Brittany pushed through the double doors of the private dining room, catching Dominic off guard.

Isaac was already on his feet, swiftly striding over and taking her hand in his with ease. "What held you up?"

"Just a little snag on the way," Brittany replied honestly.

Isaac escorted her into the room. "This is my friend, Dominic Hartman."

"Dominic, meet my wife, Brittany."

Dominic felt a flicker of recognition at the name and eyed Brittany curiously. "Zac, did Brittany work in Craneville before?"

"She spent five years here," Isaac chimed in, "co-founded Bri-jeweled Studio."

The realization hit Dominic. "So it's you!"

He had been wondering what sort of woman could have captured Isaac's undivided attention.

In Craneville, the name Brittany was well-known. Although Dominic wasn't much for jewelry, his mother had commissioned a piece from Bri-jeweled Studio that she treasured dearly. Dinner was a delightful affair, with conversation flowing as smoothly as the wine.

As the evening wound down, Dominic excused himself to leave.

Brittany, however, couldn't shake off her concern for Dominic and Estelle. She discreetly sent a message to Charles: [Look into Estelle Ulbricht for me.]

Something about the sudden downfall of the Ulbricht family didn't sit right with her.

Charles was puzzled and texted back: [Why the sudden interest in the Ulbrichts?]

Brittany pressed on: [Is there a connection between the Ulbrichts' research institute and the one funded by the Salter family?]

[I'll dig into it.] Charles replied.

Back in Imperial City, Charles had intended to head straight to his hotel room, but fate had it that he bumped into William Dillion in the elevator. "William," Charles greeted.

William had been laying low in the hotel to avoid Carla's parents. Surprised to see Charles, he asked, "What brings you to Imperial City?" "Just got back from H city. Bri's got me on a task-investigating the Ulbricht family."

William knew Brittany hadn't given up on the poisoning investigation. "If there's anything I can help with, let me know."

With a nod, Charles invited William over for a cup of coffee. As they entered Charles's room, William spotted the array of documents covering the table-Charles's network of information was vast and well-known. William wasn't particularly interested in the paperwork, settling into the couch as Charles brewed coffee. However, when a photo slipped from the pile onto the floor and William picked it up, his gaze wavered. "Who is this?"

"Elijah Ulbricht, the eldest Ulbricht son."

William scrutinized the document. "This guy... he's the one who saved Bri."

Realizing something was amiss, Charles urged, "Tell me everything from the beginning."

"Back when Bri was poisoned, he was the one who reached out and found the antidote."

"How could you be sure of his identity?"

William had mentioned that the savior wore a mask. How did he recognize him?

"He always wore a mask, yes, but there was a distinctive mole on his neck. I remember it clearly." Charles felt a hunch forming. "William, you might have just cracked this wide open for me."

After a brief chat and finishing their coffee, William took his leave.

Without delay, Charles contacted Brittany, relaying the newfound information. "I suspect the Ulbricht family knew who you were when they saved you five years ago."

The Ulbrichts and the Lynettes shared a close bond. Even after the Ulbrichts' fall from grace, the Lynettes didn't kick them while they were down. They extended a helping hand, ensuring the Ulbrichts didn't end up destitute. This spoke volumes of their deep-seated connection.

"Come to think of it, I had a paternity test done with Robert Dustin years ago. It confirmed we were biologically related."

This piece of the puzzle had always baffled Brittany.

"Perhaps," Charles mused, "your identity was known to the Lynette family from the start-or at least by certain members of it."

Tip: You can use left, right keyboard keys to browse between chapters.Tap the middle of the screen to reveal Reading Options.

If you replace any errors (non-standard content, ads redirect, broken links, etc..), Please let us know so we can fix it as soon as possible.

Report