annoyed. She could not poison him to cause his death. So, she had no choice but to release her anger with words. She felt good after badmouthing him. As Belle happily talked bad about Grayson to the driver, Eric, something unexpected happened. The tires emitted a squeaky noise as Eric slammed on the brakes. In the next second, they collided with the car in front.Grayson and Belle's bodies lurched forward, then backward. For a moment, they lost their balance. Grayson frowned and opened his eyes. He looked ahead as displeasure and alertness appeared in his eyes.Meanwhile, Belle also focused on what was happening in front of her. She di
Belle recalled her first time at the police station. She immediately felt that it was safer to go somewhere else.She could not afford to get arrested for assault again. Otherwise, it would cause her more trouble. Hence, Belle said, "Since you're so kind, I won't hold back, then. But I can't leave my husband with this man. I need to take him with me."Hearing that, Alex narrowed his eyes. "I don't think it's nice for your husband to witness certain things, right?" "He'll be fine.""Do you really want him to witness it?" Alex asked once more. Belle replied, "Yes, there won't be any problem if he watches us." After all, Grayson knew she was a good fighter. After saying that, she turned and headed toward the taxi's back door. Belle wanted to help Grayson exit the cab before asking Eric to leave.To her surprise, two more men got out of the car the moment she turned. They even blocked her way. The two newcomers assessed Belle. It was evident that they were recklessly indiff
Just then, a man in military uniform, wearing black-framed glasses, ran over from a distance. He hurriedly saluted and greeted, "Commander!"However, Robert paid no attention to him. He glanced at Belle again but could not see her. Grayson was shielding her with his body. Robert was displeased, yet he did not say anything. He instructed the man next to him in a low voice, "There are three of them. Hand them over to the police." "Yes, sir!" Cody Ackerman, the man in glasses, was about to make a phone call. All of a sudden, Grayson stated solemnly, "I'll protect my woman. You don't need to do anything!"Upon hearing his words, Cody was shocked. He did not expect someone to talk to Robert using such a tone. He had intended to reprimand Grayson. However, when he looked up, Cody quickly adjusted his glasses. After ensuring he hadn't mistaken the person, Cody quickly greeted, "M-Mr. Page!"Yet, Grayson ignored him. Instead, he glared at Robert, his gaze filled with hostility.
Belle immediately retorted, "Who do I like? Are you referring to the handsome man from earlier?"Grayson could not believe his ears. Belle had actually said that Robert was handsome!Those words only fueled his anger. "Belle Walters, you truly are … You're the most frivolous woman I've ever met!"He continued furiously, "You're unreasonable! You have no self-respect, no shame whatsoever! You … ""Shut up!" Belle yelled. She was getting angry, too. "What do you mean I have no self-respect and no shame? Can't you say nice things?" she snapped. "H-Have you taken a liking to Robert?""His name is Robert?""Belle Walters!" Grayson bellowed. At the sound of her name, Belle frowned. "What's the matter?""What's the main point of what I said?""How am I supposed to know what your main point is? All I heard was that his name is Robert!""Y-You're … You're utterly shameless!" Grayson managed to say those words through gritted teeth. Upon hearing what he said, Belle was infuriate
Both Belle and Grayson were in a heated argument. Meanwhile, Robert's assistant, Cody, was voicing his dissatisfaction on behalf of Robert. "I can't believe you've already run into Mr. Page when you've just returned! How unfortunate! He's truly something. It's been so many years, yet he remains hostile when he sees you." Cody continued indignantly, "Mr. Quinn is his arch-enemy. You've never provoked him, yet he sees you like you're his nemesis. It's so unfair … "Cody kept rambling as he drove, but Robert was not listening attentively. He sat in the back of the military's exclusive off-road vehicle with a solemn expression, lost in thought.Robert was still thinking about Belle. He was not sure if Belle was the person he had in mind. However, they did look alike, especially her eyes. They looked exactly like the person he was thinking of. Suddenly, Robert asked, "Is Grayson married?"He had been living in the military district all this while. So, he was out of touch and
Belle and Grayson had already arrived home. Belle got out of the car just as the car stopped. Then, she slammed the door shut.The bodyguard, standing aside, didn't dare look at Grayson's expression when he opened the car door. Without even looking, the bodyguard knew Grayson's expression must be grim.Glaring at Belle's leaving figure, Grayson was boiling with anger. He wanted to throw her out of the house so badly.Perhaps Belle had sensed his death glare. Instead of getting afraid, she turned and glared at him. She clenched her teeth and warned him with a snarl. She sneered after warning him. With a pout, she went upstairs into the bedroom.Grayson was rendered speechless.Grayson initially wanted to create a romantic and natural atmosphere for his plan to succeed. However, now that it was ruined, he was in a bad mood. In his anger, he went straight to the study after getting out of the car.Once he entered the study, he lit a cigarette to smoke. He felt extremely agitated
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