Chapter 321: Chapter 321: Hill House (2)

    (Sorry I was gone for so long. I''m sick.)

    [Edward POV]

    (Based on Haunting of the Hill House on Netflix.)

    "Leverage?!" Max gasped. "Oh my God, are we accessories to a crime?" Caroline whimpered, holding her stomach and breathing heavily.

    "Dad!!" I shouted to my dad. He reached into his pocket and threw me a pocket knife.

    "I''m so sorry about this, Mr. Crain," I said urgently as I removed the bag from the old man''s head and cut off the cable tie on his hands. My dad removed the bags from the man''s children and apologized profusely to them.

    "You... are... I know you..." The old man, Hugh Crain, stammered as he looked into my face. Despite being kidnapped, he didn''t seem rattled; he had experienced more terrifying events in his life.

    "I''m Edward Newgate. I don''t have anything to do with all of this. All I told him was to find you since you went off-grid. I didn''t know he would bring you here by force." I explained slightly.

    As the man''s children adjusted to the light, their faces paled even more at the sight of the mansion before them.

    The eldest daughter, Shirley Crain, walked up to Casey and slapped him across the face. My friends gasped, while I admired her tough attitude. "I''ll make sure to press charges against you for this!" She scowled.

    However, Casey growled at her and stepped forward menacingly, causing her to ran away behind her eldest brother, Steven.

    Nell, the youngest daughter, who was a twin to Luke Crain—a drug addict—suddenly fell to her knees. Theo, the middle child who wore elbow-length black gloves, immediately rushed to check on her.

    "Nell, are you okay?!" Theo asked in concern, but she didn''t touch her. The oldest brother, Steven, an aspiring novelist, hugged Nell and urged, "We should get out of this place now."

    Everyone agreed with him, except for Nell. "Wait. Steve. Bring me close to him." She pointed at me.

    "Nell, you''re not well," Steven tried to persuade her. "We need to get out of here." Theo said urgently, fearing the house they once lived in.

    "Nobody is leaving." Casey suddenly pulled a rifle from the car, cocked it, and threatened the family to stay. "Casey! Enough!" I yelled in frustration, feeling a headache coming on.

    "Everyone, let''s all take a deep breath and see if we can work this out calmly," Frankie suggested, stepping in to control the situation.

    Luke, the drug addict, suddenly fell to the ground, his entire body spasming. "Luke!" Shirley and Theo rushed to help him. Nell whispered in a strained voice, "Steve... bring Luke... to him too."

    "What?" Steve looked confused. "Hurry!" Nell urged. Their father heard her and immediately helped Luke to his feet, bringing the twins closer to me.

    "Um, what''s going on here?" Max asked, bewildered.

    "This is weird," I mumbled as Max laughed at my predicament. My dad went to talk with Casey and the old man, Hugh, working things out for a while. I offered the other children some food while they waited.

    Steven and Shirley felt awkward, unable to leave without any transportation.

    "So, Steven, you''re a writer?" I asked, trying to ease the tension. Nell''s eyes were still closed as she held my right hand. After getting a good look at her face, I realized she resembled Victoria Pedretti, the actress from the series You.

    "Ummm... we don''t have to make small talk," Steven replied, slightly guarded. "Why do you even want to buy this house? I assume you know what happened here." Shirley''s tone was full of hostility.

    "You mean the death of your mother?" I smiled at them. "That happened 14 years ago."

    "You''re only saying this because you don''t know what really happened in that house," Theo said while sipping whiskey she had taken from my dad''s trunk.

    "Hey, that''s my whiskey!" I scolded her but didn''t let go of Nell and Luke''s hands to reach for the bottle.

    Frankie scolded me as she overheard, "Ed! Why did you bring that whiskey bottle here?"

    "That''s not for me. It''s for Casey. I wanted to give it to him to thank him for his help—You know what? You can drink it, Theo." My tone shifted when I realized I didn''t have to think about Casey anymore.

    Theo smirked and said, "I just realized this. Aren''t you that celebrity kid?"

    No one among them knew who I was, except for their dad, who recognized me slightly from the news. The siblings didn''t follow entertainment news, so they had no idea I was a singer.

    "Yeah. That''s me," I replied easily. "Celebrity kid?! You have no idea who he is, do you?!" Haley fumed on my behalf. "And you, stop holding his hand." She scolded Nell, but Nell didn''t respond.

