Mrs. Andrew is still in the nursing home. Previously, Jessica had to put in a lot of effort to get her into that pit, preventing her from harming her biological daughter. As this was spoken, Jessica’s complexion visibly darkened. Jack’s mother still circled around, blocking their path. She assumed a demeanor, implying that if they didn’t provide an explanation, she wouldn’t let them pass.Jessica was initially confident and looked disdainfully at the woman blocking their way. She didn’t mind the woman’s seniority, replying, “Yes, my mother loves this place. She told me that everyone there is friendly, kind, and not afraid of inhaling polluted air. My mother’s health is fragile, and bringing her here would be torture. There’s a constant unpleasant smell in the air, making this house feel polluted.”Jessica held her nose and waved her hand, sneering at Jack’s mother. The woman’s face became quite unpleasant. Jessica’s words sounded like an insult, and she considered their family trash.
The party was in full swing. The atmosphere was unusually lively, mainly because just recently, lawyer Britt had announced some shocking news. The entire estate now belonged to the distant niece, Jessica. Surprise took the whole family.Jack’s father, furious, grabbed Lawyer Britt by the collar and interrogated him in a deep voice:“Why? Did you tamper with the will, right? Why has that insignificant brat become the heir to Mrs. Locke’s estate? How has she treated that girl all this time, I know! Are you trying to deceive this whole family and conspiring with that girl to take our money?”People rushed to restrain him, preventing him from getting overly emotional. It infuriated Britt with this family. One after another, everyone wanted to push the blame onto him. Britt, turning cold, let his eyeglasses fall to the ground and said,“This is your family’s business, and it doesn’t concern me. I am merely the legal counsel for this will. Why don’t you look at yourselves and consider wheth
Henry was revealing annoyance, and this news quickly shattered his entire relaxed state of mind for the day. He looked at Loki, showing his desire to hear the entire story. Loki continued, albeit under the irritated gaze of the chairman.“According to what Rihana said, they are a young couple with no jobs. They found our company’s business activities very suspicious, and in the end, they stopped cooperating, returning the full amount they had received from Rihana. When they came to inquire at the office, in their anger, they accidentally admitted that the company had problems, giving the couple the upper hand.”Henry sighed and massaged his temples. These people were becoming more and more foolish by the day. They turned simple matters into a complete mess. Meanwhile, Loki continued.“The couple demanded two million to keep quiet.”“Hah, that’s a joke.” Henry chuckled dryly. He only wondered if he’d live long enough to spend all that money. Women, they were always getting involved in
The residents of the slum and the children cursed the despicable Henry. If Alex hadn’t warned them earlier, the dramatic performance they had just acted together might have become a reality. Puddy’s parents held their son full of resentment, continuously cursing Henry to hell.He dared to exploit Alex’s name, and later on, when responsibility was assigned, all the blame would likely fall on Alex, combining the murder and accusation. People were getting angrier by the minute. The one who suffered the most was the boy who had acted so convincingly and was trampled by Henry, his face all bruised. Everyone clamored for Tom Holland to come and help catch that despicable man.Of course, because there was a prior warning, this incident didn’t spiral out of control as Henry had feared. These children were potential witnesses and had even been equipped with discreet recording devices on their clothes, making it convenient for their testimony. Because of one slight oversight in shedding his mas
Loki coldly lifted the unconscious Tasta and placed him on a nearby chair, then bound him securely. Rihana observed Loki’s swift and skillful actions, feeling a sense of fear and uncertainty. She wasn’t sure what he was up to, but she dared not interfere. Only when Tasta was tightly bound did Loki glance over at Rihana, a ruthless glint in his eyes.From his belt, he pulled out a handgun and handed it to Rihana. She trembled involuntarily, her eyes brimming with tears. Loki’s arm was suspended in the air before her, but Rihana hesitated to take the weapon.“Take it! Do I have to remind you again? Is this timid look of yours supposed to accomplish anything?”“What do you want?” Rihana took a trembling step back, her tears flowing freely. She looked at the gun in her hand like it was a ticking bomb weighing heavily on her.Loki pointed at the still-unconscious Tasta and said in a low voice, “Shoot.”“Me? I should shoot?”The handgun in Rihana’s hand unexpectedly fell to the ground, prod
When Isabel finished dealing with the matters at home, she returned in a state of exhaustion. Recently, her parents had constantly been insisting on introducing Isabel to other potential suitors. Even when she spoke up, stating that she already had someone special, her parents remained skeptical.Lately, they had even come to the apartment where she was living, along with her company, but couldn’t find her. So, when she returned home, older adults couple was in a constant state of anxiety, fearing that some other suitor had whisked her away.Isabel could only sigh and endure it, as her current task from Alex was confidential and she couldn’t reveal it to her parents. She had to deflect their questions. Her elusive behavior only made her grandparents even more suspicious, convinced that she was being deceived by someone and insisting on taking her back to their mansion.Ultimately, they wanted to bring security guards to prevent Isabel from escaping. She had no choice but to switch ide
