Finneas said with displeasure, "I intentionally made Belle appear in public during my birthday party so that I could observe their reactions. They had all seen Belle's mother back then. "They would surely suspect something because Belle looks just like her mother. Tom's reaction was very obvious. He has suspicions about Belle's identity, but he doesn't say much."I think he holds a neutral stance for now, but I'm not so sure about Phil … That old bastard is a cruel man!"Grayson asked, "Do you think he'll tell Lena about Belle?""I don't know, but he definitely hasn't told her yet. If he has, Lena would already be after Belle. I think he's still unsure about Belle's identity, so he does not dare to act rashly. Nevertheless, you must still be wary of him.""Okay," said Grayson."I've told you all I know. Gray, you must treat Belle better. She's a very pitiful child."Grayson's heart ached. He felt sorry for Belle. Her family had been killed off. Everyone important to her had die
"Grandpa, is there something you're keeping from me?" asked Belle.It already wasn't the first time she noticed that something was off. Something similar had happened the previous time. How could there be so many coincidences? Belle felt that Noah was lying because he wanted to hide something from her on purpose. Noah frowned. He had hidden countless things from Belle. He really just didn't want her to know.He didn't know if Belle would ever smile again if he were to tell her everything. However, she was destined to know about some things. There was a burden and responsibility on her shoulders, and also vengeance! People always said that the best thing to do was to forgive and forget, but it was just because they hadn't experienced an incident like that!Some things were easier said than done. Noah and those from his generation would not rest until revenge had been exacted!Belle had to know about the tragedy sooner or later. It was just a matter of time. Noah didn't want he
Noah came up with a random excuse and said, "I was planning to go, but something happened to Lovy. I was worried about his condition, so I didn't dare to leave.""What happened to Lovy?""Don't worry, he caught a cold some time back, but he's almost recovered now. He'll fully recover by your birthday, so I'll visit you then."Belle frowned and asked, "Is he still in poor health?""Yes, but it's not life-threatening. How much he can recover is completely up to fate."Belle fell silent. Noah knew she was very worried about Lovy, so he said, "It's good that he's still alive. He has a strong will to live. I'm sure he'll survive and keep you company."Belle teared up and said, "Help me take good care of him. I'll be back by his side in one more year."Noah and Belle chatted for a little longer before ending the call. Only then did Belle realize that Grayson had called her. She composed herself and called him back. Grayson answered on the first ring. "Where are you?" asked Grayson
Belle returned in a jiffy and saw Grayson sitting on the living room sofa. She quickly rushed over and asked, "What's wrong? Are you feeling unwell?"Belle grabbed Grayson's wrist and began to check his pulse.Grayson felt touched by her concern. He was happy that Belle cared about him. However, he also felt guilty, seeing how worried she was. So he said, "Don't worry, I'm fine."Belle could tell he was fine after checking his pulse, as there was nothing wrong with it.She let go of his hand and said with annoyance, "Why did you lie to me when there's nothing wrong with you?""I never said I was sick.""Meredith said you were almost at the end of your rope!""I didn't say that."Belle turned to look at Meredith. Meredith awkwardly said, "I mean, he was so hungry that he was on the verge of death."She glared at Grayson again. "Why did you call me to come home?""Let's eat," Grayson said."What?" Belle asked."I said, let's eat."Belle was exasperated. "Grayson, do you have
Belle looked at Grayson skeptically and asked, "Are you free today?"Was he really interested in hearing her childhood stories?"Well, I don't have to go to work.""Just because you're free doesn't mean I am. I have things to do.""What kind of work do you have?""Important things!" Belle quipped, "I have to earn money to survive, unlike you, who has so much money you can't spend it all!""You mean you have to go to work today?""Yeah, what's wrong with that?""I'll pay you if you tell me your childhood stories. Ten thousand for an hour."Belle immediately perked up. "Really?""Yes."Belle thought for a moment. Ten thousand for an hour meant a million for ten hours."Can I choose not to answer certain questions?""Sure. You can talk about whatever you like, and if you can keep the conversation going until dinner time, I'll give you an additional five million."Belle quickly agreed, "Deal!"With that much money on the line, she'd be a fool not to take it.After lunch, Be
Belle thought for a moment and replied, "It was a normal life. Eating, sleeping, learning medical skills, and martial arts from my grandfather. I was always busy."Grayson asked, "What about when you were alone?""What do you mean?""I mean when you weren't learning.""I did things I enjoyed. There were a lot of fun things to do in the mountains. You could fish in the river, fight with wild animals, or treasure hunting."Grayson quirked an eyebrow. "So, you were playing by yourself. Were you lonely?"Belle shook her head. "Not at all. I was always busy, so I didn't have time to feel lonely. But sometimes I missed my parents, especially when I was sick."Belle's eyes betrayed a hint of sadness at that. Every child yearned for their parents, but she had never experienced the love of a mother and father.Her grandfather loved her dearly, but it was a different kind of love.Her grandfather always reminded her that her parents were the best parents in the world and that they loved
Belle continued to recount her childhood stories, unable to stop herself from laughing as she spoke.She said, "When my grandfather heard that I had given birth to a big bear, he was even more confused. He picked me up and asked me with a serious expression, "How did you give birth to a big bear?"Belle continued, "I told him that I gave birth to the bear together with the mommy bear! Then, Grandpa asked where the cub was. He wanted to look for the cub! Eventually, he realized it wasn't me who had given birth but that I had helped deliver them."Grayson couldn't help but join in the laughter."I once found a bird nest but couldn't find the chicks' parents. I thought that they had an accident as the parents will never leave the nest when there are eggs in it. "I wanted someone else to hatch the eggs, so I went to a snake for help. I placed the eggs in the middle of the coiled-up snake as it was sleeping. "However, the snake was uncooperative, so I threatened to feed it to a fish. Then
Grayson watched her as she walked away, and his brows furrowed. He felt that Belle's refusal to answer his questions about this brother figure of hers stemmed from her genuine concern for him.Why was Belle so obsessed with him?Grayson was suddenly worried that he wouldn't be able to capture Belle's heart.He didn't dare show that he was frustrated. Meredith had just mentioned that she liked gentlemen. He had to be gentle!Besides, the opportunity was right in front of him. Belle was here, and as long as he treated her well, she wouldn't remain indifferent to him.Grayson planned his strategy and then increased his pace to catch up with Belle.Belle was playing and laughing with Sixteen as they walked ahead. She was like a cheerful child, making the surroundings feel more vibrant.She was wearing a white down jacket and blue jeans. The clothes accentuated her slim and long legs. Her long hair flowed freely, and her every move was filled with youthful energy, making her a deligh
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