"You know me, Grandpa. I'd like to focus on my career and learn as much as possible while working for the Page Corporation. I'm not there to look for a partner. I didn't know that Grayson was married. But now that I do, I won't think about it any longer, and I won't cause any trouble for Belle either," said Colette.Lucas believed her words and let out a long sigh. "I'm very pleased that you're career-driven. But remember, to be mindful of your goal instead of getting distracted with other unrelated stuff."Colette bit her lip and nodded.Lucas continued, "I'm sure Grayson will have taken notice of your presence after this incident. I've also heard about his struggles with the business collaboration with Krowdon. "You used to study there, so maybe you can take the initiative to help him out. I'm sure he would appreciate your contribution, and your standing within the company will also improve."The secretarial department is the closest unit directly working under Grayson himself.
Belle asked, "Why is she working at the Page Corporation if she already has a family business anyway?""She's here to learn," answered Grayson. Belle pursed her lips and asked, "Then how did she join the company? Through the back door as well?""No, she came in through interviews."She pouted and continued, "I suppose she's actually more capable than I am. I entered the company under Mr. Page Senior's orders, but she joined the company with her qualifications."Grayson smiled as she listened to her salty remarks. "What matters is that you're her boss, and she's working as your employee. So you're better than her."Belle felt much better. "That makes sense."He continued to dote on her. "I've already released her from the police station after Mr. Simmons Senior pleaded with me."She wasn't angry from the reveal either. "That's fine, I guess. I don't really have anything in mind for her. I just wanted to teach her a lesson for bullying other people.""I've issued her a warning
A knock came from the door before Sam's voice could be heard. "Mr. Page, it's time for the meeting. The directors are waiting for you in the meeting room."A bunch of senior directors have been panicking about the business collaboration with Krowdon as it heavily involved their interests."I got it," answered Grayson.He then turned back to Belle."I'm going out for a meeting. You can study the drawing. Don't worry too much about it. The truth will be revealed sooner or later anyway.""Okay. What's your meeting about? The business collaboration with Krowdon?""Yeah. Carthus didn't want to sign the deal, so the directors are getting antsy.""Don't get worked up because of him. You've said so yourself; don't let anyone affect your mood.""I know," answered Grayson. He gently stroked her hair and kissed her before leaving the room.Belle stared blankly at the door as he left. She had already paid a visit to Carthus and warned him to sign the deal this morning. It would seem that
Colette became even more arrogant when she observed Belle's silence. "Some folks really think they've made it in life when all they ever did was just being held captive and displayed like an animal in a zoo."The crowd was floored by that statement. Ginger couldn't stand the conversation any longer. "Mind your mouth, Colette! You've already slandered me enough this morning. Yet, here you are, back for more. Do you want to go back to jail?"Colette turned to face Ginger. "You're not even worthy enough to speak to me! Why don't you call the police and lock me up right away, then? If you don't have the authority to do that, then just shut the fuck up!"Ginger was bright red with anger. "You—"Belle's expression had turned for the worst. "I can't send you away now that Mr. Page has called you back in for some reason. But I can always just deal with you later. "Has your grandfather not warned you to keep a low profile at work? Don't forget that you were given a chance today because
Colette soon became a celebrity of sorts within the company. News of her past academic career at Krowdon and her amicable relationship with Carthus spread widely, presenting itself as an advantage in aiding Grayson with his challenges.Messages circulating within the employees' group chat were filled with praise for her."Colette could have made a living out of her family name and her beauty alone. But she chose to make a name for herself with her own skills. What a powerful woman!""She's the perfect match for our boss! She's great with both work and cooking, she can also raise children perfectly, and she can even help solve our boss' problems!""I'm starting to think Colette might be the perfect match for Mr. Page."Ginger jumped into the conversation. "Who do you think you are to arrange for Mr. Page's marriage? Don't you know that he's already married? Are you guys trying to make Colette a mistress? Mrs. Page is going to tear her apart!"Someone else joined the conversation a
Belle had been reading the messages in the employees' group chat.She wasn't upset when she read the messages about Colette and Grayson being the perfect match for each other. They had the freedom to say whatever they wanted.Besides, Grayson never liked Colette in the first place.Belle even wanted to prepare a bonus for Colette if she managed to help convince Carthus to sign the contract and secure the deal.She just didn't want Grayson to have too many problems on his mind. She would be grateful to whoever it was that could help her husband resolve the issue at hand. That was why Belle had genuinely hoped that Colette was a useful addition.…Meanwhile, inside the meeting room, the directors were surprised to learn that Colette and Carthus knew each other. They all treated Colette relatively well, considering their interests were on the line.One of the directors even suggested a raise and a promotion to the secretarial department for Colette if she could help secure the de
"What else did he tell you?" Grayson asked."Which part are you talking about exactly?"Grayson frowned. "About what happened between us."Colette quickly shook her head. "He didn't mention anything, but reading between the lines, I assumed that you two used to know each other and were on pretty good terms."Grayson scoffed and put his cigarette out in the ashtray. "Someone will add you to the group chat regarding this project. You'll be dealing with Carthus along with them. You can put a hold on all front desk work for now.""Understood, Mr. Page."Grayson didn't reply and got up to walk away.However, when he reached the entrance, he seemed to remember something and turned to look at Colette again. "Belle's mine, so don't think about messing with her. Ginger is Belle's best friend, so don't mess with her either."He looked at Colette meaningfully and walked off.Colette clenched her fists tightly enough for her fingernails to dig into her palms. Her breathing was ragged from
Grayson looked at Belle and asked, "I know how fired up the group chat is. Aren't you mad about that?""Why should I be?""Because they're saying Colette is a good match for me.""As if! She's not even qualified enough to try and go against me."Grayson said meaningfully, "They're talking so much because they don't know I'm already married. I already came clean during New Year's, but they thought I was making it up to deter any admirers. If we publicized our relationship, no one would be able to make up rumors like that.""That makes sense."Grayson narrowed his eyes. "So …""No, no. We can't publicize our relationship. It will be too much trouble, so we should keep it a secret."Grayson fell silent. Based on Belle's attitude, it would be a cold day in Hell before they got to publicize their relationship.Belle said, "If Colette really manages to settle things with Carthus for you, that means she's not entirely useless. Don't ignore her because of me. You should give her som
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