Nathaniel Quinn never expected to find the living room floor covered in blood when he came looking for Seraphina Sutton.

A wave of panic washed over him as he searched the entire apartment for Seraphina Sutton, finally finding her in the bathroom.

When Nathaniel Quinn saw blood everywhere in the bathroom, he forced himself to remain calm. He stepped forward and grabbed Seraphina Sutton’s shoulders, his voice trembling slightly.

"Seraphina, what happened? Are you hurt?"

"Nathaniel..."

Seraphina Sutton slowly raised her head, her eyes gradually focusing, and threw herself into Nathaniel Quinn’s arms, sobbing.

"I’m scared, I’m so scared..."

"Don’t be scared. First, tell me what on earth happened."

"I... I killed someone..."

The moment Seraphina Sutton’s words came out, Nathaniel Quinn froze completely.

This was no small matter. If it were in the past, with the Quinn Family’s power, he could have easily smoothed it over for her.

But now the Quinn Family was bankrupt, and he no longer had that ability.

"Nathaniel... Nathaniel, please help me, okay? I really didn’t mean to, I... I’m so scared..."

"Seraphina, don’t worry. I’ll call Cole right now. He’ll definitely step in and handle this for you."

As he spoke, Nathaniel Quinn was about to take out his phone to call Kaden Xavier.

But Seraphina Sutton immediately snatched Nathaniel Quinn’s phone, shaking her head in refusal.

"No, we can’t tell Kaden. He absolutely cannot know about this."

"Why?"

"Nathaniel, promise me. No one else can know about this besides you and me. I’m begging you."

Nathaniel Quinn had never seen Seraphina Sutton in such a state. His heart went out to her, and he could only nod in agreement.

「Hospital.」

Wren Wynter rushed over after receiving a call and saw Kaden Xavier standing dejectedly at the hospital entrance, a cigarette pinched between his fingers.

When he saw Wren Wynter, his pupils contracted sharply, and he immediately dropped the cigarette.

"You’re here."

"Where’s Grandma?"

Kaden Xavier remained silent, merely turning around and leading Wren Wynter straight into the hospital.

"How is Grandma? What did the doctor say?"

"She’s already asleep."

Hearing that Old Madam Xavier was asleep, Wren Wynter immediately breathed a sigh of relief. ’Thank goodness she’s okay.’

"That’s good. Take me to see Grandma. If things are really bad, I’ll ask my mentor to come take a look..."

The words had barely left her mouth when Wren saw they had stopped in front of the morgue.

A chill shot through her entire body. She couldn’t help but tremble, covering her mouth as her nose stung and tears welled up in her eyes.

’Was I... too late?’

"Grandma is inside. Go on in and see her."

Kaden Xavier’s voice betrayed no emotion, but the bloodshot veins in his eyes hinted at suppressed grief and anger.

’She was perfectly fine just a few days ago. How did it come to this?’

Her body trembling, Wren Wynter walked into the morgue. Helen Sawyer and Lana Xavier were hunched over Old Madam Xavier’s body, wailing loudly.

She walked forward and slowly lifted the white sheet covering the body.

As the face was revealed, Wren felt the world spin. She could no longer hold back the silent tears that streamed down her face, and her throat was too tight to speak.

’The last person in the Xavier Family who doted on me is gone...’

’Who could be so monstrous as to murder Grandma?’

’Was it an enemy of the Xavier Family?’

Wren stumbled to her knees, crying out hoarsely, "Grandma..."

’Please wake up, won’t you?’

Wren didn’t know how she managed to walk out of the morgue. She felt as if her soul had been ripped from her body, Grandma’s loving smile echoing endlessly in her mind.

Suppressing her grief, she choked out an incoherent question, "Who was it?"

"I don’t know." Kaden Xavier was surprisingly calm. "According to my mom, there was no one around at the time. She had been sent out to buy something, so she has no idea what happened. When she came back, she saw Grandma on the floor, stabbed in the heart."

"What about the murder weapon?"

"It wasn’t found. The person got away quickly and took the weapon with them."

Wren’s eyelashes lowered, but tears streamed uncontrollably down her face. "You... don’t be too sad... My condolences."

She didn’t know how to comfort Kaden Xavier. Her throat felt raw, and her breathing grew heavy.

A flicker of light crossed Kaden Xavier’s deep, dark eyes. He walked over to Wren, gently pulled her into an embrace, and rested his chin in the hollow of her shoulder.

This time, Wren didn’t pull away.

She knew Kaden Xavier needed comfort right now. They had both lost a beloved family member.

Right now, they needed to huddle together for warmth.

"Wren, I don’t have a grandma anymore..."

"Me neither..."

Mason Shaw arrived just in time to see the two of them embracing. A dark look flashed across his face as he stepped forward to interrupt.

"Mr. Xavier, regarding the examination of Old Madam Xavier’s body, the medical examiner will give you the details tomorrow. The hospital cannot provide anything further."

"Mm, I understand."

Kaden Xavier released Wren, his face expressionless, and extended a hand to Mason Shaw.

"Thank you for today, Dr. Shaw."

Mason Shaw was taken aback for a moment, then accepted his hand with a faint smile. "It’s my duty."

Kaden Xavier glanced back toward the morgue one last time before walking out of the hospital without turning his head again.

Wren watched his retreating figure with a complex expression, a mix of complicated emotions swirling within her.

"Dr. Wynter, when Mr. Xavier rushed over today, the look in his eyes was terrifying. It was like he wanted to eat someone alive."

"Mm."

Wren was also exhausted and didn’t want to talk much with Mason Shaw.

She went to her aunt Grace Wynter’s hospital room and told her about what had happened to Old Madam Xavier.

Grace Wynter expressed her regret.

She hadn’t had a chance to visit her yet.

"Wren, why don’t you come stay at my place for a few days to lie low? I have a feeling Kaden Xavier will come looking for you," Finn Wynter suggested.

Wren shook her head. View Gardens was her home. Even if he did come looking for her, she didn’t want to involve her cousin.

"There’s no need, Finn. He’ll probably be busy looking for the killer these next few days. Besides, there’s the funeral to arrange, so things at the Xavier Family might get chaotic. Kaden Xavier and I haven’t officially registered our marriage yet, but technically, I’m still a daughter-in-law of the Xavier Family. I need to observe the mourning period and keep up appearances."

The public already knew Kaden Xavier had a wife, and that it was her.

For the sake of the Xavier Family, she had to play the part of a loving couple with Kaden Xavier in public. At the very least, it would quell some of the rumors from the outside world.

’This is the last thing I can do for the Xavier Family and for Grandma.’

"Alright, you know your own mind, so I won’t try to persuade you further. If you need me, just give me a call anytime."

"Wren, dear, when the date for the old madam’s funeral is set, please let us know. I want to go and properly thank her for taking care of you all this time on behalf of my brother and sister-in-law."

Wren’s eyes grew hot.

The thought that she would never see that loving face again made her unable to stop her tears.

After returning to View Gardens, Wren sat on the sofa in a daze.

She had so much she wanted to say to Grandma, but she would never have the chance again.

’It’s destined to become a regret.’

’If time could turn back, I would have spent more time with her, bought her more clothes, cooked a meal for her...’

’Grandma never even got to eat a meal I cooked!’

That evening, Butler Chandler called her for dinner, but she had no appetite. She was utterly exhausted.

She didn’t want to move, nor did she want to speak.

DING—

The phone rang.

Wren numbly answered the call.

"Miss Wynter, you need to come to Muse Bar right away. Kaden is drunk."