Fortunate to Have You This Lifetime

“Mr. Nathaniel Summers, do you mean to say that you were awakened by the sound of an argument, so you left your room to check, and found Ms. Willard unconscious at the foot of the stairs, with Ms. Carlson right there at the time?” the police asked.

“Yes,” Nathaniel replied indifferently. “I’m not sure why they were arguing. After the incident, I called emergency services, then I went back to my room.”

“You didn’t ask?” the police questioned. “I heard you two were about to get engaged…”

“That’s a rumor,” Nathaniel interrupted the officer, dispassionately stating, “Jade Carlson was once my wife’s assistant. She was homeless for a while, and out of compassion, I took her in. We have no relationship whatsoever. Why such rumors would spread is as puzzling to me as it is to you.”

“I see…”

The police officer took notes, then glanced up to see Purple Summers and Alexander approaching and asked, “Do you two know about last night’s events? If you have any clues, please provide them to us.”

“We weren’t home yesterday,” Purple Summers asked with curiosity. “What happened?”

“Last night, a fire occurred at Evelyn Willard’s residence. We found a female body inside the house, which we believe to be Jade Carlson. It’s currently unclear why she would be there; we are investigating…”

Purple Summers was taken aback, her whole being a bit dazed. “She… she was burned to death?”

“It appears to have been a gas leak that accidentally ignited, leading to the irrecoverable tragedy,” the officer said with a sigh. “The fire truck was involved in a car accident on the way, the firefighters weren’t hurt, but the fire truck couldn’t get there in time to put out the fire.”

Purple Summers stood stunned, unable to regain her composure for a long time.

She couldn’t accept this outcome.

It had only been eight or nine hours since Jade Carlson had called her. How could a living person just vanish like that?

Was this really an accident?

“Why would she go there… She’s been staying at the Summers home every day recently. Why did she leave last night?” Purple Summers couldn’t understand and looked up at the two police officers, urgently asking, “What about Evelyn Willard? Has she provided any clues? Does she know what happened?”

“Evelyn Willard is missing, and we’re also looking for her whereabouts.”

Upon hearing this, Purple Summers’s heart plummeted!

This mother and daughter, one burned alive, the other missing. Had Evelyn Willard fled, or was she dead? Purple Summers saw no hope; she felt sure that Evelyn Willard was dead too!

How could this have happened?

Purple Summers could not accept it.

How could Jade Carlson die? At this critical moment, just as she was about to reveal the truth, how could she die?!

This was no accident!

A chill crept up from the soles of her feet, frosting her limbs and bones, leaving Purple Summers feeling icy cold all over.

If Jade Carlson’s death was a murder, what did that imply?… It implied that her previous supposed accidental death by falling into the river was also a murder!

Someone was using one death to cover up another.

After gathering information, the police left the Summers residence.

Purple Summers didn’t know how she made it back to her room, feeling completely bewildered and disoriented.

The death of Jade Carlson struck her mind like a giant alarm bell, forcefully making her realize that her death was not an accident, and that a deeper conspiracy was hidden beneath it.

In her confusion, she faintly heard Alexander’s voice trying to comfort her.

“Stop thinking about it, I’ll have Zack Wallace help you look into it.”

Purple Summers nodded unconsciously.

That same afternoon, Zack Wallace found out some details and told Purple Summers everything, sparing no detail.