Chapter 1524: It... still stands

One question answered, a few more resurfaced.

It felt like a never-ending quest to uncover the truth, and asking nicely wasn’t going to cut it. Penny had tried, and even though she knew it wouldn’t work, she did it just in case.

Obviously, Jonathan wasn’t just going to run his mouth and reveal everything to her or Zoren.

---

Reclining idly on the bed they’d set up facing the investigation board, Penny and Zoren shared a quiet moment. They stared at the board, their eyes searching for more leads.

"I guess we should start looking into other things," Penny said softly, prompting Zoren to turn to her. "We’ve been too focused on Jonathan since the orphanage incident. I stopped checking into other things — like Mint’s case on the miracle drug."

Zoren nodded. "Do you need any help?"

"Well, anything is good," she shrugged. "If you can, just keep an eye on him."

"First Brother’s been watching him."

"I know, but... this is just too complicated."

He didn’t say anything else, but nodded again in agreement.

If their theory was correct, then they needed to distance themselves from Jonathan’s business for now — and make sure he had no way of implicating them in what increasingly looked like a suicide mission.

"Penny," Zoren said, reaching for her hand, "how about I look into the baby swap?"

Penny frowned. "But it’s dangerous."

"I’d rather tread into danger than watch my wife walk into it alone."

"How about we do it together?"

"But then we don’t know who they’ll go after first if we get close to the truth." He sighed. "I’ll do it. I already got a lead after the attack on Mint."

"That could be more about the miracle drug than the baby swap," she said with a sigh. "Maybe if we sleep on it, we’ll come up with a better plan."

They exchanged a look, agreeing in silence.

But instead of sleeping, they found themselves staring at the investigation board like it was some kind of television screen playing a suspense film.

---

Meanwhile, in Grace’s Apartment...

Grace and Haines lounged in the living room, eating takeout as they watched the late-night news. The latest scandal involved a senator’s granddaughter — a story they’d already seen teased on earlier broadcasts.

Haines chewed slowly, chopsticks in one hand, a paper takeout container in the other. His gaze drifted toward Grace.

She was watching the news, clearly a little more invested than he expected.

"What do you think about it?" he asked.

"Hmm?" She raised her brows, turning her head toward him while her eyes lingered on the screen.

When their eyes met, his held a glint of curiosity. "You seem a little too invested in this case."

"Well, that’s because... let’s just say I met the woman not too long ago," Grace replied with a smile, maintaining client confidentiality — even though the woman in question, who had done something awful to Cassandra, was Haines’s niece. "I just didn’t think this would happen."

Maybe it was karma.

Grace hadn’t had a good impression of Cassandra from the start.

"I see."

"What about you?" she asked. "Any thoughts on the case?"

Haines shrugged and put down his food, reaching for his water instead. He took a moment, sipping slowly while watching the news.

"If it’s true, then she should be punished for what happened to all those poor children," he said. "But if it’s not, then I hope they catch the real mastermind."

"Well, that’s the obvious part." Grace chuckled. "I’m asking if you think she’s involved."

He hummed. "I think... she’s being framed."

"Oh?" Grace crossed one leg over the other and leaned toward him, fully intrigued. "What makes you say that?"

"The people filing the charges are around her age — maybe even older. How could she be involved if she was just a kid at the time?"

"Good point."

"So either the police are implicating her just to squeeze a name out, or she’s just being set up to take the fall." Haines shrugged. "Either way, it’s not a good look on her record."

Grace grinned and scooted closer. Seeing her move, Haines raised a brow.

"Haines, don’t you think it’s time the two of us finally..." she paused, wiggling her brows, "...kissed?"

It had been a while since that time Haines drank the cursed soup. Since then, things between them had been steadily improving — they spent more of their free time together, and he even messaged her now and then.

Still, their level of intimacy hadn’t progressed much further than that.

Well, at least he sent her flowers from time to time.

Haines blinked, then blinked again. Instead of answering, he picked up a piece of chicken breast and held it up to her lips.

Grace frowned but opened her mouth anyway. "Geez..."

"Haha." He chuckled as she leaned away. "I still believe in marriage first before anything else."

"I know," she replied, raising her hand. "Which is why you should put a ring on it — quick!"

He smiled and clasped her hand. "Don’t be rash."

How could she not be rash?

Grace’s smile faltered just a bit. "Haines, darling, I am young."

"I know."

"You’re... you’re getting old." She blinked at him innocently, watching one of his brows twitch. "Please don’t make me wait a decade. I’m worried if it’ll still stand up on our honeymoon — even with an award-winning performance."

"..."

"Or... are you at that age where you’ve already lost your sex drive?" she asked cautiously, genuine concern in her eyes. Grace reached over and held his hand, giving him a reassuring nod. "It’s okay. We need to talk about these things. I accept you for who you are. I just need to know so we can work it out."

Haines let out a quiet scoff, watching the sincere look in her eyes. He scratched the back of his neck, caught somewhere between amusement and disbelief.

This had taken a strange turn... but somehow, the concern hit him in the gut.

"It... still stands," he muttered with a bit of effort.

But then he noticed her eyes starting to wander lower, so he added, "Please don’t look at it."