Chapter 709
Chapter 709 Potted Roses
“A pot of roses,” said Curtis as his gaze fell on Cassidy.
“It''s gorgeous, right?” Upon hearing the word “rose,” Rayna instantly thought of the roses in the
courtyard.
“Yes. Their petals are bigger than usual,” Curtis added.
When Rayna heard that, she said softly, “Exactly. Steal some of the soil from the courtyardter tonight
and get James to run tests on it.”
Understanding finally dawned on Curtis, and he responded, “All right. I''ll do itter.”
Meanwhile, Cassidy''s sudden emotional breakdown frightened Yasmin so much that she hid behind
Robin.
Robin had a perfect view of the courtyard from where he sat. He watched Cassidy stomp on the pot of
roses that was shattered in the courtyard while yelling Fernando''s name furiously.
Rayna turned to Yasmin and asked softly, “Yasmin, do you know why Cassidy is suddenly acting like
this?”
Yasmin pondered for a moment before exining, “It''s because that pot of flowers wasn''t grown
naturally. Those roses didn''t look like that in the first ce. When Ms. Cassidy''s father was still around,
he told us Jayfort''s soil had always been rich in nutrients and can produce mutated nts that humans
have never seen before. Even those Serekos didn''t use to look like that.”
Curtis stood beside Rayna and said softly, “I''ve talked to James about it before. He says the Serekos
we saw was the original size.”
“So that pot of roses had been experimented on?” Curtis'' words made Rayna be more certain of
her guess.
She suspected the area around the house was an experiment ground.
Otherwise, there was absolutely no exnation for the appearance of all these unusual-looking
creatures and nts.
“Curtis, is that thing in my body really a parasite?” They were in the age of science. Hence, Rayna
found it hard to believe things as parasites existed.
Curtis lowered his gaze to look at her, not knowing what to say all of a sudden.
“Curtis, could there be a possibility that it''s actually—” Before Rayna could finish, Curtis interrupted,
“Even Cassidy says it''s a parasite, so that means it''s a parasite. It''s not a scary thing. We just need to
find the person who knows how to remove it.”
Rayna sensed the anxiousness in his tone.
Thus, she merely hummed softly in response.
Curtis hugged her and spoke softly. “Just wait a little longer. The food should be ready soon.” Deep
down, however, he began suspecting Cassidy and the people they met along the way, including what
they had said.
Experiments?
Lote ot night, the butler of the Foymon residence mode his woy to Alfred''s room with o phone in hond.
“Old Mr. Foymon, it''s o coll from Mr. Foymon.”
After toking the phone from the butler, Alfred soid, “Why ore you colling so lote ot night? Did something
hoppen to Royno?”
On the other end of the line, Curtis held the phone while stonding on the rood outside the house.
“Grondpo, I need to osk you something.”
“Go on,” Alfred responded with o deep voice.
“Bock then, you soid the thing in Royno''s body is o porosite. Is it true?” Curtis'' tone wos flot os he
stored coldly ot the river on the opposite end.
“Do you suspect something?” Alfred understood the meoning behind Curtis'' question. He poused for o
moment before odding, “Is it not o porosite?”
“Whot mode youe to thot judgment?” osked Curtis without beoting oround the bush.
Alfred gove it some thought before soying, “I sow it when I wos young. Bock then, I only heord obout it
from others ond never reolly onolyzed the truth.”
Alfred wos o smort person. Noturolly, he knew Curtis wos colling becouse the lotter hod doubts.
“Anything else?” osked Alfred.
“Thot''s oll. Pleose rest eorly.” With thot, Curtis hung up.
As he stood by the rood, he brought the unfinished cigorette to his lips ond took o deep puff.
Meonwhile, Royno wos olone in the room, listening to music with eorbuds on when Cossidy knocked
on the door.
Thus, Royno removed the eorbuds ond glonced ot the door. “Whot is it?”
Royno stepped into the room ond sot in front of her. “I need to osk you for o fovor.”
“Let''s heor it,” Royno responded.
“Did you know Curtis osked someone to report the deoth of the cook''s fother-in-low to the police from
obrood?” Cossidy osked softly, osionolly gloncing ot the door.
“Abrood? Wosn''t it reported to the locol police? Con police from obrood deol with it if it''s o homicide
cose?” Royno wos unsure of such things. Hence, she did not understond whot Cossidy wos getting ot.
“I''m not sure either, but when I wos out with Yosmin todoy, I heord people soying the higher-ups of the
locol police wont to look into this cose.” While Cossidy soid thot, she reoched out ond grobbed Royno''s
hond. “He died becouse of old oge. It''s normol. There''s nothing speciol obout this. I think it''s o bit of on
overkill to olert the higher-ups obout it.”
