Chapter 82 Since You're Here, Come In and Chat
The cold wind howled, and I hunched my shoulders.
The Christmas lights on the tree in the courtyard hadn't been taken down yet, their twinkling glow casting dappled shadows on the stone path.
Lucas watched me approach, flicked his hand, snapped the lighter shut, and said through gritted teeth, "You only came to visit me once!"
Alfred, in the driver's seat, also quietly looked at me with reproachful eyes.
"If you have the energy to act pitiful and trick people, I guess you're really not hurt that badly." Feeling a bit guilty, I changed the subject. "Did you just see Brian?"
"Yes, he," Lucas paused for two seconds, "isn't as annoying as I imagined."
I glared at him.
Lucas snorted lightly. Alfred silently pointed at his watch. Lucas looked at me and said, "I'm leaving for a while, going to Dawnharbor. Leaving tonight."
I responded coolly, "Didn't you used to go every month? No need to make a special trip to tell me."
Lucas was taken aback. "I'm not going to see Amelia. Grandpa wants me to come back to celebrate the New Year."
I couldn't help but look surprised.
In the three years I'd been married to Lucas, he had never once gone back to the Valeri family to celebrate the New Year. Was there something special about this year?
I couldn't help but think of Donald's recent fuss about making Lucas the heir to Grace.
Lucas took a step toward me, and suddenly the distance between us became very close. The scent of his cologne was familiar, mixed with a faint smell of disinfectant and medicine.
"I can't disobey Grandpa's orders." Lucas's tone was low. Clearly, he didn't feel optimistic about what might happen next either.
My heart tightened, but I stubbornly turned my face away. "Then I can have some peace and quiet for a while. I'll take care of Mr. Caldwell. You don't need to worry about it."
Lucas clicked his tongue in dissatisfaction, put the lighter in his pocket, reached out to pinch my chin, and forcibly turned my head back.
"Stay in touch with me. If you don't agree, I'll force a kiss on you."
He made me laugh despite my anger. Lucas leaned down closer, and I quickly grabbed his shoulders and pushed back. "I haven't said whether I agree or not!"
Lucas looked at me regretfully. "Then answer quickly. I'll give you five seconds to think. 5, 4, 3."
"I agree!" I kicked him in frustration.
Lucas took out that familiar rose gold bracelet from his pocket and grabbed my hand to put it on. I suddenly pulled my hand free, used a clever move, and pushed the bracelet onto his wrist instead.
A soft click—the bracelet locked.
Lucas fell silent.
I smiled triumphantly.
To prevent him from pulling that forced kiss trick again, I quickly stepped back two paces and nearly bumped into Cole and Adrian, only then remembering I had two loyal guards.
With them here, I didn't need to worry about being forced into a kiss at all. Lucas was probably just messing with me!
"Isabella, this is my right hand." Lucas expressionlessly tapped the metal bracelet on his right wrist with his left index finger.
"The fingerprint lock is programmed with my right thumb." Lucas paused. "Tell me, how am I supposed to take this off now?"
I blinked innocently. "Smash it?"
"Come here and kiss me as an apology." Lucas put his hands in his pockets and said coldly.
"In your dreams." I waved goodbye to him.
"Then kiss me as a farewell kiss." Lucas changed his approach.
This shameless Lucas!
He seemed like he wouldn't leave without getting a kiss. I reminded him, "Alfred has checked his watch three times in one minute."
Lucas urged me instead, "So hurry up."
I was considering how likely it was that Cole and Adrian could forcibly get Lucas into the car when I heard footsteps behind me.
"Bella."
It was Gale!
I turned around somewhat nervously.
Gale's Maybach was parked in front of the villa next door. He got out of the car with a serious expression, his brow tightly furrowed, his sharp eyes looking at Lucas, silently releasing an oppressive presence.
"Gale." I instinctively called out, my steps moving slightly backward, my hand pushing Lucas behind me, hoping he would leave immediately.
Instead, Lucas grabbed my hand and even interlaced his fingers with mine, holding them tightly.
I was so angry that I stomped hard on his foot.
A footprint immediately appeared on his shiny leather shoe.
"Lucas, please let go of my sister." Gale walked closer step by step.
I forcefully shook off Lucas's hand and jogged to Gale's side, stopping him from walking toward Lucas.
"Gale, you're home so early today!" I took Gale's arm. "Let's go inside."
Gale patted my head but didn't move, his gaze falling on Lucas, his tone icy. "Since you're here, come inside and let's talk."
I looked at Gale in surprise.
Was Gale planning to lure Lucas home and kill him directly?
Lucas nodded slightly. "Pardon the intrusion."
He walked through the gate alone. I suppressed my unease and gripped Gale's arm tightly. "Gale, what's there to talk about with him? I'll send him away right now!"
Gale patted the back of my hand, his voice not loud but enough for both Lucas and me to hear. "Santos is dead."
My eyes widened.
Lucas paused mid-step, his brow furrowing.
We didn't go back to my house but went to Gale's home next door instead.
Gale's villa wasn't lived in very often and felt quite desolate, with decor that had a cold atmosphere. The family crest hung on the wall, gleaming coldly under the wall lamps on either side.
It wasn't until the fireplace was lit that the warm glow of the fire dispelled the chill in the room.
"Sit." Gale pointed to the sofa in the living room, sat down in the main seat himself, then looked at me and patted the spot beside him.
I obediently sat down next to Gale.
Since Gale and Brian had their fight last time, the two still hadn't made up. Gale's demeanor was becoming increasingly aloof, and he seemed more and more imposing.
"I've had people watching Santos the whole time. I haven't received any news of Santos's death yet." Lucas sat across from Gale, his presence matching Gale's.
I felt like I was caught between two magnetic poles of the same charge repelling each other.
"Five minutes ago, half a body was found downstairs at Platinum Haven Hotel." Gale opened his phone. On the screen was his chat history with James, with several bloody photos interspersed with scattered text.
The body was found in a trash can in a very remote corner.
A patrol dog kept barking, so the security team went to check and discovered the body.
I opened one photo. Santos's body only had the upper half remaining, both arms separated from the torso and chopped into four pieces.
His eyes were open, his expression frozen at the moment of death, his lips dark purple—clearly poisoned.
Gale patted my shoulder and said gently, "Don't look, or you'll have nightmares tonight."
He pulled the phone from my hand and handed it to Lucas.
I felt a bit frustrated. I had touched hundreds of bodies before.
But now I had psychological trauma, so Gale protected me carefully like I was something fragile.
Lucas examined the photos carefully and returned the phone to Gale a minute later. At the same time, his phone rang.
After answering, whoever was on the other end said something that made Lucas's expression change slightly.
"The lower half of the body has been found." After hanging up, Lucas said, "In the Northern District, at my dock."