Gabriel paused and continued, "He may not be able to protect you the whole way, but he's the only one who has a chance. Anyone else is out of the question. Also, remember to live in the moment. You have much harder days in your future."Belle fell silent.Sighing, Gabriel said, "Blame fate. We're the same. We were born into a bad life, but we have no other choice."Belle still didn't reply.With a creak, the door opened and Ginger walked in with the seasoning she had just bought.A gust of cold wind sneaked in through the open door, sending chills down Belle's spine.Gabriel quickly dried his hands on his apron and took the bag of seasoning from Ginger before taking her coat and hanging it on the coat rack next to the door. "Go warm up in the living room. You'll feel better after eating some food."Ginger rubbed her hands together as she said, "It's freezing out there. It was perfectly fine these last few days, but it's so cold today. Actually, it was fine in the morning and aft
After a brief pause, he suddenly asked, "Are you close to Robert?""What?" Belle froze at the mention of Robert. "You know him?"She realized she had asked a stupid question the moment the words left her mouth.Gabriel was from the Fleming family, which was one of the mysterious families. They had been targeting the Strauss family, so, of course, Gabriel knew who Robert was."He's my friend, so yes, I'd say we're close," Belle replied.To her, anyone she considered as a friend was a very important person. She was willing to do anything to help anyone she considered a friend.Gabriel suddenly asked, "What would you do if something happened to him?""What? Like what?"Gabriel looked at her deeply. "Death."Belle frowned as alarms began to go off in her head. She turned to look at Gabriel. "What do you mean? Do you know something? Did something happen to him?"Gabriel remained silent.Belle's frown deepened. "Talk to me!"Her tone was commanding as she demanded an answer.Gab
No matter what it was about, he didn't want Belle to be stressed.He suppressed his jealousy and said, "Robert's been involved in anti-drug investigations for a long time. He's the reason many people have been thrown in jail or had their source of income cut off. That's reason enough for him to have a target on his back. "Don't worry too much. The fact that he's been alive for this long is proof that he can protect himself, or he would've died long ago."Besides, Gabriel already mentioned to tell him about thinking thrice before acting. That means he's still at a stage where he has autonomy over his choices. That means he's very safe."Belle blinked as she looked at Grayson. He was right.The more important someone was, the more danger they were in. It was normal for people to target Robert.Besides, Gabriel had only given her a reminder. He didn't actually say that anything had happened to Robert.She just needed to tell Robert about what Gabriel had said and make sure he was
Belle no longer retaliated against him. She just hesitated for a split second before closing her eyes and returning his enthusiasm.She liked him and wanted to be as close to him as possible.Grayson's kisses were passionate and possessive with a hint of punishment.He hadn't said anything just now, but the sight of Belle caring so much for Robert made him extremely jealous.How could she care about other men? He should be the only man she cared about!He wanted her to only have him in her heart.Belle was pressed back into the seat as she wrapped her arms around his neck and responded to his kisses eagerly. For the first time ever, she used her tongue tentatively, trying to enter his territory for the first time.Her cautious, nervous probing almost made Grayson's head explode from excitement.He pressed against her and held the back of her head with his hand. He greedily sucked in the taste of their tongues entwined.His heart was pounding against his ribcage.The temperatu
“The weather this year is very different from past years. It's almost spring, yet it's as cold as winter.""It really is. You must remember to layer up before going outdoors. Don't get sick.""Of course. I need to watch my health so that I can meet my great-grandchildren. I can't fall ill before that.""Mr. Grayson and Ms. Belle are in their honeymoon period right now. They might be on the way to becoming parents soon. You might be able to see your great-grandkids very soon.""I really do hope so."Finneas and his butler's voices suddenly rang out from outside the door. They seemed to be right outside.Belle and Grayson froze. Neither of them had anticipated such a sudden change of plans.The facial recognition system beeped, and the door slowly opened.Belle clutched Grayson's shirt tightly and stared at the front door nervously. She could feel her heart about to leap out of her throat.Grayson also stared at the door with a frown and a dark glare.The butler turned on the l
Grayson turned to look at Belle and couldn't help but internally complain about his grandfather.If Finneas wanted great-grandchildren so badly, he should have stayed at the family mansion. What was he doing back here?His presence was the biggest third wheel that could ever exist. How could Grayson make any great-grandchildren for him if Finneas was around?"Hello? Grayson, are you in there?" Finneas asked after knocking on the door.Belle was so nervous that her nails had sunken into Grayson's stomach.Grayson was in so much pain that he couldn't answer."Zach, go bring me the spare keys," Finneas said.Belle immediately began to panic again.She pinched him one more time, indicating for him to find a way to stop Finneas from opening the door."Ouch!" Grayson hissed.Finneas heard him that time and asked, "Grayson? Are you alright?""I'm fine, Grandpa," Grayson hissed through his teeth."You little brat. If you're fine, you should've answered me just now. Open up.""Do y
"I wanted to take a shower after getting scratched by that fox. What about you? Why are you here? You don't usually stay here."If Grayson had known that Finneas was coming over, he would never have brought Belle to the house. He'd have gone to a hotel instead.If he had driven about ten minutes further, he could have reached his seven-star hotel. His executive suite was on the top floor.If they had gone there instead, he and Belle would be enjoying themselves right about now.Finneas didn't know what Grayson was thinking about and said, "I went to meet Tom, but we stayed longer than expected. It's so cold out that we thought of staying here for a night. When are you leaving?""I'm not leaving.""Hey! Are you going to leave Belle alone? Go wash up and go back home to her."Belle got nervous at the sound of her name. She didn't realize how nervous she was and couldn't help herself from pinching Grayson's back again.Grayson pressed his lips together, trying to stop feeling the
All she could do was retaliate silently. She kicked the blanket aside, but Grayson swiftly pulled it back. After a few times, Grayson gave up on pulling the blanket back and said, "Okay, sure. I don't care if anyone hears you. I want the world to know that you're mine anyway."Then, he continued kissing her.He didn't use the blanket over them and no longer attacked her lips. His kisses traveled from her chin to her ear, her neck, and her collarbones. He went lower and lower, bold in his intentions.Belle didn't dare to make a noise, but she also couldn't stop him. She let out tiny, suppressed complaints.However, the tiny noises she was making weren't even as loud as Grayson's breathing.Not too long after, Belle finally stopped retaliating.Her lust, which had been chased away by her nerves, was brought back by Grayson.The secrecy of it all was even more thrilling. Her nerves tingled with excitement.She couldn't control herself from responding to his actions, trying to get
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