"Belle even told me that she likes Robert, but he's indifferent and doesn't like her. Thank goodness he doesn't, or he and Grayson will dislike each other even more."A thought struck Melanie. Wouldn't it be good for her if Robert and Grayson had a further misunderstanding?The enemy of an enemy was a friend! Melanie narrowed her eyes and said, "Let's give her a hand if she likes Robert."Melanie whispered something into Xenia's ear. Xenia understood that Melanie was trying to use her to set Belle up.Nevertheless, Xenia pretended to be shocked. "Huh? I don't think we should do that. You'll get into trouble if Finneas or Grayson find out.""You silly girl. Of course we'll do it secretly so that they won't find out.""But …""You're too naive. You don't know the dark side of rich people. Don't try to be friends with Belle. You two are never meant to be friends, just like how Grayson and Dawson can never get along!" said Melanie.Xenia frowned and put on an innocent expression.
Robert didn't answer. He sipped his red wine and gave Xenia a long look before shifting his gaze to Belle.He had noticed Melanie and Xenia whispering among themselves. The way they had looked at Belle was unfriendly, and Robert couldn't guess what they were up to.The Strauss and Stevens family weren't close, so he didn't know Melanie well. However, Melanie was sort of like an elder to him because of the connection between the Strauss and Page family. Although he didn't know much about Melanie, he was aware that she had a problematic character. Yolanda was so much better than her.Robert didn't like poking his nose into other people's business, but Belle was special to him. He only paid attention to her because she resembled someone he cared about.He wouldn't just look away if Melanie and Xenia did something to hurt Belle! Meanwhile, Melanie returned to Xenia and signaled for her to approach Belle.Xenia nodded and walked to Belle with a smile. "Hey, Belle," she said.Belle w
Gray? Grayson narrowed his eyes and looked at Belle. She was waving at him with a sweet smile.He didn't know what tricks she was hiding up her sleeve, but his heart skipped a beat at the way she called him. The company directors who were kissing up to him turned to look at Belle."Mr. Page, you're so lucky to have such a gorgeous wife!""We won't take up any more of your time. Go and be with your wife."The men left. Tristan and the others were also sitting with Grayson, and they looked at Belle at the same time. They teased Grayson. "'Gray!' Tsk, tsk, tsk.""Your girl's calling for you. Aren't you going to go to her, Gray?""Hurry up, Gray. Don't let her wait."Grayson barked, "Fuck off!"Tristan moved closer to Grayson. They could finally talk in private. He nudged Grayson and said, "Did you do it after you got back from the bar that day?""Do what?"Tristan pursed his lips and said, "Don't play dumb. I meant you having sex with Belle."Grayson suddenly recalled the
Belle said, "I miss him all of a sudden." Xenia was speechless. She felt as if Belle was intentionally showing off her affection for Grayson. She frowned with displeasure, but her frown disappeared very quickly. At least Belle hadn't realized that her drink was spiked."Where's your husband?" asked Belle.Xenia said with emphasis, "He's not my husband. He's my fiancé." "Oh, then where's your fiancé?"Xenia didn't know why Belle was looking for Dawson. She thought Belle was just trying to find a topic of conversation, so she glanced toward Dawson casually.Dawson was flirting with a bunch of girls! He was infamous for being lustful! However, Dawson was different from Tristan. Although Tristan had many ex-girlfriends, he only dated one girl at a time. Dawson flirted with multiple girls at the same time. He was the typical playboy. Xenia frowned, but Belle called for Dawson to come over before she could say anything. Dawson was closer to them, so he reached them before G
Melanie smirked when she saw Xenia's signal and immediately whispered something to a waiter. The waiter went to Robert and said, "Mr. Strauss, someone asked for you upstairs. She said it's about something urgent regarding your brother. Here is the key card to her room." Robert frowned and asked, "Who's asking?" "I don't know her either. You'll find out once you get there."Robert glanced at the key card. He felt that something wasn't right, but he still went upstairs because the issue involved his beloved younger brother.Meanwhile, Xenia quickly walked to Belle when she saw Robert heading upstairs. "Belle, aren't you going to change your clothes? I'll go with you," she said. Belle nodded with a smile and said, "Sure." Hence, they got into the elevator together. Just as the elevator doors were about to shut, Dawson rushed inside. He was frowning, and his face was flushed as he stared at Belle intently. Belle pursed her lips in irritation, but she said nothing. Xenia said
"You know me?" asked Belle."You look familiar," answered Robert."I feel like we have met before," continued Belle.Robert thought that Belle recognized him. A hint of emotion appeared on his stoic face."Have we?""Where did we meet?" Belle pressed on.Robert was afraid of blowing his cover. He played it safe and gave a cryptic answer. "In the mountains."He did not elaborate further. If Belle recognized him, she would know what he was talking about. Meanwhile, Belle's eyes glimmered with hope. But this was her secret. Instead of reuniting with him right away, she decided to probe gingerly, "Lovy?"He had met Lovy before. If Robert were the guy Belle thought he was, then Robert would recognize the name immediately."Huh?" Robert frowned, confused.Belle frowned, too. So Robert wasn't the guy. She must have mistaken Robert for someone else.Belle couldn't deny that she was disappointed. She thought she had run into an old friend who knew her past. She thought she would be
Grayson began to kiss Belle. His advance was ruthless, assertive, and forceful. Belle was taken aback. She tried to fight back but was too weak to make Grayson budge."Grayson, you piece of … Mmm!" Belle was frustrated. Grayson's lips sealed whatever words that tried to exit Belle's mouth.Like a predator who marked its territory, Grayson tried to mark Belle with his scent. Admittedly, Belle's heart was racing. For a second, she wanted to indulge in the pleasure.But she was not going to let temptation win!Her hands were pinned against the door above her head. Grayson's legs pressed against hers. She had to use the only weapon she had—her teeth.She bit Grayson hard. The metallic taste of blood filled their mouths. Belle almost severed Grayson's tongue. And the pain managed to bring Grayson to his senses.He let go of Belle and wiped away the blood at the corner of his mouth. "Why did you bite me?"Flushed, Belle answered in a raspy voice, "I spared you last time, Grayson. Just
Downstairs, Melanie was waiting anxiously. When she saw her maid, she approached her,"How did it go?"The maid whispered, "The drug has taken effect. They are getting freaky in there."Melanie shot a sly grin. Her plan worked out perfectly. Then, she cleared her throat and reproached her maid loudly,"I beg your pardon? That must be a lie! How dare you lie to me!"The maid knew what Melanie was trying to pull off and played along. She cowered and said, "It's the truth, Mrs. Page. I heard it from the hotel's staff members. They all said they saw Ms. Walters and Mr. Strauss in—""Hush, you liar!" Melanie then began to slap her maid.Her maid was scared and begged for her mercy. Just like that, the commotion turned the heads of many women in the lobby. Most of the men were busy working in the room.Among the women was Yolanda. She heard the ruckus and came to scold Melanie."Today is my father's birthday. What are you doing here?" Yolanda was angry. No one else had the audacit
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