Ch. 621..630
Spoiled by Mr. Russell Chapter 621
‘Scented candles?‘ Lily was slightly attentive, but at the same time, she understood that Henry meant there was a problem with the scented candles.
“I made it for Grandpa. He had insomnia and wasn’t sleeping well, so I prepared the scented. candles to relieve his mind. What’s wrong with them?” She asked calmly.
“What’s wrong? How dare you ask?” Henry sneered. “Relieve his mind, my *ss! Your candle sent your grandfather to eternal rest instead!”
“You mean, there was a problem with the scented candles?” Rather than beating around the bush, she chose to be straightforward. She got straight to the point instead of admitting some trumped–up charges.
“Wouldn’t you know if there was a problem with the scented candles?” Henry’s words were full of sarcasm.
Lily looked over. None of the elders said anything. She understood that these people either acquiesced to Henry’s statement and felt there was indeed a problem with her scented candles. which caused Wilfred’s death, or they did not agree with anyone and remained neutral while watching the drama. No elder could say something free from favor toward either side.
However, most importantly, Justin did not speak either. He knelt in front of the memorial. silently while his indifferent expression showed that everything that happened had nothing to do with him.
This battle was ultimately up to Lily only.
“That’s right. The scented candles have no issues, at least when I made them. I still remember. As for the part where it was out of my hands, I have no idea,” Lily responded with a sneer.
Not to mention whether the problem lay in the scented candles. Even if there was a problem. with them, it did not mean it must be Lily.
Many people went in and out of the Lodge family residents every day. Some people serving her grandfather might have snuck in to do it. No one could predict that it was not a problem.
Still, the family did not accept her words.
“Hmph, you’re eloquent and good at shirking!” After a pause, Henry continued, “That’s right, someone has been taking care of your grandfather. Roger has served in the Lodge family for many years as one of the elders. He has been in this family longer than you have. Are you saying Roger put the poison in?”
“Oh, by the way, I heard Justin took the scented candles from you. Isn’t that right? Or you. mean, it’s not you or Roger, but…”
Henry turned and looked at Justin kneeling. A cold smile appeared on the corners of his lips. He did not say anything, but everyone knew what he meant.
Lily froze. At this moment, she suddenly understood why Justin was silent and why Henry accused her of this act.
If she refused to admit it, the suspect would fall on Mr. Roger or Justin, which meant Justin. could not absolve of his responsibility in this issue. Still, it was ridiculous.
Spoiled by Mr. Russell Chapter 622
“Hehe…” she chuckled.
The abrupt laughter startled everyone in the room, as doing so was unseemly amid the solemness of the mourning hall. It gave the impression that Lily did not take the deceased or the elders seriously.
As the eldest, Jonathan darkened his face and said solemnly, “Lily! Don’t be so rude in front of your grandfather’s casket! How dare you laugh? How do you honor your grandfather who raised you?!”
“Granduncle Jonathan, how could I not laugh at this ridiculous soap opera at my grandfather’s memorial? If Grandpa is in heaven right now, he’ll have a good laugh at this. Don’t
you think so? He just passed away, and some people can’t wait to make waves.”
Henry glared at her. “Who do you think is making waves?”
“I’m sure the one that’s making waves knows best!” Lily turned the tables on him by boldly staring into his eyes and slowly approaching him. “Uncle Henry! While I call you uncle out of respect for your age and experience, I advise you to be honest.”
“Everyone here knows how many years you’ve been kicked out of the Lodge family by Grandpa, and no one mentions it for the sake of your reputation. Do you think we don’t remember? It’s reasonable for you to come home for Grandpa’s funeral and nobody objects to it. However, if you use this to make waves, I’m sorry, but please get out of the Lodge family!”
She admonished him harshly and pointed at the door with one finger.
Henry’s eyes widened as he took in the formidable young woman who stood before him, her height barely reaching his shoulders as she attempted to command him.
Henry stumbled backward before he regained his senses and stood firm. “What a joke! My surname is Lodge which makes me a true blue Lodge. You’re just an outsider with the surname. Christian. What right do you have to tell me to leave? Lily, when your grandfather was alive, he thought you were a young and helpless orphan. That’s why he raised you in the Lodge family, but don’t forget. You’ll never be a Lodge!”
