There was a cafeteria at Page Corporation. The employees usually had their lunch there.After Belle and Ginger arrived at the cafeteria, Belle took the flowers to the bathroom. She placed them on the basin as decoration.She thought that it was much better than throwing the flowers away.Then, she found an empty spot with Ginger and sat down. She opened the takeout boxes one by one.A delicious smell wafted out of the boxes. The food smelled delicious.When Ginger caught sight of the logo printed on the takeout boxes, she froze. She was scared stiff.Belle asked, "What's the matter?"Ginger said, "It's from Dynasty Delicacies!""And what about it?"Ginger's hands were trembling. "It's a restaurant where a bowl of soup costs 100 dollars, and bread costs 90 dollars! Ordering breakfast alone would cost you hundreds of dollars!"When Belle heard that, her eyes widened as well. She didn't dare imagine how much the food in front of her cost. They filled the whole table, after all.
Because of the incident with Scott, the two ignored each other when they arrived home. They didn't even speak a word to each other.The next day, when Belle clocked in, she realized that she had been transferred to the front desk."Transfer" was a nicer way to put it. In less decent terms, she was demoted to the front desk.Working in the secretarial department should be much better than at the front desk.Without a doubt, Grayson was behind this.Belle didn't mind it at all. She felt that working at the front desk was much better than being in the secretarial department.She would get the same pay, and she would be working further away from Grayson. This was a better deal.When Ginger saw Belle appearing in front of her in the secretary's work attire, she was shocked."Belle, why are you at the front desk?"Belle said, "The secretarial department doesn't suit me. The higher-ups transferred me to the front desk."Ginger was speechless.Henrietta was surprised when she saw Be
Scott quickly said, "Come on, let's eat out."From his easygoing tone, Belle could see that he didn't take Grayson's warning to heart.Belle was about to decline when Scott said, "Robert is here too. He came here mainly to treat you to a meal. "While it's true that he came here to treat you, he also wanted to talk to you about Patrick's illness."Belle couldn't decline it this time. So, she had no choice but to agree.After hanging up, Belle told Ginger, "I can't have lunch with you later. I have to go out for some business.""Alright. Don't forget, we resume work at 1:30 pm.""Okay."As soon as Belle walked out of Page Tower, she saw Scott and Robert.Scott's outfit was high-profile, as always.In comparison, Robert was much more modest. He wore a well-tailored dark suit. His expression was slightly gloomy, and he looked like a successful and upright man.Spotting Belle, Scott greeted her enthusiastically. "Hey, sister!"Belle rolled her eyes at him.Robert glared at him
Sam didn't know what Grayson was trying to do. Lunch break had started a long while ago, but Grayson still hadn't gone for lunch. He couldn't help but ask, "Aren't you hungry, Mr. Page?"Grayson frowned, but he didn't say anything.Sam asked again, "Should I get some food delivered for you?"Grayson frowned again. Unable to bear it anymore, he asked, "Where's Belle?"Sam was stunned for a moment. "I-I have no idea."Grayson was upset. "Tell her to come here!"Sam fell silent.He ran out, but he quickly returned after a while. He said, "Mr. Page, Ms. Walters isn't at the company.""She's not at the company? Where did she go?""I heard a receptionist say someone was looking for her, so she went out.""Who was looking for her?""I don't know.""Don't you even bother to find out if you don't know? Go and figure it out!" Grayson roared."Yes, sir." Sam hastily nodded. Then, he called someone and told them to locate Belle's whereabouts.He soon received information. Belle was h
Grayson was furious, holding Belle in his arms while he fought Scott.Sam and Scott's bodyguards stood watch at the entrance, but none dared to stop the fight. After all, they knew that anyone who tried to stop the fight would get caught in the crossfire.Even if they were hit, they still couldn't stop the fight.The only way for the two to stop fighting was when they grew tired and gave up on the fight themselves.Belle was stuck between the two. Grayson refused to let go of her, and Scott didn't dare act recklessly in case he accidentally hurt her. Hence, their fight was quite awkward.In the end, Robert grabbed Grayson's arm."If you want to fight Scott, go ahead, but don't harm the innocent! She might get hurt if you hold onto her like that!"When Grayson heard that, he was even more furious. Reaching up, he punched Robert. "Don't concern yourself with my wife!"The punch was so sudden that Robert couldn't dodge it in time. A bruise appeared on the corner of his lips.Seei
Grayson tossed Belle into the car. Then, he got into the driver's seat and drove home.No one spoke on the way there. Grayson kept smoking while Belle seethed in silence. Once home, Belle was about to argue with Grayson when she received a call from Finneas.Suppressing her rage, she answered the call. "Hello, Grandpa."Finneas asked anxiously, "Did Gray and Scott get into a fight again?"Belle's lips moved a little. "Yes."Finneas was furious. "Did those kids not have enough? I bet they'll celebrate it when they finally become the death of us."They keep getting into fights outside, and they're both almost 30, for goodness' sake. How shameless are they?"Belle didn't say anything.Finneas asked, "Were they both hurt?"Belle replied, "They were both injured."Finneas shouted in fury again. He even insulted Scott, so it was obvious that he saw Scott as one of his own."I heard that you were there as well. What started the fight this time?"Belle said sheepishly, "I think i
Grayson decided not to talk about Scott anymore after taking a few puffs of the cigarette. He switched the topic back to Robert."You said you didn't like Robert, but I could see you're very nice toward him. When you saw him for the first time, you kept staring at him!"Belle didn't hide anything today. She said, "That's because I feel like I've seen him somewhere before. He looks like someone I once knew.""Someone you once knew? Didn't you grow up in an uninhabited area in the mountains? Why would there be someone you used to know?"Belle was exasperated. "Can't I get to know people just because I grew up in the mountains?"Grayson fell silent. He suddenly felt jealousy burning in his heart.It was too coincidental for Robert to look like someone Belle used to know."So, is he the person you knew in the past?" Grayson asked.Belle shook her head. "No."Robert didn't know about Lovy, so he couldn't have been that person.When Grayson heard that, he felt a little better. He h
"Can't you just listen to me for once, Belle? Do you think I'd harm you?" Grayson couldn't help saying.Belle replied, "You won't harm me, but your thoughts are weird."She trusted Grayson's character and knew he wouldn't hurt her. But it was also true that his logic was peculiar."You hate Scott, so what does that have to do with Robert? Moreover, you can just steer clear of them, so why would you ask me to do the same? Grayson, what are you thinking? What are you trying to do?"Grayson couldn't explain it himself. He simply didn't like the thought of Belle being with Robert.He couldn't provide a reason, so he decisively gave her an order instead."You can't talk to him because I said so!"Belle was mad. "Who do you think you are? Stop ordering me around!"With that, she angrily went back to the bedroom.Grayson was furious, but he couldn't do anything about Belle.Hence, he directed his anger toward Scott and Robert.He went to the study with a foul expression on his face
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