CHAPTER 265: CHAPTER 265: CINDY, WHAT EXACTLY DID YOU DO TO TANYA SINCLAIR?!

Officer Crawford had just arrived with his team, and as soon as they got out of the car, the blast wave from the explosion knocked them half a meter away.

Janne Hayes, who followed closely behind, watched the cave collapse with a thunderous crash, completely taken aback.

"President Pierce... President Pierce!!" Typically calm and in control, Special Assistant Hayes was panic-stricken for the first time.

He tried to head toward the collapsed ruins, but Officer Crawford grabbed him back.

"Don’t go over there! With an explosion of this magnitude, there are bound to be secondary collapses!"

Janne Hayes staggered as he was pulled back, calming himself down. At that moment, two helicopters from The Pierce Family hovered overhead, observing the situation, and contacted Janne with a report.

"Special Assistant Hayes, a black sedan burst out of the cave at the time of the explosion. The car crashed down the mountain and exploded. The Shadow Guard has already gone to check if there’s anyone inside!"

Janne Hayes’ hand trembled as he held his phone. He exhaled a heavy breath, "Investigate! Find out immediately! Alive or dead, I need answers!!"

With cooperation between The Pierce Family’s Hidden Guards and the police, they pulled out the mangled body of Old Ninth King from the rubble an hour later. He was done for this time.

The coroner took a quick look at the body, "He suffered a heavy blow and passed out before being crushed to death by the stones."

Declan Pierce was the only one to arrive before them...

Officer Crawford’s face darkened; his heart filled with lingering fear. He had already guessed what happened in the cave.

It seemed that Zeke Pierce wasn’t wrong—when Declan goes mad, he truly disregards his own life...

Officer Crawford looked at the pile of rubble that used to be the cave, recalling six years earlier, when Tanya Sinclair, frail and small, yet astonishingly composed, had walked in boldly and alone...

Six years later, the same cave.

But what about the man she saved?

Officer Crawford’s heart was a mix of emotions.

Just then, a commotion erupted behind him. He turned to see Vincent Hawthorne trying to barge in, blocked by two officers.

"The kidnapped Tanya Sinclair is my ex-wife! The biological mother of my two children! Let me in!" Vincent struggled with all his might and, spotting Officer Crawford approaching, reached out desperately as though seeing a lifeline, "Officer Crawford!"

Officer Crawford waved his hand, signaling the two officers to let him go.

Vincent straightened his disheveled clothes and rushed to Officer Crawford, urgently asking, "Officer Crawford, how is Tanya? And Old Ninth King..."

Vincent didn’t finish his sentence when he caught sight of Old Ninth King’s corpse, his face turned pale, and he ran off to the side to throw up.

After retching, he seemed to realize something, trembling violently. He turned his ashen face, staring fixedly at Officer Crawford.

"Officer Crawford, is Tanya... is she dead?"

Just asking this made Vincent feel like a corner of his heart, one he had never paid attention to before, had been emptied.

Officer Crawford, however, looked at him with a strange expression, "Mr. Hawthorne, do you really care? If you cared about Ms. Sinclair, it wouldn’t have come to divorce. Why did Old Ninth King specifically seek revenge on Tanya Sinclair? Where does the root of it lie? Have you forgotten too?! Let me remind you!"

Officer Crawford grew angrier, feeling indignant on behalf of Tanya Sinclair.

He dragged Vincent to the edge of the cave entrance.

"Six years ago, it was right here! Tanya Sinclair rushed in alone to save you... No one knew what she went through. When we found her, she was covered in blood, trembling with shock. She was still calling out your name, begging us to save you first! And you?"

"Do you even know that after what happened six years ago, Tanya Sinclair had to secretly see a psychologist?" Officer Crawford spoke coldly.

And Vincent Hawthorne had even forgotten about Old Ninth King!

As a man, he really looked down on Vincent Hawthorne!

Vincent stood there, pale-faced, without a word of rebuttal.

He had nothing to argue back with; he had become too accustomed to Tanya Sinclair’s sacrifices, taking everything she did as a matter of course, neglecting her...

Officer Crawford took a deep breath, speaking coldly, "Mr. Hawthorne, you are no longer related to Tanya Sinclair. Please leave immediately and do not interfere with the police investigation!"

"Officer Crawford." Vincent grasped Officer Crawford’s arm, speaking hoarsely, pleading, "No matter if Tanya is alive or dead, as soon as there’s news, please, let me know first."

"Tanya... hasn’t had any family to rely on for a long time." Vincent tasted bitterness in his throat, "I am the biological father of her children, so I guess that makes me half a family..."

Officer Crawford watched in silence as Vincent walked away in desolation, shaking his head lightly, feeling that this man was both contemptible and pitiable.

