After they were at least 50 feet away, Belle finally stopped with a frown. She took a small bottle from her pocket and gave them one pill each.They glanced at each other but ate the pill regardless. They didn't even ask what the pill was for.Lena and Ava could no longer be seen. Belle knew they must have made their escape.Belle felt a bit distraught at letting Lena slip through her grasp.After staring in the direction that Lena had escaped to for a long time, she asked the three men, "Who sent you?"One of them hurriedly replied, "Good day, Ms. Walters. Mr. Page sent us.""Grayson?""Yes, he sent us to protect you."Belle fell silent.After a brief moment, she asked, "You guys are pretty trusting. What if the pill was poison?""We trust you. Even if it were poison, we would still eat it."Belle stared at them in surprise. She could barely say anything at the sight of their solemn expressions. They must had been some of Grayson's most loyal subordinates."I gave you guys
Grayson nodded. He didn't bring Daniela up or mention the mysterious families. He also didn't mention the phone call he had with Noah.He decided to change the topic. "Why did you rent another house?"He had literally just found out about the house that Belle rented in the ghetto."I didn't want you to know my secret," Belle said honestly. "It was much more convenient to rent a house and work there.""How is the ghetto convenient?""It may be the messy part of town, but it's relatively safe. If it weren't, Lena and Ava wouldn't have also chosen to live there."Grayson didn't argue. Instead, he said, "Now that I know your secret, you don't have to go there anymore. There are plenty of empty rooms in the house. Move everything back here, and if you don't want to be disturbed, I won't even breathe near that room."Belle looked up at Grayson and nodded.She no longer needed to use that house anymore, and now that she directly confronted Lena, it was no longer safe.Rather than wor
Belle frowned in frustration.She had begun suspecting her connection with Lena since she learned that Lena knew about the Aspens' medicaments. Belle had already been almost certain when she made the call. Yet, she couldn't help but feel disappointed at the verbal confirmation.She had been an orphan ever since she was a young child. Apart from her grandfather, she had no other relatives. She should have been happy to hear about having a cousin, but …"Mrs. Sylvester Senior once said that Lena worked with my mother for a very long time. Lena killed her because of my mom and I, right?"Noah didn't deny anything. After a brief silence, he said, "I'll go to Maltford after the New Year celebrations. You're all grown up now, and there are things you need to know. Take good care of yourself in the meantime. I will tell you everything after the New Year."Belle urgently asked, "Why do I have to wait until after the New Year? Why can't you tell me now? What are you waiting for?"Belle
After a brief pause, Grayson said, "Since you've figured everything out, you can't let your grandfather down. Before he tells you the whole truth, you can't get too beaten up about it. "Don't overthink and upset yourself. You have to be happy, and we have to keep an eye on Lena. She's definitely keeping an eye on you, too. Your sadness is her happiness."Belle sniffed defiantly. "I won't be sad. I've always known that my background is complicated. I was just curious, that's all. Still, after so long, I'm barely curious anymore. Right now, I'm mostly angry that I couldn't capture Lena today. I really want to kill her!"Belle's tone and expression were both rather childlike.Grayson couldn't help but pat her on the head like he would to a child. "That's further proof that the time isn't ripe yet. Let's wait patiently. She can't escape."Grayson appeared assured that his conviction was accurate.Belle was curious. "Why are you so sure? Do you have a plan?"He shook his head. "We d
After working, Grayson noticed that Belle hadn't come out of her room. He knew she must be asleep.He lit a cigarette and began to recall the information that Noah sent.Having perused it, he gained a slightly deeper understanding of the mysterious forces. They emerged as formidable adversaries, a true force to be reckoned with.The information he possessed was quite superficial, suggesting that their true abilities might be more potent than any of them had yet realized.Some of them were even international.Compared to them, Grayson was more concerned about Belle's secret.He wasn't afraid of his enemies, no matter how strong they were. He wasn't an easy target. However, he was worried that Belle's secret lay in an area he couldn't control. After all, Noah mentioned that Lena and Daniela had attacked her because of the secret she held.He was worried that Belle's secret would hurt her and that he wouldn't be able to do anything about it.He had a ton of worries on his should
Belle pressed her lips into a thin line and rolled her eyes at Scott.Robert couldn't have said something like that. It had to be Scott who told Patrick to say that.She knew how Scott could be, so she didn't press any further. Instead, she asked, "How come you have time to visit?"Scott couldn't care less about Grayson's sour expression. He chuckled and said, "It's almost the New Year, after all. Robert couldn't make it back to give you your gift, so I'm here in his place.""A gift?"Scott passed the files he was holding to Belle. "This is from him."Belle opened the documents, and her eyes widened in shock. Robert had gifted her a piece of land."I—"Without waiting for her to say anything, Scott said, "You have to accept it!""First of all, this is a gift from Robert. If you don't take it, that means you don't see him as a friend. Secondly, if you really, really have to turn it down, you should tell him in person. I'm just the middleman. Also, do you know what kind of place
Grayson felt bad for Simon after listening to Belle's explanation.He had helped the Sylvesters after Dorothy's death and kept them safe within Maltford from Lena's wrath.He provided them with ample finances. Yet, he was still not as considerate as Belle.He had helped the Sylvesters with their physical needs but was unaware of their psychological needs.It was only natural for a medical professional who could not help the sick to be anxious.Noticing his silence, Belle continued, "Besides, Scott had told us that the sick and elderly around the area needed a proper clinic. It's killing two birds with one stone since we get to help the Sylvesters as well."Grayson's expression sank as he remained silent for a while. He eventually spoke up after concluding his thoughts."You can open your clinic wherever you want. The only thing that I care about is your expenses. I'll cover all of it. You can offer them way above the market price."Belle was taken aback by his words. She was gr
Upon noticing Robert's phone call, Belle picked up the pace with Simon."Mrs. Sylvester Senior is like a grandmother to me. We're family as far as I'm concerned, so don't trouble yourself about this. Tell the others to work hard alongside you in making the clinic a success. You and your family are always welcome in Maltford."Simon was already sobbing uncontrollably as Belle finished her words and hung up.She returned a call to Robert and was met with an explanation from him."I was in the middle of a drill just now, so my phone was switched off.""Oh, yeah, I could tell that you were busy. I wanted to thank you for giving me the clinic. I needed it. It's perfect."Robert replied, "I just happened to know the clinic's previous owner. He had sold it to me due to an emergency. I've been putting it aside since then, as I was not often in Maltford myself. Besides, I know nothing about medicine. I figured it is best to give it to you and put it to good use."He promptly received a n
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