CHAPTER 207: CHAPTER 207: THE NORTHWOOD FAMILY’S ELDEST DAUGHTER

Northwood.

Those two words sounded so familiar, like I’d heard them somewhere before, but I just couldn’t recall.

"I heard that the head of the Northwood Family is coming, along with his wife and the eldest daughter of the Northwood Family."

Ivy Summers frowned slightly.

Tristan Sterling explained, "The Northwood Family is in Sutherlyn, a low-profile, big family; it’s normal if you haven’t heard of them."

Just then, a small commotion came from the front.

A group of bodyguards escorted a middle-aged man out. It was too far for Ivy Summers to make out his features clearly, but she saw a chiseled outline, about fifty years old, and an aura especially strong from years in a high position.

The bodyguards around him looked at him with awe, only daring to exhale once the man got into the car.

Ivy Summers watched closely for some reason, "Is that the head of the Northwood Family?"

Tristan Sterling chuckled softly, standing beside her, "Do you want to meet him?"

Ivy Summers shook her head, "I have nothing to do with him, why would I want to meet him? I’m just curious, more curious about how you use the word low-profile."

Low-profile?

Ten cars clearing the way?

This is called low-profile?

What would high-profile look like?

A hundred luxury cars clearing the way?

Tristan Sterling, "Maybe because he’s in a foreign place, for safety concerns."

"Are you all following me for safety concerns too?"

"Of course."

"Is it because of what happened last night, because of the Scott Family?" Ivy Summers wasn’t a fool; she had already figured it out.

Could the Scott Family really be that frightening?

It couldn’t be that just because Noah Scott proposed to her, they’d want to harm her.

"Yes." Tristan Sterling told her directly.

"Then let’s go back to the car, I don’t want to cause you guys any trouble." Ivy Summers turned back to the car.

Meanwhile, inside the hotel.

Grace Norwood had just come out of the first-floor restroom and was shocked to see the floor stained with blood.

Grace Norwood screamed in fright, cautiously approached, and carefully pushed open the door of the last stall.

She saw a woman in a dress collapsed inside, her dress dyed red with blood.

Grace Norwood widened her eyes in shock.

"Grace! What’s wrong?" Outside, Grace Norwood’s mother, Luna Sinclair, walked in. Seeing the scene before her, Luna Sinclair frowned, covering her nose.

"Mom, she seems to be that malicious woman from last night’s engagement party."

Luna Sinclair waved her hand disdainfully, "She really is. Wasn’t she caught by the police? How did she end up here?"

Just then, Rachel Shaw weakly murmured, "Please, save me, save me..."

"Mom, let’s not get involved with her, let’s go quickly, Dad is waiting for us." Grace Norwood said disdainfully, about to leave.

Luna Sinclair’s gaze fell on the bracelet on Rachel Shaw’s wrist.

Luna Sinclair’s eyes trembled, and she stepped forward quickly.

"Mom, it smells so bad, don’t go up there."

Luna Sinclair couldn’t bear the foul smell of blood either, stepped back two steps, and called the bodyguards inside to drag Rachel Shaw up and took the bracelet off her hand, "Madam."

Luna Sinclair took the bracelet, examining it carefully over and over, finally touching the inner wall of the bracelet with her fingers, confirming something. Her eyes widened at the person who was like mud on the ground, "How did this bracelet end up with you?"

Rachel Shaw held her abdomen, her face pale, drenched in cold sweat, too pained to have any strength left to speak, "I... I..."

Luna Sinclair squatted down, looking at Rachel Shaw coldly, "This bracelet isn’t yours. Tell me, where did you get it?"

Rachel Shaw bit her lip, looking at the two noble women before her, unsure why they were asking about the bracelet’s origin, but judging by their attire, she knew they weren’t ordinary people.

She didn’t dare say she stole it from Ivy Summers.

"It’s mine..."

Luna Sinclair sneered, "Yours? Do you know this bracelet belongs to the Northwood Family, and you’re claiming it’s yours?"

Rachel Shaw’s eyes widened, "This... how could it be?"

This was clearly something of Ivy Summers’ mother, what does it have to do with the Northwood Family?

Rachel Shaw struggled to get up, her hands still cuffed together, awkwardly using both hands to push herself up, "Give it back to me, this is mine, there are so many jadeite bracelets in the world, why do you say this belongs to the Northwood Family... This is mine, you’ve mistaken it."

Luna Sinclair stepped back, looking at the bracelet in her hand, "This bracelet, even turned to ashes, I would recognize it, and you say I’ve mistaken it?"

Rachel Shaw fell back to the ground; she had miscarried, her abdomen hurting tremendously, and the fall made her condition worse.

Rachel Shaw groaned in pain, realizing she couldn’t deceive these two women, her eyes shifted, "Save me, save me, and I’ll tell you the origin of this bracelet."

Grace Norwood looked at Rachel Shaw with even more disgust, "You’re a wanted criminal, and you want us to save you? What dream are you having?"

"Mom, let’s not bother with her."

Luna Sinclair, however, stopped Grace Norwood.