“What year is it, Uncle Henry, if you’re still here discussing family surnames? In this reality, surnames have no bearing on the closeness of a relationship. It’s hard to predict human behavior!” Lily glanced at Justin and smiled. “You said that I poisoned the scented candle. Sure, where’s the evidence?”
Reaching out to Henry, she said, “In a law–abiding society, everything requires proof. If you think something was wrong with the scented candle, please show me the lab
report that says I’d poisoned it. Show me the evidence, too. Even with murder and arson, there would be at motive. Why would I do this to myself?”
Did he want to convict her with baseless allegations?
“I knew you’d say that!” Henry was not at a loss for words in response to her probing, but looked as though she had fallen into his trap.
With two claps of his hand, someone came up to present him with what looked like a document. Many copies were also given out to the elders at the same time.
Henry shook the document in his hand. “Did you think I’d stand here and lecture you without evidence? I’m your elder. Won’t I know how to be convincing when I do things? Keep your eyes open and take a good look at this!”
Slam!
The piece of document was slammed down. Lily reached out for it and then looked down. It was the lab results. Henry also got the scented candles for examination. He was fast as he came. prepared!
Although there were a lot of technical terminologies, she could quickly grasp the findings with just a few glances. To sum up, there was a lethal toxin in the scented candle. Long–term exposure to even a tiny amount through inhalation was fatal.
“Elders, you’re all aware that my father wasn’t in good health recently. Although I was abroad, I was concerned about the Lodge family and searched for a capable doctor to treat my father. I didn’t expect it to be a step late,” Henry said to the crowd.
His face was pained as he continued, “If my father died of an illness without a cure, then I have nothing to say. I’d just hate myself for not being able to see him one last time. However, if my father was murdered, I’ll never forgive the culprit! No matter who that person is!”
Spoiled by Mr. Russell Chapter 623
“Well said! If there’s another reason for my grandfather’s death, I’ll investigate the truth! So… “Lily looked around. “Let’s report it to the police!”
She pulled out her mobile phone as she spoke, “Since we all have different opinions, we might as well hand this matter over to the police. It’s the fairest thing to do to get justice. When the investigation is cleared, Grandpa can rest in
peace.”
However, her arm was held against her before she could dial the number. Jonathan frowned and said solemnly, “You can’t call the police!”
“That’s right. You can’t call the police.” The elders surrounding them all spoke up. Surprisingly, they all decided against contacting the police.
“The Lodge family is a plutocratic family with a century–old foundation. It would be a shame. for our family if something like this were to spread, regardless of who was responsible. The Lodge family must resolve things internally, and when we identify the guilty party, we’ll give them a fitting punishment. No outsiders shall intervene!”
Jonathan’s words were the voice of most of the elders, and they all nodded in approval. “Granduncle Jonathan! This is a serious issue involving my grandfather’s passing rather than a trivial dispute. If someone intentionally did this to my grandfather, they’d be guilty of murder. How could you settle this within the family?”
The fact that these traditionalists refused to call the police and instead sought to settle the situation personally caught Lily off guard.
“You shouldn’t assume that your education gives you carte blanche to do whatever you like. I assure you that as long as I live, I’ll continue to have a say in the Lodge family. It isn’t your place to give me a lecture. We’ll investigate the cause of your grandfather’s death.
Nonetheless, you’re no longer a member of the Lodge family if you dare to call the police and ruin the hundreds of years of the good name our family has earned. Never come back to this family!”
Jonathan glared at her with his stern words.
Lily glanced over and saw that everyone was silent as they agreed with this statement. She looked at Justin again. He remained mute, seemingly oblivious to the conversation, as if it had nothing to do with him.
“Justin, do you think so too?” Lily could not help saying.
“You and Justin can’t escape the suspicion, and his opinion is not qualified to use as a source. I’m now going to temporarily take charge of the Lodge family while I investigate my father’s death,” Henry adjusted his cufflinks and stated while keeping a straight back.
“Interesting. Justin took over the Lodge family a long time ago. Do you think you can seize his power with just your words?”
“Lily!” Henry scolded, “I still regard you as a member of the Lodge family. You better not be rude!”
She wanted to say more, but a voice scolded, “Enough!”