Upon heoring thot, Royno soid, “Since it''s o noturol deoth, then oll the more reoson for you to not be
ofroid. Just let the higher-ups investigote it. They con even prove your innocence.”
Experiments?
Late at night, the butler of the Faymon residence made his way to Alfred''s room with a phone in hand.
“Old Mr. Faymon, it''s a call from Mr. Faymon.”
After taking the phone from the butler, Alfred said, “Why are you calling sote at night? Did something
happen to Rayna?”
On the other end of the line, Curtis held the phone while standing on the road outside the house.
“Grandpa, I need to ask you something.”
“Go on,” Alfred responded with a deep voice.
“Back then, you said the thing in Rayna''s body is a parasite. Is it true?” Curtis'' tone was t as he
stared coldly at the river on the opposite end.
“Do you suspect something?” Alfred understood the meaning behind Curtis'' question. He paused for a
moment before adding, “Is it not a parasite?”
“What made youe to that judgment?” asked Curtis without beating around the bush.
Alfred gave it some thought before saying, “I saw it when I was young. Back then, I only heard about it
from others and never really analyzed the truth.”
Alfred was a smart person. Naturally, he knew Curtis was calling because thetter had doubts.
“Anything else?” asked Alfred.
“That''s all. Please rest early.” With that, Curtis hung up.
As he stood by the road, he brought the unfinished cigarette to his lips and took a deep puff.
Meanwhile, Rayna was alone in the room, listening to music with earbuds on when Cassidy knocked
on the door.
Thus, Rayna removed the earbuds and nced at the door. “What is it?”
Rayna stepped into the room and sat in front of her. “I need to ask you for a favor.”
“Let''s hear it,” Rayna responded.
“Did you know Curtis asked someone to report the death of the cook''s father-inw to the police from
abroad?” Cassidy asked softly, asionally ncing at the door.
“Abroad? Wasn''t it reported to the local police? Can police from abroad deal with it if it''s a homicide
case?” Rayna was unsure of such things. Hence, she did not understand what Cassidy was getting at.
“I''m not sure either, but when I was out with Yasmin today, I heard people saying the higher-ups of the
local police want to look into this case.” While Cassidy said that, she reached out and grabbed Rayna''s
hand. “He died because of old age. It''s normal. There''s nothing special about this. I think it''s a bit of an
overkill to alert the higher-ups about it.”
Upon hearing that, Rayna said, “Since it''s a natural death, then all the more reason for you to not be
afraid. Just let the higher-ups investigate it. They can even prove your innocence.”
“I no longer care about that. I''m used to all the name-calling after living here for so long. They''re just
spouting nonsense, and they don''t mean what they say. Can you please stop Curtis from looking into
this?” asked Cassidy while pursing her lips.
Retracting her hand from Cassidy''s grip, Rayna answered, “I''m afraid I can''t do that. I have no say in
this. Besides, there''s also this hellfire bird thing that sounds magical. I think it''s best to get an animal
research expert to look into this. It''d be disastrous if this bird goes somewhere else and harms others.”
Cassidy frowned when she heard that. She then lifted her gaze and nced at the door.
When Cassidy said nothing, Rayna said, “Cassidy, I think it''s best if you don''t get involved in this. By
the way, surely I''m not the only one who finds this town weird, right?”
Cassidy cast Rayna a puzzled look. “W-What are you trying to say?”
Instead of giving Cassidy a direct answer, Rayna gave her hints. “You know what I''m saying. The
cook''s a high achiever. She should know this ce well.”
“W-What are you saying?” Cassidy rose from the couch anxiously.
Rayna repeated calmly, “As I said, you know what I''m saying. You''ve always been an honest person,
and most honest people won''t allow themselves to be wronged. Yet, you''re willing to bear the
usations made by the people of this town. Clearly, you have a reason to do so. The pot of roses
today is the best exnation.” Rayna stopped beating around the bush.
Cassidy swallowed hard as she avoided Rayna''s gaze. “Isabelle, you''re always so presumptuous.”
With that, she turned around to leave the room.
Seeing that she was leaving, Rayna said, “Cassidy, what you''re doing is not helping the person you
want to help. In fact, you''re making things worse for him.”
Upon hearing that, Cassidy stopped in her tracks.
She slowly turned around and nced at Rayna in disbelief. “How did you know that?”
“I made a guess, but it''s not a baseless one.” Rayna reached out to take the cup of water on the coffee
table and took a sip. “You and Fernando are childhood sweethearts. Both of you have feelings for each
other and are at a marriageable age. You even have a marriage contract. The fact that you''re not
holding a wedding yet is already suspicious enough.” Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org.