Elara trembled violently, shaking her head, "No, it can’t be, how could it..."
She thought of that innocent and obedient girl, feeling a sharp pain in her heart. She had taken over Zoe Chase’s case from Aidan Somrs, promising him to see it through.
She hadn’t expected Zoe Chase to die in just a few days.
Zion Fitzwilliam gave a brief overview of the situation, "In the end, Zoe Chase chose death herself. She could have escaped."
Elara still shook her head, "Impossible, how could it be, Zoe Chase wasn’t stupid, if she could escape, why didn’t she? Your friend’s information must be wrong, the police haven’t said anything yet, it might be a misunderstanding."
Zion Fitzwilliam saw that she was unwilling to accept reality, sighed lightly, and didn’t push her, "Then let’s wait for the police’s information."
He had told her in advance, only hoping she would be ntally prepared.
His phone rang, it was Assistant Harris calling. Zion Fitzwilliam moved away from Elara, and asked quietly, "Did you find them?"
Assistant Harris sounded frustrated, "They ran fast, couldn’t catch them. But there were two body bags at the scene, I’m now investigating their origin, maybe we can trace them back."
Zion Fitzwilliam responded with a "Hmm," looking ambiguously out the window, then turned to walk beside Elara.
"Have a drink of water first." He poured a cup of water and handed it to her.
Elara took it, but her hand was trembling. Zion Fitzwilliam knew that she might say she didn’t accept it, but in her heart, she had already believed it mostly.
Just then, Elara’s phone rang too. It was the police calling, their voice sorrowful, "Miss Hale, please co over now, Zoe Chase and her mother... were murdered."
Zion Fitzwilliam brought Elara to the police station as fast as possible, and they saw the bodies of Zoe Chase and her mother.
The young girl was still wearing the white dress Elara had helped her put on that morning; the dress was stained with blood, an eye-catching red. She had been shot three tis, all aid towards the heart.
This shot location should have killed her instantly, but the perpetrator fired three tis, clearly venting their anger.
Beside her lay her mother. It was the first ti Elara t this woman, Chris Chase’s ex-wife. She had originally felt indifferent, but seeing her gentle face, frail shoulders, and thick calluses on her palms at this mont made her feel imnsely sad.
Elara slowly covered them with a white cloth.
Zion Fitzwilliam supported her nearby, "The police will help us find the murderer."
Elara nodded, took a few deep breaths, suppressed the sorrow and tears in her heart, cald herself down, and then asked the police, "Did you catch the perpetrator?"
The police, also affected by the loss of two vibrant lives, replied, "Didn’t catch anyone at the scene, but this case has alard the higher-ups. A task force was set up an hour ago to investigate this thoroughly."
Elara wanted to smile, wanted to tell Zoe Chase, see, your mother’s disappearance finally got attention, but it was your lives in exchange. If only you were still alive.
Tears welled up in her eyes again, she softly sighed, and thanked the police.
The police said, "We investigated the deceased’s social relations. The girl’s mother hasn’t contacted her family for years. We reached out, but they refused to co to claim the body. Besides them, there are no other relatives. If you don’t mind, we’ll send them directly to the funeral ho."
Before Elara could speak, Zion Fitzwilliam said, "We’ll handle it, I’ll contact soone to take them later."
Elara was stunned for a mont. She and Zoe Chase were rely strangers passing by, even until her death, they had only t twice.
She didn’t intend to ignore it, planning to arrange a proper funeral for this poor mother and daughter, and choose a grave to bury them together. It wouldn’t cost much; she could afford it.
But she was surprised that Zion Fitzwilliam didn’t shirk. According to his previous statents, he was supposed to share this cost with her.
Elara felt complicated for a mont. Zion was kind-hearted, but she couldn’t take advantage of him. She resolved that she wouldn’t let Zion Fitzwilliam pay.
Upon hearing Zion Fitzwilliam’s words, the police were relieved, paused, and took out a small backpack, handing it to Elara, saying, "This is Zoe Chase’s backpack. We found so dicine inside, antidepressants. She suffered from moderate depression, which might be why she finally chose to accompany her mother to death."
Elara took that blood-stained backpack, vaguely seeing Zoe Chase skipping towards her with it, her face bright and pure.
Elara choked back tears in her throat, thanked the police.
After a while, Zion Fitzwilliam called soone over, and the two bodies were sent to the funeral car, heading to the funeral ho.
