ra watched Jacob''s retreating figure, then turned to Noe with a mischievous grin.


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    "Don''t mind him. Come on, let''s hit the town. I''ll show you around."


    Emerald County wasn''t exactly sprawling, nor was it tiny. Outside the research facilityy the old


    county town, where researchers typically passed their time.


    Noe grabbed ra''s hand, halting her. "I''m beat, ra. How ''bout we just chill? Keep me


    company?"


    ra''s heart soared like a Fourth of July firework! Her little sis wanted to hang out with her!


    Blinded by Noe''s gentle, sunny smile, ra didn''t think twice. She eagerly led Noe toward the


    Schnabel family''s ancestral home in Emerald County.


    "I usually bunk at the dorms, but it''s kinda cramped. How about we crash at the family estate for a


    couple of days?"


    "Sounds good to me."


    Noe noticed the dark circles under ra''s eyes but pretended not to see them.


    The mansion was always kept spick and span, with its charming rustic aesthetics and timeless


    appeal illuminated by the warm glow of indoor lights. A relic from the previous century, it would fetch


    a pretty penny if ever put on the market.


    At the bedroom door, ra''s mix of guilt and glee was palpable. "Uh, so Noe... Since nobody''s


    been staying at the mansion, I was worried about security stuff. How about you bunk with me for


    safety?"


    She twiddled her thumbs, all hopeful and afraid of being seen through. Thankfully, her little sister,


    ever so innocent and kind, didn''t catch on to her sly moves.


    "Sure, I''ll freshen up, and you can hit the hay."


    ra couldn''t be happier! She was gonna share a room—and a bed—with her sister!


    She did a little victory roll on the bed, giggling into the pillow, then sneakily messaged the whole


    Schnabel family.


    [Guess who''s sleeping with Noe tonight? That''s right, yours truly, ra. Jealous much?]


    The Schnabel kin weren’t exactly envious, just a tad bitter, maybe a smidge jealous, and kind of


    wanting to give ra a noogie!


    After freshening up, Noe found ra already snoozing, clutching a pillow. Her phone screen was


    still on, disying a family photo sent by Stirling.


    ra looked peaceful in sleep, clearly wiped out.


    Noe didn''t disturb her. She quietly left the room and sat down in the garden, connecting to the


    deep web.


    Erek''s message popped up.


    [Boss, top news on the deep web: someone''s looking to score a ticket to Lockhart Prison''s big


    event. Offering a cool fifty mil.]


    [The target?]


    [Unclear, an anonymous ID. We tracked it to the Pacific, then the signal was gone. Also, hot gossip:


    Arthur Gruber seems keen on making Walden Gruber his heir.]


    This not-so-secret rumor was all over the circles! Everyone''s buzzing about whether Arthur''s gone


    off his rocker!


    [Another piece of news: the Gruber family’s gallery just opened across from your spot, run by


    Yvonne Gruber.]


    Erek was practically gorging on drama!


    Ashlyn''s adoptive granddaughter turned into a Gruber, and Walden''s now the chosen heir. Erek''s


    half-tempted to ask if the Grubers are prepping for bankruptcy.


    What were they even thinking?


    [Keep tabs on Arthur''s mental gymnastics. Any leads, pass ''em to the rest of the Grubers, and get


    paid.]


    [Roger that!]


    Arthur''s antics were way past quirky, veering into ''controlled by hallucinogens'' territory.


    Noe flicked off the deep web and skimmed through her phone, replying selectively.


    Just after texting Palmer, his call came through.


    "Hey, you''ve been ghosting my messages. What gives?"


    "Just been off the grid."


    He''d called hardly half an hour ago; how clingy could a guy get?


    "Miss me yet? I''m really missing you."


    "I''ll be back in a few days."


    "But do you miss me?"


    Noe sighed softly. "Palmer, we just saw each other yesterday."


    He sounded a little down, perhaps a bit wounded. "So? My fiancée promised me ate-night


    snack!"


    She had forgotten their dinner ns, but wasn’t he getting a tad too clingy?


    "Yeah, I miss you."


    That seemed to do the trick, making up for standing him up.


    Palmer loosened his tie with a smirk. "I missed you too. The Phoenix Lab''s got some trouble


    brewing, but Uncle''s on it. He''s always been fond of ra, eyeing her as his protégé."


    Noe frowned. "A protégé? More like a scapegoat."


    Hadn''t ra suffered enough at Phoenix Lab? She was a genius, and her talents would shine


    anywhere.


    To Noe, Phoenix Lab was lucky to have ra.


    Palmer was touched; Noe rarely stood up for someone. It seemed like Noe was in good terms


    with ra. He''d treat her family like his own.


    "Uncle''s taken up research after our family hit rough waters," Palmer revealed, his voice tinged with


    mncholy.


    "What happened?"


    He paused, then continued with a hint of sorrow. "If not for that incident, my mom might still be here,


    and Uncle would''ve settled down."


    Noe was silent, then whispered, "Sorry."


    Palmer''s tone lightened as he gazed at Noe''s photo on his desk, his eyes soft. "Whenever you''re


    curious about those old stories, my fiancée, I''d love to swap tales."


    The stories he craved were about her and her past with Pris Star. Could those memories, lurking


    in the dark abyss, truly be brought into the light without hesitation?


    She''d been through the darkness, a taste she wasn''t eager to relive. It wasn''t just her scars; it was a


    painful chapter that none of the members of Pris Star wanted to reopen.


    Noe pursed her lips, her voice icy. "No need, I''m not interested right now."


    Palmer wasn''t surprised by her rejection. Every time those moments were mentioned, she turned as


    cold as ice, pushing people miles away.


    His voice was deep and gentle. "I''m not trying to pry, but I look forward to the day my fiancée trusts


    me enough to share her past. I''ve scheduled a visit to Lockhart Prison for the day after tomorrow.


    Can you make it back by then?"


    The situation at Lockhart Prison was a tangled mess, not so easy to reschedule.


    Noe replied, "I can."


    ...


    Beneath the haphazard graveyard, Vincent limped to his now-ruined wheelchair, every part of him


    aching!


    He couldn''t fathom what had just happened! How did Noe, that defiant girl, change so drastically?


    Gritting through the pain, he found a spot to rest. Just as he sat down, he heard Belinda''s blood-


    curdling scream!


    "Ah! Honey... you, you, you..."


    "What''s the big fuss about? You scared the life out of me." Vincent cursed under his breath as he


    turned around, only to realize he was sitting atop a pile of bones!


    Another scream tore through the air!


    Vincent copsed on the ground, utterly petrified, his legs throbbing as if they were filled with lead.


    "Good heavens, what in the world is this ce?"


    What kind of curse had befallen him?


    Belinda, recalling Noe''sst words, looked at Vincent with suspicion.


    If Vincent had another child, how would Briony get anything from the Lambert family''s fortune?


    "Honey, the bracelet Noe was wearing looked like our mom''s old jade bangle. That piece,


    considering its quality, must be worth a fortune, at least in the six figures."


    Having grown ustomed to luxury since the rise of the Lambert family, Belinda could tell that


    bangle wasn''t cheap.


    "You mean the one Mom ''identally'' lost, the one she wouldn''t give me, iming it was stolen?


    Noe took it? I always knew Mom never really lost it!"