Chapter 83

Rodger's suggestion met with immediate acceptance from Colton, who understood that Grace's time as a student was drawing to a close.

Whether she was finalizing her plans for college or not,she was never one to pour all her focus into textbooks. Academics alone never satisfied her restless mind. Secrets trailed in her wake,and her talents stretched far beyond school walls.

Soon enough, the day would come when Grace stepped out of academia and into the wider world,and Colton's predictions would be set in motion.

Julia leaned in with approval. "That's just it, Colton.Grace is young and impressionable. The last thing l want is for her to fall under the sway of the wrong crowd. If you have the chance, do me the favor of watching over her," she said, trusting Colton's judgment far more than her own sons'.

Grace's prospects would be well-guarded if Colton stood watch; no sensible man would dare cross that line.

"You have my word, Mrs. Holden. I'll see to it personally," Colton replied, calm and certain. There was no way he'd let any man get close to Grace.

Grace wanted to object, thinking that her mother's standards for "reliable" guardianship were questionable at best.

Nightfall crept in, and with a few parting words,Rodger and Julia gathered Grace and set off, leaving Colton behind.

The family had barely turned the corner when Dominick slipped from the shadows, his presence quiet but sure. "Sir, I've uncovered that those behind today's incident are connected to the higher-ups."

A sharp glint entered Colton's eyes. "Which side-southern or northern?"

Only the true powerbrokers could orchestrate

something like this, and Colton knew it.

Dominick looked away, feeling a bit awkward.

"Honestly... I haven't been able to confirm that yet."

Colton, however, had already put the pieces together. The supposed divide between north and south was more smoke than fire; in reality, they all answered to the same country.

That never stopped ambitious souls from splintering into rival camps, each one unable to share power for long.

In the end, none of it mattered to Colton. He was already convinced the old man from the southern faction was behind the trouble.

"If that's the case, there's no point keeping the research institute open at Frostveil Mountain," Colton said,his tone resolute.

Dominick hesitated, unsure if he'd heard right. "You mean...?"

A cold light glinted in Colton's eyes. "The southern

faction is cultivating all kinds of plants up there,isn't it? Wipe them out. I want them to regret crossing me."

The thought left Dominick uneasy. He couldn't help but offer a warning. "Word is, those plants belong to the female genius of the southern faction.Destroying them might cause an uproar."

People in power held her in high regard, and making an enemy of her was asking for trouble that lasted a lifetime.

Rumor had it she loved collecting rare things-strange plants, exotic insects, and even venomous snakes. Stories went around that anyone who ended up on her bad side never met a happy ending.

A dismissive smile played at Colton's lips. "Let her raise hell. I hope she does. The more she resents me,the better," he replied, never realizing that one day he would regret ever issuing that command.

He figured the only/ way to unmask that woman was to push her buttons until she revealed her true identity.

Any information about her had been carefully concealed by the southern faction, and every attempt to dig deeper had come up empty.

A respectful nod from Dominick signaled he understood. "Right away, sir," he replied, then slipped out to carry out the orders.

Meanwhile, at the Holden residence, it was already past dinner time. Johnny and James still lingered on the living room sofa, having waited for everyone to return.

Watching his family file in, Johnny immediately noticed that Grace looked perfectly fine, not a hair out of place, and it made him wonder if their parents had been duped by her antics once again.

He shot her a skeptical look. "Wasn't it said you were in a car crash? You look just fine to me," he remarked, his voice edged with disdain as he eyed her immaculate clothes.

"You had Mom and Dad running all over town,thinking something terrible happened. All that panic for nothing," he muttered, not hiding his irritation.

Julia, however, missed the tone entirely. "Oh, Grace,you should have seen how anxious Johnny was! He ran right over to check on you and nearly cried with relief," she responded, completely misunderstanding his sarcasm.

A twitch pulled at the corner of Grace's mouth. How did Julia always manage to mistake Johnny's biting remarks for genuine concern?

Johnny could barely contain his irritation at his mother's ability to twist every situation and almost let his frustration show.

From across the room, James finally broke his usual silence. "Now that we know everyone's all right, let's eat. You're probably all hungry."

Carrying the weight of being the oldest, James had a reserved nature and had begun taking on more responsibility, working closely with Rodger on family business.

Julia, beaming with pride, latched onto his words."See? James cares about you. He doesn't want anyone missing dinner. Let's all sit down together,"she said, convinced of her eldest son's reliability and warmth.

Johnny rolled his eyes at his mother's habit of making every remark about Grace, especially since James hadn't singled out anyone in particular.

He chose not to argue, instead trailing after the others as the family made their way to the dining table.

A sense of nostalgia washed over Julia as she realized how long it had been since the entire family had shared a meal.

"Having Grace at home brings such joy. Even James shows up for dinner more often these days," Julia remarked, her voice soft with sentiment.

James managed a gentle reply. "Of course. Family meals matter, especially when Grace is here," he said, his words warm, though his gaze remained distant, subtle, and unnoticed by most.