CHAPTER 252: VISITING ARTHUR

"You are bleeding," Darren pointed out the corner of Aubrey’s lips as he carried a tray full of food for Arlo while she was walking next to him.

Becca had stormed off somewhere after she realized she couldn’t hurt Aubrey because it would leave a bruise on her, and she wouldn’t look good when she appeared in public.

She was not married to Arlo, but somehow, she would come on every occasion with him. People would see her as a devoted partner, but the truth was: she was there to help Arlo with everything, a personal servant for him.

Aubrey was only a convenience for Arlo.

"Thank you," Aubrey said. She brushed the blood from the corner of her mouth with the back of her hand. "Give it to me; I will bring it."

They were standing in front of Arlo’s study. He spent time in the study when he was not in treatment or therapy, and he avoided going out there, especially for public events, unless absolutely necessary.

Darren handed over the tray, and Aubrey took it. Her fingers brushed his lightly. It felt like an accident because Aubrey didn’t show any reaction as she entered the room.

Once she was inside, Aubrey’s expression changed. Her gaze turned slightly darker, but when she walked closer to Arlo, her face softened, and so did her voice.

"This is your favorite food; take some rest. You need to take your medicine," Aubrey said gently.

Arlo didn’t pay close attention to that and only glanced at the food on the table. "Leave me alone."

"Okay." Aubrey was happily doing so. When she turned around, facing her back to Arlo, she spat into his drink and smirked. It was petty and childish, but so be it.

With that, Aubrey walked out of the room with a better mood.

***

Hazel watched as Ashlyn was crying while she was video chatting with Renna. The baby had been throwing a tantrum and being extra clingy with her before she left for Goscht Country.

"I think she can feel that you are going away," Renna said. "That’s why Ashlyn has been very fussy."

Hazel scratched her head. This was indeed the first time for her to leave her daughter for a long time. They would be here for around two weeks. This period of time also helped to wean Ashlyn, since she started eating solid food too.

"But don’t worry; she will be fine. Enjoy your honeymoon," Renna said with a chuckle and winked at her.

Hazel and Ranon had just arrived at the hotel, and Ranon was currently in the bathroom. She could hear the running water.

"Bring back good news, okay?"

"Don’t be silly." Hazel made a face. "Where is Ashlyn?"

Renna then aimed the camera at Ashlyn, who was being held by Peni. The little one pursed her lips and started crying again, calling out to her mother.

"Mamaa... Mama..."

Hazel grimaced. She had the urge to book a flight back home and left Ranon alone here to deal with Arthur.

But, of course, she wouldn’t do that. It was only her intrusive thought. This trip was important. It was not a honeymoon like what Renna thought.

"Be good, okay?" Hazel blew a kiss to her daughter, but she turned her head and cried against Peni’s shoulder. "Okay, I will call again later," Hazel said to Renna and hung up the call, right in time as Ranon walked into the bedroom.

His hair was wet, and droplets of water fell from his hair and trailed down from his jaw to his chest. Hazel grinned, and Ranon frowned.

"Your smile is scary," Ranon said as he turned around to get his clean clothes, but Hazel stalked behind him.

Ranon’s towel was hanging so low on his waist that Hazel’s intrusive thought won this time. She hooked her finger and pulled it away.

"Oops. Sorry."

Ranon was nonchalant as he glanced over his shoulder at his wife, who was ogling him. He had been getting used to her antics.

"You are not sorry, Hazel."

"Of course, I am." Hazel’s eyes were fixed on his lower body, and this made Ranon turn around to face her and cup her face between his palms.

"Let’s see how sorry you are." He leaned over and kissed her lips.

***

The Raven family was prominent in Goscht Country. They owned several businesses. They ran everything from legal businesses to illegal ones.

Elise came from a family of money, but unfortunately, she was the daughter of a mistress; thus, her presence in the family was not really significant to them, especially as they favored men.

Based on the information that Rize had gathered, the Raven family knew about Elise’s death, but they were indifferent because she had been out of the family for so long and hadn’t kept in touch during that time.

When River still lived at home, she didn’t pay close attention to Elise. She had never bothered her, and they only spoke when necessary. More often than not, Elise would be out with her friends, partying and whatnot.

Elise treated her as if she didn’t exist. She could understand if Elise treated her stepdaughter that way, but she treated her own daughter the same way.

"How do you know all of that?" Ranon asked.

Both of them were sitting in a café across the street from an apartment building that Rize told them was where Arthur had been staying.

Rize even gave them Arthur’s routine based on what his men observed for the past two weeks.

"Aubrey told me," Hazel lied smoothly, but it was rather believable, since she had been in contact with her in the past few days.

In fact, Hazel had also been in contact with Olivia. She had just learned that Lyle had attempted to kill Ranon. She was in a panic.

Olivia asked—no, she begged—Hazel not to harm her brother, which would sound ridiculous if she weren’t freaking out then.

Hazel said that if she had to choose between killing Lyle to save her husband or saving Lyle and letting her husband be killed, then the answer would be crystal clear. So, she asked Olivia to talk some sense into Lyle.

But to be honest, the decision was not in Lyle’s hands. Both of them knew that, and Olivia wanted to talk to Hazel directly.

Hazel planned to meet with Olivia after her return from Goscht Country.

"It’s him," Ranon said. He reached out to Hazel’s hand on the table and then nodded at the man who had just entered the building.

Indeed, it was Arthur, even though he looked rather different. He was thinner than the last time Hazel saw him.

Based on the information they received, Arthur had been in contact with the Raven family. It was unclear if he had convinced them to take revenge on Elise or not, as they didn’t seem to value her.

The next day, Ranon and Hazel came again, but this time they went to the apartment that Arthur had been occupying.

The security around the building was poor, so no one stopped them when they went in and headed straight to Arthur’s flat.

Rize’s people got a copy of the key to the flat; thus, there was no problem for the two of them to enter.

"Ugh. He really needs to consider calling someone to clean up this place." Hazel scrunched her nose at the moldy smell that hit her. Ranon followed behind her.

There were a few papers scattered on the table. The bed was messy, and there were empty cups with coffee stains everywhere.

The sink was another story. Hazel took one look, and she grimaced. She didn’t remember her father being this messy.

There was something shifted inside of her. It was a pain that she was reluctant to explore further, but her throat felt so dry.

This room was small, a studio apartment with the bed area and the kitchen area next to each other without a divider.

"He has been searching for the people who put the hit on me," Ranon said. He picked up one paper and showed it to Hazel.

This was the same list that Aubrey had given her. There were three names that Arthur had circled. The two names were the same people that Hazel and Ranon suspected, but they had never heard the other name.

"Axel Duncan," Hazel read it. "Do you know him?" She lifted her head to look at Ranon.

"No." Ranon had never heard that name. It didn’t ring a bell in his head when Hazel said it out loud. "Let’s wait and ask him."

Thankfully, they didn’t need to wait long because in less than five minutes, Arthur had returned. He brought a plastic bag full of food and soft drinks.

From the moment he stood in front of his door, Arthur knew someone had entered the room. He slipped a small piece of tissue at the hinge of the door, and it fell, which meant someone had opened the door.

Neither Ranon nor Hazel noticed because the building was rather dirty, and Hazel seemed to have forgotten this trick as well.

Therefore, when Arthur entered his flat, he had his gun ready. But to his surprise, he saw the couple was sitting at his dining table, talking casually with each other, as if they owned this place.

"What the hell are you doing here?" Arthur was stunned. "You can’t barge into other people’s space!"

Ranon saw the gun behind Arthur’s jacket and stood up from his seat. "Sit down, Arthur; there are a few things we want to talk about."