Free Web NovelChapter 240: Chapter 243: What’s a Painless Way to Commit Suicide?
"Kyloria is very mountainous. A lot of wealthy people from Aethelburg like to buy private mountain estates there. Six months ago, Willow Quincy acquired a second-hand villa at one of those private estates in Kyloria."
"...A second-hand villa?" Felix Preston narrowed his eyes, feeling something was off about this. "Willow Quincy isn’t short on cash. He could have bought the entire estate. Why would he only buy a single villa?"
Renee Sinclair shook her head. "I don’t know either. I don’t have much information. I could only find out that he bought a villa at the estate six months ago. I don’t know anything else."
"..."
Felix Preston’s brow furrowed tightly as he fell into silent thought.
Renee Sinclair looked at him. "The reason I’m telling you this is because I think the timing and location of Willow Quincy’s villa purchase are very suspicious."
"Willow Quincy has no business interests in Kyloria. Why would he buy a second-hand villa at an estate there for no reason? And to have bought it so suddenly six months ago, of all times."
"The only possibility I can think of is that he was already plotting to kidnap Charlotte six months ago. Six months is just enough time for Charlotte to give birth and finish her postpartum confinement. And the villa could be renovated just in time."
"Where is this villa?" Felix Preston asked.
Renee Sinclair frowned, looking a little troubled. "I only know the villa is in Kyloria, but I’m not sure of the exact location within Kyloria."
"...Not sure again?" The crease between Felix Preston’s brows deepened.
Renee Sinclair gave an embarrassed smile. "...I really don’t know."
Felix Preston studied her with suspicion. "You don’t know anything for sure. So where did you hear about this?"
Renee Sinclair scratched her head. "I... I overheard it from a guy I was on a blind date with."
Felix Preston: "A blind date?"
Renee Sinclair explained, "This morning, my dad made me go meet a blind date. His friend owns an estate in Kyloria, and Willow Quincy bought the villa from that friend."
"Who’s his friend?" Felix Preston suddenly perked up.
Renee Sinclair shook her head again. "He wouldn’t say. Willow Quincy’s people told them to keep it confidential. He was only willing to reveal that one detail before clamming up and refusing to say anything more."
Felix Preston clenched his fists, his voice suddenly taking on a ruthless edge. "He won’t talk... That’s because he isn’t scared enough. Send me his contact details and personal information. I have my ways of making him talk."
"Felix Preston, what are you planning to do?" Renee Sinclair was frightened by the chill in his tone, and a layer of goosebumps rose on her skin.
Felix Preston gave a slight, humorless smile. "Just send me his information. You don’t have to worry about the rest. If anything happens later, I guarantee you won’t be implicated."
"You..." Renee Sinclair suddenly felt a pang of regret for telling Felix Preston about this.
But what was said was said. It seemed there was no use in regretting it now.
"Felix Preston, please don’t do anything reckless." She took out her phone and sent the man’s contact details and personal information to Felix Preston.
Felix Preston didn’t respond to her warning, only saying, "Thanks."
*[Congratulations, Host. You have successfully earned ten Affection Points. Your current Affection Point balance is negative twenty-seven.]*
The system’s notification sound chimed unexpectedly. Renee Sinclair froze for a few seconds, then her eyes lit up.
But a moment later, that light slowly dimmed.
’System,’ she said in her mind, ’didn’t I just earn ten Affection Points?’
*[Yes, you did,]* the mechanical female voice replied.
’I remember my Affection Point balance was negative thirty-two, right? Negative thirty-two plus ten should be negative twenty-two. How is it negative twenty-seven?’
The mechanical female voice: *[Have you forgotten, Host? You took out a five-point loan from me to exchange for information. Now that you’ve earned more points, the account must be settled immediately.]*
"...Oh, right." Renee Sinclair really had forgotten.
The mechanical female voice: *[Host, you and Felix Preston are the only two people in the living room right now. This is a golden opportunity to advance your conquest.]*
Renee Sinclair looked at Felix Preston across the coffee table and bit her lip, conflicted. "I know. You don’t have to remind me."
The mechanical female voice’s tone held a hint of mockery: *[The Host is too soft-hearted. I’m afraid if I don’t remind you, you’ll forget your mission.]*
Renee Sinclair: "I won’t forget. Stop nagging me."
The mechanical female voice: *[If you won’t forget, then get to it. What are you standing around for?]*
"Ahem..." Renee Sinclair cleared her throat and, urged on by the system, tentatively began to speak.
"Felix Preston, you..."
"WAH... WAH..."
"WAH..."
Sandy’s crying suddenly echoed from upstairs, interrupting Renee Sinclair’s nervous attempt.
"Preston!" Evan Yates came out of the room holding Sandy and peered down from the hallway. "Preston, are you done? Sandy’s crying really hard. I can’t calm him down!"
Felix Preston put his phone away, quickly rising from the sofa and rushing upstairs.
"I’m coming!"
"Hey..." Renee Sinclair stood up as well, staring helplessly at Felix Preston’s retreating back.
Felix Preston took the stairs two at a time, reaching the third floor in the blink of an eye.
"Don’t cry, Sandy. Daddy’s here." He took Sandy from Evan Yates’s arms and skillfully patted the small child in his embrace, trying to soothe him.
His back was to Renee Sinclair, so she couldn’t see his face. She could only see his lonely but resolute figure and hear his soft, patient murmurs.
"Be good, Sandy. Daddy’s here..."
"Daddy’s here, so be a good boy, Sandy..."
"Does Sandy miss Mommy? Mommy went out to fight monsters. She’ll be back soon. Sandy needs to drink his milk, sleep well, and wait for Mommy to come home healthy and strong."
"Don’t cry, Sandy. Daddy misses Mommy a lot too, just like you..."
"Preston, I think Sandy really misses Charlotte. He was never this hard to soothe when she was home." Evan Yates’s voice was tinged with sorrow.
Felix Preston blinked, forcing back the tears that welled in his eyes.
"I will definitely get Charlotte back."
*[Host, what are you still standing there for? Hurry up and go upstairs to help with the baby! As long as you can soothe Wilder Preston, it will be easier for Felix Preston to accept you.]*
The mechanical female voice urged impatiently.
Renee Sinclair’s hands, hanging at her sides, clenched and unclenched several times before finally relaxing, limp with resignation.
"Forget it." She picked up her bag from the sofa and turned to walk out the door. "That’s enough for today. I’ll deal with soothing the baby some other time."
The system’s voice was frantic. *[Why?! Why put it off?]*
Renee Sinclair let out a breath, her tone becoming inexplicably light. "Because I don’t feel like soothing a baby today."
"By the way, do you know of any suicide methods that are relatively painless?"