At the funeral ho, they began arranging cremation. Thanks to Zion Fitzwilliam’s friend, the cremation was scheduled for fifteen minutes later.
Elara sat in the waiting room, staff brought tea and snacks. She had no appetite, just stared blankly at the bodies outside.
Zoe Chase saw her mother dead, chose death voluntarily, knowing that after the person she cared about most died, no one in the world would shelter and love her unconditionally as her mother did. Did life without her mother seem aningless to her?
She chose to remain forever by her mother’s side, always nurtured by her, as her mother’s most treasured child.
Elara recalled the day three years ago when her mother died.
The car accident occurred at dusk, the rain pouring heavily. She knelt in front of her mother’s corpse—the mother who had loved her dearly for twenty-seven years, once under the wings, was baptized by the storm at that mont.
At that instant, she felt bewildered, the most important person in her life, her idol and reliance, permanently left her from that mont.
In this world, children who lose their mothers are like fledglings who lose protection, their feelings are likely the sa. Elara could truly empathize with Zoe Chase’s feelings.
Just a wall away, Zion Fitzwilliam just received a call from Assistant Harris.
"President Fitzwilliam, we found the producer of the body bags. It’s a small workshop, the owner is Jeff Jenkins, Ivy Jenkins’ brother."
Zion Fitzwilliam’s initially casual gaze sharpened at Ivy Jenkins’ na, and he asked, "Did you find him?"
Assistant Harris felt embarrassed, "Went a bit late, two hours ago, he boarded a flight to Arica."
Zion Fitzwilliam pondered for a mont, said, "Keep an eye on him, the Jenkins siblings are problematic. Ivy Jenkins’ death in prison was suspicious, we haven’t investigated it and she hasn’t returned. Jeff Jenkins is involved in this, sothing’s off."
Assistant Harris was surprised, "You think Jeff Jenkins was behind Zoe Chase and her mother’s murder?"
He originally thought linking to Jeff Jenkins was just another way to understand the kidnappers; Jeff Jenkins sold body bags, he must have seen the kidnappers.
Unexpectedly, President Fitzwilliam directly suspected Jeff Jenkins.
He felt puzzled, "But Jeff Jenkins had no grudge against Zoe Chase and her mother."
Zion Fitzwilliam’s voice was steady, "Ivy Jenkins committed suicide in prison, perhaps he blad this on Chris Chase, and harming Zoe Chase and her mother wasn’t impossible."
Assistant Harris finally understood, his voice much more serious, "Okay, I’ll imdiately have people watch Jeff Jenkins’ relatives and factory dostically, and keep an eye on him when we find him in Arica."
Zion Fitzwilliam said, "Hmm," saw Elara coming out, he imdiately said, "Let’s leave it at that."
He ended the call, walked to Elara, and asked softly, "Are you cold?"
Though it was phrased as a question, he had already taken off his suit jacket.
It was cold inside, with a strong sense of the eerie. He worried that Elara might be scared.
Elara managed a smile, thanked him, and softly sighed, "I always feel that since knowing you, many things have beco much simpler, your connections are really vast."
For instance, in the case of Zoe Chase and her mother, if it weren’t for him getting help and learning in advance about their deaths, she would have been heartbroken for quite a while at the police station and wouldn’t have cald down so quickly.
Moreover, the subsequent funeral and related matters were all arranged properly.
She still rembers how clueless, shattered, and hopeless she felt when handling her own mother’s aftermath.
But now, with Zion Fitzwilliam’s help, similar matters were handled with ease, so much so that she didn’t need to worry at all.
She is sincerely grateful to Zion Fitzwilliam and truly appreciates that having connections gained from a career in sales can bring such great convenience to life.
Seeing her state improve a bit from earlier, Zion felt sowhat relieved, knowing she had erged from her initial emotional breakdown. He calmly buttoned up her coat and said, "We’re family, my connections are yours from now on."
What he said seed to have a deeper aning.
Elara felt a slight stir in her heart, but she pushed down that odd feeling.
Soon it was ti for the cremation. Elara watched Zoe and her mother being sent in, and her heart grew heavy once again.
Before long, two urns were brought out by the staff.
Zion had a cetery plot arranged through friends, and since Elara was not a direct family mber, nor did she want a ceremony, she chose to have them buried the sa day.
Once everything settled, Elara placed three incense sticks for the mother and daughter, along with a bouquet and so fruits, as a form of tribute.
