Chapter 10

As the eldest grandson in the Bryant family, Horace always wore a smile that belied his unquestioned authority. Even the parents in the family often marveled at how their words paled compared to his glance.

For instance, young Springer clammed up immediately upon catching the stern look in Horace’s eyes.

Amber glanced at Horace and then quietly lowered her gaze, her expression unreadable.

The security personnel in the manor briskly escorted Dotty away for questioning, but it was at tricky situation. Officially, Dotty hadn’t stolen anything tangible from the Bryant family, so involving the police was out of the question.

At most, her actions could be superstitious nonsense. After all, the idea of stealing ‘fortune was without tangible evidence, But after this incident, Dotty could no longer be a part of the Bryant family.

“What should we do with these items?” the butler asked Winnie, who had just returned home and seemed to possess some inexplicable insight into the matter.

“Burn them.” Winnie replied casually before pulling out her phone and swiftly transferring half of the e one hundred thousand dollars Horace had just sent her to another account.

Horace raised an eyebrow at that but didn’t press the issue. Once he gave her the money, it was hers to spend as she pleased.

The butler reported the garden’s drama to Bacchus in the grand study. “Something was in the flowerbeds. It appears to be what Miss Winnie mentioned as the item stealing the family’s fortune.”

Bacchus raised an eyebrow. “That girl knows about such things?”

The butler considered before answering. “It could be a coincidence.” He explained. “The surveillance shows the item was buried a month ago. According to Miss Winnie, our family should have experienced some financial loss by now. However, I checked with Mr. Clifford, and there’s been no such loss in the company or household.”

It implied that Dotty’s buried item had no effect, casting doubt on the credibility of Winnie’s claims.

Bacchus mused, then chuckled. “Seems like it’s just a peculiar hobby of the girl. Let her be as long as it’s harmless.”

As for Dotty, intent matters, and since she harbored Ill intentions, she could no longer stay with the Bryant family.

When Winnie heard that the Bryant family hadn’t suffered any losses, she didn’t believe it. “Impossible.”

Though minuscule, Dotty had siphoned off some of the Bryant family’s fortune energy.

That tiny amount was enough for Dotty’s family to come into a windfall.

Winnie was sure of this Springer, who had initially doubted Winnie but reconsidered after she correctly identified Dotty’s actions, scoffed, “I told you someone was just blowing smoke. Stealing fortune energy? I’ve never heard such nonsense!”

Winnie shot him a look that read, ‘Keep your distance, kid,‘ then turned to Horace. “Check Dotty and her son’s bank accounts over the past month, and we’ll know the truth.”

Curious about Winnie’s abilities, Horace didn’t hesitate to call. The investigation results came back quickly, and upon viewing them, Horace’s expression turned intriguingly complex.

Springer and Amber, eager for the scoop, leaned in close to catch a glimpse.

Horace pocketed his phone and looked at Winnie, saying. “Their family did come into money recently. They won a lottery jackpot of five million dollars.”

Winnie’s ‘I–told–you–so‘ expression was unmistakable.

“I know what I’m talking about. Fortune energy is a zero–sum game. The Bryant family must have lost a corresponding amount if they gained five million dollars.”

Winnie was serious, but Horace was at a loss for words.

He paused for a moment before replying, “Last week, there was a hiccup with a branch office project, resulting in a loss of a won.”

But to Horace and Clifford, the CEO, such a sum was negligible.

“I thought you meant a significant loss when you said ‘financial loss.‘ Turns out, it’s just a few million,” Horace said as if to suggest he didn’t consider it worth mentioning because of her choice of words.

Winnie sighed inwardly. It wasn’t that the Bryants hadn’t lost some fortune energy, but to them it was akin to misplacing a single penny – hardly something they’d even notice:

Oh, the burdens of the wealthy.

Even as a Bryant herself, she couldn’t help feeling a twinge of envy.

“Dotty’s son lost all the savings to gambling a few months ago and was arrested last month for a DUI accident that resulted in a fatality. The victim’s family demanded two million dollars for a settlement. It seems Dotty resorted to stealing our family’s fortune energy out of desperation,” Horace explained after uncovering the back story with Dotty’s confession.

Upon hearing of the DUI fatality, Winnie subconsciously linked it to the evilness she felt from Dotty. But then she paused, realizing something didn’t add up.

If Dotty’s son caused the death, the evilness should have been indirect, yet what she sensed 2/3 16:37 from Dotty felt like it directly on her.

After a moment, Winnie asked Horace, “Can I see a photo of Dotty’s son?”

Pleased with how quickly Winnie had adapted to her role as his sister and knew to ask for heto, Horace sent a message and soon got the photo.

Winnie only needed one look at Dotty’s son in the photo to furrow her brows. “This isn’t right. He shouldn’t have this appearance,”

She then requested his birth details and pulled out a crystal ball from her bag to perform divination on the .

Watching with disdain, Springer sneered under his breath. “PI This witchcraft never ends, does it?”

Winnie barely glanced at him as she rapidly completed her calculations, her delicate features. tightening with concern.

Springer, ever the joker, couldn’t resist poking fun. “So, what’s the verdict, Winnie? Did your little finger–wiggle routine predict some bloody disaster?”

He’d seen those types at the street fairs, always talking blg about doom and gloom.

He didn’t believe that Winnie had any talent.

Ignoring his taunts, Winnie turned to Horace and said, “According to his numerology, this guy’s a complete dimwit. There’s a belief that If a person committed grave sins in a past life and managed to be reborn as a human, they’d lose their wisdom as a form of penance. But this man seems to have all his wits about him. It must be Dotty’s doing. She’s found a way to make him appear normal.”

But perhaps what Dotty didn’t realize was that a person who did evil in their past life would be born simple–minded as a consequence and have their intelligence restored, and it would be like defying fate. Their lifespan would shorten, and they were prone to becoming worse.

Dotty’s son, with his gambling addiction and history of drunk driving resulting in death, was a case of restored intelligence leading to wicked behavior.

Winnie was in the living room then and didn’t bother to lower her voice. A maid nearby was all ears, clearly itching to chip in but also wary of speaking out of turn given her position.