Everyone looked in the direction of the voice and saw Justin slowly standing up. He straightened his body as his hands were hanging by his side.
He turned his head to look at them. “Lily, stop it.”
“Justin?!” She looked at him in disbelief, as she did not expect him to say this.
“The truth of Grandpa’s death will be revealed. No matter who’s the real murderer, no one can escape the punishment!” He said affirmatively, word by word.
His eyes slowly slid across the crowd, glanced at Lily, and paused.
Finally, Justin’s eyes stopped at Henry and met his eyes. “Uncle Henry, I understand that you don’t want me or Lily to avoid suspicion. Still, you just came back from abroad, so you don‘ know much about the company and family affairs. The company’s affairs are simple. A few vice presidents will take care of it for the time being. As for the family’s affairs…”
“I can take over whether it’s the company or the family. Even a little boy like you can do it, why can’t I?” Henry said disdainfully.
Spoiled by Mr. Russell Chapter 624
Ignoring him, Justin turned to look at Jonathan standing by them, “The Lodge family has a huge family business, and the family affairs are complicated. That makes it no easier than running a company. However, now that the incident happened so suddenly, I suggest temporarily allowing Granduncle Jonathan to take control. This is to provide reassurance to the others and also for the future of the Lodge family.”
“Justin!” Henry shouted angrily, not expecting him to say that.
Jonathan probably did not expect it either. He was stunned for a while and then laughed, ” Well…”
He stopped chuckling for a second, cleared his throat, and said, “Well, I’m getting old and being in charge of the family is tough work. I’m afraid my body can’t bear it.”
“That’s right! Uncle Jonathan is getting old and is in poor health. Are you bringing this purpose to make things difficult for us? It seems you intend to oppose me, Justin,” Henry said mockingly.
up on
“It’s tough work to be the leader of the whole family. The responsibility is particularly heavy, so a reliable person needs to take this seat.” Having said that, Justin placed the family’s seal in Jonathan’s hand, “Granduncle Jonathan, we’re all in your hands now.”
Henry never expected that Justin would hand the seal to Jonathan in front of so many people. Henry was so angry that he wished he could grab it directly from Jonathan.
However, in front of many elders, Henry did not dare declare war.
Instead, he gritted his teeth and said with a smile, “Uncle Jonathan, you’re retired now. You shouldn’t worry about these things anymore. The family has many affairs to settle. Why don’t I temporarily…”
Before Henry’s hand touched the seal, Jonathan pulled his hand away. He raised his
eyes to look at Justin with a much calmer look, “I’m indeed old, but fortunately, I’m not confused. Since the Lodge family is at this critical juncture, I’ll do my best to support it. I hope I can still do something for the family while I’m still alive.”
“Justin, Henry, you can rest assured that this seal is currently in good hands while I’m in charge. After the investigation into the death is clear, I’ll return this seal to whoever it belongs to!” Jonathan’s words were emphasized and said meaningfully.
Instead of saying Justin or Henry, he simply said, “whoever it belongs to.” Everyone had a different perception of that meaning. Even if Henry was reluctant at that moment, he could. only stare coldly but not fight back. Lily noticed as well.
Maybe the whole candle story was just an excuse to fight for power and profit! It did not matter whether the candle was the cause of death or if Lily was the murderer who hurt her grandfather.
What mattered most was that Justin was intrinsically linked to the entire predicament, and could not take over the family’s affairs. Did that mean that Henry came back with the ultimate. goal of seizing power?
“Since Granduncle Jonathan is in charge now, could you give me a direction on how to
investigate the matter of my grandfather?” Lily questioned Jonathan.
The head of the family was not only in power but also had to make decisions. She was curious as to their plan to manipulate the situation.
Spoiled by Mr. Russell Chapter 625
Glancing at Lily, Jonathan cleared his throat and said, “We must thoroughly investigate your grandfather’s death. However, you two insist on your own words, and it is difficult to tell the difference for now, but don’t worry. Since I’ve taken over the family, I will give you a satisfactory answer.”
Sure enough, Lily wanted to get out of the way, sneering, “Granduncle, everyone understands the truth, but there should always be a conclusion. We mustn’t delay Grandpa’s burial. At least. there should be a time limit, right?”
