Chapter 536

Preston Valentine's gaze fell on Susan Langley.

He hadn't even spoken yet.

Susan's eyes were already rimmed with red.

"Preston." Her voice trembled. "You don't believe me either?"

She took a step forward, grabbing his sleeve.

"We've been together for two years." Tears rolled down her cheeks. "I almost died saving you back then... and now you suspect me?"

Preston's Adam's apple bobbed.

"I'm not—"

"You are!" Susan flung his hand away, turning to leave. "If you don't trust me, then forget about the wedding!"

Her departure was resolute.

Preston panicked.

He glanced back.

Mina Sherwood and Marcus Valentine were being helped out by firefighters.

Both looked disheveled, but seemed otherwise unharmed.

Preston gritted his teeth and turned to chase after Susan.

"Susan! Wait!"

His figure quickly disappeared beyond the crowd.

Everyone else's attention was focused on Mina and Marcus.

Mina wore loungewear.

Her three-month pregSterlingcy bump was slightly visible.

But her slender frame made it easy to miss if you weren't looking closely.

Her white clothes were smudged with patches of soot.

Marcus was far more disheveled.

His suit jacket had several burnt holes.

His face was covered in ash.

His left arm was wrapped in a bandage, with faint traces of blood seeping through.

But his eyes were bright.

Unnervingly bright.

When the fire started, Marcus had been outside the villa.

He saw thick smoke billowing from a second-floor window.

Without a second thought, he charged inside.

Smoke filled the air.

A wave of heat hit him.

Covering his mouth and nose, he rushed upstairs and pounded on Mina's door.

"Mina! Open up!"

No response came from inside.

He kicked the door open.

The room was empty.

The bedsheet was on fire.

The curtains were on fire.

But Mina wasn't there.

Marcus's heart sank.

He rushed into the bathroom.

Still no one.

"Mina!" he shouted.

The wardrobe suddenly shifted.

A metal door pushed open from inside.

Mina peeked out, her face full of anxiety.

"Marcus? What are you doing in here?"

Marcus froze.

"I came to get you."

He looked at the metal door.

It was made of steel.

Fireproof.

"A secret passage?"

Mina nodded.

"Come here! We need to hide in the basement!"

Marcus rushed over.

Just as he stepped out of the bathroom—

A burning roof beam crashed down.

It fell straight toward Mina's back.

Without thinking, Marcus reached out to block it.

The wooden beam was knocked aside.

A searing pain shot through his arm.

But he ignored it.

"Are you okay?" He rushed to Mina's side. "Weren't you hiding? Why did you come out?"

Mina glared at him.

"If I didn't come out, what would have happened to you?"

The fire had started too suspiciously.

It spread through the entire floor in under a minute.

She had already hidden in the secret passage but faintly heard Marcus's shouts.

Almost against her will, she turned back.

Thankfully.

She grabbed Marcus's hand.

"Let's go!"

They ducked into the passage and shut the metal door.

The tunnel was made of steel.

Heat-resistant, but stuffy.

The air was thin.

They hurried downstairs.

The basement was spacious.

It even had a bed.

Marcus looked at everything and gave a bitter smile.

"Was I... unnecessary?"

Mina didn't answer.

She took out a first-aid kit and walked over to him.

"Roll up your sleeve."

Marcus sat down, revealing the wound.

A row of blisters.

It was a shocking sight.

Mina's hand trembled slightly.

"Couldn't you have called first?" Her voice was tight. "What if I wasn't here? You would have charged in to your death."

Marcus lowered his gaze.

"I was watching from outside. I didn't see you come out." He paused. "I... was worried."

Mina's movements stilled.

"I told you to leave."

"Yeah." Marcus looked at her. "But I didn't. I wanted to be close to you."

Mina's eyelashes fluttered.

"Why bother."

"I misunderstood you before." Marcus's voice was hoarse. "You not forgiving me is understandable. But Mina, I really... don't want to lose you."

Mina looked up.

Her eyes were red.

In a life-or-death moment.

He wasn't even sure if she was inside, yet he still charged in.

How could she not be moved?

Marcus grabbed her hand.

"Mina, give me another chance, okay?"

Mina looked down.

"We'll see."

She continued applying medicine to his wound.

She didn't agree.

But she didn't refuse either.

...

Marcus pulled himself back to the present, looking at Mina.

His eyes still shone.

"Mina." He spoke. "The Sterling villa is burnt. You and Grace have nowhere to stay for now. How about... coming home?"

Mina shot him a glare, then looked at Evelyn Ross.

"Grace, where do you think we should stay?"

Evelyn had watched their entire interaction.

If Mina was firmly against forgiving him, she wouldn't push it.

But since Mina's heart had softened...

She would play the peacemaker.

Ethan Valentine and Charles Valentine's eyes lit up.

"Sis! Come home!"

"Uncle already prepared a room for you! It's huge, perfect for you and Chloe!"

Evelyn stroked her chin.

Pretending to think.

Marcus's heart was in his throat.

A few seconds later, Evelyn nodded.

"Fine. Back to the Valentine family."

"Great!"

Ethan and Charles high-fived in celebration.

A moment later, Ethan spoke hesitantly.

"Um... Sis, if you really can't stand Susan, I'll have Preston move out."

Evelyn smiled.

"No need."

She was moving into the Valentine family for two reasons.

First, to bond with her brothers.

Second, to keep a close eye on Susan.

Did they really think Susan had her cornered?

Evelyn's lips curved slightly as she put in her Bluetooth earpiece.

Faint footsteps came through the earpiece.

And breathing.

Evelyn lowered her gaze.

When she hacked into Susan's phone today, she did find those photos.

But it was all too smooth.

Suspiciously smooth.

This was likely another trap set by the Fox.

So she played along.

She presented the photos, giving Susan a reason to attack her.

She seemed to be at a disadvantage.

In reality—

Evelyn had already planted a virus in Susan's phone.

Now, Susan's phone was her listening device.

Susan wasn't the Fox.

The Fox's methods wouldn't be this crude.

So, Susan was the Fox's pawn.

As long as she kept a close watch on Susan, she would eventually uncover the Fox.

A hushed voice came through the earpiece.

"Reporting to the Fox. The mission failed."

Evelyn's pupils contracted.

The Fox.

Finally showing its tail.