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 was confused."My origin? My bloodline? What do you know about them?""Not much, but for one, I know that you're an Aspen."Belle was utterly confused by his words.Gabriel was unaware that Belle was oblivious to her own heritage as he looked at her with suspicion."I've already confirmed that you're an Aspen, but you don't have to be alarmed about the fact that I know. I won't be going against you … But you should know better than anyone how dangerous it is to have your identity revealed to the world. Not even Grayson will be able to help you if it happens."Belle was still dumbfounded by his words.He continued, "Relax, I won't tell a soul about it. You're a good friend of Ginger, so you're a good friend of mine as well. I've even thought about protecting you for Ginger's sake."I'm not one for nefarious schemes. I just want to be by her side for as long as I can, but I can't stay by Ginger's side forever … ""I'm just making you a deal for more time by her side. This
Ginger started sobbing uncontrollably as soon she saw Belle and hugged her."Belle, I was so scared! What happened back then? I don't know how I fell unconscious! Are you hurt? Are you okay? Did they do anything to you?"Belle consoled Ginger patiently. "I'm fine! Here, look at me! I'm not injured or anything."Ginger took a deep breath."Thank the gods! If anything were to happen to you, I might die from heartbreak! Why did you stupidly come to my rescue alone? You should have called for help instead of listening to their demands!"She started sobbing once more.She was traumatized by the kidnapping, but she was also grateful that Belle came to her rescue.Belle came to realize that Gabriel did not tell Ginger the truth.She looked up at Gabriel to find him frowning. He had an expression of guilt and sadness over the pain he had caused Ginger.Gabriel looked back at Belle, his expression now mixed with various emotions as if he was trying to convey something.Belle decided n
"Make haste, Mister." Belle frowned as she urged the driver to speed up.She was especially scared of thunder. She just wanted to hurry up and hide herself under the blanket back on her bed.The driver replied, "This is as fast as I can go without breaking the law, Miss. Besides, it's dangerous to go fast in the rain."The driver glanced at Belle through the rearview mirror, only to find her seemingly distraught by the rain."Relax, Miss. You're safe and sound inside the car! I'll send you directly into your garage later so that you won't get wet, alright?"Belle was upset and scared of the thunderous weather despite the driver's reassurance.The sky was completely blocked by the clouds, as if welcoming the arrival of the final boss in video games.She took a glance out the window and averted her eyes out of fear.Everyone had their own phobias. They could range from an extreme fear of rats, snakes, and even insects. And for Belle, her phobia was the terrible sound of thunder.
Meanwhile, inside the hotel, Belle was rolled up in the blankets on top of the bed. She wrapped herself tightly in an attempt to ease her fears.Prior to this, she was overstimulated by the weather and had the taxi driver bring her to the nearest hotel.She felt safer in the hotel than in the taxi.But it still was not enough to calm her nerves. The thunderous roars could still be heard from inside her room. It sounded as if the gates of hell had opened up to swallow her whole.The streaks of lightning that lit up the darkened sky seemed like the eyes of the devil. They were constantly gazing at the weak and defeated Belle.She was completely swept up by her fear of thunder and could no longer function as a human being.Thunderous booms rang out once more, scaring Belle into losing her mind.Before she could catch her breath, several more bolts of lightning joined in the fun. It was as if the weather itself was displaying absolute power and toying with her.As Belle continued t
Belle choked on her tears and spoke like a frightened child, "I'm scared. I… I just saw ghosts… There are ghosts here!""There are no ghosts! You're just frightened.""I saw them! They were in the room with me! They came in from the windows. They were about to drag me down to hell with them … There was also a woman crying … My heart hurts. It hurts so much."Grayson continued consoling her, "Open your eyes. It's safe here. There are no ghosts anymore.""I'm scared.""It's alright. I'm here with you. They won't dare to approach us with me around. Look around, you're safe."Belle carefully opened her eyes and surveyed her surroundings. She saw nothing."What did I say?""I wasn't making things up.""You just mistook something to look human."Grayson was an atheist and did not believe in ghosts and gods. He felt that the ghosts Belle claimed to have seen were simply overstimulation from fear.And that was indeed the case."Let's get out of here." Grayson picked up Belle and he
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