“Why are you so anxious? Are you guilty?” Jonathan said unhappily after giving her a side. glance.
“There’s no point in arguing anymore, and it doesn’t matter whether or not I’m guilty. What matters is the result. I only hope to find out the cause of grandpa’s death.” Lily did not want to take a step back and continued, “The elders are here today. Since Granduncle Jonathan is in charge of the family now, I believe I can convince everyone with actions instead of empty promises. How about three days?”
“Only three?”
“I’m sure everyone will want to know the final result within three days.”
“All right! Three days!” Henry interrupted because Jonathan could speak, “Still, Lily, you can only stay here for these three days and nowhere else to prevent someone from taking the opportunity to escape. All Lodge family members cannot leave Sapphine within the next three days.”
“Justin, what do you think?” After speaking, he looked at Justin slightly provocatively.
Justin nodded expressionlessly, “I have no opinions on this.”
They had settled the matter for the time being. Lily took a deep look at her grandfather’s posthumous photo. No matter what happened, she would seek justice for her grandfather.
The older adults dispersed. Lily quickly stood in Justin’s way, “Justin, you…”
“Didn’t I tell you not to come back?” After interrupting her words, Justin sighed softly, ” Forget it. You can stay for a while. You must be tired coming all the way here. Take a good rest
Hearing his words meant a lot. She looked sideways and noticed everyone in the family was busy. Even so, they perked up their ears.
“Okay, let me know if you need me,” she went out after saying that.
Alexander sat in the living room drinking tea, looking calm and composed, without any anxiety.
While walking out, it seemed as if Lily knew Alexander was sitting there. She raised her eyes and looked over. The two of them looked at each other. At that moment, Lily felt more relaxed, as if her burdens had lightened.
She walked quickly in his direction, “Did they give you a hard time?”
“I’m your husband, which means I’m also part of the family. How would they give me a hard.
time?” Alexander raised his lips and smiled. “Have you paid your respects to your grandfather?
“Yeah,” Lily nodded and continued, “Let’s stay here for the next two days.”
“Okay,” Alexander replied without asking any further.
The property was substantial; even if all the elders lived in the front and rear buildings, there would be enough space for more guests.
Of course, most elders lived in this city, and everyone agreed they could not exit Sapphine. However, they never mentioned not being allowed to go home, so most who lived in the city returned to their respective homes.
Henry stayed in the main building and seemed to calm down after everyone dispersed, but most understood that the dark waves behind the calmness were turbulent.
The disciples of the Lodge family did not practice kickboxing today as they were mourning instead, they stood near a window and looked outside.
The empty courtyard looked extraordinarily deserted. Thinking about how orderly things were in the past, Lily suddenly missed those days when they were training through blood and sweat
“Although the weather is getting warmer, it’s still cold during the morning and evening,” Alexander put a coat on Lily from behind and took her into his arms.
Lily leaned her head back into her husband’s arms and looked at the scenery outside, “I jus feel that some people’s hearts are colder than winter.”
Spoiled by Mr. Russell Chapter 626
Alexander smiled and turned Lily’s body to face him. He gently placed her one hand on his chest and said warmly, “The heart is not always cold but also warm. How could you be so pessimistic, my love?”
His lovely words made Lily blush, and the one hand he held was motionless, sticking to his chest. Lily’s hand felt warm from the heat of his body. “You knew this was a game and accompanied me through it all. Now you’re stuck here with me. I’m sorry,” she sighed in a low voice.
Alexander’s eyes sank, and he leaned down to bite her lips fiercely. It was not a gentle kiss, but a hard bite with his teeth, causing her to gasp in pain. After biting and releasing them, he stared into his wife’s eyes and said, “Remember this as a lesson. I’ll punish you if you ever talk to me like I’m a stranger again.”
Lily was silent. ‘He’s such a domineering yet touching man.‘
She pursed her lips, and they felt numb. Still, the reality is that we’re stuck here, and they won’t give me the answer I want.”
Just now, in the mourning hall, she had already seen through it all. The murderer and the charges were just a conspiracy to seize power from Justin. She could see through it, so Justin. naturally understood as well. What she did not understand was why Justin seemed to let it go.