    I sighed and asked Haley, "Do we still have any sandwiches?"

    Suddenly, we heard an incredibly loud bang coming from inside the house. Nell and Luke collapsed to the ground, unconscious.

    "Nell! Luke!" Their father immediately ran to check on his youngest children.

    The door to the house burst open, one of the doors breaking its hinges and falling forward. "Oh, I guess it''s completed now," I mumbled to myself, watching the entire house shake, creak, and rattle. Some windows cracked, and a gargoyle statue on the roof fell, shattering on the ground.

    Maggie, Vanessa, Max, and Caroline were terrified. Haley and Vanessa hugged me in fear, shrieking, "Ed! We need to get out of here!" Max shouted incessantly.

    "No. It''s fine. It''ll stop soon." I replied casually. And just as I said that, the rattling stopped.

    "We should probably check on these two. It doesn''t seem like they''re breathing." I pointed at the twin.

    "Nell!" Steven immediately did CPR on her, and but she wouldn''t wake up, so did Luke. I squatted next to Nell to check up on her, but Shirley grabbed my hand before I could, "What are you doing?!"

    Casey suddenly laughed at Shirley, "Possibly saving her life. He saved mine before. If you care about your little sis, I think you should let go of his arm."

    Shirley''s eyes shook and she slowly let go of my wrist. I placed my finger on Nell''s wrist, and checked on her pulse. "Well there is a pulse...Um, this kinda reminds me of something."

    "Remind you of what, Edward?" My dad asked.

    "Well.... Me." I said with a grin. My dad widened his eyes in shock and exclaimed in disbelief, "What?"

    "Just put them in a safe spot. They''ll wake up soon." I stood up and turned to Hugh. "Did my dad tell you about the deal?"

    "Um." Hugh replied hesitantly. "No deal. I can''t sell the house in good conscience."

    "Even though the house is breaking down?" I said, pointing at the direction of the house.

    Knowing that it would take some time to convince the old man, I told Casey to bring the twins to a hotel first. However, they woke up by the time Casey placed them inside the van.

    Nell suddenly jerked up and said, "Dad! Steven! Shirley, Theo! We should go inside the house, right now."

    "This doesn''t seem like our issue, so we should go now." I told the others as I was feeling quite hungry even though I had just eaten. I gave Nell my phone number and told her, "Call me when you''re done."

    Nell blushed a bit as she accepted my card, and then she said with a determined expression, "Okay. I''ll be sure to call."

    ...

    [General POV]

    Edward left the family on their own after they started arguing about entering the house. He left the van for their use and took Casey with him as he went back home.

    "I could''ve made him sign the property transfer today," Casey grumbled as he sat next to Edward, while all the girls who came with Ed sat in the backseat.

    Casey felt he owed Edward a debt. After his leg surgery, the doctor said he could quickly regain function since the operation had gone perfectly. Even the CIA surgeon who checked on him was impressed with the work. Casey never revealed where he had the surgery, and General Beckman, along with Chuck and Sarah, kept it a secret.

    Despite this, Casey was frustrated for involving a civilian in the spy world. He vowed to repay his debt to Edward, even if it meant killing someone. That''s how significant he considered Edward''s favor.

    "Sure you could. But that''s not how I wanted it," Edward said casually, then turned to Casey. "They have already gone through so much. I don''t want to add to their trauma."

    "Also, money," Haley interjected curtly.

    Edward nodded and said, "Yeah. Rather than keeping that house, which has no value, I''m sure I can convince him to sell it to me once I have a one-on-one conversation with that old man."

    Casey grumbled in frustration, but then Edward turned to him. "I already called Chuck to come pick you up. I''m not driving you to Burbank."

    "You can drop me off here. I''ll take a cab," Casey said casually. Since they were already in the city, he could get a taxi anytime.

    "No. Chuck is almost here. Just wait for him," Edward replied.

    Edward dropped Casey off at Chuck E. Cheese, which irked him greatly. When he arrived home, the Dunphys and their extended family had already returned from their treasure hunt in Santa Monica.

    "We couldn''t get the car, but we did get $100 worth of gift cards each," Phil explained, not really excited about the gift cards. A lot of things happened during the drive, which Alex happily shared with Edward.

    The next day came quickly. After spending the night inside the interrogation room, the family was finally released as someone posted bail for them. They still had to go to court, which made the property transfer even more difficult.

