"How long have I been asleep?" Belle asked Meredith.Meredith was turned away from Belle since she knew the young girl felt embarrassed. "It's been four days," she replied."Four days?" Belle repeated in shock. "Have I been out that long?""Yes. Mr. Page has been watching over you these past few days. He hasn't gone to work and hasn't taken the time to rest yet since you fainted. He's been next to you this whole time."Belle remained silent.Grayson's actions were sweet, but Belle still didn't know why she had blacked out for so long.She did her best to remember everything that had happened before she fainted. She didn't know if she was forgetting anything, but she remembered how strange Dorothy was acting before Belle blacked out.Dorothy had given her a lot of advice. It almost sounded like advice that someone would provide on their deathbed. She had even cried.Belle fainted after that.Her instinct told her that Dorothy had been the one to drug her. She just couldn't unde
Belle remained silent for a few seconds before she asked, "Did something happen to Mrs. Jenkins Senior?"Grayson felt a lump grow in his throat. If even Meredith knew how close Dorothy and Belle were, then Grayson was no stranger to it.The moment Belle arrived in Maltford, Dorothy had been her closest pillar of support.For a very long time, she was spending every single day with Dorothy. She probably would have slept next to Dorothy if she could. Dorothy also loved her a lot.Dorothy's death was definitely devastating for Belle.Grayson didn't want to say anything but knew he couldn't keep it a secret for much longer. He didn't lie about Dorothy doing well. Instead, he said, "We'll talk about it after you eat."He didn't mention death, but Belle already knew what happened.She stared at Grayson. The more she stared, the more tears began to flow from her eyes.She pulled the blanket over her head and began to cry.Grayson kept sitting next to her. He felt horrible for her.H
After Dorothy passed away, Simon was busy with documents and procedures while Grayson kept Belle company. They had only met briefly during Dorothy's funeral and hadn't had the chance to talk yet.That was why Grayson had never shown Simon the message.Her last message to him was, "Grayson, come save Belle right now! This is her location. Remember this—Lena killed me. Tell Belle this when the time is right. Belle and the Sylvester family will be yours to watch over now. Thank you."Simon read the message and said agitatedly, "I knew it! Ms. Walters was right. Lena was the one behind everything happening to the Sylvester family!"Grayson frowned at Simon's response. "Belle? How does she know about Lena?""She doesn't know Lena personally, but she knows that Lena isn't a good person. Lena's been hurting you this whole time!" Simon replied, clearly upset. Simon continued, "When something happened to you that day, Belle already figured out something was wrong. There's poison in the s
"No matter why she hurt you or why she hurt the Sylvester family, we can be sure of one thing. She's a force to be reckoned with. "She's very good at using and making poison and is more skilled than Grandma was. If she wasn't, there was no way Grandma wouldn't have realized something was wrong with the sachet," Simon said.Grayson agreed and said, "How much does Belle know about Lena?""About as much as we do. She doesn't personally know Lena either," Simon said. "By the way, have you told her how Grandma died?"Grayson shook his head. "She just woke up. Once she woke up, she started crying and asking to see Mrs. Jenkins Senior."Simon fell silent at that. After a brief pause, he said, "They were really close.""Why were they so close?" Grayson couldn't help asking.Simon hesitated for a second. "Maybe … Maybe it's because of her grandfather. Her grandfather and my grandma were old friends."Grayson shook his head. "That's way too simple of an answer."The relationship betwee
Grayson drove to the boxing gym.When they reached the gym, he parked the car and went to the nearby café.Shortly after, he came back with a few different drinks. He didn't know what drinks she liked, so he bought a ton of different kinds.Belle was zoning out when Grayson came back. She stared at the cups he held out in a daze.After a brief pause, she looked at Grayson and asked, "What?""Drinks.""I mean, what are these drinks for?""They're for you."Belle looked at him. He was showing his rare gentle side.Belle was still upset, but she could tell that Grayson was trying to console her by buying her drinks. She was grateful for his efforts, but she really didn't have an appetite.After a few seconds of silence, she still reached out and took a cup from him. She didn't want to let down his act of kindness.She took a sip. Even though it was her favorite drink, it tasted bitter today. Her heart felt just as bitter.Dorothy's sudden death affected her immensely. The clos
Meanwhile, Lena was feeling agitated as well.Dorothy had died, just like in her plans. But Lena not only got herself hurt, but she also didn't get any useful information from Dorothy.Also, at Dorothy's funeral, she saw Grayson in the pink of health. Under normal circumstances, Grayson should be sickly and bedridden. He shouldn't be attending Dorothy's funeral in perfect condition.Lena couldn't understand why Grayson's health would turn out like that. So, she didn't dare to contact Grayson for the past few days.She feared that Grayson had already found out about the poison in the sachet. If Grayson found out, it would be a dangerous situation for her.As soon as Grayson knew about it, he would turn against her. He would never let her off the hook!Grayson was just a pawn of hers. She wasn't afraid of him, but she also didn't want to lose this pawn. After all, this pawn was very important!Seeing the name flashing on her phone screen, Lena had a grave look on her face.Her ph
Frowning, Ava shook her head. "For now, no.""Find her as soon as possible. When you have found her, you don't have to report it to me. Kill her on sight!""Understood. Also … Mrs. Cahill called just now. She said there isn't enough information on Mr. Page's end, so she doesn't know if he suspects you. She suggests you don't meet him for now in case of unprecedented events."Lena frowned when she heard that. She looked quite upset. She never liked people telling her what to do, especially her mother.But she didn't say anything. She went straight back to her room.Before she went in, she told Ava, "Look up the boxer called 'Mr. Bunny.' I want all the information on him."She was anxious to meet Grayson and see how he was currently doing. But compared to Grayson, she was more bothered about that thorn in her heart.Grayson was only one of her more important pawns. She would keep him if possible, but if she couldn't keep him anymore, she would just get rid of him.But that thorn
Belle was still holding her phone in her hand. Grayson surmised that she must have read the news on her phone.According to the news, Dorothy died from poisoning while conducting research on herbs. Now, everyone accepted that Dorothy's cause of death was indeed poisoning.However, Belle's question indicated that she had doubts about the information in the online articles.Belle wouldn't believe it if he told her that Dorothy died in an accident. So, after thinking for a moment, Grayson said, "Someone killed her."Belle clenched her fists tightly. "Who was it?"Grayson lied, "I don't know."Belle frowned. "You didn't figure it out?"Grayson said, "I'm still looking into it."Belle's lips moved a little. She didn't say anything as she turned around to walk outside.Hastily getting up, Grayson called out to her. "Where are you going?"Belle didn't reply. Grayson was about to go after her when Belle turned to look at him. "I want to be alone for a while."Belle was about to leav
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