Since he had been in power in the family for many years, why should he be afraid of a so called elder who suddenly returned out of nowhere?
“If they don’t give you the answer, then we’ll find it ourselves!” Alexander said lightly, and Lily could not hear the slightest worry or anxiety in his voice.
Lily realized how calm Alexander was, as if he had everything under control. He remained calm. and faithful. Lily felt at peace when she was standing next to him.
“Yes! We’ll find out for ourselves!” She nodded, “But I still want to see Justin first.”
“You want to ask him why?” Raising his eyebrows, Alexander immediately guessed what his wife was thinking.
“Yes. Even if Justin has his reasons, I still want to figure out why.”
“Want me to accompany you?” Alexander asked, holding her hand.
“No. There might be spies around. I don’t know if he will tell me, but Henry may come and find you.
“Then I’ll wait for him.” He said disapprovingly. When he saw Lily about to leave, he reached. out to hold her. “Wait a minute.”
“Yes?”
Suddenly, there was a knock on the door outside, and Alexander said, “Come in.”
A maid walked in with a dinner plate, and the scent of food filled the air.
“It’s been a long day, and you’re probably hungry by now. Grab to eat something first,” Alexander took Lily’s hand, sat at the table, and asked the maid to put the things down.
Lily did not feel it at first, but she suddenly felt hungry when Alexander mentioned it.
The maid put down the food and cutleries, backed up, and closed the door. Lily turned her head, noticed that someone had moved her cutleries, and raised her eyebrows. “Aren’t you. afraid that someone might’ve poisoned the food?”
After all, there was a riot of poisoning.
Alexander raised his head and smiled, “If Henry or whoever can solve it with such inferior means, why would there be so much drama?“.
Spoiled by Mr. Russell Chapter 627
Justin’s doors remained open beyond Lily’s expectations. It was as if he was waiting for her. Although Justin did not close the door, Lily glanced inside the room, raised her hand, and knocked on the door twice.
“Come in,” Justin’s voice sounded.
Lily noticed only one dimly lit lamp turned on in the room. Justin was sitting on a chair by the window with a cup of coffee in front of him. It smelled fragrant, but it seemed as if he did not. even take a sip.
“Justin.”
“Sit down,” he said. His eyes remained calm as he glanced at Lily.
Although there was still no expression on his face, Lily thought his eyes looked much better than when they were in the mourning hall.
“You…” After hesitating, she wanted to ask Justin something but needed to figure out where to start.
“Didn’t I tell you not to come back? You’re still so stubborn,” Justin started the conversation. Although he complained, Lily could hear that he was concerned.
“Do you
think I could still escape if I don’t come back?” Lily smiled bitterly in disapproval, and she looked at Justin thoughtfully.
He just sat quietly, staring at the large forest outside the window. He could only see faint shadows at that moment, but his eyes fell in that direction. Justin did not speak, but Lily still had a lot of questions to ask.
She glanced toward the door. Since it remained open, her line of sight was unobstructed, and she could see at a glance if anyone was outside.
In the mourning hall earlier, Justin interrupted her words, obviously not letting her ask more questions. She guessed it was because someone might have been eavesdropping. Since they were here now, there should not be any issues.
“What happened to Henry?” she asked bluntly.
Although he was their uncle, he must still gain respect to be worthy of that title. Otherwise, it was just a name.
Justin did not respond but instead pursed his lips.
“I kept thinking about it. Was it a big scene just to push you off your seat? In the end, was it for power over the Lodge family that you had?”
Justin remained silent, and Lily did not give up. She continued asking questions, “I just don’t understand. Why are you afraid of him? Why did you take the initiative to hand over the Lodge family’s control to someone else?”
“You think I’m afraid of him?” Finally speaking, Justin glanced at her. He shook his head and chuckled. Then he stretched and picked up the coffee cup to take a sip.
“It’s been a few years since you took over the family. Even if he comes back and is an elder, he
can’t simply take it away from you. Also, what happened to grandpa? Was there a problem with the scented candles?”
There was a lab report, but Henry revealed it. Who knew if there was any manipulation?
Still, Lily trusted Justin. After all, they grew up together. Justin seemed indifferent and reserved, but he was cold on the outside and warm on the inside.
