"Mr. Smith..."


    "ra!"


    They spoke in unison, their voices colliding in the tense air. Dn''s eyes were a storm of mixed emotions, with a sh of hurt beneath it all. "It''s me. What''s your n now? Going to hold me at gunpoint likest night?"


    ra was caught off guard. He seemed genuinely shaken by the previous night''s events, so much so that his tone was different from the norm.


    She knitted her brows slightly. "Don''t takest night to heart. It was unavoidable."


    "Heh, you aimed a gun at me, and you say not to dwell on it?"


    "I wasn''t trying to kill you. Last night you... never mind. I believe the whole Wellington family incident wasn''t your doing."


    As she turned to leave, something tugged at her thoughts. She turned back to him, frowning. "But Mr. Smith, you''ve been acting a bit off these past few days.''


    The way he questioned her felt as if their rtionship was more than just boss and employee, yet that''s all it was just a straightforward superior-subordinate dynamic.


    "


    By the time she got back to her desk, she waspletely drained. Being soaked from the rain didn''t help her mood either. She decided to call it a day, heading home to change.


    Back at her ce, she found Cole and Ryan still around. Ryan, now dressed in men''s clothes, was sprawled out on the couch, sound asleep. Last night had taken its toll on everyone, and he was still out cold.


    ra moved quietly, noticing how diligently Cole was working on the research she needed.


    She gave a nod of approval, changed her clothes, and headed back out, this time to the hospital to check on Quinn. She wanted to know ifst night''s fire had anything to do with Quinn.


    As she approached Quinn''s hospital room, she overheard Naomi''s voice.


    "Quinn, did you have anything to do with the fire at the Wellington cest night?"


    Quinn burst into hystericalughter and flung a cup across the room. "Hahaha, it wasn''t me, but it might as well have been. You all had iting. Who told you to treat me like dirt? If I''m going down, I''m taking everyone with me!"


    Naomi couldn''t hold back any longer and pped Quinn hard. Quinn''s eyes burned with hatred as she red at her mother.


    Naomi, rattled by her daughter''s look, took several steps back.


    "What''s with that look? Do you think I owe you something?"


    "Isn''t it clear? You''ve always favored ra over the years. Everyone in the Wellington family is the same kind of trash. I did so much, and you all turned a blind eye and coddled that brat ra. So, you all deserve what''sing. Is Johnny dead now? Serves him right!"


    "Smack!"


    Naomi, unable to contain herself, pped Quinn again, her shoulders shaking with fury.


    Her face was ashen. Losing her husband and now seeing her once-beloved daughter in such a monstrous light made her question if this was her karma.


    Seeing her mother''s expression, Quinnughed again, realizing Johnny was indeed gone.


    "Mom, let me be honest. Grandfather''s death was partly my doing too. I told him ra was chasing Simon and had let herself be used by many men. Cedric couldn''t handle it and fell ill, eventually kicking the bucket. Serves him right! I wanted you all to see that anyone linked to ra gets jinxed. First, it was Grandfather, now it''s Father. You''ve hated ra all these years, but didn''t expect the real culprit to be me, did you? Hahaha, what now? ra sees you all as strangers and won''t forgive any of you. I''ve given my shares to Greysen, and soon the Wellington familypany will belong to someone else. You all deserve this! A bunch of losers!"