Colette bit her lip and took her bag before walking away in her six-inch heels.Before walking out the door, she thought of something and asked one of the prison guards, "After Xenia was sent here, has anyone come to visit?"Since the Simmons were politically involved and were in charge of that area, the prison guards treated her with immense respect. He seriously answered, "No.""Not even once?" Colette asked, confused."Yes. Xenia's a special case, so we unconsciously pay more attention to her. If anyone came by to see her, we'd definitely remember.""So no one came to visit? Not even someone from the Sanchez family?""No."Colette pressed her lips together subconsciously. Human beings truly were heartless sometimes.The Sanchez family used to be one of the most powerful families in Maltford, and Xenia used to be one of the most popular socialites within their community.She was beautiful, yes, but she was also talented and dabbled in various kinds of arts since she was a ch
Trying to take her place? Belle scoffed.She couldn't accept that. Was she such an easy target?Did she look like the kind of woman whose husband someone could steal so easily?It was infuriating! Belle pouted and asked unhappily, "Are you sure your research is accurate? Carthus is the heir to Krowdon's fortune. There are probably plenty of guards and security measures in his house. How did you even find out about the picture of him and Grayson on his bedside table?"Gabriel mumbled in disdain, "Love really does make people blind."Belle frowned.Gabriel replied, "No matter how secretive his bedroom is, he needs it cleaned. As long as someone can come in, then information can come out. I've sent you the pictures. Take a look yourself."Belle quickly clicked on the picture. It showed a photograph of Grayson and Carthus standing next to each other.The photograph looked old, and both of them looked pretty young.The photograph had been taken in a forest. They were both dressed
Grayson noticed her sudden movement but didn't think much of it. "What did Gabriel call you for?" he asked.Belle selectively told him the truth. "Ginger hasn't been in a good mood recently, so Gabriel was worried and asked me about her condition today.""Is it still because of Colette?"Belle pouted at the sound of Colette's name. "Yeah! She's insane! She really has it out for us. Just earlier today, she told everyone about Henrietta and Ginger's parents' deaths and made it sound like Ginger did it. Don't you think she's too much?"Grayson frowned as well. "I've already warned her not to mess with you or Ginger.""I hope she actually listens to you."Belle couldn't care less if Colette messed with her since she wasn't someone she could bully so easily, but Ginger was off-limits. Ginger had a lot on her mind, and it was far too easy for Colette to mess with her."She will. I'll kick her out if she doesn't even listen to me. She'll have no place in Page Corporation.""I hope so,
It seemed to be the first time Belle had ever bought him dinner.Perhaps it was the restaurant's atmosphere, but apart from being purely happy, Grayson felt more in love with Belle than he ever had been.If she brought him to a restaurant like that for dinner, wasn't that a clear show of her loving him?Based on how their relationship was progressing, she wouldn't leave even when their marriage contract ended, right?They could be together forever, right?Grayson's smile grew wider at his hopeful thoughts. His smile was brighter than Belle had ever seen it.He had always been handsome, but his sharp features softened whenever he smiled, and his face glowed with warmth, making him even easier on the eyes.The waitress next to them had her jaw on the floor.He was so handsome! She had never seen such a handsome man before.If he were her boyfriend, she would probably die from happiness. She was still fantasizing about it when she turned to look at Belle. She instantly felt her ex
When the bodyguards saw that it was Belle walking out and not Grayson, they were all taken aback."Wait, Ms. Walters?""Is he getting weaker? Why did they stop so soon? Ms. Walters can still walk!""Keep it down! Where is she going? It's already so late. Isn't Mr. Page going to follow?""He's not coming out."While the bodyguards continued discussing, Belle had already walked out of the front gates.She had knocked Grayson out after letting him release his stress once.Grayson had been unable to sleep well for the past few days, and she wanted to give him a good night's rest. In the meantime, she wanted to get some things done.She gave Carthus a day to sign the contract. She was planning to go the diplomatic route before being violent, but not only was he not listening, he was trying to steal her man! She couldn't take that sort of disrespect.She had to get rid of him. She had to make him leave by tomorrow.Of course, he couldn't just leave like that. He had to sign the con
Carthus' expression darkened.Belle stared at him with all the authority she could muster from being married to Grayson. She was starting to feel her hands twitch.She wanted to beat him up when she saw his face. She wanted to punch him so much that his face swelled up like a basketball.If only violence was the answer!She lamented her need to be civil inwardly as she clenched her fists in an attempt to control herself. "I'm Grayson's legal wife. Based on that point alone, I dare say no one deserves him except me. If anyone dares to think about snatching him away from me, they're making a mistake."Carthus' face was practically green with envy. "He was forced to marry you! He doesn't love you. Your marriage is nothing but a piece of paper!" "As if! Are you delusional? Who told you that he doesn't love me? Who said our marriage was just a piece of paper? Our love is stronger than granite. No one can split us apart.""I'm the only one who knows him! I'm the only one who knows w
Gabriel had told him about Grayson's troubles. Geoffrey, his confidant, was still with Carthus. If anything happened to Carthus, Geoffrey would be in danger too.If she lost control and ended up injuring Carthus, it would definitely be blamed on Grayson.She couldn't guarantee that Carthus' subordinates back in Krowdon wouldn't hurt Geoffrey as revenge.That was why she had done her best to control herself. After all, a woman could be defeated by arguing, but a man could be defeated through a good old fight.Sadly, she couldn't use violence against Carthus, which was stressing her out.If Carthus crossed a line, she might lose control and beat him up.The tension in the car was at an all-time high. The two glared daggers at each other, and none were willing to lose the staring contest.After a long time, Carthus said, "I'll give you three days. If you don't leave him in three days, I'll make you regret it."His tone wasn't particularly angry, but the threat in his glare was ext
The bodyguards outside the car froze momentarily before rushing forward. Some of them went to help Carthus up while others began swinging at Belle.Belle didn't just sit there and take it. If she wanted Carthus to learn his lesson from the ground, then that was where he would be staying.She lifted a leg and kicked one of the bodyguards away before approaching Carthus and seizing the collars of the bodyguards next to him. She casually flipped them over her shoulder.Carthus was about to stand up when Belle stepped on his knee, causing him to grunt in pain as he winced.Carthus' other bodyguards ran toward Belle at the sight.The sounds of bodies hitting the road began to fill the night air.In less than two minutes, Carthus' bodyguards were completely run through.Belle didn't unleash her full potential, so they could still stagger to their feet with a hand over their stomach or arm. Despite that, they still looked miserable.Belle stood next to the car and glared at Carthus.
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