"Just this once, Nathaniel." Tears streamed down Seraphina Sutton’s face, her voice so hoarse it was almost unrecognizable. "Think about it. We’ve known each other for so many years, and I’ve never asked you for anything. Nathaniel, I’m begging you, save me... I don’t want to go to jail. I really, really don’t want to go to jail..."

Nathaniel Quinn looked at her, his voice grave. "I can’t help you. Take care of yourself in there. If you need anything, just let me know."

He never thought Seraphina Sutton would be so reckless as to hit Wren Wynter, much less that she would ask him to take the fall for her.

’He was in love with her.’

’He’d been in love with her for a long, long time.’

’After he found out she was in love with Kaden Xavier, he buried his feelings deep down, ready to spend the rest of his life by her side as just a friend.’

’But...’

"I have to go. I’ll come see you another day."

With that, he ignored Seraphina Sutton’s frantic bellows from behind him, stood up, and walked out of the visitation room.

Glancing back at the slowly closing door, Nathaniel Quinn wore a complex expression.

’Seraphina, this is the last time I can help you.’

A moment later, he walked up to the officer in charge of the case and knocked on the desk.

"I want to turn myself in."

—

"You’re saying Nathaniel Quinn went to turn himself in?" Wren Wynter’s expression changed in an instant, her smile freezing on her face.

’To think Nathaniel Quinn would go this far for Seraphina Sutton.’

’How tragically romantic!’

’In a way, they really are a perfect match. Neither of them gives a damn about human life.’

’Still, she had to admit, she couldn’t compare to how well Nathaniel Quinn had hidden his feelings for Seraphina. It was almost impressive.’

Shaun Quinn’s expression hardened. "Yes. At first, I thought Kaden Xavier had found a scapegoat, but when I saw who it was, I realized it was Nathaniel Quinn. Still, we can’t rule out the possibility that Nathaniel and Kaden planned this together."

"Aren’t the police suspicious? What about the surveillance video? Besides, isn’t my testimony as the victim, plus Lucas Lynch as a witness, enough for a conviction?" Wren Wynter scoffed.

"The hospital’s surveillance footage was deleted. It seems Lucas Lynch never gave his testimony, either. The police found the dashcam in Seraphina Sutton’s car, and the driver it recorded was, in fact, Nathaniel Quinn." Shaun Quinn’s eyes were dark and heavy.

’Without Kaden Xavier’s help, Nathaniel Quinn alone could never have covered up the truth so completely. He couldn’t have handled it so flawlessly that no one could find a single discrepancy.’

"It must be nice to have power and influence," Wren Wynter said, her lips curling in a sarcastic smile.

’She had thought Kaden Xavier would keep his word and not get involved.’

’But in the end, he had lied to her once again.’

’But even if Kaden Xavier could move heaven and earth, she would never let Seraphina Sutton get away with this.’

’She would make her face the law!’

’Otherwise, Seraphina Sutton would never leave her in peace.’

"I’m checking out of the hospital this afternoon."

"I disagree. Your test results aren’t back yet. You shouldn’t be moving around," Shaun Quinn said, frowning.

"Shaun, I know my own body. It’s nothing serious, really."

’Besides, she had more important things to do.’

When Shaun’s stern expression didn’t waver, Wren Wynter had no choice but to raise her hand as if taking an oath. "I promise you, if I feel the slightest bit unwell, I’ll come straight back to the hospital."

He was powerless against her. "You’re not lying?"

"Absolutely not! We can even pinky swear!"

Wren Wynter stuck out her pinky and, just like when they were kids, hooked it around Shaun Quinn’s.

Shaun Quinn’s gaze grew heavy as he stared at their interlocked fingers, and a ripple of emotion washed over him.

In the end, Wren Wynter was discharged that afternoon, and Shaun Quinn drove her back to View Gardens.

"Don’t forget your promise."

"Relax. We pinky-swore on it," Wren Wynter said, giving him a playful wink.

Amused, the corners of Shaun Quinn’s eyes crinkled into a smile. "Call me if you need anything."

"Okay."

Once Shaun Quinn’s car was out of sight, Wren Wynter hailed a cab from View Gardens and went to Azure Dragon Bay.

