NovelUSAIn the evening, lan was behind the wheel, driving Justin to meet Nigel.
Along the way, they received news that Clarice had been successfully bailed out.
Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇtEnraged, lan slammed his palm against the steering wheel. "Damn it. Why is it so hard to get rid of that wicked woman?!" "She is Grant's right hand. One might even say she holds more of his secrets than he can afford to lose." Justin leaned back in his seat, eyes half-closed. His sculpted jaw tensed, silent and sharp. "Until every ounce of Clarice's value is drained, Grant will never let her go. That is how he has always operated.” lan shook his head, teeth clenched. "Who the hell is she? You toldto dig into her background. But it's clean. Not a single thing cup. What kind of past is she hiding that makes Grant protect her so obsessively? With his power, he could have anyone. Why her? She's like sclueless doll. Half the tshe acts like she's making life harder for him on purpose!" A cold fog settled over Justin's handsface. His eyes turned sharp, dark, and unreadably deep.
lan's words stirred something.
Justin pondered. 'Yes. With Grant's reach, he has no shortage of brilliant followers. So why Clarice? Was that even her real name? If the background was fake, the nmust be as well.' After bringing Nigel back hto Crescent Bay, Bella quietly slipped on her apron and stepped into the kitchen. She prepared a warm, nourishing meal for Nigel and Matt.
Bella had no appetite, but Nigel insisted she stay and eat, so she had to sit and apany him at the table.
"Grandpa Nigel... about what happened today..." "Bella." His voice was low. "I've had tto think things through." Lines of guilt etched across his weathered face as he gently held her slender hand. "If you or Justin ever need anything at all... I will give everything I have to help you." Bella gave him a small, quiet smile. Her voice floated like mist. “Grandpa Nigel, you've already done enough. Leave the rest toand Justin." The moment she said his name, her heart tightened. A dull ache spread through her chest.
Nigel lowered his eyes and sighed long and deep.
Follow on Novᴇl-Onlinᴇ.cᴏm"This is my fault. All of it. I covered for him. I should have stopped Grant sooner. I should have called the I shou police when it happened, instead of cleaning up after him... I should not have shielded his crimes. If Khad, none of this would be happening now." "Back then, Grant was still a minor. Even if you had reported it, even if he had served ten or twenty years, he would still be here, just like this." Bella paused. Her eyes darkened, gaze heavy. "To truly solve this, we must find the root of it all S Nigel looked at her, confused. "The root...? What do you mean?" "Grandpa Nigel, you raised him. Did you ever feel he was different from other children? His mind, perhaps? Because no ordinary person couldmit such cruel, violent acts, right?" Nigel froze. His brow furrowed. He sank into silence.
"Young Master Justin has arrived." Matt announced softly.
A moment later, Justin stepped into the living room,posed and graceful. His tailored jacket was draped over one arm. "Grandpa, I'm home." Justin paused, then turned to Bella, his eyes catching the soft flush on her cheeks. His voice deepened. "I see Ms. Thompson is here too." Bella pressed her lips together and avoided his gaze. She leaned forward and said gently, "Grandpa Nigel,+should get going. Please rest early... Oh, remember to take the medicine I left for you." Nigel could hardly bear to see her leave. If he could, he would have locked his dear Bella and his foolish grandson in the sroom, maybe chain them to the sbed too! Just as Bella brushed past him, Justin suddenly reached out and caught her by the arm. His long fingers wrapped around her with calm strength, drawing her back to him, slowly and steadily.
Their eyes met. Two perfect faces mirrored in each other's gaze.
"Bella." He leaned close. His voice, deep and low, brushed the shell of her ear. “Stay. Just a while. I need to talk to you."
Visit our social media platform to read fascinating stories every day and connect with the community!
