"Viv, who are you talking to?" A middle-aged woman''s voice came through the phone. It was Vivian''s mother.


    "Mom, it''s Al. He called me." Vivian''s voice carried a mix of excitement and unease.


    Alex was just about to press her for answers when the phone was already in Lucy Sullivan''s hands in the next second.


    "Alex, it''s been years. What made you suddenly think of calling Viv? How is your family? Is your father doing well?" Lucy immediately started with pleasantries.


    Alex had no interest in exchanging niceties. With a cold chuckle, he said, "You''d better tell the truth about what happened back then. Otherwise, I''ll track you down overseas. I won''t let the Grayson family off so easily."


    Hearing this, Lucy''s expression darkenedpletely. "What''s wrong with you? I heard that the maid has been taking great care of you and your father. What more do you want? We''ve already fled abroad. Why won''t you let our family go?"


    "Taking great care of us?" Alexughed in anger at her shamelessness. "Do you have any idea how much humiliation Madam Burke has endured? Do you know what her daughter has been through? You think a simple sentence can just erase everything?"


    Lucy''s expression grew even darker. "But you can''t possibly turn against the Grayson family just for a maid, can you? After all, our families have business ties. If you push this matter, sure, you might get justice for that maid and her daughter. But both families will suffer losses. Is that really what you want?"


    Thinking she had him cornered, Lucy continued, "You could expose everything and ruin the Grayson family, but wouldn''t the Hastings family also lose their reputation?"


    On the other end, Alex remained silent, letting her finish. Then, he suddenly let out a coldugh. "The Hastings family''s reputation isn''t your concern, Mrs. Grayson. Besides, my family has always stood by one principle-justice.


    "And if we''re talking about reputations, wasn''t it your family who dragged our reputation through the mud in the first ce? You''d bettere clean. If not, I promise the Grayson family won''t have an easy time."


    Lucy''s expression turnedpletely grim. She had no choice but to hand the phone back to Vivian.


    Having overheard the argument, Vivian grew even more terrified. Her voice trembled, carrying the hint of tears. "Al, please don''t be so angry. I''ll tell you everything."


    When I received Alex''s call, my heart trembled slightly. I had known for


    long, but this was the firet time I felt nervous all to set


    call.


    "Hello?" My voice shook as I picked up.


    "Serena, it''s me." On the other end, Alex sounded almost incoherent, and there was a trace of loneliness in his tone.


    "I know." I nodded. "Did you read the notebook I gave you? Have you found any clues?"


    "Yeah." Alex nodded. "Are you free? Let''s meet up."


    "Of course, of course!" I stood up excitedly. "I''ll head out right now."


    I grabbed my coat in a hurry and rushed to the ce he mentioned.


    By the time I arrived, he was already waiting there.


    "Well?" I didn''t even have time to catch


    him


    my breath beforeet


    an answer. "What


    happened back then?"


    He let out a long exhale and said in a low voice, "Madam Burke was indeed


    wrongly used back then."