Frowning, Gabriel stared at Phil. "Are you serious?""Of course. I'm not completely sure yet, but it shouldn't be far from the truth. Think about it. Remember Finneas' personality and Grayson's current position and status."They wouldn't let an ordinary woman get married into the Page family!"Gabriel said, "You can't say for sure. What if Finneas simply admires her character?""That's not possible! Finneas is a cunning old fox. He wouldn't force Grayson to marry a woman just because of her character and looks. Also, I have more evidence to prove it."Look in my drawer. There's a photo inside. It's a photo of Wendy, which I tried my best to get my hands on many years ago. She's also that woman's mother. Take a look!"Hearing that, Gabriel narrowed his eyes and fell silent for a moment. Then, he turned around and walked to Phil's desk.Taking out the photo, he glanced at it. His heart skipped a beat.The lady in the photo looked exactly like Belle!Gabriel asked Phil, "What's t
Even if Gabriel wanted to dodge the subject, it was too late. So, he could only grit his teeth and say, "It's nothing. I accidentally grazed my hand when I was moving the goods."Ginger was very worried. "Is the wound deep? Let me have a look."Smiling, Gabriel said, "It's just a small wound. I already had it treated over there. Don't worry, just go to work."Ginger wanted to check the wound, but Gabriel didn't give her a chance to. He took the cutlery to the kitchen.Ginger followed him in and snatched the cutlery from his hands. "Your hand is injured, so you shouldn't get water on it. Let me do it.""Ginger, I'm fine.""You can't treat it like it's nothing. Take care when you're showering later."Seeing how worried Ginger was about him, Gabriel felt upset. He didn't know what Ginger would think of him if she knew that he had killed tons of people.Gabriel didn't dare imagine it. Turning around, he went to the bathroom. With a frown on his face, he washed away the blood on his
Belle was worried about the Page family and the Strauss family. She could tell that the massacre was most likely headed for them, especially the Strauss family."Let me know right away if you find anything.""Yeah."Belle frowned as she got out of the car and walked toward the office building.On the way, she overheard some discussions."The Strauss family is truly ruthless. They even went so far as to kill a three-year-old child! Even if they held a grudge against the Clark family, that's too extreme!""They even killed two pregnant women of the Sullivan family. This is beyond evil. Why rope in innocent women if it's just a grudge between the men? It's too cruel.""Are you sure the Strauss family did it?""It's either the Strauss family or the Page family. Everyone who died was all in opposition of them, while members of their own are safe and sound. I personally think it's the Strauss family doing most of the work!""My god, I thought the Strauss and Page families were kind
The factory that had been abandoned for over a decade seemed as bleak as one could imagine. Creepy sounds coming from insects and loose iron swaying from the wind were the only things Belle could hear.As Belle went deeper into the factory, she quickly noticed that she was being watched.She tried to ignore their gaze from the shadows as she ran straight to the center of the factory to confirm that Ginger was safe.She quickly arrived at her destination, only to find Ginger gagged and tied to a chair.Ginger's eyes widened in shock when she saw Belle. She then frantically shook her head, as if telling Belle not to come closer.Belle just frowned and ran toward Ginger.She was then interrupted by a stranger's voice. "Greetings, Ms. Walter."She looked over to find a man in a mask. He was staring at her with nothing but ill intentions.Frowning, she asked, "Are you just doing this for the money? Or are you doing this to hold someone hostage?"The masked man smiled. "For the mone
Ginger had her ropes untied and was told to leave.As she snapped back to her senses, she immediately ran to hug Belle. She could not be bothered to ask Belle about her relationship with Grayson. She was just worried about her safety."Belle!"Belle whispered, "Don't worry about me. Just go! I promise I'll be fine.""I'm not going! I can't leave you here by yourself! Why did you come to save me alone? It's dangerous! I—"Belle proceeded to knock Ginger out cold before she could finish her words.The men were surprised by her actions.Belle then turned to the masked man."Send her somewhere safe. I'll only hand the money over once I've confirmed her safety. Right, give me her phone. I'll get her brother to pick her up."The man made no complaints and handed over the phone.She immediately called Gabriel."It's me, Belle. Your sister is asleep … She's fine, but I need you to come get her in front of her favorite hot wings restaurant. Give me a call right away when you've gotte
Grayson frowned as he turned to face the exit.Noticing that Belle was not following him, he turned back and yelled, "Let's go!"Only then did she run up to him. "You still haven't answered my question! How did you know I was here?"Grayson ignored her until they were safely in the car."Did I not tell you to call me immediately if anything dangerous happened? Why did you come here alone? What if you ended up going against someone you couldn't defeat with brute strength alone? "You've said it yourself that you'll take care of yourself for your grandpa's sake. What happened to that promise?"He recalled how she had brought the bomb-strapped Patrick and jumped into the river. This time, she ran into a desolate abandoned area alone to save Ginger.Grayson was furious that Belle seemed to not make her own safety a priority.Belle did not even attempt to retort like she used to. She had already come to realize that Grayson was angry because he was genuinely worried for her safety.
The couple stared at each other for a few seconds until Belle spoke up."That's what I thought. If their target was just me alone, there was no need to involve Ginger in the first place. It seemed as if they were testing us."Grayson did not give a reply and just pulled out his phone to give Sam a call."Ask them if they had received any instructions to not hurt Ginger or Belle."A few minutes later, Sam replied, "You're right. They were instructed to threaten Ginger or Belle, but they couldn't cause any bodily harm upon them."Grayson was left deep in thought.After hearing Sam's explanation, Belle soon came to realize that Gabriel might be involved.Frowning, she said, "You should head back first. I want to visit Ginger.""Who do you think is behind all this?" asked Grayson.She decided not to mention Gabriel by name just yet. "I'm not certain just yet, which is why I'm going to visit Ginger.""I'll come with you.""There's no need. Ginger needs to rest. Your presence will
Gabriel prepared some tissues for Belle."I'll clean up the floor real quick."He went to the kitchen and returned with a cloth to clean up the floor.Belle stared at him for a few seconds before asking, "Were the hooligans working for you, Gabriel?"His hands came to a sudden halt.Belle continued, "You're the one who planned Ginger's kidnapping, aren't you?"He remained silent at her questioning.She realized that her assumptions were correct, seeing that he was not objecting against her claims. "Why?"Gabriel remained quiet for a while, then he continued to clean up the floor."I just wanted to test you, to see how much you cared about Ginger."Belle became slightly excited when she heard his confession."Where did your money come from? You've just given Ginger 800 thousand dollars for her house. Ginger told me that it was all you had, with half of it being a reward for saving someone by the river … Where did you find the money to pay the kidnappers 500 thousand dollars?
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