For example, he would help her find out about Nathaniel. Justin would even reconcile and repair Lily’s relationship with her grandfather. He even called her not to return.
Slowly putting down the cup, he lowered his eyes and nodded lightly. His movements were gentle, but Lily saw it very clearly. It meant that there was something wrong with the scented candles.
His complexion became solemn. Lily had made the scented candles, and she had absolute confidence that there were no mistakes in the preparation process.
She added some medicinal materials and carefully checked and researched those materials. The materials were beneficial for sleeping and calming one’s nerves, and there were no toxic side effects. She tested them several times, which delayed the whole production.
Spoiled by Mr. Russell Chapter 628
She personally handed the candle to Justin, not thinking that any problems would occur.
“After you brought the candle back, did you light it up yourself, or did you hand it over to the housekeeper?”
Taking a deep look at her as if guessing her thoughts, Justin’s lips moved a little, and he faintly said two words: “Uncle Roger.‘”
Lily was silent.
Roger did not have to explain himself. He was deeply devoted to Wilfred and had spent many years serving by his side. Nobody in the Lodge family would ever question Roger’s allegiance.
In other words, the doubts about the whole situation fell on the three of them. Since Lily and Justin could not argue, Henry and Jonathan saw this as an opportunity to attack them. At that moment, neither their guilt nor their innocence could be established with certainty.
“This is a conspiracy!” Lily’s hand clenched into a fist. How vicious!
It was not just as simple as framing. She wanted to know who tampered with the candle.
“I must find the real murderer who killed my grandfather!”
“Then what?” Justin asked calmly.
“Make him pay the price!”
“If they dared to do this, they would’ve already cleaned all the evidence,” Standing up, Justin took two steps forward and pointed out the door.
He was pointing in the direction of the corridor, “You know, the Lodge family has never had the habit of installing security cameras. Even if they did it outside grandpa’s room, as long as they weren’t caught red–handed, there wouldn’t be any evidence.”
Looking in the direction he pointed, Lily frowned slightly.
Justin was right. This was a window of opportunity for the culprit, and they took advantage of it. The most critical fact was that the culprit got the jump on them, and they were caught off guard as a result. They would have found some clues if that were not the case.
“I remember something called trace science. I believe that there will be evidence as long as something has been committed. I’ll find my grandfather’s real murderer!”
Justin retracted his hand and turned to face her, “Although there’s no conclusive evidence at the moment, it’s not so hard to guess who that person is, right?”
Those words cut like a knife through her soul. She insisted that locating the actual murderer was her priority, but did she have any clue as to who might be responsible?
Henry returned unexpectedly and invited many elders to participate in the discussion. The elders did not speak out against Justin openly, but their bias was clear, and they could remove power from him. The coincidence was more like a hoax.
However…
From the bottom of her heart, Lily did not want this to be the case. Still, considering they were
on the opposite side of the boat from Henry, they must not underestimate his capabilities.
Henry got expelled from the Lodge family at an early age. Even if she did not care for him, he was still her uncle and a Lodge. Was he the one behind this murder, just to gain power over the family?
Lily did not want to believe it.
After a pause, she asked in a very soft voice, “Are you afraid of chaos in the Lodge family? Was that why you took the initiative to hand over your power so quickly?”
If Justin continued holding on to power, a rift would form between the new group of people who backed him and the elders who supported Henry. As a result, the Lodge household would be in disarray, and the damage at that point would be immeasurable
She personally handed the candle to Justin, not thinking that any problems would occur.
“After you brought the candle back, did you light it up yourself, or did you hand it over to the housekeeper?”
Taking a deep look at her as if guessing her thoughts, Justin’s lips moved a little, and he faintly said two words: “Uncle Roger.‘”
Lily was silent.
Roger did not have to explain himself. He was deeply devoted to Wilfred and had spent many years serving by his side. Nobody in the Lodge family would ever question Roger’s allegiance.
In other words, the doubts about the whole situation fell on the three of them. Since Lily and Justin could not argue, Henry and Jonathan saw this as an opportunity to attack them. At that moment, neither their guilt nor their innocence could be established with certainty.
“This is a conspiracy!” Lily’s hand clenched into a fist. How vicious!
It was not just as simple as framing. She wanted to know who tampered with the candle.