"In your next life," she looked at the little girl smiling brightly on the gravestone, feeling a sharp pain in her heart, and said softly, "be born into a good family and grow up healthy."
anwhile.
"We were too late. Two hours ago, he boarded a flight to Arica."
At Jacobs Group, Special Assistant Wood respectfully reported to Mason Jacobs.
Upon hearing this, Mason set down his pen and sneered, "Lucky him for being sensible, or he would have ended up like his sister."
Special Assistant Wood hesitated a bit and asked, "Should we still send soone to Arica..."
Mason waved his hand nonchalantly, "No need. No matter who’s investigating Ivy Jenkins, with one Jenkins dead and one escaped, there’s no point in pursuing it further. I doubt they have the ans to track Jeff Jenkins."
Special Assistant Wood nodded, "Alright, I’ll take care of the traces Jeff left dostically."
Mason simply said "Mm," and Special Assistant Wood respectfully left the room.
In Arica.
Just off the plane, Jeff Jenkins received a call from a buddy, "Hello, Jack, I found so clues about what you asked. Do you know why your sister was taken to the police station?"
Jeff’s face turned grim, "For violating company policy and accepting bribes."
If it weren’t for the headquarters’ sudden investigation, Ivy wouldn’t have been arrested, and she’d still be well!
His buddy chuckled, "I knew you weren’t clear. Ivy was brought to the police because of a report, though the matter was downplayed internally within their company."
Upon hearing this, Jeff’s gaze turned cold and fierce, demanding, "Who reported it?"
"A woman nad Elara Hale," his buddy responded, "She’s in sales at the company. In just over four months, she jumped from intern to sales team leader in three moves. The reason she reported Ivy was that Ivy and Chris Chase tead up to swindle her commission. After she reported it to headquarters, they sent soone down to audit the accounts. Within a day, Ivy was arrested."
Jeff’s eyes blazed with hatred, "Elara Hale!"
So it was her!
The real culprit behind Ivy’s demise!
His buddy hesitated before advising, "I know your relationship with Ivy was always good, but Ivy was indeed at fault. We don’t know why she took her own life, but I don’t think it’s right to put all the bla on Elara Hale."
Jeff’s face was dark as he replied dismissively, "Alright, I understand. Thanks for this."
His buddy laughed and said, "No need for thanks between brothers."
After hanging up, Jeff sat down by a stone pillar outside the airport. In his hurry, after Mason Jacobs left, he quickly realized staying in the country might bring trouble, so he hastily packed and left.
As a result, his luggage was a ss—two shabby backpacks and a large suitcase.
He contemplated whether to return to his country.
That woman, Elara Hale, had wronged his sister and was still at large; why should she get away with it?
He wanted to make her pay with blood!
But if he returned, and Mason Jacobs and whoever was investigating Ivy had their eyes on him, would he still have a way out?
He wasn’t stupid; he knew the reason Mason kept him alive was not out of kindness but because he didn’t want too much blood on his hands. However, if he dared to cause trouble, Mason would be the first to get rid of him.
Just like how things turned out with Zoe and her mother’s accidental deaths.
Jeff pondered for a while before making a call back ho.
"Hey buddy, you busy lately?"
After so small talk, he got straight to the point, "Help out. Investigate Elara Hale and see what her family’s like."
Back at ho.
After a night’s sleep, Elara felt much better emotionally. The next morning, as she got up, she saw Zion Fitzwilliam busy in the kitchen. She walked over and asked, "Are you making breakfast?"
Curiously peeking in, she found a pot of unknown soup.
Zion turned and smiled at her, "Morning, would you like to eat sothing together? This is Five Red Soup, good for boosting energy and blood, you’ve looked really run down these past few days."
Looking again into the pot, Elara didn’t refuse, "Sure, I’ll have a bowl later."
As she turned to freshen up, she had only taken two steps when Zion said, "Don’t move."
He walked over, leaning close to her, his tall fra almost enveloping her. Elara felt how near he was, the warmth from his body penetrating her clothes and dominantly pressing against her skin.
His breathing, the sound of his heartbeat... right by her ear.
Suddenly, she was inexplicably nervous, too afraid to turn her head, swallowing awkwardly, she asked, "W-what’s wrong?"
Zion raised his hand to rest on her neck, his large hand warm. Instinctively, Elara shrank back, her heart racing uncontrollably.
She thought frantically, Dear Lord, what’s happening to ?
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