Years ago, the Jenson family somehow secured a plot of land in Southview for development. They planned to build a cluster of foxity, terraced villaconte the mountainside, targeting wealthy buyers seeking a summer retreat.
Midway through the project, environmental authorities received reports that construction was polluting the mountain rivers, forcing the development to
a halt.
However, from what Maxine knew, Gabriel had stubbornly pushed through with building one of the villas. After the environmental authorities got involved, he spent considerable time dealing with the fallout, but looking back now, she suspected it was probably actually Hamlin acting under Gabriel’s name.
Gabriel was a notorious playboy in the capital. So when word got out about what he’d done, few people found it strange.
Before long, the scandal blew over. Maxine only happened to hear about it at a party.
Maxine quickly packed her things, chose a nondescript car from the garage, and sped toward Southview. As she drove, she silently prayed, ‘Please let my hunch be right this time.
‘Please, Dad, help me find Brian successfully.’
Sebastian and Cleo rushed back home, only to learn from the butler that Maxine had already driven off half an hour earlier. Cleo’s face went deathly pale as she looked at Sebastian, panic–stricken. “What do we do now? Has she already left?”
Sebastian’s expression darkened as he turned to the butler and asked, “Did Maxine mention where she was going when she left?”
The butler looked bewildered. After a moment’s thought, he said hesitantly, “I did ask Ms. Hudson where she was going when she left. I think she mentioned something about the south side?” She had been in such a hurry that her mumbled reply was barely audible.
“Southview?” Sebastian asked.
The butler nodded eagerly. “Yes, I think that’s it.”
Sebastian seemed to have an idea. He turned to Cleo and said, “I’ll give you a phone number in a moment. Contact him, briefly explain the situation, and bring him over to meet us.”
As he headed out, Cleo hurriedly called after him, “Where should we meet you?”
“You two head to Southview first,” Sebastian instructed, “I’ll send you the location later. You can also check for yourself. Gabriel built a house there ten years ago. That’s probably where Maxine is headed.”
“Southview…” Cleo murmured, the name ringing a bell in her mind.
Cleo found the name vaguely familiar. She murmured it to herself, then suddenly looked up in realization. “Wait, I covered this story before! I know the exact address!”
Sebastian stopped in his tracks and looked at her. “Where?”
Cleo anxiously bit her lip. “Let me look for it. I remember there was a detailed map from way back. I’ll text it to you once I find it.”
Sebastian drove straight toward Southview. Just as he was nearing the mountain’s base, his phone buzzed with the map Cleo had texted him.
The document, likely compiled for work convenience, was so detailed that Sebastian found the road to the villa with hardly any effort.
Halfway up the mountain, Maxine stopped her car as the mountain road grew increasingly treacherous. Spotting the faint outline of a white building half, hidden among the trees ahead, she gritted her teeth, ditched the car, and continued on foot.
Maxine knew the main entrance was out of the question. Scanning the perimeter, she spotted a climbable section of wall. Hoisting herself up a nearby
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Chapter 218.
tree, she used its branches to vault over.
The villa was so secluded that there were hardly any people around. As dusk was falling, she followed the glow toward the only ream with ne laine ne
“Damn it! Everyone else is out there living it up while we’re stuck here. And who knows if we’ll even get paid after this job’s done. A man’s mistared curses echoed through the empty room.
AD
