Betrayed, Yet Bound To The Billionaire by Grace Madeline

Chapter 413 Percival stopped the car , and both he and Odalys stepped out , heading towards the figure standing by the Stewart Villa Why arent you going in ? Percival asked , confusion evident in his voice .

here .

The Stewart Villa wasnt a place just anyone could approach , and certainly not somewhere people could waltz into at will .

But with Lee hen Evander had no reason to keep him out .

Lee quickly crushed his cigarette , standing up straighter as they approached .

No need , Lee said , his voice cautious .

I just have a few things to say , and then ril leave , He didnt get close to anyone especially not to the Stewart family- Even now , standing alongside Percival , Lee kept his distance .

The Stewart family was a powerful conglomerate , with wealth and influence .

It was precisely because of that power that Lee had to be careful , to avoid getting tangled up in any future messes .

Is this about Edie ? Odalys asked , cutting straight to the point .

his face .

Lee froze , a look of disbelief crossing his face .

He stared at Iser , wide eyed , How did you know ? he asked , instinctively swallowing hard It was impossible to hide his shock .

He hadnt said a word , but Odalys had already figured out why he was here .

If she had been an enemy … well , he wouldnt have known what hit him .

Youve got some negative energy about you , and I can sense her presence on you .

She must have warned you , pushed you to be cautious , Odalys said matter of factly .

Lee gave a slight nod , admiration flickering in his eyes as he looked at her .

Thats exactly right .

Her threats were ….

crude , and they made me realize something .

The explosion that happened at my daughters school , that was connected to her .

Lee continued without hesitation , his voice dropping .

The case we investigated with the dozen or so bodies in that villa its connected to the Simpson family .

Percival and Odalys exchanged a glance , surprised to hear their earlier suspicions confirmed .

I wouldnt worry , Percival said quickly , stepping forward .

The Stewart family isnt involved in the Simpson familys business .

And as of now , theyve cut ties with Edie .

What shes doing is her own business , and well handle it .

If it comes to that , you can pursue it as a matter of official duty .

He was eager to distance himself from the Simpson family .

The less association , the better .

Lee seemed to relax slightly , though there was still a trace of surprise in his expression.

He had never feared the conglomerates , but neither did he want to make enemies of them .

With Mr.

Stewarts word , it should make things much easier , Lee said , though he felt a bit of relief .

He had suspected Edie was no longer with the Stewart family , but hearing it confirmed was something else entirely .

Has there been any progress with the case Odalys asked , her voice steady .

She wasnt directly involved with the investigation being an outsider so she hadnt followed up until now .

Lee nodded .

Following what you suggested , weve found all the families of the victims and confirmed the exact times they went missing .

It seems they all received mysterious phone calls just before disappearing something about winning a prize .

And then theres also something to do with loans .

What they all had in common was that their financial situations were a mess .

They were desperate , looking for a way out , and ended up losing their lives in the process .

All of them were single at the time of death cither recently divorced or separated .

There were no romantic entanglements Odalys nodded thoughtfully , her voice soft but firm as she explained .

When people have just gone through a breakup or a divorce , their emotions are unstable .

Theyre Elled with anger , regret , or bitterness .

Its easy to push them into a mindset of revenge .

Those emotions make them ripe for exploitation .

All it takes is a lure a promise of hope- making them think they have a chance to get revenge , to make the other person beg for forgiveness .

In that moment , theyre ready to gamble everything .

The more they want something , the less they realize theyre walking into a trap 11:44 PM I Chapter 413 190 Lees expression darkened as he continued .

T traced the victims and found that before they disappeared , they had been betrayed by their partners -cheated on Theyd witnessed it firsthand , even fought over it .

Their families thought they just went off to clear their heads .

By the time anyone realized something was wrong , it was too late .

They were already missing and dead.

The truth was devastating .

The people who had been used , manipulated , and exploited lost their lives because of someone elses schemes Edie provoked me today , using my daughter as leverage , Lee added , his voice edged with bitterness .

And this case … its classified .

Only a few people knew about it .

Ive been digging through everything , trying to figure it out .

He paused before continuing .

Right now , the Bennett family and the Simpson family are the two biggest suspects , but we dont have solid evidence to connect them .

Im not an expert on magic , but both families turned their fortunes around in the same year and became the elite of Crownridge .

And Hannah and Edie go way back .

After the Stewart familys downfall , both the Bennett and Simpson families have been flourishing .

Lee said .

Tve even had professionals examine the energy field in that villa .

They said it gathers souls and absorbs resentment I dont fully understand all this , Lee said , his tone a little more humble .

Thats why I came here to speak with you , Odalys .

I know youve got the knowledge to shed some light on this for me .

Odalys smiled slightly , her gaze sharp .

She had indeed helped Lee in the past , with the talisman that protected his daughter , and he trusted her expertise .

In fact , she had played a key role in solving a dozen missing person cases , and the police had saved time and effort by involving her .

Now , they needed her help to close the case on the villa Once we identify the killer , we can finally close the case on the villa , Lee said , his expression more focused now , Sometimes , misfortune can be a tool , Odalys said softly , almost as if speaking to herself .

The more misfortune someone carries , the heavier their resentment .

There are people who specialize in gathering that resentment and turning it into their own strength .

When you collect enough of it , it becomes negative energy .

And if you live under that energy long enough , your body weakens , and accidents begin to happen .

People die without even realizing how close they were to the edge Percivals brow furrowed at the mention of negative energy .

His mind immediately flashed to the negative energy surrounding the Bennett Villa .

Was that just a coincidence or was there something deeper at play ? Lee thought Lees eyes lit up , a spark of realization igniting So , all I need to do is look at the people whove been the unluckiest , those whose families have been struck by repeated accidents ! That might give us some clues ? Odalys nodded slowly .

Exactly Lees excitement was palpable now .

A genuine smile spread across his face , one that radiated from the heart .

For the first time in a while , it felt like he was getting closer to something .

That smile even seemed to infect Odalys , and she couldnt help but return it , if only slightly O