Grayson stared at her as he contemplated his actions. He would have surely shown her the sachets if this had happened two days prior. But now, he decided not to entertain her demands.He calmly replied, "It's my personal belongings. It has nothing to do with you."Belle explained, "There's something wrong with the scented sachets. I've just fallen asleep for the entire day!"He reflexively asked, "Where did you fall asleep?"She then replied, "That's not the point!"He decided not to press on further.She continued, "Just hurry up and show it to me.""No.""Why not?""As I've said, it's my personal belongings. You shouldn't be looking at other people's stuff."He pulled a piece of tissue to wipe his mouth before heading upstairs to continue sleeping. In fact, he had also slept the entire day away.He called Lena before dinner to ask about his current situation. She clarified that the drowsiness he was feeling was typical during the initial days of using her enhanced scented
Simon was intrigued. "Is there anything wrong with the scented sachets?"Belle replied, "Not really. I just want to analyze it for a bit."He took her answer at face value and did not think further about it."I don't really remember all that well. Grayson had brought it over and asked me to look at the sachets, and I didn't find anything unusual.""Since grandma was in seclusion, she couldn't really help out as usual. If you want to know more about it, why not just ask Grayson directly?"She felt that Simon was silly for coming up with that suggestion. She would not have needed to ask him if Grayson was willing to show the sachets to her in the first place.Belle thought for a moment before asking, "Then, do you have the contact information for the miracle doctor?""No, I don't. Grayson must have it, though."Belle was at a loss for words. She was certain Grayson would not give her the miracle doctor's contact information.Belle did not press on Simon further because she had g
Ginger continued, "Henrietta just came back to work today and was already trying her luck with Mr. Page! And then Mr. Page decided to lecture her right then and there while everyone was watching, too.""She's still crying in the bathroom right now. I felt bad for her, honestly."Belle just quietly listened to the news."But honestly, you should be careful as well. Mr. Page has been treating you well, but who knows if one mistake would have him sending you to the janitorial department."Belle quickly retorted, "When did he ever treat me well?"Ginger replied, "Oh, come on! Everyone already knew that Mr. Page personally brought you to the infirmary just last week. I've heard that he was extremely worried when he realized you were hurt."You've been moved to the secretarial department since. Maybe he did that just to have a closer look at you, even."Belle thought about when Grayson prepared her favorite snacks in his office and invited her for snacks under the guise of serving him
Grayson was further enraged. "Stand right there. You cannot move even a single step without my permission."Upon hearing that, Belle simply stared at him. "Wasn't deducting my salary already enough? Why do I have to stand here?""Because I said so!""You—""Rosa, teach her the company protocols," he said, ignoring Belle. Rosa swiftly stood up and nodded vigorously. "Yes, sir."Grayson gave one last scornful look at Belle before heading back to his office.Belle was furious. She was about to chase after him when Rosa pulled her back. "Belle, please, calm down."Belle explained, "No way! He's got to be doing this on purpose!""It's not like this is the first time Mr. Page has done this. Just bear with it, alright? Think about it. He treated you well when you did a good job, remember? He brought you back into the secretarial department and even took extra care of you!"Rosa continued, "Mr. Page is just having a bad day today. He just lectured the receptionists and even the tech
Ginger tried to console the moping Belle."You shouldn't worry too much about it. Just think of it as one bad day. There are also plenty of good days where Mr. Page treated you well, no?"Belle continued to eat her lunch without refuting Ginger's words.Henrietta was sitting at the table next to them. She felt heartbroken after Grayson scolded her earlier that morning.Henrietta's mood greatly improved after hearing that Grayson had scolded and punished Belle. While talking to her friends, she deliberately raised her voice. "Some people appear to be getting the wrong impression just because Mr. Page treated them kindly for a few days. They mistakenly believe they can act freely, as if they were Mrs. Page. "It serves them right when they receive a punishment like standing in one spot for an entire morning, simply for being late. Hahaha!"The women at Henrietta's table erupted into cackles, resembling a coven of witches.Many were prepared to trample over each other to ascend t
Belle leisurely enjoyed her shower, then donned a set of modest loungewear before leaving the bathroom.Meanwhile, Grayson had just set aside his book, preparing to retire for the night.She shouted, "Grayson!"He cast a single fleeting glance her way and then deliberately ignored her. After toying Belle around at work for the entire day, he was in a relatively great mood. Convincing himself that he no longer harbored romantic feelings for her, he believed it possible after assigning her such an absurd workload.He had genuinely suppressed all his emotions for her and returned to being mere acquaintances.He still held Tristan's advice close to his heart, which was not to fall for someone who had never liked him in the first place.He resolved not to let himself be hurt any longer and was determined not to be defeated by Belle.Belle attempted to disregard Grayson's distant and aloof demeanor and persisted in her questioning."Did you put the scented sachets in the bedroom
Half an hour later, they reached the hospital, where Simon's familiar face facilitated a swift arrangement for a hospital bed for Belle. He then instructed a nurse to proceed with drawing blood for Belle's checkup.However, just as the nurse was about to perform the blood draw, Belle abruptly sat up and began to panic upon seeing the needle."You … What are you trying to do?"The nurse was slightly shaken but quickly explained, "Don't be afraid. I'm just going to draw some blood from you.""Why?""You had just fainted, and the doctor had requested me to draw your blood for tests.""Fainted? Preposterous! I'm just fine! Send me home, now!"The nurse tried to hold Belle and calm her down, but to no avail. Belle began to roar out in anger."You would dare to touch me? Uncultured swine! Men! Bring her away for execution!"She turned to the crowd as she finished her words. Her eyes landed on Grayson as he unwittingly became her target."Sir Grayson, hurry up and perform your dut
Seeing that Grayson was on the verge of losing his temper, Simon quickly held onto him and said, "Relax, we should let the neurologist take a look first."Simon quickly called to arrange the procedure before sending Belle for the checkup along with Yolanda at her side.He made sure that Yolanda was the only other person present with Belle when she was receiving the checkup so as to not cause further commotion.Alfred stood outside the room and began to lecture Grayson."What did you do to Belle? How could she just turn crazy all of a sudden?"Grayson suppressed his anger as he replied, "She fell down the stairs by herself."Alfred was furious. "Do you take your own father for a fool?"Grayson was utterly confused.Alfred continued, "I don't believe a single word coming from your mouth! How could Belle fall down the stairs? It's not like she's a three-year-old or something! Just … Just what made her fall down the stairs? What did you do?"Grayson glared at his father. "I didn't
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