Belle furrowed her brows. Ignoring him, she decided to continue working.However, Grayson said, "You should go to the clinic!"Belle's frown deepened as she continued to work.Grayson added, "Sam, go and call the doctor over!"At that, she was rendered speechless. She could only put her small sickle down and requested a leave from the lead. Then, she went to the clinic.Grayson followed closely behind her.Page Corporation had an emergency medical team of one doctor and two nurses. Its purpose was to attend to any unexpected incidents that might occur to the employees during work hours.When the doctor and nurses saw Grayson coming over personally, they thought something major had happened. Thus, they quickly started to check Belle's injury.Ultimately, they discovered it was just a small cut on her finger.The male doctor asked, "It's … just a minor injury?"Before Belle could speak, Grayson angrily snapped, "What do you mean by such a minor injury? She's bleeding! Isn't it
After that, Belle did whatever Grayson ordered her to do. She did not make a fuss or yell at him. She seemed rather indifferent and distant whenever she talked to him.After heading home, she ate dinner at night and played with Sixteen for a while. Then, she washed up before sleeping.It was the same when she went to work the next day.Grayson also had a temper. He did not pay her any heed since she did the same.However, he could no longer endure it after a few days. Without being aware of it, he started to try to appease her. He would prepare sweets for Belle during work hours, calling her to eat at his office.Plus, he would even go to the milkshake bar at the boxing gym to buy her favorite milkshake.Since Belle refused to eat dinner with him, he ordered someone to bring her favorite food back home.However, it didn't work.Belle seemed rather indifferent to his advances.Knowing his coaxing didn't work, he could only look for help.On Saturday, he hid in the bathroom and
The moment Belle stepped out of the elevator, she was greeted with numerous colorful balloons floating in the air. There were white, pink, blue, purple, and yellow balloons. It was a magnificent display of vibrant colors.The balloons caught Belle's attention as she walked out of the elevator. The entire floor was filled with colorful balloons and romantic decorations, creating a dreamy atmosphere. Moreover, almost everyone on this floor was couples and young ladies.Belle was confused. She wondered if they sold gifts for senior citizens at such a place.Looking over to Grayson, she wanted to ask if they were in the wrong place. However, Grayson had already stepped forward.Belle was stunned for a moment before following him.Grayson was dressed in an exquisite suit, his hair perfectly groomed. Plus, his handsome features, coupled with his sophisticated air, instantly attracted a group of admirers.Women with or without boyfriends all fixed their gazes on him.A group of you
After they left, Belle glanced at the backseat and boot. They were filled with dolls. She fell into deep thought. She couldn't believe that Finneas would like something like that.The servants were stunned to see the dolls when Belle and Grayson returned to Page Residence. They wondered what Grayson was thinking.Finneas thought that Grayson had bought the dolls for Belle. "Why did you guys bring the dolls inside? Grayson bought them for Belle!" he scolded.Belle quickly explained, "Mr. Page Senior, Grayson bought them for you. Wait. He didn't buy them. He got them from the claw machine."Finneas was confused.Belle added, "He said you liked them."Finneas turned to look at his grandson. The latter had entered the house with a darkened and unhappy expression.Finneas guessed what had happened. Grayson must have got the dolls for Belle to make her happy.However, Belle didn't appreciate that. As Grayson didn't want to hurt his pride, he lied and said he got the dolls for Finneas
Grayson calmed himself down before taking the call. "Hello?""Mr. Page, I'm Lena.""I know. What's the matter?""I've finished making your scented sachet. Do you have time to come and collect it?"Grayson hummed a reply. "Yes. Where are you right now? I'll come and find you."After Lena told him a location, Grayson replied, "I'll be there in around 20 minutes.""Okay. I'll wait for you."After hanging up the call, Grayson told Belle, "I need to go and collect something before going home."Belle went straight to the point. "You should go, then. I'll take a taxi."Then, Belle wanted to get out of the car. It was obvious she didn't want to go with him.Grayson said, "We can go together. Where I'm headed is on the way home, anyway. We can head home after I collect my things.""No! I don't want to go!"Grayson added, "It's a woman!""What?" Belle didn't understand what he meant.Grayson repeated, "A woman asked me to meet up with her."Belle questioned, "So what?"Grayson fu
As Dorothy wasn't here, Simon helped to check the sachets.Simon didn't find anything wrong with them. "I think they are fine. However, you can ask Ms. Walters to check if you want to be sure," he said.Grayson felt a bit annoyed when Belle was brought up. He put away the scented sachets and reed diffuser. "A country bumpkin like her wouldn't know anything about this," he retorted.Simon couldn't tell him that Belle had saved Patrick. So Simon could only explain, "Don't look down on her! Her grandfather is friends with Grandma, after all. He's a capable person. There's no way Belle, who her grandfather had raised, would be any less!"Grayson didn't reply. He understood Belle's strong points. However, he never expected her to be capable of medical skills.Otherwise, she would have known about his insomnia after sleeping in the same room for so long.Grayson changed the topic. "Why is Mrs. Jenkins Senior in seclusion for so long?"Simon shook his head. "I don't know." He looke
Just as Belle was about to head back to her rental house, she received a call from Scott. Scott had asked her out for a drink.She initially tried to refuse, but her guilt over the matter of the game convinced her to accept the invitation.However, she arrived at their meeting spot only to find Robert alone. Scott was nowhere in sight.Belle was surprised. "Why are you here? Where's Scott?"Robert, too, was surprised upon meeting her. He quickly realized that this was probably Scott's plan all along.Half an hour ago, Scott had called Robert, insisting they meet up for a drink to discuss important matters as soon as possible.Scott had never mentioned Belle in the call. And Robert simply came to meet up with his buddy.When Robert arrived to find no one waiting for him, he called Scott, only to be met with excuses for being late.The person who eventually turned up, however, was Belle.He had his suspicions when Scott planned the meet-up at such a romantic venue. But he quickl
Robert paused his steps and silently enjoyed the scenery unfolding before him.He kept both hands in his pocket and remained still. He stared at Belle as if he was enjoying a peaceful retirement life. He very much appreciated such a calm and soothing scene.As the eldest son of the Strauss family, he had to uphold various responsibilities for becoming the future head of the family. However, the young Robert was a sickly child and would often be ostracized by his peers.Since he had enlisted in the army, he had been handling a wide range of eccentric soldiers, both among the enemy and within his own ranks. These were individuals who found joy in the chaos of the battlefield, where lives were reduced to mere statistics, leaving him with no opportunity for relaxation.Moments of ease like such were the rarest commodity in his life. He came to appreciate a peaceful life more than anybody else. It was just that …As he stared at Belle, his memories came flooding back. Many years b
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