Chapter 165
Giovanna stood under the streetlamp outside the café, dressed in a trench coat, face mask, and oversized sunglasses. She blended in as just another tourist. No one noticed her. But behind those dark lenses, her gaze remained locked on Amelia.
Staring at Amelia, Giovanna thought, "She does look like Aunt Catherine, and their fates are eerily similar… I heard that scumbag Zachary emotionally manipulated her so terribly, almost causing her to lose her left breast. Some people said she had a huge falling out with the Edwards family and never returned after that. I also heard she’s been searching for the truth behind Aunt Catherine’s death, and even put Walter and Melissa in jail. That’s a member of the Hughes family through and through. Beneath that delicate beauty lies a heart of steel, just like Aunt Catherine back then. She’d rather fake her death than admit defeat to Joanna. But Amelia is more fortunate than Aunt Catherine. Landon loves her so much. I hope her love will always remain pure and untainted."
“Ms. Hughes. Mr. Kingsley knows we’re tailing them,” the undercover bodyguard whispered.
“I know,” Giovanna nodded. “He won’t give us away.”
“Should we stay in Pinecrest any longer?” the bodyguard asked quietly.
“Yes,” Giovanna said firmly.
Giovanna gritted her teeth and said, “There’s something fishy about my aunt’s death. I need to find out the truth, too.”
“Okay,” Amelia said, regret and embarrassment washing over her.
Daniel filed a police report, and the next day, he led investigators to the cemetery for a toxicology exhumation. As expected, toxicology tests revealed traces of paraquat, a deadly herbicide, in Catherine’s remains.
"Such an old trick, yet still the deadliest!" Daniel couldn’t help but sigh inwardly. "That’s why William didn’t call the police or take Mom to the hospital. There was no saving her, absolutely none!"
Back then, Catherine was alone in peril, with no one to turn to. All she could do was desperately plot a way out for Amelia. She asked William to safeguard the tiara for her. She knew that as long as the tiara was still there, Walter would continue to provide for Amelia until Amelia became an adult and married. By then, with a husband and in-laws to rely on, Amelia could stand up to Walter. But Catherine could never have anticipated that Walter would raise Amelia to be a naive and clueless girl, even going so far as to arrange her marriage. Amelia almost ended up married to Zachary! Even now, just thinking about it sent chills down Daniel’s spine. Then, when he looked at Landon again, Daniel couldn’t help but find him much more likable now.
“I’ll keep looking for another doctor to treat your legs,” Daniel said quietly.
Landon didn’t say anything about that. He only said, “Even though she crawled out from under the operating table to find me back then, she’s never once looked down on me.”
Daniel nodded and said, “Hey, I’ve never looked down on you either.”
Landon couldn’t help but roll his eyes. ‘As if your opinion matters. Hmph!’ he thought.
They were thankful that Amelia saw the light at the last moment and rejected the life Walter had planned for her. Little did they know, Amelia’s clarity in this life came from having endured the bitter lessons of taking the wrong path in the last one.
“Mr. Zuckerberg, this case dates back two decades. Reopening it would be quite troublesome. Please leave first and wait for our update," said a police officer.
“Okay, we appreciate your efforts,” Daniel replied.
Twenty years ago, paraquat was still a commonly used herbicide in rural areas before its complete prohibition, so reopening this case was a significant challenge.
After reporting to the police, Landon prepared to take Amelia back to Norava.
Daniel said, “You two can leave first. I’ll stay one more day.”
“Daniel, come back to Norava with me for another check-up. I’m still worried about your health…” Amelia said, her voice full of concern.
“I’m fine.” Daniel smiled and said, “I won’t have many chances to return to Pinecrest. I want to take another look at the place where Mom used to live.”
Amelia said, “Then tomorrow. I’ll be waiting for you in Norava tomorrow.”
“Alright,” Daniel replied.
As Amelia walked away, she kept looking back, still unable to put her mind at ease.
Daniel sat by Catherine’s grave, rambling on about his life story. As dusk fell, the caretaker came and gently reminded him, “Sir, it’s getting dark. You should leave now.”
Daniel replied softly, “Alright.”