After Vincent left, colleagues inspecting the crashed vehicle at the foot of the mountain also sent a report.

"Officer Crawford, there’s no one in the car! No injured person found nearby! It’s now assumed that the occupants had already jumped from the vehicle before it crashed."

Hearing this, Officer Crawford breathed a sigh of relief, pressing his aching temples and exhaling heavily.

No bodies, that was the best result!

"There is a turbulent stretch of the moat downstream, with two branches. The Pierce Family’s rescue team and helicopters have been deployed, searching along the river!"

When it came to resources, The Pierce Family indeed had deeper pockets than they did.

Officer Crawford instructed, "Cooperate fully!"

Vincent Hawthorne drove down the mountain in a daze, reaching the mountain’s road entrance.

By the roadside, a van was parked, and an old woman was scolding a little girl.

"Stop causing trouble! Remember, you didn’t see anything, and you’re not to say a word, understood?!"

Suddenly, that quiet little girl saw Vincent Hawthorne’s car and ran directly over, shouting loudly, "Uncle Hawthorne!"

Vincent quickly turned the steering wheel to avoid the girl rushing at him.

In shock, the girl had already reached his car window, pounding on it as if she had something to say.

Vincent also recognized her; the girl outside was Joy’s classmate.

He rolled down the window.

Abby shouted anxiously, "Uncle Hawthorne, I saw... it was Joy and her fake mom, they tricked Aunt Sinclair... mmm mmm!"

Before Abby could finish, the old woman rushed over and covered her mouth.

"Don’t listen to her nonsense, she didn’t see anything!"

Vincent’s head buzzed, and he found it hard to process everything at once.

Abby was already being dragged into the van by the old lady, and inside sat a man who glanced coldly at Vincent before driving away.

The little girl said it was Joy and Cindy Lynn, they tricked Tanya Sinclair, tricked her into facing Old Ninth King?!

"..."

Vincent’s breathing was rapid, and he punched the steering wheel hard, his knuckles bloody, the sharp blaring of the horn echoing, leaving him momentarily deafened.

When Vincent tried to chase after the van again, it was nowhere in sight.

He drove home, calling Officer Crawford on the way to confirm about the little girl named Abby.

Officer Crawford: "... The little girl was lucky; she and Tanya Sinclair were captured by Old Ninth King, but she escaped before the explosion. We questioned her, but she didn’t say anything, probably too scared. She’s just a five- or six-year-old, so we couldn’t get much from her and let her parents take her home for comfort."

"I understand, thank you, Officer Crawford. Please inform me immediately if there’s any news about Tanya, I’ll keep my phone on 24/7."

Vincent hung up the phone, his reflection in the rearview mirror showing a dark, grim face.

Upon entering the house, Vincent found Caden sitting in the living room with Aunt Tawny accompanying him.

"Caden..." Vincent called out, realizing his voice was extremely hoarse.

Caden immediately jumped off the sofa, ran forward, and anxiously asked, "Dad, where’s Mom? Where did she go? When is she coming back?"

Vincent patted his son’s head, his voice raspy, "Mom will be alright, she’ll be back in a couple of days."

"Really?" Caden’s eyes were red, clearly having cried secretly in worry, "Dad, you promise."

"Yes, I promise."

Caden tugged at Vincent’s sleeve, pleading miserably, "Dad, I want to wait at Mom’s house, so I can see her the moment she gets back."

Vincent did not object, gently agreeing, "Okay, do you have the key?"

"It’s a combination lock; Mom told me the code."

"Alright, then let Aunt Tawny go with you." Vincent looked at Aunt Tawny, "Aunt Tawny, please take good care of Caden."

"Of course, Mr. Hawthorne."

"Aunt Tawny, where’s Joy?" Vincent stopped Aunt Tawny as she was about to leave, asking in a hoarse voice.

Aunt Tawny glanced upstairs, her tone considerably cooler, "Ms. Lynn is with her, they stayed in the room the moment they got back, haven’t come out."

Once Aunt Tawny left with Caden, Vincent headed upstairs alone.

As he reached the top of the staircase, Cindy Lynn emerged from Joy’s bedroom and seeing Vincent’s haggard appearance, she immediately approached, her eyes full of worry.

"Vincent..."

Vincent, however, said nothing, dragged her directly into the study, and threw her inside, slamming the door shut!

"Vincent, what are you... Ah!"

Before Cindy Lynn could finish speaking, Vincent slapped her hard, knocking her to the ground!

"Vincent!" Cindy Lynn covered her face, filled with disbelief.

Vincent’s eyes were bloodshot, and in a rage, he grabbed her by the collar, dragging her up.

Clenching his teeth, he angrily questioned, "Cindy Lynn, how much viciousness have you hidden from me and used against Tanya Sinclair?!"