Grayson stood up with his car keys in hand. "Let's go get lunch."Belle replied, "I'll go out first. You can go out in a couple of minutes. Don't give the others a reason to overthink things."Grayson didn't reply. He wanted to tell her that they already knew, but he didn't dare to.He simply let her walk out first.The moment Belle walked out of the office, the secretarial department surrounded her. "Belle, how was it? Is he still in a bad mood?"Belle replied, "He's fine. He was feeling moody because of some work problems.""Did you cheer him up?"Belle wasn't about to admit to anything and lied, "He's too fussy to cheer up. Who would be able to do that? He just came around on his own."Someone asked meaningfully, "How would you know that he's too fussy to cheer up? Have you done it before?"Belle froze for a moment before she blinked and replied, "I heard Mr. Page Senior talking about it before. I'm off to get lunch. Bye!"She scurried into the elevator while her colleague
Without waiting for Ginger's reply, the female colleague said, "Also, I heard that you've been here for three years without a single promotion. What a coincidence that you got a raise and a promotion the moment you got close to Belle. You're a real genius, Ginger."Ginger's face was red with anger. She suppressed her rage and said, "You should take a page out of my book and figure out a way to get a raise and promotion too, then."The female colleague looked at her in disdain. "I'm talented and have a good skill set. Why would I need to go through such a cheap, dishonest way?""Then keep your insults for when you get that promotion, okay? I'm your boss right now.""Boss? That depends on whether or not I actually see you as one. I only look up to someone if they're skilled enough to deserve it."Ginger replied coldly, "Mr. Page selected me personally, and I passed a series of thorough tests from the company, who then officially signed off on the decision. If you don't want to admit
The other female colleague knew that Colette came from a wealthy background and chuckled. "That's true. Someone like Ginger has no way of competing with you. She's like a beggar in front of you."Colette cheered up after hearing that.She went to Page Corporation with much bigger goals than simply staying as a clerk at the front desk. She had a clear goal in mind.Another female colleague told Colette, "You should still tone it down during working hours. Mr. Page has been greeting Ginger every time he comes to work. I feel like she's in his good books."Colette frowned. "What for? What does she have to deserve that? The only advantage she has is being friends with Belle, who is pretty useless too. She's only here because her grandfather knows Mr. Page's grandfather."She scoffed. "She had the luck to get the chance to save Mr. Page Senior's life, but then she let that get to her head. He's kind and grateful, so he gave her the chance to work here, but look at what she's doing ev
Gabriel said, "With Belle's temper, I'm sure she wouldn't let that colleague go so easily."Ginger continued to eat her lunch as she said, "I haven't brought this up to Belle yet. She's pretty busy recently and rarely at the company these days, so she might not even have noticed this new girl."Gabriel knew Belle must be stressing out over Mount Moriah and the clinic, so he asked, "So that colleague is new here?""Yeah. She's only been here for a month or so. She's a real busybody."Gabriel narrowed his eyes, seeming to think about something.Ginger said, "Don't worry about me. I've hardened up after so many years in the industry. I know how to face people like her."Gabriel stopped his train of thought and nodded. "Okay."At that same moment, Belle and Grayson had reached the restaurant. Grayson passed the menu to Belle. "What do you want to eat?"Belle studied the menu closely. "It's my first time here. What are their signature dishes?""You can look at the uppermost dishe
It was a debit card."There's 500,000,000 dollars in here," Carthus said, "Take this and leave him."Belle's eyes widened, and she stared at him in shock.What was going on?She was getting déjà vu. She immediately thought of June Peterson.June had once invited her to a café and had also given her a card to leave Grayson.However, June had given her 10,000,000 dollars at the time, while this mysterious foreign man was giving her 500,000,000 dollars right off the bat.500,000,000 dollars! That was a crazy amount!He was a man, though. A man giving her money to leave Grayson felt extremely strange.Belle asked, "Why do you want me to leave Grayson?""You don't need to know," Carthus replied simply.Belle pressed her lips together. "Take your money and leave. I'm not breaking up with Grayson."Carthus glared at her. "Why not?"Belle said simply, "You don't need to know."Carthus stared at her in silence.The room went silent for a moment until Carthus said, "Do you like Gr
"You just mentioned it. He's a business partner, and when he reached Maltford two days ago, he pretended he was sick from the flight. He didn't meet Grayson at the company as planned, so Grayson asked me to visit him. He threw a fit when he saw that I was there instead of Grayson."Belle couldn't understand. "What does that mean? Did he want to see Grayson or not?""He did.'""If he did, then why did he blow Grayson off? Why didn't he just meet Grayson at the company as planned?"Simon replied, "He wanted to meet Grayson in the hotel.""Huh? The hotel? Why did he have to meet Grayson in the hotel?""I don't know the exact reason behind it. Both Sam and I went, and he asked us where Grayson was. Sam said Grayson was busy with work at the company, and Carthus threw a fit. He exploded and yelled at us for a long time.""He's actually insane," Belle marveled."Yeah. He should be locked up.""Apart from business partners, have they been involved in any other way before this?" Belle
Benjamin chuckled and said, "He's been secretly drawing away all day. If I didn't know it was a poster, I'd have thought he was drawing some secret government hangar or something. He doesn't even let me look at it."Blushing, Hunter quickly said, "It's not that you can't look at it. It's just not done yet. Once it's done, I'll show you guys."Belle looked at Hunter meaningfully, but she didn't chase him for an answer.After continuing to chat with them for a while, she said goodbye and left.Hunter chased after her and said, "Ms. Belle, I was actually drawing the ancient tomb under Mount Moriah. Mr. Grayson wanted to look at it, but the mountain collapsed, so we didn't get the chance to go down there. I wanted to draw it out for him."He gulped and continued, "B-But my dad … he doesn't know I've been there. That's why I didn't want him to look at it. I was worried that he'd look at it when you picked it up, so I lied.""No wonder," Belle said, "It didn't look anything like a post
Grayson was visibly annoyed about Carthus.The phone on the table started ringing before he could reply. He took a look at the caller ID and frowned."You should pick it up. We can talk later," said Belle."Yeah."Grayson picked up the phone and left the room, holding a cigarette and a lighter in his other hand.Belle remained seated at her workstation. She frowned as she watched Grayson leave.Obviously, he needed a smoke to vent his frustrations a little.Grayson knew that Belle hated the smell of cigarettes and would never smoke it with her inside the room.Noticing the cigarette and lighter in his hands, Belle recalled how he used to smoke on the terrace back home with a frown.Just what did Carthus do to make him so pissed off?She became curious about Carthus and began to look up any information about him online.She finished her first attempt at gathering information about him and found nothing noteworthy.Carthus was the favorite child of a tycoon from Krowdon. His
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