Belle pouted and said, "My grandfather said that the world is filled with capable people. You'll never know the extent of someone's potential. You may be talented, but there are certainly others more talented than you. So, be cautious in all things and avoid being arrogant."Grayson listened earnestly to Belle's advice. He couldn't help but smile again. "My wife is educating me."The term 'wife' caught Belle by surprise, and she stared at him while looking stunned.Then, Belle furrowed her brows. She was not sure how to respond, so she mumbled, "I didn't mean to educate you!"Grayson chuckled once more. "My wife is always right."Belle gave Grayson a glare and asked, "Why did you meet Lena?""To win in a battle, one must know their enemies well. I wanted to get to know her.""Did you find anything?""Nothing much happened that day. The most significant discovery I made was that she's a very dangerous person.""That means you didn't find anything, right?" Belle was puzzled.G
"She wants to control you? Does she need to control you to live in the city?" Belle asked curiously.She hadn't completely figured out Lena's background, so she couldn't understand Grayson's thoughts.Grayson collected his thoughts and said, "I'm sure she has her own intentions. We don't need to think too much about it. Regardless, we can be sure that she's our enemy. But don't you worry. As long as I'm here, she won't be able to harm you."Belle looked at him once more, and a ripple of emotions welled up in her heart.She said, "I just don't understand how I could have provoked her. What kind of grudge does she have against me?"After a few seconds of silence, she thought of the incident involving Lena using her family's prescription.Lena must be related to her in some way!"No, I have to find Phil's belongings. I think Lena wants to harm me, and it must be related to the Aspen family!"She was about to get up after she was done speaking, but Grayson stopped her in time."Do
Grayson glanced at her meaningfully and said, "The timing isn't right yet."Belle looked at Grayson unhappily upon hearing his response and then fell silent.The room grew quiet for a few seconds, and Grayson couldn't help but ask, "What's wrong?""You sound more and more like my grandfather." Belle suddenly commented.Grayson watched her with a speechless expression. He considered her his wife, but she just thought of him as her grandfather.Grayson said with a stern face, "Don't make jokes like that. I'm your husband, not your grandfather!"Belle pouted and said, "Every time there's a question you don't want to answer, my grandfather would always dismiss me by saying ‘The timing isn’t right’. Now that my grandfather isn't around, it's your turn to use that line on me.""It's all for your own good," Grayson replied.Belle knew that it was for her own good. Her grandfather and Grayson were saying those words for her sake.Then, she suddenly asked, "You said you like me. Are yo
Belle didn't notice Grayson's changing emotions and continued, "The day after tomorrow is New Year's. My grandfather can't come to visit me, and it's even less likely that Lovy will come."Belle spoke with regret in her words.The apple that Grayson had been eating suddenly tasted incredibly sour. "Even if Lovy can't come visit you, you can still spend New Year's with me, right?""It's not the same.""Why not?" Grayson started but then realized something and continued, "You're right, it's not the same. I'm your husband, and he's nobody." Grayson felt somewhat pleased with himself when he said this.Regardless of how much Belle cared about Lovy, she was his wife now.Belle was momentarily stunned. She then wrinkled her brows, appearing displeased. "Nobody? Why do you have to phrase it so harshly?""While it might not sound nice, it's the truth," Grayson replied."That's not true …" Belle was about to continue, but a nurse walked into the ward for Grayson's routine check-up.Bel
Grayson took the piece of apple Belle offered and started eating it.Belle also cut a piece for herself. "How do you celebrate New Year's over here?"Grayson replied, "We put up decorations and have a dinner where all the family members would eat together. Then, we'd watch some shows together.""It sounds like it's a big festival.""Yes, it's the most significant holiday in the country. People pay a lot of attention to it. How about you? How do you celebrate New Year's?""My grandfather used to take me to the hill behind our house to sit at the summit. We'd use binoculars to look at the distant villages.""Why would you do that?""When I was young, I had never left the mountains, so I was curious about the outside world. Every New Year's, my grandfather would make an exception and take me to the hill to look at the outside world.""Why didn't he allow you to leave the mountains?""My grandfather said that the timing wasn't right."She shrugged her shoulders, feeling somewhat
Grayson's grandfather was getting older, and Dawson was unreliable. Even though his father was intelligent and capable, he was a nice person and would not fare well against people who were cunning. Meanwhile, his uncle was not suitable to take on the responsibilities of the Page family due to his cunning nature.It seemed like Grayson needed to have a child to look after the family when he was gone.If he and Belle had a child, he could pass the Page family to him and stay by Belle's side. Wherever she went, he would go. The thought of it made him happy.Grayson stared at Belle with half-closed eyes and asked, "Do you want to have children?"Belle was taken aback by the sudden topic. "What's with the sudden question?"Grayson continued, "I think having a child would be nice. The child will not only continue our lineage, but they'll also bring us joy and happiness."Belle blinked as she looked at Grayson and asked, "Are you feeling okay? Why are you suddenly talking about having
Belle furrowed her brows. "Next time, stay away from her and avoid direct confrontation. People who use poison as their weapons are poisonous all over their bodies. Even the air around them might be toxic. It's very dangerous for you.""Understood," Jake replied.Jake's younger brother, Sam, was also in the ward. He was irritated. "What should we do, then? She's our enemy. We can't just keep avoiding her, can we? What if she comes to harm Mr. Page Senior? How do we deal with her then?"Belle thought for a moment and said, "I'll work on an antidote later so that you're protected from her.""Okay," Sam quickly agreed. He had a deep-seated hatred for Lena because she had once poisoned Grayson. He had been prepared to kill her that day but was stopped by his brother. However, he was also fearful of Lena's poisons.Grayson was still lying on the hospital bed. He didn't show much interest in Lena's actions. Instead, he turned to Jake and asked, "Who did you encounter today, apart from L
In the ward, Sam stood before the window. When he saw Belle getting into the taxi, he quickly told Grayson, "Mr. Page, Mrs. Page has left in a taxi."Furrowing his eyebrows, Grayson leaned against the bed and pondered.Grayson suddenly thought of something after staying silent for a while. "Where's Gabriel?" he asked Sam.Sam froze for a moment. He didn't expect Grayson to suddenly bring up Gabriel. "Gabriel? I don't know. Why?"Grayson turned to look at Sam. "Isn't Gabriel the one who fought with you?"Sam stayed silent for a moment. "I don't know. I haven't fought with Gabriel before. Do you suspect …""It should be him! Get someone to follow Belle! I'll be right over!"While saying that, Grayson pulled off the covers and was about to get out of bed. Sam quickly ran over to support him. "Mr. Page, slow down. Your health should come first. You can't go out when you've just undergone surgery! Besides, what does Gabriel have to do with this?"Grayson roared, "Stop talking no
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