Chapter 1398: Chapter 1398

Chapter 1398:

“Mr. Swain?” Franco expressed his disbelief.

“The Lucius Swain you’re referring to, is it the same Mr. Swain we met?”

With a heavy heart, Harlee nodded. She, too, found it hard to believe that Lucius might be involved, yet she could not think of anyone else who fit the profile so well.

Following Baldrick’s retirement, Lucius found himself in an increasingly precarious position, eventually being nudged into retirement himself. His relationship with Nathaniel was notably strained. Back when Harlee married, Lucius had sent his best wishes and a gift but was notably absent from the celebration. She later learned about his conflict with Nathaniel, though the specifics remained unclear.

“Start looking into these leads,” Harlee instructed Desmond and the others, her tone serious.

“Harlee, I’ll accompany you,” Desmond said.

“There’s no need. This is merely a suspicion, not a certainty. Focus on gathering more intel on our suspect,” Harlee responded decisively.

After the meeting, Harlee didn’t head straight for Lucius. Instead, she drove to Baldrick’s residence. It had been a while since she last visited him, the last being Tonya’s funeral.

As Harlee drove, her hands clenched the steering wheel, her eyes fixed on the road, but her mind was in turmoil. She had reluctantly considered Lucius as a potential suspect during their strategy session. Lucius was known to her since her days with the Gill family, and he had met Nola once.

Lucius’ familiarity with Nola and his estrangement from the Green family made him a credible candidate. Additionally, he had missed Harlee’s wedding due to his issues with the Green family, and their interactions had weakened over the past couple of years. Yet, something didn’t add up. If Lucius genuinely cared for her, why would he collaborate with someone intent on her harm? Lucius had the capability to lead if he desired, and he wasn’t known for duplicity.

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Was there an underlying motive she was unaware of?

Although their contact had lessened over the past two years, his concern for her had remained unchanged. Was it all just an act? Impossible! That seemed unlikely. Lucius had never once sought anything from her over the years. But if not Lucius, then who else could be the mastermind?

Doubtful, yet determined to understand the full story, Harlee decided to put aside her suspicions and seek Baldrick’s insight into the feud between Lucius and Nathaniel.

Considering what had happened at her wedding, neither Nathaniel nor Lucius would ever disclose the truth. Baldrick, however, was the only one who might know what really happened. Baldrick and Lucius had been through it all together for decades, facing both good times and bad.

Harlee pulled over at the edge of the road near Baldrick’s property, feeling conflicted about her visit despite its necessity. Regret lingered. If not for his mistrust then, Tonya might have been accompanying her today. Gazing toward the courtyard, Harlee inhaled deeply, unbuckled her seatbelt, and readied herself to exit the car.

At that moment, her phone vibrated with an incoming video call from Rhys.

A spontaneous smile appeared on Harlee’s face as she swung the car door open and picked up the call, chuckling.

“I’m stepping out for a short while but will return soon.”

“Just one hour,” Rhys warned with a stern look.

“Make sure you’re back in the car within the hour, or I’m coming over to personally escort you home.”

“Understood,” Harlee replied, a subtle sadness fleeting across her eyes.

“I just need to clarify some old matters. You know, there are things I’m still holding onto.”

Upon hearing this, Rhys’ mood grew somber. Even though more than two years had passed since Tonya and the others had perished, he still felt as though time had stood still. They were still stuck in the past.

Rhys kept his emotions in check, offering a reassuring smile to support Harlee.

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