Chapter 10
When Balfour arrived, Cynthia’s Uncle Brown was already pinned to the ground by his men.”
Balfour’s eyes were cold and sharp. He strode over, then drove his boot hard into Uncle Brown’s face.
Cynthia watched as her uncle cried out in pain, and tears streamed down her cheeks. She darted straight into Balfour’s arms, her whole body trembling.
“Balfour, Uncle Brown said Miss Simpson sent him! He said she promised him five million dollars. Balfour, she doesn’t have to like me, but how could she do something so cruel?”
“I know I’m not from some fancy family. She’s a heiress, I’m just a nobody–a worthless orphan–but I’m still a person!”
She sobbed so hard that she nearly fainted, giving Balfour no chance to speak.”
Her words ignited something in him. His eyes burned as he glared down at the man on the floor./
“Say it clearly–was it Lynne who paid you off?“D
Uncle Brown, terrified by Balfour’s fury, nodded shakily. “Y–yes… Miss Simpson told me to do it!”
Before he could finish, there was a sharp crack–Balfour had smashed the glass tumbler on the table, veins pulsing in his forehead.
With a single glance, he signaled his assistant to drag Uncle Brown away.”
He was so consumed by rage that he didn’t even notice the desperate glances Cynthia exchanged with the man on the floor.”
After calming Cynthia as best he could, Balfour’s face remained grim as he dialed Lynne’s number again.”
This time, her phone was turned off.”
His lips pressed into a thin line. Balfour recalled his mother’s earlier call and instinctively assumed Lynne was hiding at Tobin Mansion.
He grabbed his car keys and stormed out toward the old estate, Cynthia’s words still echoing in his mind.”
When his mother first brought him to the Tobin family, everyone in that house had hated the new stepson. Outside the family, people sneered that he’d only made it this far because of his mother’s marriage. They mocked him, bullied him, beat him down at every turn, but his mother always urged him to endure.
After all, his stepfather couldn’t have children, and one day, the whole Tobin estate would belong to just the two of them.
By the time Balfour arrived at the mansion, his mother had just hung up a call with Lynne’s mother overseas.”
Lynne’s mother’s message was clear: there was no need to keep searching.}
Still mourning Lynne’s disappearance, Balfour’s mother barely had time to react before he stormed up to her, fury etched on his face.”
“What are you doing here all of a sudden? Have you eaten?” she asked, trying to intercept him.”
But Balfour brushed her aside, cold and impatient.”
‘Where’s Lynne? I know she’s hiding here. Tell her to get out here right now!“}
Seeing his mother’s stunned, speechless expression, Balfour lost all patience. He pushed past her and marched straight upstairs to his old room, shouting Lynne’s name as he went.”
“Lynne! Lynne!*%
He flung open his bedroom door, but the room was spotless–too tidy, as if no one had stayed there at all.
His mother hurried up behind him. He spun around, eyes wild.?
“Where is she? Where are you hiding her?”
Seeing the fire in his eyes, her voice shook.
“Balfour, Lynne… Lynne is dead.“%
“What?!“I
The world seemed to explode inside Balfour’s head. For a moment, he stood frozen, then let out a bitter laugh.?
*Lynne paid someone to hurt Cynthia–you expect me to believe she’d just die? Mom, how much did she give you to cover for her?*%
“Enough. Where is she? Bring her out here to apologize to Cynthia! This time, I won’t let her off easy!‘s
His mother’s brow furrowed. She laid a trembling hand on his arm
“Balfour, no one’s paid me a thing. Lynne’s plane went down in the ocean. They found the wreckage–no survivors.”
Lynne…. she’s really gone.“%
