Chapter 97

I broke out in a cold sweat.

All along, I had always thought that Laura was the target of everyone's criticism.

If that were the case, Laura wouldn't have survived until now.

If it were the big shots above who wanted Laura dead, Tony, Tom, Lally, and Tammy would also want Laura dead.

But what if Frank didn't?

I heard from Howard that Frank had been plagued by illness for years, his health had always been poor, and his love life was almost non-existent. I had never heard of any women around him, and he mentioned that his health had always been bad since childhood, and he had only survived until now by relying on money.

Weakness could create sensitivity, and sensitive people often had a more delicate understanding of emotions.

Frank's words were full of hatred for Laura, a hatred that stemmed from previous feelings, showing how deep his feelings for Laura were.

This also meant that Laura was likely the only woman Frank had ever loved, and perhaps he still had feelings for her. Given his health, he might not have much time left. In his final moments, would he want Laura dead?

What if all his anger stemmed from jealousy and love?

What if the side he showed was just a facade, and he was the one who wanted to protect Laura the most?

From here, my suspicion of Frank grew. He had never lived in Sand Village, his health had always been poor, and his current financial situation naturally could keep him alive. But what about when he was a child?

Back then, the organization that trafficked children from the old steel factory disappeared overnight after a big fire, and the children scattered. Some were taken in by orphanages and welfare homes with Ronald's help, some moved into Sand Village and lived with Alan and Tom.

So, what about Frank? Where did Bob, Laura, and Mike go?

What happened during those years, and was there still contact with Alan?

All of this would have to wait until I met Bob to find out.

I glanced at the time; it was half past eight.

Only half an hour had passed, and there was still an hour and a half of travel left.

This time, I had prepared in advance. Last night, I asked Ruben to help check on Bob from the Shadow City theater troupe. He had been going to and from work without any issues recently.

Before leaving this morning, I called Bob's phone number using another phone number, and it was indeed him who answered.

I had to be cautious. Many times, at critical moments, the witnesses suddenly disappeared, causing the investigation to stall.

The sound of the high-speed train continued. The the high-speed train alternated between the tracks and tunnels, the view outside the window flickering, making me drowsy.

I happened to be sitting by the window, with no one around. It wasn't a peak time during the holidays, so it was normal for the high-speed train to have some empty seats.

I opened my phone and saw a message from Howard on Facebook:

[Stay safe. Zoey is already under my control, she can't escape... Try to come back early. Alright, Zoey is causing a fuss. I've realized she's a backstabbing snake, who only listens to you. I wasted my concern for her.]

Then, Zoey sent a message right after:

[Mrs. Smith didn't take me. I guess Mr. Martin complained about me again, saying I caused trouble with him. That's not true. I finished the work he assigned me long ago. I went to hang out with my classmates. When Mrs. Smith comes back, let's go to True Love Entertainment Club together. I want to eat a burger, the one my dad makes.]

I couldn't help but laugh. Zoey and Howard seemed like a pair of bickering father and daughter. Howard was a notable figure in Silverlight City's business world, known for his good relationships and being decisive. Once he made up his mind, he always got things done.

Except for Zoey, Howard was very troubled. When there were others in the company, Zoey would politely call him boss. But once everyone else left, Zoey would swagger into Howard's office, giving him a stern look. Howard would hold his laptop, grumbling with dissatisfaction while sitting across from her, still smiling.

"Thanks for your hard work today. What do you want to eat this afternoon? This chair of mine cost tens of thousands of dollars; it's an ergonomic chair. How about I get you one too? You're young, you can't afford to have a herniated disc. I'm old now. How about this, call me godfather, and I'll hand over the company to you in the future. Not a bad deal, right, Zoey?"

Seeing Zoey's disregard for money, Howard felt like dying. He had no choice. Erica's business was indeed bigger than his, and over the years, Howard's business in Silverlight City had been smooth sailing. His tough stance in front of Tom was partly due to Erica backing him up.

Howard didn't feel guilty, often thinking it was Erica who should feel guilty.

Regardless of how successful Erica was in business, because of their past relationship and the situation with Zoey, she and Ronald could never hold their heads high in front of Howard. Every time Howard called, it was a long lecture.

No matter how domineering Howard was outside, he couldn't say a word in front of Zoey, looking like a helpless father facing his daughter.

I had to admit that there was always someone who could handle you.

Speaking of which, I suddenly remembered Benjamin, whom I hadn't contacted in a long time. He seemed very busy lately, taking a long time to reply to messages.

A few days ago, Cindy called. She was eight months pregnant and mentioned Benjamin's recent situation. He was supposed to come back soon but got caught up in a case and had to wait a bit longer. But he would be back before the baby was born.

Thinking about this, a wave of drowsiness hit me, and I unknowingly fell asleep leaning against the window.

To be precise, it was a half-asleep, half-awake state. I could still hear the sound of the high-speed train and the background music of short videos playing on someone's phone nearby. It was a bit noisy. I frowned but didn't wake up, vaguely hearing someone nearby telling them to lower the volume, saying it was a public space.

After a while, it quieted down around me.

With my eyes closed, I could still feel the light flickering around me. My mind was out of control as if I were speeding through the wilderness with the high-speed train, heading towards an endless destination.

I wanted to wake up but didn't want to open my eyes.

I was torn between dream and reality; waking up felt like jumping out of a plane.

I fought off the natural drowsiness, worried about missing my stop, and opened my eyes, quickly checking the time:

9:50 AM.

I breathed a sigh of relief, glad I hadn't missed my stop.

The lingering drowsiness made me feel a bit disoriented, but there was a cup of coffee right in front of me.

I looked up and saw a girl sitting across from me, wearing a pink hat and sunglasses that covered half her face. She was resting her chin on one hand, gazing out the window at the passing scenery, lost in thought.

She wore a gray wool coat with a green Bohemian-style dress underneath, looking both steady and fashionable.

I sighed, shaking my head repeatedly, and took out my phone to send a message to Howard. After thinking for a moment, I decided against it.

"Zoey, when did you get here?"