When Alex approached, most of the kind-hearted people who had offered help had dispersed, leaving only a few individuals behind to advise her to stay calm, check the news in the morning, and offer words of comfort. It had been two hours with no news, and they had little spare time to worry about others in this way. Furthermore, this incident served as a sobering lesson for these parents on taking care of their children. Each of them returned home to rest and carefully counsel their daughters.Rihana, on the other hand, sat alone on the front steps of her house, her face swollen, seeming to have cried too much and now lacking the strength to care about others. Her two eldest children were sleeping soundly, while the fate of her husband, still in the hospital, remained uncertain. Rihana felt crushed, unable to understand why all the misfortune seemed to be concentrated on her recently.Was it because of her wrongdoing that she now had to endure this hardship?But if that were the case,
Just as reported by the news outlets, the Locke family was in utter chaos. No one could believe that the murderer turned out to be the very person everyone had thought would become the heir.What made the situation even more chaotic was that this person was already dead.When the police found footage from the hospital cameras, they immediately dispatched a team to search Jack’s and his parents’ house. It was called a search, but in reality, it was more like a thorough ransacking. Their belongings were strewn all over the place, valuable items were broken, and the entire Jack family became enveloped in an eerie atmosphere. Word of the scandal spread quickly, and in no time, no one wanted to get near them.As the police diligently investigated, with Chief Jayce using swift and professional methods, they got evidence such as footage of Jack buying drugs and witness testimonies confirming it. All signs pointed directly at Jack.A significant leap in the investigation came when they found
After everything was settled, Alex brought immense joy to the hospital where Isabel was resting. From now on, Cherry had become his child, a member of this small family, and now he only needed one more vital piece to have a perfect family. His future wife lay right here.Alex arrived at the hospital in the middle of the night, and Isabel’s room was already empty. Her family had left; they were all exhausted after days of tense waiting at the hospital. That gave him the opportunity to have some private time with Isabel. He approached her bedside, gently caressing her smooth cheek, and his eyes became moist.It was uncertain whether it was because the act of pretending to be a family for these days was too real or if it was the love that had been quietly growing over the years, but Alex felt his emotions surging intensely. It seemed like within his heart, emotions were erupting in waves, encompassing deep longing and painful sorrow. If it weren’t for him, she wouldn’t be here, and the p
The news of Isabel’s injury had spread to the surrounding people. It wasn’t just Isabel’s parents; it included the Locke family, Alex’s relatives, and even the residents of the impoverished neighborhood.Because they couldn’t reach Isabel, they sent flowers, gifts, words of encouragement, and even money to Alex. Alex expressed they didn’t need to send these things; he could easily handle Isabel’s medical bills.However, it wasn’t just about the material support; it was also about the gratitude of all the people he had helped.A few nights later, Alex received a roughly designed invitation card to a party in the slum area.Unwillingly, these people were here to survive, and yet they organized a party to thank him. Alex didn’t really want to go, but after some thought, he realized he was the guest of honor at this party, and he couldn’t disappoint them. Alex dressed neatly for the occasion and tried to boost his spirits before visiting Isabel in the hospital. He sat by her side for a wh
After her encounter with Henry, who had threatened and ridiculed her about the Forest Corporation, Jessica appeared supremely confident on the surface, trusting her beloved Alex implicitly. However, deep down, she was extremely concerned.Since that meeting, Jessica diligently tried to gather information about Alex’s company. Finally, she realized that what Henry had said seemed to be entirely true. Jessica felt an urge to help Alex, as the dream project of his island resort was facing serious problems. Irregularities had halted the construction. With abundant resources at her disposal, Jessica was eager to assist Alex.This was also an opportunity to nurture their relationship.With a heart full of excitement, Jessica visited Alex. She dressed up a bit, as becoming the new heiress and owner of the Locke family had given her an entirely different demeanor than her previous meek self. Jessica now loved herself and exuded confidence, believing she could once again captivate Alex’s heart
