Chapter 1597
For one thing, Faye and Belinda weren’t long-time acquaintances, let alone friends. And while the others had indeed paired up, Faye was alone. Their friends might have no reason to harm Belinda, but what about Faye? She had repeatedly complained about how Lucas showed favoritism toward Belinda and kept whining about how his attitude toward her had changed since Belinda became his girlfriend.
Could it be…
The more Lucas pondered this possibility, the graver his mood became. But soon, he dismissed the thought.
Faye was Lucas’ niece. He had been a constant presence throughout her childhood, a guardian figure she could always count on. Deep down, Lucas couldn’t believe she was capable of something so malicious.
He felt he shouldn’t harbor such cruel thoughts about his own family.
Lost in a maze of conflicting emotions, Lucas remained silent, his gaze distant and clouded. Belinda, watching him closely, sensed the storm behind his eyes.
“What is it, Lucas?” she asked gently.
Her voice pulled him back to the present. He turned toward her, his tone low but steady.
“My team has already investigated everyone who went out that night to search for Faye,” he began. “But…”
He paused. “They didn’t find anything suspicious. We combed through everyone’s personal and family bank accounts—no unexplained deposits. Their call and message histories were also clean.”
Lucas took a deep breath, the weight of uncertainty pressing heavily on his shoulders.
“However, there’s a catch. Mount Tuky doesn’t have complete surveillance coverage. There’s one blind spot—a secluded path that leads directly from outside to the back of the mountain.”
Belinda blinked. “Are you suggesting someone from outside might have used that trail to enter Mount Tuky that night?”
“We can’t rule it out,” Lucas replied grimly. “But here’s the real issue—who could it be? I even had Kylee investigated. My people traced her movements over the last several days, combed through her calls, and checked her financial records—everything’s squeaky clean.”
He exhaled in frustration.
“Right now, the investigation is stuck. All we can do is keep digging, watch everyone involved closely, and hope something comes up.”
Belinda nodded slowly. “Alright.”
Lucas looked at her, guilt evident in his eyes.
“Belinda, I’m sorry. This is all my fault. I failed to protect you. Now, I can’t even find the person responsible.”
Belinda’s heart ached seeing him like this.
She reached out, threading her fingers through his and gently squeezing his hand. “Lucas,” she said softly, “don’t say that. None of this is your fault. No one could have seen it coming. Stop blaming yourself for this.”
Her voice was a balm to his raw frustration as she looked at him. “Whoever did this probably planned it for a long time. That’s why they’ve covered their tracks so well. It’s not surprising that nothing has turned up yet.”