Robert frowned and replied, "Why are you pretending to be crazy?"He had been trying to contact his senior lately to confirm Belle's identity but to no avail. He had been so focused on this matter that he hadn't heard of Belle becoming mentally ill.Belled said, "Mainly because I want to get out of working at Grayson's company, but there are other reasons. Now that you know I'm just pretending, you don't have to worry. Keep this a secret.""Okay."Robert stared at their chat after their conversation ended, and there was a spark in his eyes. If Belle was willing to share secrets with him, it meant that she treated him as a friend.He already felt happy, although he hadn't discovered her identity yet. He looked at the list of unfamiliar herbs and called someone to purchase them in the middle of the night.Grayson was not in the bedroom the next day when Belle woke up. He had woken up early and gone to work out as usual.Belle quickly washed up so that she could leave the house whi
Belle narrowed her eyes and gazed down below. One of the men pointed his gun at Grayson and said, "You don't have to know who sent us. All you have to know is that your death is near!""Sure, let's see if you have what it takes to take my life," said Grayson. Then, he dashed to the man and broke his arm with a loud snap! "Ah!" wailed the man as he dropped his gun. Grayson gripped him by the throat and looked at the other men."I'll give you guys one last chance to tell me who sent you," said Grayson. The men looked at each other. Finally, they still chose to bite the bullet and fired their guns at Grayson at the same time.Grayson picked up the man's gun and dodged behind the tree. Three shots sounded out.The three men got hit in the knee and collapsed to the ground. Then, a group of people dressed in black surged forward.They were swift and skilled, just like professional assassins! Grayson engaged in a gunfight with them, and soon, his gun ran out of bullets. Belle felt
Grayson hadn't expected this turn of events, and he shook off Belle's grip with a frown. "What did you put in my mouth, and what are you doing here?" he demanded."Fools die because they talk too much. Shouldn't you be running for your life? Why do you have so much to say?" retorted Belle.Belle was about to pull him forward again when Sam appeared. Belle asked in shock, "What are you doing here?""I …" Sam scratched his head awkwardly because he did not know how to explain himself. He looked at Grayson and said, "Mr. Page, those people have been subdued. They are all unconscious from Ms. Walters' poison, so I can't interrogate them."Grayson turned to Belle. He didn't know if he should scold her or compliment her. He wanted to scold her for jumping out and ruining his plan, but he also felt like complimenting her for saving him when he was in danger. Besides, the thing she had fed him must be an antidote. He ended up saying indifferently, "Give Sam the antidote."Belle took
Belle cursed him out in her thoughts and said, "I came here for a walk!"Grayson didn't buy it and said, "How could there be such a coincidence?""I don't know either. Why did I have to bump into you even on a walk?"Grayson pursed his lips and stared directly at her. A thought struck Belle as she watched his expression. She must have given herself away for pretending to be crazy when she had jumped from the tree and saved him! She had been so focused on going to his rescue that she had forgotten about pretending to be crazy.She blinked and tried even harder to act mentally unstable. "I saved your life! Let go of me before I bite you!"Grayson was already 99% convinced she was just pretending to be crazy. However, the fact that she had saved him diverted his attention. He couldn't help but ask, "Why did you save me?""I've already said that you're like a son to me. What's wrong with me saving my son?"Grayson was speechless. He looked at her for a moment longer and let go
Belle was extremely annoyed with the way Grayson was speaking. She calmed herself down before saying, "If you treat me well, I'll give you anything you want, but if you don't, I'll kill you and your family!" "Is that so?" Grayson said, challenging Belle. Belle was not used to being challenged by Grayson. She said, "It is so if I say so!" "Please tell me. What do you want me to do?" Grayson whispered into Belle's ear. He almost bit onto her ear while speaking. Belle shuddered at that. She blushed and turned away. "What are you doing?" Grayson trapped Belle in front of the sink and said, "What do you think I'm doing?" He was trying to seduce Belle. Belle's heart beat faster. She didn't know what to do. Belle remembered what happened at the hotel that night and blushed even more. She didn't know what Grayson was thinking. She stuttered, "You … just need to do what I say. I'll be pleased if you listen to me. Then, I'll give you what you deserve.""So, I just need to liste
Grayson's hand glided up and down Belle's body. Belle shuddered as her mind went blank. Grayson felt as if he had lost control. His emotions run high. He lost control of his strength, and he grabbed Belle too tightly. Belle felt pain, and she got angry at Grayson. She bit down on Grayson's lips till she could taste the blood. Grayson stopped what he was doing as he felt the pain. He stopped kissing her and frowned instead. Belle took in deep breaths immediately. She was going to slap Grayson, but Grayson reacted faster than her. He grabbed her wrist and kept her pinned down on the bed. Belle was furious at that. She yelled, "You ungrateful piece of shit! I saved you, and this is how you repay me? I'll kill you! If not for Grandpa, I would have killed you a thousand times!" Grayson stared at Belle as his chest heaved up and down. He was furious at himself. He knew that Belle didn't love him. After he found out about that, he tried to control his desire for her. He sw
Belle was pouting as she looked toward the door. She felt guilty that her act had made the people she cared about so worried. She felt even worse after listening to what Grayson said. She was quite distraught by the event. Belle got up to take a shower and changed. Grayson had torn the pajamas she was wearing.Grayson was still not back in the room even after Belle was done showering. Belle thought that he was not going to come back. So, she got into bed to sleep. However, she just couldn't seem to sleep. She didn't know whether it was the fact that she was distraught or because of what Grayson did to her. She didn't feel the urge to punish him at all. Belle thought about how her body had intertwined with Grayson's just now, and her heart beat faster. Her body grew warmer, and her face flushed. She pulled the blanket over her head as if she had done something to be ashamed of. Belle was under her blanket when Grayson returned to the room. She peeked out of the blanket a
Grayson furrowed his brows when he heard that. He stopped paying attention to Belle and lay down on the couch to sleep.But then he suddenly got up and walked out of the room.A few minutes later, he returned with a strong herbal scent.Belle immediately recognized it. It was the sachet!He had gone out to get the sachet.Belle frowned. She looked at Grayson with a serious expression.Grayson noticed Belle's displeasure and thought she didn't like the scent. He said, "These herbs are used for calming purposes. It's not poison. You don't have to be so nervous. Just endure the smell."Looking at his self-assured attitude, she couldn't help but wonder, "If it's not poison, then what is it?" Belle knew that even if she expressed her dislike and asked him not to use the sachet, he wouldn't listen to her. So she just pursed her lips and didn't say anything. She got up and went to the kitchen to take an antidote for the smell.The next day, Belle woke up with a grumbling stomach.
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