Katelyn’s eyes widened in confusion and surprise as she turned to Vincent.

“What are you talking about? Who’s dead?”

A frosty sharpness passed through Vincent’s eyes as he ignored her question and responded to Samuel. “I understand. Keep an eye on the others.” Read complete version only at Find_Novel(.)net

Samuel nodded firmly. “Yes, Mr. Adams.”

As she listened, Katelyn felt enveloped in a fog of uncertainty. Who had died?

After her burns were treated and she had slipped back into her clothes, Vincent directed his attention to her. “White phosphorus isn’t really anything special, but not everyone would carry it around without a good reason. I asked Samuel to keep an eye on anyone suspicious, and just as we identified a potential suspect, he was found dead.”

It seemed someone was covering their tracks. Perhaps the suspect realized exposure was imminent and chose a desperate way out.

Katelyn touched her newly cropped hair, her tone icy. “At the banquet, I only had an altercation with Annie. I suspect she might be involved.”

“I’ve already spoken with the king to have Annie sent back to her country. Whether it was her or not, she can’t remain in Granville.” Vincent’s gaze sharpened.

Katelyn pressed her lips together, staying silent. The whole incident with the white phosphorus was cloaked in secrecy.

The culprit had been desperate enough to eliminate someone, possibly erasing any other leads.

She pondered if this might be linked to the T Organization. Yet, their usual methods were more direct and lethal. If they intended to kill her, they wouldn’t have resorted to setting her dress on fire; they would have more likely planted a bomb in her car.

Katelyn pushed aside these tumultuous thoughts, trusting that the truth would eventually surface.

? d? g.?

Vincent’s phone pinged with a notification. After briefly addressing some work matters, he looked back at Katelyn.

“Are you planning to attend Mrs. Wheeler’s birthday celebration?”

The question caught Katelyn off guard. She had almost forgotten about the significance of the Wheeler family among Granville’s elite. Such a major event, like Carol’s birthday, would certainly draw Vincent’s interest.

Katelyn wasn’t sure of Vincent’s motive for asking, but she chose to respond honestly.

“Although Mrs. Wheeler has always been kind to me, attending the event in my current situation would be too awkward. I’ve chosen a gift for her and arranged for someone else to deliver it.”

A birthday celebration would be a joyful occasion, and Katelyn’s presence would likely attract unwanted gossip.

Vincent’s expression grew somber as he said, “Alright.”

Katelyn, puzzled, couldn’t help but ask, “Mr. Adams, is something expected to happen?”

She might not fully grasp Vincent’s emotions, but their long acquaintance allowed her to sometimes read between the lines.

Vincent leaned back on the sofa, his brow furrowed.

“From what I’ve gathered, Mrs. Wheeler has an announcement to make at her birthday banquet about a valuable plot of land.”

Katelyn recalled Lise’s smug expression when they last met at the mall. Could it be the same plot of land they were talking about?

“She never mentioned that to me,” Katelyn said.

Vincent’s tone grew colder as he shared more details.

“This land was part of Mrs. Wheeler’s dowry. It’s undeveloped, but it’s rumored to have significant oil reserves beneath it.”

Oil, a resource more coveted than gold, was highly sought after globally. If this invaluable source of profit fell into Neil’s hands, it would only accelerate the development of the Wheeler Group.

Although recent events had significantly weakened the Wheeler family, acquiring this land could potentially catapult them past the Adams family in terms of business operations and scale.

Katelyn, coming to terms with the implications, blurted out, “If there’s oil, that land is incredibly valuable.”

But Vincent stood, his expression serious. “Oil is a non-renewable resource, far more significant than any gold mine. If Neil secures this land, he’ll become a formidable opponent.”

Vincent clearly dreaded such an outcome, but with the land in Carol’s possession, his options were limited. This sudden announcement might be aimed at bolstering Neil’s position.

Meanwhile, at the Wheeler Group’s headquarters, Neil, seated in his wheelchair, addressed his assistant. “Have you disseminated the news as I instructed?”

The assistant nodded promptly. “Yes, the news is out that you’re set to inherit a vast oil field.”

A cryptic smile curled Neil’s lips. He gripped the armrests of his wheelchair, and his next action left the assistant wide-eyed in astonishment.

.

.

.