"We happen to be cracking down on high-profile cases lately. I’ll be sure to report you." Archer Rhys reached out and patted Brandon Lane’s face. He then glanced at Eugene Aldridge in the distance before smiling and leaving with Grace Winslow.

A truck arrived shortly after and loaded up all the stones Grace and her group had bought.

Eugene Aldridge didn’t dare make a peep.

Brandon Lane was about ready to kill him.

’It was one thing for that bastard to offend Archer Rhys on his own,’ he thought, ’but he just had to drag me down with him.’

Once they were out of the stone gambling convention, Grace Winslow finally breathed a sigh of relief. "Thanks so much for today. If it weren’t for you, we would’ve faced a lot of trouble, even if we managed to get away."

"Plus, we would’ve had to sell that stone to him for cheap."

"Don’t thank me. I’m just glad I made it in time. Otherwise..."

Archer Rhys didn’t dare to imagine what would have happened to Grace and her group if Byron Sinclair hadn’t happened to drag him over.

Eugene Aldridge was a nasty piece of work.

He wasn’t above murder and arson. 𝕗𝗿𝕖𝐞𝐰𝗲𝕓𝐧𝕠𝕧𝗲𝐥.𝚌𝐨𝚖

Even if Grace had been willing to sell him the stone for a low price, he might not have dared to do anything in front of everyone, but who knew what he might try in secret.

’Thank goodness. Thank goodness I came.’

’Thank goodness Grace is okay.’

’Thank goodness I made it in time. Everything worked out perfectly.’

"Archer Rhys, you rascal! It’s been a while. You saved us today—come on, let’s go to my place for a meal."

"I’m staying in Coronet from now on, so we can see each other more often and catch up on old times." Nolan Winslow walked up and gave Archer Rhys a hearty slap on the shoulder.

Archer Rhys staggered from the blow.

Seeing Nolan chatting with him, Grace quietly stepped aside.

Joanne Chase and Hayley were still whispering to each other about something.

Joanne Chase’s eye for stones was incredible. Their huge profit today was all thanks to her.

Hayley was also hoping to have Joanne accompany her to future stone gambling events, promising to give her a cut of any profits.

Joanne had refused Byron Sinclair’s offer without a second thought, but when it came to Hayley’s, she hesitated.

’After all, Hayley was family.’

’She had finally found a family and didn’t want to do anything to displease them. She was terrified of being abandoned again, of returning to the lonely person she used to be.’

’Once you’ve felt warmth, you become afraid of the cold you once knew.’

Just as she was hesitating, unsure how to refuse, Grace Winslow’s voice sounded beside her. "If you don’t want to, just say no. We’re family. There’s no need to stand on ceremony with each other."

"Hayley won’t hold it against you."

Hayley froze. A glance at Joanne Chase’s face told her that she didn’t want to do it.

At first, she’d assumed Joanne just didn’t want to work for Byron Sinclair, since he was an outsider. She hadn’t realized Joanne didn’t want to do this kind of work at all.

She slapped her forehead in frustration. "My fault. How did I not realize you didn’t want to?"

"Joy, please don’t feel any pressure. And don’t think that just because you turned me down, I’ll hold it against you or anything. I won’t. We’re family. If you don’t want to do it, I won’t force you."

"I was so focused on making money that I forgot you’re still a student. Your most important job right now is to study."

"Joy, please don’t be mad at your sister-in-law, okay?"

Joanne Chase was completely stunned by Hayley’s words.

She had imagined Hayley would be angry or upset with her refusal. She had never, ever imagined she would apologize.

She opened her mouth, but her throat was tight with emotion, and no sound came out. Her eyes stung, and tears began to fall uncontrollably.

"Oh no, why are you crying? It’s all my fault. Don’t cry, don’t cry. You won’t look pretty if you cry. Come with me to the shop later, and I’ll have a beautiful outfit custom-made for you. Young ladies should always be dressed up and pretty." Seeing her tears, Hayley rushed to comfort her in a fluster.

Joanne couldn’t help but laugh through her tears. She hugged Hayley. "Sister-in-law, I... I’m just really moved."

"Back at my old home, if I ever dared to refuse any of their requests, they would either beat me or curse me out. I often didn’t have enough to eat... I-I thought you’d be upset that I refused. I never expected..."

The corners of Joanne’s mouth drooped, her eyes filled with fear and anxiety.

Hayley’s heart ached listening to her. "You silly girl, that’s all in the past. You’ve already cut ties with that awful home. You’re our family now. We don’t have rules like that here. If you don’t want to do something, then don’t. You never have to force yourself."

Grace chimed in as well. "That’s right. How have you not gotten used to it yet? You’ve been part of our family for over half a year now, you know."

Joanne looked a little embarrassed. "I... I just... I didn’t know how to react for a moment."

"Okay, enough of this," Grace said, changing the subject. "Let’s go home and have a feast. I wonder what Mom made today. I’m starving."

Grace added, rubbing her stomach.

Hearing that, Joanne realized she was hungry too.

They had been at the stone gambling convention for several hours.

Most of that time had been spent at the end, cutting open the stones.

It was already past two in the afternoon, almost three o’clock.

When the group got home, Irene Lynch had already left for her shop, but she had left food warming in a pot for them.

Nolan and Brandon Winslow busied themselves in the kitchen and soon had all the dishes on the table.

The family ate together, and Nolan and Archer had a couple of drinks.

"I always thought you and my sister would end up together, but then you just up and left without a word, which broke her heart for a long time. After that, she ran into that damn scumbag, Caleb Forrest. So, what are your intentions toward my sister now? Be honest with me. If you like her, you should lock things down soon. After all, you two aren’t getting any younger."

Having had a few too many drinks, Nolan grabbed Archer Rhys’s hand and started rambling.

Grace’s face darkened, and she stared speechlessly at her older brother.

Lily Callahan couldn’t help but shake her head. She tried to intervene a few times, but Nolan Winslow paid her no mind.

He didn’t have many worries these days, but Grace’s marital status was his biggest concern.

People in Coronet didn’t know what had happened to Grace, so there wasn’t much gossip. Back in their hometown, however, there were plenty of wagging tongues.

Even though Grace was hardworking and capable—not only could she make her own money, but she’d also gotten into Crestwood University through her own efforts—in the eyes of many, the most important thing for a woman was to get married and have children, to eventually become a wife and mother. What was the use of all that knowledge?

Archer Rhys just smiled without saying a word, earning him a few more thumps from Nolan Winslow.

Once Nolan Winslow was thoroughly drunk, Brandon Winslow and Lily Callahan finally managed to pull him away and get him to his room to sleep it off.

Archer Rhys had had a little to drink and was slightly tipsy, but that was all.

Seeing his condition, Grace worried he’d get into an accident if he drove, so she suggested he stay the night.

They had plenty of rooms anyway. ’Worst case, Archer could share a bed with Nolan or Brandon,’ she thought.

Archer Rhys stayed, and so did Byron Sinclair.

The next morning, Grace was woken by Byron Sinclair’s scream.