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
Robert ignored the commotion from his soldiers as he returned 800,000 dollars to Grayson."The property is only worth 1.2 million dollars. It is a gift to Belle of my own volition. I'll keep the gross amount as per Belle's instructions, but I don't need your bonuses. Are we clear?"The soldiers' banters were still ongoing."Are you chatting with your wife, Commander? Tell her we said hi! Actually, why don't you show us a picture of her?"Robert remained calm and collected as he put away his phone and shouted, "Attention!"The cheery band of men immediately shifted into a serious expression and rose to stand up straight in an orderly fashion. Their faces no longer showed their cheeky banter from just a second ago.…Meanwhile, Belle hung up the phone and went to look for Grayson. "You already transferred the money to Robert?"Grayson stared at his phone with a complicated expression. He had just received the money back from Robert and was still in a bad mood.He could tell that
As everyone headed into the house, Meredith praised Sixteen once more."Sixteen had been patiently waiting for the both of you all day and all night at the front gate and refused to come back inside the house.""Sixteen is such a good boy!" Belle chimed in.Entering the house, Belle helped Grayson take off his jacket and hung it on the coat rack by the door. She also attentively prepared his slippers for him.Grayson quietly enjoyed the rare occasion with a bright smile on his face.Belle put on her own change of slippers and helped him over to the living room sofa. Meredith then presented the couple with a bowl of hot soup for each of them."Have some soup to warm up. Dinner will be ready soon."Belle blurted out her thoughts as she took a sip of the soup. "Home is where the heart is, after all."Grayson replied, "I've tried to tell you that, but you insisted that I spend a few days at the hospital."She sighed in disbelief. "Take a look at your wounds! Of course you would
The recipient took a while to reply. "Oh, really?"Lena was elated to receive a reply and promptly continued the conversation. "Yeah! It's real! I've fought her head-on. There's no mistaking it!""What happened next?"Lena replied, "She's certainly powerful. But I didn't land a killing blow on her. I don't want to kill her just yet.""Why not?""Death would have been an easy way out for someone like her."The recipient took a long time before replying, "What do you plan to do next?"Lena answered, "Both Grayson and Robert are now on her side. It would be extremely difficult to deal with her directly, but I have plans."The conversation died down once more.Lena began to panic as she stared at her phone, awaiting a reply.After half an hour had passed, Lena lost her patience and asked, "Are you still there?""Yeah."She subconsciously swallowed as she revealed her thoughts and emotions to someone else for the first time. "I'm very excited today.""I know that feeling."She
Grayson remarked, "Look! It's snowing heavily outside."Belle turned toward the window to verify his statements and witnessed sizable snowflakes leisurely drifting around, eventually settling onto the ground.It was quite the mesmerizing scenery.Sixteen was also having fun. It was playing with the snow in the front yard.She almost wanted to join Sixteen but had refrained from doing so due to Grayson's condition."There's snow every single year. You can have a look next time. Just go back and rest."Grayson replied, "But will you still be by my side then?"It was the first time Belle felt sad when she thought about their separation in the future.After a few seconds of silence, she retorted, "What's wrong with you? You're so emotional all of a sudden. Our marriage contract is for two years, remember? I can still watch the snow with you next year."She then tried to pull him back into the house.Grayson hissed from the pain.Belle was shocked. "What's wrong?""Be gentle."
Grayson subconsciously swallowed as he monitored her movements."Why don't we do this again when I'm not injured?"His words caused Belle to imagine the scene, which caused her cheeks to flush."Grayson Page! You're shameless!""Anyone would be shameless in front of their wives.""Who taught you about such a thing?""Relationship counselors."Belle tried to contain her laughter as she carefully peeled back his clothes to check on his wound.She had already gotten used to his immodest words that would come out of nowhere. She was no longer surprised by anything that he would say.She checked that the wound was no longer bleeding. It was healing up as planned.Belle let out a sigh of relief and tried to cover him back up. Grayson, however, suddenly grabbed her by the wrist and pulled her into his arms.Her eyes widened in shock as her first response was to worry about his injuries."Did I hurt you?"He smiled and replied, "Nope."Her heart started beating faster as she wa
Belle was already as red as a tomato as she became fed up with his endless muttering."I'm leaving if you don't stop!"Grayson smiled and heeded her demands. He rested his chin atop her head and held her tighter into his arms.Her heart was beating faster than ever, as she had never felt anything like this before.Her threat to leave his side was just a bluff, as she also enjoyed nestling in his arms and watching the snow. She felt safe and happy even if she could not understand her own feelings.The couple eventually fell asleep in each other's arms. Belle woke up in the middle of the night at one o'clock. She was startled upon realizing how late it was. She took a look out the window with the help of the measly moonlight to find the snow continuing to fall.She then heard Grayson's light snoring coming from directly above her head.His arms were still wrapped around her tightly. They remained in place ever since he fell asleep.She carefully freed herself and stood up witho
The snowman was conveniently hidden by the trees when Belle was taking a look from the bedroom prior.It was a massive snowman with a round head and plump body. It had a bucket for a hat and a carrot as its nose. Its eyes were darkish grapes, and its mouth was red strawberries.Belle ran over to the snowman with excitement and curiosity. She had almost forgotten about her plans to look for Grayson."Did you make this?"Grayson nodded. "Yeah, do you like it?""I've only seen snowmen on the internet, so this is my first time seeing a real one. How did you make this?""Do you want to know?""Yeah!""I can teach you.""Sure!"Belle quickly snapped back to her senses and chewed his ears off. "Hold up, you shouldn't be out here in the cold making snowmen. You're still an injured man! What am I to do if you fall down and get hidden by the snow?"Grayson replied, "I know my body well enough. I wouldn't be out here if I can't handle it. It's just building some snowmen. It's not like
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