“I must find the real murderer who killed my grandfather!”
“Then what?” Justin asked calmly.
“Make him pay the price!”
“If they dared to do this, they would’ve already cleaned all the evidence,” Standing up, Justin took two steps forward and pointed out the door.
He was pointing in the direction of the corridor, “You know, the Lodge family has never had the habit of installing security cameras. Even if they did it outside grandpa’s room, as long as they weren’t caught red–handed, there wouldn’t be any evidence.”
Looking in the direction he pointed, Lily frowned slightly.
Justin was right. This was a window of opportunity for the culprit, and they took advantage of it. The most critical fact was that the culprit got the jump on them, and they were caught off guard as a result. They would have found some clues if that were not the case.
“I remember something called trace science. I believe that there will be evidence as long as something has been committed. I’ll find my grandfather’s real murderer!”
Justin retracted his hand and turned to face her, “Although there’s no conclusive evidence at the moment, it’s not so hard to guess who that person is, right?”
Those words cut like a knife through her soul. She insisted that locating the actual murderer was her priority, but did she have any clue as to who might be responsible?
Henry returned unexpectedly and invited many elders to participate in the discussion. The elders did not speak out against Justin openly, but their bias was clear, and they could remove power from him. The coincidence was more like a hoax.
However…
From the bottom of her heart, Lily did not want this to be the case. Still, considering they were
on the opposite side of the boat from Henry, they must not underestimate his capabilities.
Henry got expelled from the Lodge family at an early age. Even if she did not care for him, he was still her uncle and a Lodge. Was he the one behind this murder, just to gain power over the family?
Lily did not want to believe it.
After a pause, she asked in a very soft voice, “Are you afraid of chaos in the Lodge family? Was that why you took the initiative to hand over your power so quickly?”
If Justin continued holding on to power, a rift would form between the new group of people who backed him and the elders who supported Henry. As a result, the Lodge household would be in disarray, and the damage at that point would be immeasurable.
Spoiled by Mr. Russell Chapter 629
Justin’s answer was not necessary anymore, as his attitude spoke volumes. Lily got back to her room and noticed that Alexander was not there. She had no idea where he had gone, had assured her, they were on the Lodge family’s grounds, which were perilous at times but but as he mostly safe. Therefore, she should not worry about him.
She had to handle some things urgently, so Lily took out her phone and called Olivia, “Liv, there’s a small candle stick in the safe inside my lab. Could you please send it to the FDA for lab testing?”
“Why?” Olivia had not seen Lily in days. She was overjoyed to hear from Lily, but before Olivia could ask how she was doing, Lily made an unexpected request.
“I need it urgently. Please help me,” Lily added, “Don’t tell anyone about this. You need to do personally, and when you have the results, take a photo of it and keep the report safe with
this
you.”
“Okay,” Olivia promised though she was still slightly confused.
As a perfumer, they were trained to identify different types of raw materials used in scents, and there was no need for a third party to be involved. However, if this was what Lily instructed, it could only mean something was wrong with the candle.
From Lily’s tone, this issue seemed urgent, so Olivia did not question it any further. Instead, she asked, “Are you still in Kingsland?”
“Nope, I went back to the Lodge family home,” Lily explained.
“Oh, then… are you with Mr. Russell?” Olivia asked.
“Yeah,” Lily replied and asked, “How are you doing over there? Did we receive any new projects while I was away?
“It’s fine back here. We’ve only received some regular orders. They were quite easy to handle, so I’m feeling a bit bored now. When are you coming back? I’m still waiting for you to be back. so we can start creating new products,” Olivia commented half–jokingly.
A perfumer’s responsibility was to continuously develop and invent new product formulas. The most fulling and empowering part of the job was through studying and infusing new materials with others to develop new combinations for perfumes.
Olivia had started trying to create her own product, but it took a lot of work. It was again. proven that one needed to be gifted in this field to invent something amazing. No matter how. hard she tried, the perfumes she could come up with were always lacking compared to those. high–end branded ones. On the other hand, Lily could always make them better when she added components to the ones Olivia had made.
“Yeah,” Lily was unsure how long she had to stay. Even though they had agreed on three days, that was just a date given to Jonathan to prevent him from creating a scene. Furthermore, she wanted to get to the bottom of her grandfather’s sudden death.