...

Wren Wynter could count the number of times she’d been to Azure Dragon Bay on one hand.

The one or two times she had come were to find Kaden Xavier.

For a while, Kaden Xavier had grown tired of her pestering him, so he would come here to get some peace and quiet as soon as he returned from a business trip.

Eventually, she stopped causing trouble. She stopped fighting.

’Her heart had all but died.’

Wren Wynter walked up to the front door.

The door had a keypad lock. She tried Kaden Xavier’s birthday, but the door didn’t open.

After thinking for a few seconds, she decisively typed in Seraphina Sutton’s birthday.

The door clicked open.

’Lucas Lynch had said yesterday that Kaden Xavier had already given this house to Seraphina Sutton.’

’Of course the code wouldn’t be Kaden’s birthday anymore.’

She scanned the apartment and, after confirming it was empty, tiptoed inside.

’Today, she had to find evidence. She couldn’t give Seraphina Sutton any chance to turn things around.’

Wren Wynter went straight to what was clearly Seraphina Sutton’s room. It was filled with all kinds of expensive handbags, cosmetics, clothes, and shoes.

’It wasn’t hard to guess who had bought all this for her.’

’How generous of him!’

Wren Wynter let out a cold laugh and began to search every corner of the room.

The vanity, the bed, under the pillows—she turned over everything she could find.

But she came up empty-handed.

The only thing left was a closet.

She looked at the enormous closet, feeling as if something was pulling her, compelling her to walk toward it, step by step.

Just then, she heard the sound of the front door opening from downstairs.

Startled, Wren Wynter quickened her pace, yanked open the closet door, and hid inside.

"ARGH! WREN WYNTER! THAT BITCH GOT AWAY WITH IT AGAIN!"

Seraphina Sutton’s roar echoed from the living room, accompanied by the sound of things shattering. Wren Wynter’s heart leaped into her throat.

’Was Seraphina Sutton released so quickly?’

’Don’t tell me I’m going to have to spend the whole night in this closet.’

Wren Wynter pressed her lips together. She shifted her feet awkwardly and felt herself kick something.

Following the sensation, she glanced down and saw a box at her feet.

CRASH—

Another shattering sound pulled Wren Wynter back to reality.

’You had to hand it to her, Seraphina was a completely different person behind closed doors.’

"WREN WYNTER! YOU JUST WAIT! I WILL NEVER LET YOU HAVE KADEN!"

’What?’ Wren Wynter thought.

’Who was trying to steal him from her? Hadn’t she already said she wanted a divorce?’

’Why was she still targeting her?’

’She’s completely insane.’

SLAM!

It was the sound of the front door slamming shut.

Overjoyed, Wren Wynter pushed open the closet door, stumbled out, and took a greedy breath of fresh air.

She turned back to the mysterious box inside the closet and quickly pulled it out.

The moment she opened it, a foul stench assaulted her, and she saw a pink dress lying inside.

Wren Wynter’s eyes flew wide. Her gaze was glued to the buttons on the dress as her mind raced, flashing back to the clues she had found in the autopsy report and on Old Madam Xavier’s body.

An unbelievable thought surfaced in her mind.

She picked up the dress and unfolded it. It was covered in splotches of dried blood, and one button was clearly missing from the row on the front.

’It was her.’

’It was really her!’

Her body trembling, Wren Wynter squatted down, clutching the pink dress. Tears streamed down her face as the long-dried bloodstains on the fabric twisted her gut.

’It all connected. Everything was connected.’

’An acquaintance, the button, the blood on the dress...’

’Seraphina Sutton killed Grandma...’

’Seraphina Sutton was the murderer!’

’So the killer she and Kaden Xavier had been searching for all this time had been right beside them.’

’No wonder Grandma hadn’t been on her guard!’

She didn’t understand. Grandma was already terminally ill, so why would Seraphina Sutton do this to her?

Wren Wynter carefully folded the dress, wiped her tears, and planned to take this crucial piece of evidence to the police station while Seraphina Sutton was gone.

She composed herself, placed her hand on the doorknob, and turned it to open the door.

A familiar, twisted, and malevolent face appeared before her.

"Dr. Wynter. Long time no see."