"Did they move in just because the rent's cheap?""What other reason would there be? They'll regret this!""You can't be sure, not when so many years have passed since that incident."A group of elderly residents gossiped under the trees. They didn't expect the topic of their conversation, Aria, to appear with Sam, laden with fruits and herbs."Hello," Aria greeted. "We just moved in. I'm Aria, and this is my brother, Sam."Sam, sporting a colorful outfit and a baseball cap, offered a shy nod to the elders. Their fondness for children, coupled with Sam's adorable demeanor, fostered an instant connection."Oh my! You brought gifts too!" an old woman exclaimed, her impression of Aria instantly improving. While the gifts were a kind gesture, it was Aria's demeanor that truly won them over."Is the woman in the yard your grandmother?" asked Doria Quezos.Aria nodded with a chuckle. "She's a traditional healer. We've set up a makeshift kitchen outside. You're all welcome to join us
"I'm so scared, Philip! I'm really scared!" said Moses Layne, one of the young scions who'd been racing that night. Dark circles hung beneath his eyes. He huddled alone in a corner, refusing to allow his family to enter the room.The moment he spotted Philip, Moses sprang up and grabbed his arm. "I dreamed of Mouse. He kept asking why we were still alive. He said he was cold down there and wanted us with him."Initially dismissing Moses' fears as grief-induced, Philip's skepticism wavered when Lamond Whit and Ignatius Furler also shared similar haunting visions, albeit less intense due to their distance from the crash site."Do you think Mouse blames us for his death?" Lamond and Ignatius cautiously asked Philip. "Is that why he's appearing in our dreams?"Ignatius explained, "We didn't mean to graze our cars against the pregnant woman's."Lamond chimed in, "Mouse mentioned finding her familiar. You know how he was with pretty women—he'd always want to linger a little longer."Ig
Philip knew he couldn't keep this a secret. If the Layne family wanted answers, they'd find them. Witnessing his friends' torment, he confided in Samuel about the fortune teller's warning on Panne Street.Samuel frowned. "Someone predicted something bad would happen if you raced?"Philip nodded, still reeling from the shock. "She just told me not to go. I had no idea things would turn out this way."Samuel patted his shoulder. "You've lucked out. Regardless of whether she is a swindler, she saved your life."The Layne family would bear the brunt of the bad publicity if word of the crash got out. A car crash involving their wealthy son, racing, and a pregnant woman nearly killed wouldn't be good press.So what if Howard Jepson died? The Laynes had to contain the damage. "Do you know where the woman is?" Lucky was easy to handle. The Laynes had already spoken to the entertainment company, who just wanted money.Samuel worried someone else might expose the incident. An unknown
"Has Philip told you anything, Grandpa? Why didn't he go?" Moses asked, his voice dripping with bitterness. Friends were meant to share both joy and suffering, yet Philip had skipped the race despite Moses' invitation.If Philip had been there, the car crash might not have happened. Samuel said in a low voice, "He claimed someone predicted that something would happen to him if he went to the race. I'll ask Kenny for more information when he comes by later."He added, "I've told you to spend more time with Kenny. You could learn a lot from him. Philip, on the other hand, is a bad influence."Moses' head snapped up. "Someone predicted harm if Philip went? Can this person handle my situation now? Grandpa, whenever I close my eyes, all I see is a horrifying vision of a laughing fetus. I can't take it anymore!"Moses clutched his shirt as cold sweat ran down his back. "Why did it only come for me, Grandpa?""Calm down," Samuel soothed. "That's all superstitious nonsense. The problem
"It was you who called for an ambulance, wasn't it? Moses must have called you that day to leave a record." Ignatius looked at Philip. "Here's what I think—if he said on the phone that Mouse was the one who hit the other car and there's a record of this on your phone, it could clear his name. "Moses wanted to drag you into this too, but you called for an ambulance instead."Ignatius' hands trembled as he smoked. "I don't want to believe Moses could be so cruel, but people can do terrible things to save themselves. You're a Wagner, so you're safe. Lamond and I have no way out of this."Philip knew this was true. No one would talk about the accident publicly. It happened on a foggy mountain road, and both cars' dashcams were broken. The Whits and Furlers wouldn't let Lamond and Ignatius testify.The key to clearing Moses' name was that phone call. Moses had lied, and that phone call had indirectly turned Philip into an alibi Moses desperately needed to salvage the Layne family's nam
Aria had no idea that Fiona had been asleep since returning to the hotel. Her phone had been taken from her, and it had been set to silent mode.While Owen wouldn't lower himself to check Fiona's phone, the constant barrage of messages from a certain scammer irritated him. He tossed Fiona's phone onto the table. Owen sighed as he watched Fiona sleep. "Your problem is that your heart is simply too kind."Concerned about a potential overdose, Owen called their family doctor.The doctor reassured him, "Mrs. Carver is having a normal reaction to the medication. Due to her recent episode, she hasn't slept much in the past two days. She's just exhausted."Relief washed over Owen. "I'm glad she's okay."The doctor envied their relationship. "You're such a good husband to Mrs. Carver. I'll hook her to an IV so that she can get her nutrients in."Owen nodded. Before leaving, he turned on the aromatherapy diffuser in the room. He decided to wait until tomorrow to have Dr. Kent examine
Mindy cast her gaze down; sadness etched on her face. Her cousin, Marty Carver, said, "Don't worry, Mindy. We won't become friends with that country bumpkin. She can't hold a candle to you. Kenny and Moses said that no one in our circle would accept her. She's just a joke to us."Mindy snapped her head up. "You shouldn't talk like that in front of Grandpa, Marty." "Grandpa Warren's favoritism is so obvious." Marty curled his lip. "Why can't I? If my grandpa were head of the family, that country girl wouldn't be back." Looking at the two men standing behind Marty, Mindy chided, "You shouldn't call her that, Marty! She's your cousin! Anyone else can, but not you!"Marty was perplexed. "Why are you still defending her at such a crucial time? Why is Grandpa Warren so insistent on kicking you out before she returns? Moses analyzed the situation and suspected she poisoned Grandpa Warren's mind against you. She's jealous of you, even before stepping foot back in the family!"Owen's fro
A gnawing worry settled in Owen's gut as he left Ian's. What could have happened to the Laynes? Owen thought he ought to have Troy look into it. However, upon returning, Troy was nowhere to be found. When Owen called, Troy's voice cracked with sobs as he spoke, "My nephew Howard... he's gone."Howard Jepson was the young man Philip and his friends called Mouse.After learning of everything that had happened, that feeling of unease lingered. Owen's head felt like it was close to bursting, and he thought of his wife, who acted unusually from time to time. Abruptly, he instructed his driver, "Turn around. We're going to Mr. Windsor's place.""Yes, sir."…Blake was swamped that day as every noble family in the city sought his services except for the Wagners. Philip was looking for the young woman he'd met. "Are you telling me you knew nothing about this, Mr. Weller?" Philip demanded, disbelief lacing his voice. "Look at Ignatius' eyebags! Please, tell us, where is your niece?"W