Ginger's parents called to threaten her, saying they would make a huge fuss at her company if she didn't come home this year.Ginger had worked hard in Maltford for many years. Now that her career was looking up, she couldn't let her parents ruin it!Also, she had to settle this matter between her and her parents someday. So, she made use of her New Year's holiday to go back.Smiling, Gabriel said to her, "You don't have to worry about me. I'm not a three-year-old. If they want to bully me, we'll see if they are capable of doing that."Ginger remembered what had happened back then. She had a look of pity in her eyes as she looked at Gabriel."They were cruel to have treated you like that back then. Don't worry. When I go back this time, I'll take back everything they've taken from you."Gabriel smiled calmly. "It's just a piece of land. I don't mind.""But I do," Ginger said, her eyes turning red.After Russell's passing, plenty had coveted that piece of land. They lived in a v
Meanwhile, Belle went downstairs after washing up.The kitchen stove was alight, and Grayson, clad in an apron, was busy preparing a meal. Observing him from behind, Belle felt a sense of reassurance unlike any she had felt before.Sensing something off, Grayson turned around. He smiled as soon as he saw Belle. It wasn't a forced smile. Instead, it was a natural reflex. He couldn't help himself. That was a sign that he liked someone very, very much."Are you hungry?" Grayson asked her in a gentle tone."I'm alright," Belle replied. But in her mind, she was thinking that it wasn't a bad idea to spend the rest of her life with him.Grayson said, "I'll be done soon."Belle walked over to him and took a whiff. "Smells good. What did you make?""Pancakes and fried eggs. I even made some soy milk."Belle glanced at the pan. The eggs were fried until they were golden. They looked very delicious indeed.Belle was surprised. "You're the president of a company. How did you learn to co
In the end, Grayson still couldn't bear to let Belle clean up the kitchen. But Belle didn't just hang around doing nothing, either.While Grayson was cleaning up the kitchen, Belle tidied the dining room.When they were done, Grayson wasn't in a hurry to go out. Instead, he handed her a folder."It's my New Year's gift to you.""New Year's gift? What is it?""Open it and have a look," Grayson said leisurely.Belle curiously opened it and glanced at its contents. Her eyes immediately widened. "A-Are you okay?"Grayson stated, "I've transferred all my assets to you. This includes the numerous industries I own, both locally and internationally. I am now penniless, and I'm just a poor man. You'll have to provide for me from now on."Widening her eyes, Belle flipped through a few pages. She didn't dare continue reading.Belle panicked, and her hands trembled.Grayson had given her a mountain of wealth!She couldn't even figure out how much all this was worth. Hundreds of billions
Grayson's phone kept ringing. But he didn't pick up. Belle urged him, "Answer the call first."Grayson took some time to calm down before letting go of Belle reluctantly. Seeing that it was a call from Yolanda, he steadied himself as he picked up."Hello, Mom.""Grayson, haven't you and Belle woken up?""We're up.""Oh. You took so long to pick up that I thought you guys were still sleeping. After all that ruckus yesterday, how's your body? Are you able to go back to Page Residence to visit Grandpa today?""Yes. My body is fine.""That's good to hear. Your dad and I are at Page Residence right now. If you and Belle can come over, we'll wait for you. We'll go home later.""Alright."Belle fixed her makeup and came out of the bathroom. Seeing that he had hung up, she asked him, "Who was the call from? Was there an emergency?""No, it's from Mom. She asked whether we were visiting Grandpa today. She and Dad are at Page Residence right now.""Let's set out right now, then. Let's
Yolanda returned to her seat first. Together, Belle and Grayson looked at Finneas, who sat in a central position. They greeted Finneas and wished him well.Finneas was wearing a brand-new suit. He looked very grand indeed.As he looked at Belle and Grayson, he felt extremely moved. He knew more than anyone else how challenging it had been for the two to reach this point.Belle and Grayson were both stubborn people. If it weren't for Finneas and Noah, who worked their hardest to get the two together, the couple wouldn't be together.Other than feeling moved, Finneas also felt very glad.He was glad that the two could truly fall for each other in the end. If not, both he and Noah would feel guilty.Grayson was Finneas' favorite grandchild, and Belle was the apple of Noah's eye. Finneas and Noah felt terrible for sacrificing Belle and Grayson's marriage for a certain goal.Fortunately, the couple was blessed by fate. Instead of being miserable, the two began to have feelings for ea
Smiling, Yolanda said, "This is me and Alfred's New Year's gift to you. Alfred is a shy man. He is too embarrassed to give it directly to you. That's why he told me to pass it to you."As Yolanda spoke, she opened the box and showed its contents to Belle."This is also my and Alfred's first time being in-laws. It has been a year since you were married into the family, but we haven't interacted that often. So, we don't know what exactly you like."Alfred likes calligraphy and painting, so he drew this for you. Have a look."With help from the maid, the drawing was spread out. It was a huge painting, and it was about 80 inches long.It was a painting of some mountains. Unlike other landscape paintings, this painting even had many animals in it. There were tigers, lions, elephants, bears, zebras, wolves, and the like.Alfred was a skilled painter. His drawings looked just like the real thing and were quite lifelike.Yolanda said, "Alfred knows that you grew up in the mountain villa
Noticing that Belle wasn't saying anything, Yolanda called out to her softly. "Belle." Belle hastily returned to her senses. "Hm?"Yolanda saw Belle's slightly creased eyebrows. She said, "Belle, this is a sincere gift from me. I want you to be happy, but if you feel sad because of this, I'll feel bad about it."If you have something on your mind, you can tell me. Don't be a stranger."Belle didn't want her thoughts to affect Yolanda's mood. So, she hastily explained, "I'm not sad, Mrs. Yolanda. I was just deeply moved."Even though she did overthink a little and felt sad just now, it was true that Yolanda's gift moved her.She had pondered too much just now because she was so profoundly moved.Fearing that Yolanda might overthink it, Belle hastily accepted the gift. She told Yolanda, "No matter how far my and Grayson's relationship progresses, you and Mr. Alfred will always be my family."When Yolanda heard that, she immediately put on a loving smile. "Yes!"Belle's phone su
Noah said, "I know what you're concerned about the most. By letting you see Lovy, I'm taking the risk of getting my head scolded off by your Grandpa William. Are you free right now?""Of course. You're the best, Grandpa. I love you!"Noah smiled happily. "Oh, you."After hanging up, Noah started a video call. Belle hastily answered it. The camera was aimed at Lovy, whom she had been thinking about day and night.Lovy was looking at the camera as well. When he saw her, his eyes lit up.He struggled to sit up, overwhelmed by emotion.Belle hastily said, "Don't move, Lovy! Be good. Your injuries haven't healed yet, so you can't move recklessly right now. Your wounds might reopen if you do."Lovy slowly calmed down, but his eyes turned red.It was obvious that he missed Belle a lot as well.Belle felt a tingling sensation in her nose. Struggling with her emotions, she told Lovy, "Grandpa probably explained that I won't be able to spend New Year's Day with you due to some special c
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