Olivia had been with Lily long enough to tell that she was not her usual self, “Are you sure you’re alright? Does this have to do with the incident in Kingsland? You shouldn’t be disheartened. Joining the Perfumers‘ Society is not an easy task. Aside from being talented,
you need to have certain experiences as well. It doesn’t matter whether we can join or not. Let’s just concentrate on making better products and earning international recognition. That’ll show them!”
“Why’d you return to your family house right after coming back from Kingsland? Was it to visit your grandfather?”
Olivia thought Lily was unhappy because she failed to join the Perfumers‘ Society. She was in the dark about what happened to Lily in Kingsland and was trying to make Lily feel better.
However, Lily realized that Olivia had not heard about her grandfather’s passing from how she talked. That was strange. Does this mean that no one knew about it? Was her grandfather’s passing not made public yet?
“Something happened at home,” she paused before speaking solemnly, “My grandfather had just passed away.”
“Your grandfather passed away?!” Olivia’s yell was so loud that people in the room could hear her through the speakers. Lily immediately moved the phone away from her ear, yet she could. still hear Olivia clearly.
“How could this be?! When I last spoke to you, you said he was not sleeping well but was still very energetic, right? Besides… this happened so suddenly!” Olivia paused for a while.
Then, she realized something strange, “Wait, that can’t be! Isn’t your grandfather Mr. Lodge? The news of his passing would definitely be aired on the news, but I’ve not seen or heard anything yet!”
Olivia was an avid fan of gossip news. If Wilfred was dead, it was impossible that she had not heard anything about it.
“Maybe the news hasn’t got out yet,” Lily smacked her lips and added, “Olivia, I need you to be the one to spread this news.”
“Spread what…” Oliva hesitated, then asked, “Why do you need me to spread the word? The Lodge family won’t be releasing this news to the public?”
This should be something the family had to announce to the public, especially when it was about Wilfred, an important figure in the country. News about him would surely be published newspapers, and all the prestigious families in the country would attend his funeral.
Olivia had nothing to do with the Lodge family. Wasn’t it a bit strange for her to be the one to release the news to the public?
“There’s a problem back at home, which is why…I need your help,” Lily clarified as she heard a knock on the door.
She turned to look, and in came Alexander, followed by Edward behind him. Alexander had planned to tell her something but saw that she was talking on the phone, so he refrained. Instead, he turned to Edward and instructed softly, “You can leave now.”
“Yes, Mr. Russell,” Edward replied.
Lily wondered how Olivia could have heard Edward’s voice through the phone when he was not even loud, to begin with, “Lily, I think…I heard Edward’s voice.”
“Yeah, that’s Edward. He’s also here. Why? Do you have something to say to him?” Lily said while walking toward Edward.
When Edward heard his name mentioned, he turned back to Lily.
“No, no, I don’t have anything important to say to him,” Olivia quickly denied. However, moments later, she could not help but ask, “Erm… I was just wondering if his cell phone is still not working.”
“His cell phone?” Lily glanced briefly at Edward and then at her own phone. Then, she smiled. and said, “There’s someone curious about your phone, whether it is working or not?”
Lily had intentionally raised her volume so that Olivia could hear her over the phone.
Edward frowned but nodded honestly, “Yes, it’s still not working,” Then, he quickly explained to Alexander, “It happened just yesterday. I’m using the backup cell phone now, but I’ll get it fixed as soon as possible.”
Alexander nodded, “You don’t have to explain yourself to me.” In other words, Alexander thought, ‘I was not the one who asked, so you should be explaining to the one who asked. instead.‘
Lily spoke into the phone, “Did you hear that? His cell phone is still not working properly. Do you have anything else you want to ask, Ms. Olivia Hart?”
Lily intentionally called out Olivia’s full name to tease her. Olivia was flustered and immediately explained, “Hey, I was only asking! Lily, why are you teasing me? Y–You’re so mean!”
Then, Olivia hung up.
When Lily was done teasing Olivia, she immediately handed the phone to Edward, but they heard Olivia hang up before he could answer. Lily and Edward could only look at each other in awkward silence.
“Erm…” she took her phone back and asked Edward, “What’s your backup number? Could you tell me?”