"I considered it, but my brother wouldn't do that because it's too risky." Monica stated. She reasoned that since York had only recently died, any additional deaths within the Ritter family would make people suspect something was amiss.Moreover, there was no point in killing Monica as she no longer posed a threat to Keith. She could no longer contend for the position of family head. Given Keith's cautious nature, he was unlikely to act against her.Given these reasons, Monica could move around freely and secretly investigate her father's accident. After hearing Monica's perspective, Summer felt some degree of respect for her. She had initially thought of Monica as a spoilt young heiress. However, through their interactions, she realized that despite her youth, Monica was perceptive, strategic, and had a holistic understanding of the situation. Indeed, one should never underestimate those born into influential families."All right. Monica. I hope our cooperation will be successf
Summer had to be discreet about finding Kelly. If she rang the doorbell, the occupants of the house would likely avoid answering. Moreover, Kelly intentionally avoided Summer and might not have come out if she had seen her.After considering her options, Summer decided to climb over the iron fence, which was six feet high and topped with sharp iron spikes. Fortunately, Summer was dressed in black sportswear, which was both comfortable and practical. Her experience with scaling school walls during college made the climb manageable. With a bit of effort, she successfully made her way over.Once inside, Summer crept quietly across the lawn and slipped through an open window, moving stealthily like a thief.Inside the house, Summer could hear sounds coming from the living room. It seemed like someone was watching television. Was it Kelly?Summer approached quietly and realized that it was indeed Kelly! Kelly was sitting on the sofa, engrossed in a TV drama. The living room was spars
"Can you please leave, Summie?""Kelly…""Please leave," Kelly pleaded once again. She was clearly in no state to continue the conversation. Pushing her any further would only cause more distress. Summer had no choice but to leave. She slowly backed away until she reached the door, yet she didn't step out; she merely opened it."Kelly, do you really want me to go? Have you forgotten that we're best friends? No matter what happens, you can always talk to me," Summer asked, her voice tinged with worry. She was concerned for Kelly and didn't want to miss a chance to uncover the truth. However, Kelly maintained her stance. Her eyes were filled with panic, her face tense. She didn't respond to Summer's question. Instead, she waved her arms frantically, urging Summer to leave.Summer had no choice but to leave. No matter what she said, Kelly was unwilling to talk. All Summer could do was wait for her to calm down.That evening, Summer returned to the Beaut Moon residential area. She
Just then, James returned home from work and noticed Summer sitting alone on the couch, her face puffed up with anger. Concerned, he asked, "What's wrong, Summie? Who made you so upset?""Keith did.""Keith?" James was puzzled, not understanding why Summer was at odds with Keith again. The Ritter Corporation had undergone significant changes recently, and since taking over as the head of the family, Keith had been attending various meetings as the chairman of the organization. James had even spoken to him earlier in the day.Seeing Summer so upset, James figured she was still suspicious that Keith was behind York's death. He decided to explain, "I've been investigating the matter thoroughly lately. I actually planned to talk to you about it today. Perhaps it's a good time to let you know—Keith probably isn't the culprit.""Keith is not the murderer? Are you saying that he didn't orchestrate the car accident that killed his father?""That's right. I'm one hundred percent sure."
Summer agreed with James' suggestion. She hadn't had a proper conversation with Kelly yet, so she couldn't understand why her friend had ended up in such a state. It was essential to speak with Kelly first.After thinking it over for a moment, Summer came up with an idea. If she wanted to meet Kelly, perhaps Keith could serve as a bridge between them. After all, if what James said was true and Keith was indeed innocent, then he would likely agree to help set up a meeting with Kelly. Summer suggested, "James, since you've already met Keith and he's likely with Kelly, could you talk to him and see if he can arrange something?""Sure. There's a meeting with Ritter Corporation tomorrow. I'll bring it up with Keith then," James replied.At 1:00 am, the stars outside the window were dim, with only the faint light of the moon barely visible. Summer lay in bed, feeling restless and unable to sleep. James, on the other hand, was sleeping as deeply as a log.Having spent so much time wit
That afternoon, Summer found herself in the revolving restaurant on the top floor of Xomus Tower. The space was modern and luxurious, with floor-to-ceiling glass walls that offered a breathtaking view of the cityscape from 990 feet above.Xomus Tower, a collaborative project between the Quigley and Camberwell families, was known not just for its impressive height but also for the unique feature on its top floor. The floor rotated slowly—a result of the mechanical separation between the rooftop and the building structure—allowing diners to enjoy a panoramic view of the city as they dined.Under different circumstances, Summer might have marveled at the view, perhaps even be filled with awe by the rotating floor. However, her thoughts were elsewhere at that moment. She sat in her short but elegant dress with James beside her. They had arrived ten minutes earlier for their meeting. Keith and Kelly arrived exactly on time. The moment Summer saw Kelly, her heart skipped a beat. They h
"No, Summie. What are you talking about?" Kelly responded, trying to brush off the concern."What am I talking about? Just a few days ago, you looked completely out of sorts when you saw me. And last month, you insisted that I support Keith in becoming the family head. "Not long after that, York died. Are you hiding something?""I'm not. You're overthinking it." Kelly forced a stiff smile. Even though she said nothing had happened, her expression betrayed her words. It clearly suggested that many things had happened, but she didn't want to talk about it. Kelly was never one to play mind games. She was always straightforward and honest, and she was never one to do anything underhanded. Summer remembered how, back in middle school, Kelly had once taken her pen to use during an exam because she didn't have one.For the subsequent days, Kelly acted strangely until she finally confessed. It was just a cheap pen—something Summer had never even thought about—but Kelly had felt guil
Kelly sounded determined. It was evident that these were convictions she held deeply. Summer felt a pang of heartache as her friend was beyond saving. They knew each other too well, and both of them were equally stubborn. Kelly had made up her mind to stay with Keith, even if it meant following him into the depths of hell. Summer realized that trying to convince Kelly with words was futile. The only way to break Kelly's resolve might be to expose Keith's wrongdoings and see him put behind bars. If that happened, perhaps Kelly would finally let go.So, Summer's first task was to uncover the truth behind York's death. It was clear that Kelly knew more than she was letting on. Although Summer doubted Kelly would openly share the details, she hoped to glean some information from her friend's expressions."Kelly, was Keith involved in Mr. York's death? I'm not trying to force you to leave him, but I need you to tell me the truth."When Summer mentioned York's death, Kelly hesitated