Luna Sinclair told the bodyguard, "Go tell the family head I’ll be back in Sutherlyn later. Grace, you go back with your dad first."

"I actually want to stay a few more days, I’ll stay too."

Luna Sinclair told the bodyguard, "Go convey the message."

"Yes."

Grace Norwood glanced at Rachel Shaw, "Mom, do you really want to help her? It’s not an exaggeration to call her utterly despicable; she should be handed over to the police."

"She might be of use to us."

Luna Sinclair carefully put away the bracelet, instructed the bodyguards to take Rachel Shaw upstairs quietly, and then called for a doctor.

...

The road cleared quickly, Kyle Sterling drove fast, overtaking the convoy. Ivy Summers turned her head just in time to see the man in the car.

Ivy Summers suddenly remembered that her mother’s diary mentioned a name, Connor Norwood.

Could Connor Norwood be connected to the Northwood Family?

Ivy Summers sat up straight, the man in the neighboring car seemed to have noticed her gaze and looked over disapprovingly.

They locked eyes for one second.

His gaze was particularly sharp, with a chilling effect.

Ivy Summers was about to say something, but the words stuck in her throat. The man hesitated only for a moment before rolling up the window.

Utterly indifferent.

The convoy accelerated, quickly leaving.

Ivy Summers furrowed her brow.

Tristan Sterling sensed something and asked, "What’s wrong?"

"How much do you know about the Northwood Family?"

"Not much. I only know that their family is incredibly powerful in Sutherlyn, controlling the entire region’s economy. I don’t know anything else, but you seem quite interested in the Northwood Family?"

Ivy Summers shook her head, "Just asking casually."

The car soon arrived at the villa.

Ivy Summers went to her room to get the box.

Looking at the lock on the box, Ivy Summers found it really frustrating; she had a strong impulse to smash it open with an axe.

But doing so, would her mother blame her?

Zachary Lancaster glanced over and asked, "Sis-in-law, what’s in this box?"

"I don’t know either, I’ve never opened it."

Zachary Lancaster examined it, shook it by his ear, "Could it be some treasure map?"

Ivy Summers was amused by Zachary Lancaster’s words, "You sure have vivid imagination."

"What if it really is? If it can’t be opened, you could just smash it open."

Ivy Summers took the box back, "I’ll let Grandpa take a look; maybe he knows the combination."

Ivy Summers carried the box out of the villa.

Returning to the Sterling Family, Ivy Summers handed the box to Old Master Sterling.

"Grandpa, please take a look."

Old Master Sterling shakily took the box, "Did your mother leave this behind?"

"Yes."

Old Master Sterling’s wrinkled hands caressed the box repeatedly, particularly tender. Seeing the combination lock, he paused briefly, "I’ve never asked you, did your mother never mention me when she was alive?"

"She lost her memory and forgot everything, even her name was told to her by my dad."

Old Master Sterling’s brow furrowed deeply, unable to imagine what struggles his daughter faced outside.

Old Master Sterling examined the combination lock, tried several codes, but none succeeded.

Ivy Summers, "I’ve tried many times before too, never opened it; maybe only my mother knows the password."

"Leave this box with me for now, I’ll find someone to study how to open it without causing damage."

"Okay."

In the hotel, the presidential suite.

Rachel Shaw was cleaned by the servants and received medical treatment. The handcuffs were forcibly removed.

By noon, Rachel Shaw’s complexion had slightly improved.

Luna Sinclair and Grace Norwood entered, looking at Rachel Shaw lying on the bed with her eyes closed. Luna Sinclair walked over and touched her pulse; after a moment, Luna Sinclair sneered.

"Miss Shaw, if you’re pretending to be dead, I’ll throw you out."

Rachel Shaw’s eyes suddenly opened, fearfully looking at the two women, "Who are you, why do you know my last name is Shaw?"

These two women were accompanied by bodyguards and servants, their attire exuding luxury, they must be from affluent families. Yet Rachel knew all the aristocratic families in Aethelgard, she hadn’t seen them before.

So they weren’t from Aethelgard.

"There’s no need to ask so many questions; you just need to answer mine. Where did this bracelet come from?"

Rachel Shaw clenched the sheets tightly, her eyes darting around, refusing to answer.

Grace Norwood bent over to sit down, smiling, "Miss Shaw, lying can lead to punishment."

Grace Norwood signaled the servant beside her. The servant approached with a small bottle of solution, grabbed Rachel Shaw’s mouth, and forced it down without a word.

Rachel Shaw struggled desperately but still swallowed it. Her throat burned painfully, clutching her neck with a hoarse voice, she asked, "What is this? What did you make me drink?"

"The latest poison crafted by me, if you don’t drink the antidote in half an hour, you’ll be silenced forever."

Rachel Shaw’s eyes widened in disbelief, staring at the seemingly gentle yet, in reality, ruthless woman before her.

Grace Norwood admired her freshly done manicure and said leisurely, "The Northwood Family is best at crafting poison; I have a hundred kinds waiting for you. If you want to be my guinea pig, keep refusing to answer my mother’s questions."