"My legs are attached to me. Whether I stay or go doesn't seem to have anything to do with Mr. Grant!" Seraphina Sterling stated nonchalantly, as if Terrence Grant was no different from anyone else in her eyes. When it came to acting, Terrence Grant might be a master, but she, Seraphina Sterling, was no pushover.
"It has everything to do with me! *I* just helped you, and you won't even say thank you?" With his long legs, Terrence Grant caught up to Seraphina Sterling in just a few strides.
"Thank you?" Seraphina Sterling lifted her delicate chin to meet Terrence Grant's arrogant, dark eyes. Her soft voice rose slightly, laced with a hint of amusement. "I don't recall asking for your help, Mr. Grant." 'In other words, you were just being nosy!'
A serious glint appeared in Terrence Grant's dark eyes. 'There really aren't many people who dare to defy me.' The smile on his lips grew more devilish. "The process isn't important. The result is that *I* got rid of that Xu fellow for you and solved your problem. Don't I deserve a thank you?"
"Thank you for your help, Mr. Grant." Seraphina Sterling had no desire to get tangled up with him any further. She turned to leave as soon as she spoke; she had important things to do.
But to her surprise, Terrence Grant followed closely and once again blocked her path. "If you're going to thank *me*, you'll need to show some real action."
'I've really fallen into his trap. So this is what he was waiting for! I schemed against him twice, and now it's my turn to be the one getting schemed against!' Seraphina Sterling could now confirm that this arrogant, conceited Mr. Grant was indeed the same cunning and treacherous young master of the Grant Family from her past life—the kind who would ruin you without batting an eye.
It turned out that when Terrence Grant failed to get the information from her, he had targeted Cheney instead. But Cheney was a tough nut to crack and refused to reveal the source. Terrence Grant's methods were nothing to scoff at, and in the end, Cheney had stated his one condition: he would only talk if he could see Seraphina Sterling. That was why Terrence Grant had sought her out.
Entering the courtyard again, Seraphina Sterling was once more struck by the decor. The rockeries, stone bridges, and lush, blooming flowers gave one the feeling of having traveled back in time. The Grant Family's wealth and influence were truly something else. They lived up to their reputation as one of Aethelgard's most famous financial groups.
The basement was grim and sinister. The damp air was thick with the heavy stench of blood. Cheney was bound in iron chains, his body covered in bloody marks, with not an inch of skin left unscathed.
Terrence Grant secretly watched Seraphina Sterling's expression. Even a grown man would be terrified by such a bloody scene. Even someone with the strongest fortitude would feel uncomfortable or ill at ease. Yet, Seraphina Sterling didn't show the slightest change in expression. Terrence Grant found himself growing even more curious about her.
"The person you wanted is here. Now you can talk. Where exactly did you hear that a resort was going to be built here?" Hughes acted as Terrence Grant's spokesman.
Cheney glared viciously at Seraphina Sterling. "So everything you said that day was a lie! You have no connection to these people whatsoever? You just did it to make me give you the house!"
Seraphina Sterling shrugged, looking completely unfazed. "Everything I said was the truth. I recall my exact words were: 'There's a very mysterious courtyard at the east end of town, home to a big shot that not even the mayor dares to offend.' I never said I had any connection to them. You're the one who assumed that. Besides, I even kindly warned you that you can't afford to provoke the person living here. Why were you so unwilling to take my advice?"
Cheney was so furious he could have coughed up blood. 'That wasn't a warning, it was a hint! She was clearly implying she had a connection to the people here!' If he hadn't been intimidated by them, why on earth would he have given up a property in such a prime location to her? In the end, he didn't even get the house, and to top it all off, he'd been captured and brutally interrogated!
Cheney's bloodshot eyes glinted like a viper's. "If Seraphina Sterling has nothing to do with you, and she also knew about the resort, why aren't you asking for her source? Why are you only grilling me?"
Seraphina Sterling smiled faintly and shook her head, looking at Cheney with an expression of regret. "And what makes you so sure they haven't already asked me?"
The color drained from Cheney's face.
Seraphina Sterling knew he'd taken the bait. She continued, "For someone who's supposed to be a big shot in Tollan Town, you're not very bright, are you? I don't understand why you're guarding this source so fiercely. If it's about some gangster code of honor, then you're an absolute fool. How do you know the other party only sold the information to you? If it were you, would you pass up such a golden opportunity to make money?"
"No way! Absolutely not! He only sold the information to me!" Although Cheney's tone was still firm, his resolve was beginning to waver.
"Oh? Is that really so? If that's true, then how did *I* find out?" Seraphina Sterling continued to chip away at his defenses.
Cheney grew more anxious and unsettled. "You're trying to trick me again! You're one of them! If you got the information from him too, why would they still be interrogating me like this?"
"Oh? Getting smarter?" Seraphina's dimples began to show. "But not smart enough. This is the difference between us. We both knew the secret, but I'm standing here perfectly fine while you're imprisoned and beaten to a pulp. Mr. Grant asked me the same question, and I answered honestly, which is why I'm fine. But you... tsk, tsk, tsk..."
Seraphina Sterling shook her head, her expression one of deep regret.
"You think you can fool me that easily? If they already know the source, why do they still need to ask me?" Cheney began to laugh, though it was a bitter laugh fueled by suppressed fury.
"You don't even know that? How in the world did you become a local boss?" Seraphina Sterling gave him a look of utter disdain. "I told them my source, yes. But that was just what *I* said. Who's to say my source and your source are the same? And even if they were, wouldn't Mr. Grant want to cross-reference our stories to confirm the details?"
Silence.
A long silence followed.
Neither of them spoke again. This was a battle of wills.
In the end, Cheney was convinced by Seraphina Sterling. "He was a tourist. Part of the tourist attractions in town are already finished, and he came to visit. I happened to save him at a bar one time. He made the deal with me as a way to thank me."
"What's his name? How did you conduct the transaction?" Hughes immediately followed up.
"Aidan Stallard. He'd leave the information in a specific spot at the bar, and I'd pick it up when I went. After I read the message, I'd leave the money for him."
'A clever method.' No one could catch them in the act, and there'd be no evidence to convict either of them. Terrence Grant's gaze darkened. 'This Seraphina Sterling really has her methods. She made Cheney crack with just a few words.'
"Mr. Grant, I've finished expressing my gratitude. May I leave now?" 'I really don't want to get tangled up in this mess.'
"Of course... you can't." Terrence Grant's smile was endlessly charming, but all Seraphina Sterling wanted to do was slap him.