Chapter 133 Chapter 133
Grace had no idea how long she had been asleep. When she closed her eyes, it was dark outside. When she opened them again, it was still nighttime. The doctor who had treated her wounds earlier leaned over gently and asked softly, "How are you feeling?"
Grace didn't answer, her gaze drifting elsewhere. The doctor immediately offered, "Mr. Norman is in his study. I'll go get him."
"No need," Grace murmured hoarsely, stopping her. She lay still for a moment longer, then pushed herself up with her hands. With the doctor's help, she slowly sat up. "How long did I sleep?" she asked.
"A full day and night," the doctor replied.
Grace nodded slowly and let a slight smile touch her lips. "It's been so long since I slept this soundly," she murmured to herself. Noticing the strange look in the doctor's eyes,, she offer reassurance. "I'm fine. I'm just feeling a bit hungry. Could you get me something to eat downstairs?"
The doctor got up and went downstairs. A moment later, she returned with easily digestible food. Grace had already gone to the bathroom on her own. Now, she sat on the bed eating slowly, one bite at a time. Her calm and rational reaction actually made the doctor even more uneasy. She didn't dare leave; instead, she sat beside Grace, keeping watch.
Grace noticed her worry, She said, "Don't worry. I'll recover soon. People have to keep going, no matter what happens. I have to live on."
She did as she said. Her mental state remained stable throughout the day. She took her medication and underwent treatment diligently, and she ate and slept well. Only at night, before bed, did she ask the doctor to administer a sedative.
Benjamin never appeared before her again, though the doctor insisted that he remained in the apartment.
For three days, Grace never left the living room, and Benjamin never entered it. They never saw each other.
On the fourth day, the police suddenly arrived at the door. Clarence, the wealthy man, had been shot dead in his home. His body was riddled with multiple gunshot wounds, leaving him in a gruesome state.
Benjamin, who had recently clashed with Clarence, was the prime suspect. Unfortunately, no evidence was found. Neither the crime scene investigation nor the police questioning of Benjamin yielded any results.
When the officers told him about Clarence's death, Benjamin showed no surprise. He calmly stated, "I heard the news the day before yesterday. Seattle isn't that big. Word of Clarence's murder spread quickly. To be honest, I feel relieved. He deserved it."
The two officers exchanged glances. The older officer asked, "Did you harbor hatred toward the deceased?"
Benjamin nodded slowly. "Yes, I did."
"Why?" the officer pressed.
Benjamin arched an eyebrow and smiled faintly. "Shouldn't you already know? Otherwise, why would you be questioning me?"
Another officer interjected, "Could you elaborate on how you came to have a grudge against Clarence?"
“No.” Benjamin replied coolly. "If you intend to question me as a suspect, I require my attorney to be present."
The younger officer was momentarily stumped. Just as he was about to speak again, his partner intervened. The more levelheaded partner paused, then politely inquired, "In that case, may we speak with Ms. Hill to gather her account of events?"
Benjamin's face remained impassive as he refused outright: "No, the doctor said her current state cannot tolerate any further stress."
With such an obvious refusal to cooperate, the two officers had no choice but to leave. Benjamin saw them to the door before turning back. As he looked up, he saw Grace standing at the second-floor railing. It was their first encounter in several days. He paused, then climbed the stairs and asked softly, "Feeling better?"
She nodded and fell silent for a moment before asking, "Did you kill him?"
He curved his lips into a smile. "Yes."
"Hired someone?" she pressed.
He shook his head with a smile. "I did it myself. I emptied two magazines.”
Her expression finally shifted. He stepped in front of her and brushed a strand of hair from her cheek to her ear, murmuring, "Don't worry. I have an alibi. The police can't touch me."
Although the police lacked evidence to arrest him, Clarence's family wouldn't let the matter rest.
Old Norman nearly had a heart attack upon hearing the news. He summoned Benjamin back and berated him, pounding the floor so hard with his cane that it nearly left a dent. "There are a thousand ways to take Clarence's life," he roared. "And you had to pick the dumbest one! You were going to kill him the very next night? Did you want everyone to know it was you?"
Benjamin sat calmly in his chair.
His composure only fueled Old Norman's fury. "For a woman? Is it worth it? If Clarence had killed me, you wouldn't feel this much hatred. You wouldn't be so eager to avenge me, would you?"
Benjamin remained unruffled, even lifting the corner of his mouth in a faint smile. "You don't fit Clarence's tastes. He wouldn't touch you."
Old Norman stared at Benjamin, his cane pointing at him, speechlessly.
After a long pause, he finally caught his breath, slumped back into his chair, and said weakly, "I won't waste my breath reasoning with you, you bastard. I'll just ask this: Clarence's family won't let this go. They'll hunt you down. What are you going to do about it?"
"Keep killing." Benjamin's tone was detached, and a cruel smile played on his lips as he spoke slowly and deliberately. "Once they're all dead, no one will be watching anymore. As for Clarence's friends? Who would risk their own life for someone else's vendetta?"
Old Norman had spent his early years in Mexico and had certainly killed before. Yet, hearing this, he couldn't help but shiver involuntarily. He stared at Benjamin for a long moment, finally letting out a slow sigh. Closing his eyes, he said, "I'm old. I can't manage things anymore. Whether it's the company or down south, it's all your men now. There's no one left who can hold you back. Do as you please."
Benjamin smiled and rose from his chair. "Grandpa, you are indeed advanced in years. Rest assured and enjoy your retirement."
With that, he turned and left.
Within days, Seattle was rocked by two more murders; both victims were Clarence's relatives.
The case was so heinous that the Seattle Police Department established a special task force. No matter how thoroughly they investigated, however, they could not uncover the mastermind behind it. Though Benjamin, the CEO of Norman Science, was a suspect, there was no concrete evidence against him. Furthermore, Clarence had many enemies, and Benjamin was far from the only one with a motive.
Grace saw the news about Clarence's relatives being murdered in the paper. She stared at the newspaper for a long time before finally setting it down. She knocked on Benjamin's study door. He rose to open it, surprised to see her but delighted nonetheless. "Grace?"
Grace made no mention of Clarence. She only murmured softly, "I can't sleep, and I don't want to take sleeping pills again. Could I borrow a book to read?"