Chapter 1767

chapter1767

The neighbors had likely grown accustomed to Maia's quiet contributions over the years. But since she'd been unwell, the hallway had fallen into disrepair. It was as if no one had cleaned it in years.

Maia used to live alone here, as Thelma had moved to Jipsburg with her parents and Calvert. But after the tragic accident that killed her parents, Calvert returned to live with Maia while attending school in Liberty County.

When Thelma unlocked the door, the scene inside unfolded before them.

She stood there, her eyes reddening as she took in the familiar yet haunting sight. Although she had cleaned up after the fire, the apartment could never return to its original state.

At the time, she lacked the energy and resources to do much more, so she hired only a few helpers to tackle the worst of it.

Charles noticed her sudden shift in mood and quickly moved to embrace her.

"I'm fine," Thelma said softly, shaking her head.

Meanwhile, Skylar stepped inside silently, her gaze sweeping over every corner of the room without a word.

The apartment was almost bare, with very few furnishings remaining. The devastation from the explosion was evident in every corner. Thelma quickly pushed open the doors to the two bedrooms.

Skylar didn't enter. Instead, she stood at the doorway, glanced inside, and then returned to the living room. Her quiet demeanor made Thelma uneasy, and her nerves tightened further.

Sensing Thelma's tension, Charles leaned toward her and whispered, "Don't worry."

Thelma nodded faintly.

After about ten minutes of careful inspection, Skylar turned to face them. "There's no trace of negative energy in this house. Even if the fire had destroyed it, its presence should still linger. This confirms the incident wasn't caused by any negative items."

If it wasn't related to negative items, the tragedy in Thelma's family was either a terrible coincidence or the result of deliberate foul play. If it was the latter, the matter became far more complex.

She had considered this the night before. It would have been easier to handle if it were due to negative items. But if a person was behind it...

The thought weighed heavily on her, and it was clear Charles and Thelma shared the concerns. Their expressions darkened as they exchanged glances.

"On the way here, I remembered something. Just two days before my parents passed away, they argued. I had just gotten home from school when I walked in on them, but they stopped when they saw me.

"That night, I got up to use the bathroom, and their bedroom light was still on. I overheard bits and pieces of their conversation. My dad said something like, 'We'll pretend we didn't see anything. We can't stir up trouble. Both kids are still in school. If we cause any problems, how will they manage?'

"At that time, I didn't think much of it. My parents were honest, hardworking people. They'd never go looking for trouble, which meant they were often taken advantage of."

Thelma's thought drifted back to the past.

Revisiting those memories made the harsh truth even clearer-her parents had been gone for so long. She missed them deeply.

Charles held her hand tightly, hoping to offer her comfort and reassurance.

Skylar asked, "Did you ever tell the police about this?"

Thelma shook her head. "No. I was devastated back then, completely lost. I just accepted whatever the police told me. It didn't even occur to me that my parents' deaths might not have been an accident."

Skylar glanced at Charles.

Charles frowned and said, "We need to look into this thoroughly."

"I know someone who can help us investigate," Skylar replied, thinking of Aiken.

This had happened several years

ago, and the police hadn't uncovered

any leads, Maybe Aiken could dig up something new. Hopefully, it was just a accident. But if someone tried to silence them, then Thelma might still be in danger. After all, she was the only one in her family left unharmed.