After all the exhausting work, Alex and Isabel officially gave up their assumed impoverished identities. Both of them changed into new attire and returned to Alex’s mansion. Isabel stayed with him temporarily for convenience in handling their work, and little Cherry still needed a small family.Initially, they had discussed that after finishing their tasks, they would take Cherry back to the orphanage. After all, they were both busy adults with no capability to fully care for a child. If so, leaving Cherry in the orphanage was the right choice, as she could find a new home there. They would also do their best to find suitable caregivers for her and seek a comfortable family.But after a while of living together, both Alex and Isabel developed feelings for the adorable child. They didn’t want to send Cherry back to the orphanage, but they couldn’t have her around either. In the end, they weren’t adults who could meet all the psychological needs of a child. However, if they sent Cherry
Rihana quickly untied Alex, ignoring Loki’s suffering nearby. Alex thanked her and grabbed a gun that was out of ammunition, directing a disdainful look at Loki. He approached and stomped on Loki’s bleeding wound, as an act of vengeance for what had just happened. Alex wasn’t one to hold back or forgive easily.“Tend to his wound. Don’t let him die,” Alex ordered, looking sternly at Rihana. Under Alex’s firm gaze, Rihana went closer to Loki, ignoring his threats and insults. She efficiently tore a piece of cloth from her own clothing, carefully covering the wound to stop the bleeding. Loki’s face turned even paler, and he could do nothing but mumble in pain.Meanwhile, the sound of approaching police sirens grew louder. Loki looked at Alex with suspicion. He couldn’t find his phone; it was no longer with him. He wondered how the police had been called. Were they in on this from the beginning? When had things spiraled so out of control?Failing to properly investigate Alex was a grave
Loki doesn’t want to say much to this guy. He didn’t care about the reason anymore. All that he had investigated was enough to send this guy back to hell.Loki is sure that even if he pulled out a gun and blew his brains out, this guy wouldn’t say a word.But thinking that in the future the chairman might lose a lot of information because of this, Loki had to patiently ask a few more questions.“What is your real name? Don’t cross me. I have to spend so much time and effort because of you, be a little more reasonable, otherwise I will explode your brains.”“Even if I say it, you still can’t determine what is the truth, right? If I tell the truth, will you let me go?”“Okay, if it’s important, you’ll get out of here alive.”Alex almost burst out laughing for a moment. With that look in his eyes that only has murderous intent, who else is he trying to fool? Let him live. He is not a three-year-old child.Alex kept spinning his brain, thinking about how to get out of this situation. It w
“Could you please total these items?”In the morning, at a convenience store, Alex was waving his hand to pay for some essential items, all of them ingredients for baking. He wanted to bring them home for little Cherry because she had a baking competition coming up at school, and he wanted her to practice at home.While waiting to pay, a few young men behind him were engaged in a heated discussion. He typically wouldn’t have paid much attention to the conversation of strangers, but he overheard the name Locke. Recently, they had been a hot topic of discussion everywhere. Alex waited for the cashier to prepare his bill while quietly eavesdropping.“Oh my God, three more people died at the funeral yesterday. This family is in chaos.”“Have you read those conspiracy theories and rumors online? They all claim that some underground power is involved. It seems this family has offended some terrifying figure, so they’ll be wiped out eventually.”“Say what you will, but the police still haven
The night had fallen, and the members of the Locke family had quietly returned. Only Jack’s parents remained at the funeral home, standing vigil by their son’s casket. Mr. Andrew and Jessica had left early, and by the end of the day, Mr. Andrew finally felt a sense of relief. He didn’t know where his wife was, but her absence was the best outcome for all.Because of the recent pressures, Jack’s father was also exhausted from the events. He wanted to temporarily escape the stifling atmosphere of this place. However, he was reluctant to move too far, fearing that his wife might faint again. Mr. Andrew stepped out to the back of the funeral home, walking along a dark row of trees. It was past 11 o’clock, and he saw no one in this chilly, desolate forest.The unusually quiet woods made his already troubled mind even more restless. This was a resting place for many departed souls, and every rustling sound made Mr. Andrew uneasy.A funeral for two. Was this the punishment meant for the Lock
Henry’s burning gaze swept over Jessica, like a hunter locking onto his prey within shooting range. It was a look that combined both passion and possessiveness, making Jessica unable to shake off the feeling that this man was truly disturbed.Because disgust stemmed from instinct, she retreated heavily from the funeral room of this grandfather and grandson’s household. She felt that what she had told Jack’s mother earlier was indeed accurate.The complete house reeked of an unsettling odor.That room, in particular, had seen countless distant relatives of the family mocking her, each taking their turn to degrade each other for entertainment, only to now act meek and change their attitudes, presenting their most humble appearances to make amends for the past wrongdoings.Outwardly, everyone’s demeanor was, of course, pleasant. Jessica had lived long enough to know who was sincere among those in the upper class. She was wary of the apparent remorse and repentance, as it all reeked stron