Belle pouted. "I wasn't the one who called you over. You don't have to help!""Why, you—Why are you still being stubborn at a time like this?""Am I wrong? If you think I'm annoying, just go. I'll figure something out myself," Belle grumbled.She had already formed a plan. If push came to shove, she could always call Finneas.If that didn't work either, she'd just reveal her skills and tell them she was a doctor who only followed Wayne because she noticed he'd been poisoned.After all, her grandfather did say that there were a bunch of bad men in society, but most cops were good people.Grayson was pissed off at her attitude. "You're going to get it once we're home!" Then, he turned to the police officer next to them and said, "She's innocent."Belle whipped up her head to look at Grayson, surprised by what he had said. She had initially thought he was annoyed by her. Combined with what happened with June, she thought he hated her enough to throw her in prison. Instead … he wa
Belle tried to think of an excuse. "I wasn't following him. I—""There's been a murder! Why are you still lying?" Grayson roared angrily.Belle frowned and blinked at him innocently. "But I really didn't kill him. I don't even know him."Grayson got so mad that his eyes almost rolled back into his skull. He decided not to beat around the bush anymore and ask her directly."What's with the two of you? Why did you lie about having a stomach ache and giving up the fight? Why did you follow him and then book a room next to his? What were you trying to do?"Belle was shocked. "H-How did you know all that?""Answer my questions first!" Grayson answered with a dark look.Belle was scared to death and very surprised. "Y-Y-Y-You answer me first! How did you know I was the one boxing?"Grayson was furious now. "Do you think I'm too blind to recognize your moves?"Belle thought for a while. She'd fought off some thugs and sparred with him before, so it was plausible for him to recognize
Grayson squinted at Belle as if trying to determine whether she was lying. After a while, he asked, "So you had nothing to do with Wayne's death?"Something flashed in Belle's eyes. She didn't dare say she had absolutely nothing to do with it. After all, if he'd been poisoned with that kind of poison, it meant that someone was using him to test her.That would mean she did have something to do with it, so she said, "I didn't kill him, and I don't know who killed him. I don't know him, so I don't have a motive."After that, she changed the subject immediately. "You haven't answered me. How did you know I didn't kill him? Why do you trust me so much?"Grayson believed her for now, but he simply glared at her without any explanation. "You can ask me for money if you need it, but stop going out and causing trouble!"With that, Grayson started the car and took Belle home. The matter was settled for now.The next day, Belle went out immediately after Grayson left for work. The moment
The middle-aged man next to him asked, "Do we need to investigate this, Mr. Walters?"Noah's expression was grim. "No. This formula is from the Aspens. It's either the mother or the daughter.""But the poison just showed up around Ms. Belle. Isn't that suspicious?""Has she acted weird recently?" Noah asked.After thinking for a while, the man replied, "No. Besides fighting at the boxing gym, all she does is butt heads with the Peterson ladies. "Oh, and she took the perfume pouch to the Sylvester family, but she had to leave for the gym at the last minute, so she didn't get to meet Mrs. Sylvester Senior," he said.When Noah didn't respond, the man continued, "We did a background check on Wayne after he died. He's a regular guy, so he's probably unrelated to the Aspen ladies."However, we can't be sure whether they've already noticed her and got Wayne to test her."Noah frowned, and his expression became even more grim. The man's face was also grave too. "Mr. Walters, if they
At the same time, Dorothy Jenkins was lecturing her granddaughter, Jordyn."I told you to stay away from June Peterson, but you wouldn't listen! The Sylvester family's been doctors for three generations, and no one's gone into acting before! I forbid you to do it!"And another thing! Don't even think about the frostle pill! That's a family heirloom meant to be passed down through the generations!" she yelled. Then, she added, "If your brother hadn't sold it in secret, I never would have let it appear on the market!"Jordyn was furious to hear that. She wanted to be a star like June wanted to be. It would be so cool to be famous. She didn't want to be some poor doctor.Jordyn didn't want to argue with Dorothy right now. All she wanted was the frostle pill. If she could get it, she could start acting in her first movie with June. Surely, she could be popular with her help."Don't you know who's backing June, Grandma? It's Grayson Page, CEO of Page Corporation! If we offend her,
In the end, Dorothy's personal maid interrupted and said, "Mrs. Sylvester Senior, you and Ms. Walters shouldn't be standing around. Please take a seat, and I'll get someone to make tea.""Yes, yes, bring us the best tea! Break out my Earl Grey tea!""Understood."Dorothy quickly sat Belle down and asked with teary eyes, "Belle, all these years … how did you survive them?""Grandpa took care of me," Belle said respectfully."Mm-hmm. How's Noah?""He's good. He's still quite healthy. He just doesn't want to come to Maltford, so he asked me to visit you."Dorothy discreetly wiped her tears. When she saw a scar on Belle's wrist, her expression changed immediately. "How did you get this? Were you hurt? How did you get a scar?"Belle looked down. That was the scar she got from running around the safari park. "Oh, it was an accident. I'm fine."Dorothy frowned. "Do you have any other injuries?" Belle hesitated. She didn't expect to be asked that question, so she said, "I used to be
Dorothy closed her eyes and internally sighed for a long time to suppress her anger. She couldn't think about some things because they would just piss her off on behalf of dead people.After a long moment, Dorothy said, "It was your parents' good karma that saved you. Stay alive, child. Anything's possible as long as you're still alive."Belle used to hear Noah say that a lot when she was growing up. He thought her parents were the best people in the world, but that elder from the Reese family said … Belle wanted to ask more about her parents, but the maid was already back with a wooden box containing a white ceramic bottle.Dorothy opened the bottle, took a pill, and gave it to Belle. "Eat this, child. You'll heal quickly after that and won't have any scars anymore.""My scars are fine, Mrs. Sylvester Senior. Besides, I've seen the pill before, and I know the formula. If I needed one, I could make it myself. Keep this, please."Dorothy was shocked. "You know the formula?"Be
The Aspen family might have been wiped out, but the Aspen blood runs in Belle's veins."Did your grandfather tell you why you had to marry Grayson?" Dorothy asked tentatively. "He said Grayson was a successful man and the grandson-in-law he wanted, but he didn't mention anything else."Dorothy was silent. She'd guessed by now that the marriage was arranged to secure Belle's future. "Your grandfather has good taste. Grayson Page is indeed a successful boy."Belle thought, "But what good is he if he's successful but doesn't like me?"After that, they chatted for a while before Belle left. Dorothy's personal maid, Ethel Cole, asked confusedly, "If I may ask, Mrs. Sylvester Senior … what is Ms. Walter's relation to you?"She assumed they were grandmother and granddaughter, but they didn't look like each other. Dorothy seemed too polite to her and not kind like a grandmother should.Dorothy stared wistfully in Belle's direction, then said, "She's my master, and I'm her servant."Et