Daniel solemnly bowed three times before the grave in the end, then followed the caretaker away.
Before leaving, he pulled out a wad of cash and handed it to the caretaker. “My mother loved flowers,” he said. “Could you please pick some wildflowers and place them at her grave regularly?”
“Oh, that’s too much money…” said the caretaker.
“Thanks for your trouble.” After saying that, Daniel strode away.
Not far away, the caretaker’s cottage lit up with a soft yellow glow. Porter stood by the window, watching Daniel’s retreating figure with an inscrutable gaze filled with mixed emotions. After a long while, he stepped out of the house, approached Catherine’s gravestone, and murmured, “Catherine, I suppose the four of us are finally together again, even if only like this.”
Fidgeting nervously, the caretaker said, “Sir, that man left some money…” He didn’t dare keep it for himself.
“Keep what he gave you,” Porter said. “I’m leaving tomorrow. Don’t mention me to anyone.”
“Alright, alright,” the caretaker said hurriedly.
As night deepened, Daniel came to the café on Kea Lane again. Its minimalist modern decor bore no trace of the past, yet he still felt drawn to it. Suddenly, someone bumped into him from behind. “Oops, I’m so sorry…” a flustered voice stammered.
“Edith?” Daniel realized it was her and instinctively reached out to steady her, his eyes widening in surprise.
‘I haven’t seen Edith for half a month, and she looks noticeably prettier. It must be something in Norava’s air that agrees with her,’ Daniel thought.
Edith paled in shock. “How come?” she blurted out, then spun around and dashed away.
Daniel immediately took off after her, shouting, “Edith, wait up!”
Edith fled blindly in panic, only to be cornered by Daniel.
“Why are you still chasing after me?” Edith turned back, tears streaming down her face. She choked out, “How could someone as ugly as me ever catch your eye?”
“Edith,” Daniel said with a sigh. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have taken advantage of you. But back then, I didn’t have any other choice.”
It was all Joanna’s doing, and Edith knew it too. That flicker of resentment in her heart was quickly drowned in guilt. Edith hung her head in sorrow, not daring to look at Daniel. “I’m sorry. I didn’t know my aunt was that kind of person…”
“I’m the one who owes you an apology for dragging you into this. Your family’s been searching everywhere for you. Come back with me, okay?” Daniel said earnestly.
“No!” Edith blurted out. The ever-docile Edith defied Daniel for the very first time.
“Edith…” Daniel frowned slightly.
“I’ve spent my whole life doing what they told me. I won’t live like that anymore,” Edith said, shaking her head, her gaze unwavering.
Daniel paused in surprise. “But there’s not much you can do here…”
“Who says there isn’t? I play the piano well enough to be a tutor and teach kids. And I majored in Traditional Medicine. I could work at a clinic too."
Daniel didn’t know what to say. In Lunova, girls of noble families were taught music, painting, and other skills from a young age, and Edith was no exception. But the truth was, her family had her learn all those skills as finishing touches for a trophy daughter’s refinement, never meant for her to work as a tutor. As for letting her study traditional medicine, they only wanted her to get ready to inherit Joanna’s underhanded tactics.
“I’ve heard all about my family affairs. I don’t want to get involved, nor could I change anything even if I tried,” she said. “You don’t need to tell them where I am. Just let them know I’m safe.”
Just one forced involvement in those upper-class power struggles, and she was already sick to death of it all.
‘Amelia was right,’ Edith thought. ‘Life’s too short not to live for ourselves.’
Daniel stared at Edith as if seeing a completely different person. “Edith?” he called out.
“Daniel, goodbye!” Edith said, turned away, and added silently, ‘Goodbye for good.’
The untouchable love in her heart had finally turned to frost. Perhaps it would never melt. But she would never touch it again.
Daniel stood rooted to the spot, staring blankly as Edith walked away, a storm of emotions churning in his heart. Edith was the most innocent of everyone caught in this web of conspiracy, and the most deeply hurt. Before finding Edith, Daniel had already considered how to make amends. He would grant her anything she asked for, except marriage. But when she asked for nothing, Daniel was at a complete loss, like owing a debt he could repay but having nowhere to pay it back.