    "I swear I''m not giving up on this!" I muttered as I sat in front of Steven, the aspiring writer.

    "Not giving up on what?" He smiled awkwardly, having overheard my mumbling.

    "The story." I took out a pen and paper before saying, "I want to know about what happened there. Also, are you interested in creating a TV series with me about your family''s experience? I''ll pay you nicely for the story rights."

    After discussing with Steven, I finally connected the storyline when he confessed something. "Honestly, I am in the middle of writing a novel about our family''s experience in that house. I''m going to name it, ''Haunting of the Hill House.''"

    Bewildered at first, I became intrigued and said, "Let''s publish that book first. Then, we will discuss the TV series."

    As the family had confessed to setting the house on fire, they received the court date early. I sat amongst the audience members as the court was in session.

    My dad was called as a witness by the lawyers, and he showed them the aerial footage of the house, which was in a state of disrepair, taken slightly before the family entered the house yesterday afternoon.

    My lawyers searched for the therapy records of the five children, which showed extensive therapy documentation, arguing for long-standing emotional trauma that could only be resolved when the house was gone.

    The African American, slightly obese, old judge knocked on his gavel as he came to a decision. "Based on the testimonies presented and the emotional distress experienced by the defendants, I have decided to impose a sentence that reflects both the seriousness of their actions and the circumstances that led to them."

    Everyone held their breath as they waited for the sentencing.

    He paused, allowing the weight of his words to settle in the courtroom. "While burning down the house was undeniably a crime, the evidence suggests that it was also a desperate act born from years of trauma and suffering. I heard all of your testimonies, and I have to admit, it took guts to return back to that place. Therefore, I will not impose the full penalties associated with arson."

    The family broke into smiles as they realized they had managed to escape felony charges. To be honest, if the lawyers defending them weren''t highly capable, it was highly likely that they would go to prison.

    The judge looked up, making eye contact with each family member. "Instead, I am sentencing each of you to two years of probation. During this time, you will be required to complete 200 hours of community service. I expect you to engage in activities that benefit your community and help others who may be facing similar struggles."

    He continued, "Additionally, I am ordering you to participate in counseling sessions to address the emotional scars left by your experiences in that home. It is crucial that you seek the help you need to heal and move forward."

    The judge then addressed the financial aspect. "You will be required to pay a fine of $1,000, which will go toward community programs for mental health support. Furthermore, if restitution is deemed necessary for the damages caused, I will allow the court to determine a reasonable amount in a separate hearing."

    As he concluded, the judge''s tone softened. "I hope this sentence serves not only as a consequence for your actions but also as an opportunity for healing. You have a chance to rebuild your lives and support one another as you move forward. Now that the house is gone, I hope that all of you can move forward in your life, unperturbed by the trauma of the past."

    With that, he rapped his gavel once more, signaling the end of the proceedings. Everyone dispersed as the judge left his seat. Outside of the courthouse, Nell hugged Theo and Shirley happily as they managed to get out of jail.

    I was also happy when I heard the news from Harvey. "So can I finally buy the house now?!" I asked, slightly surprised.

    "Yeah. Hugh Crain wants to just give the land to you, but I assume you don''t want that. Your dad will sign a deal to buy what''s left of the house from him. They are going to meet tonight." Harvey said with a smile. "Congratulations. You can move in once the contract is approved."

    "YESS!" I raised my hand upwards in celebration. "How long will it take for everything to settle?" I calmed down and asked Harvey again.

    "Around 4-5 months," she replied.

    "Fuck!" I cursed out loud inside the courtroom. Nell and Theo approached me when they noticed my presence there.

    "Oh, hello there. Congrats on getting the arson charges dropped." I shook hands with Nell after I turned immediately, and I even kissed the back of her hand. Nell blushed a bit and said gratefully, holding back tears, "Thank you!"

    "You''re welcome—" Before I could finish, Nell rushed and hugged me tightly. Slightly taken aback, I patted her back and said, "Oof—You don''t have to do this. I''m only helping because it benefits me too."

    "Still. What you have done for us... No one in my family could ever repay your kindness," Nell said while slightly choked up. I sighed and waited patiently for her to release me, which took quite a while, and it only stopped when Theo reminded her.

    "Nell, you''re troubling him," Theo said, slightly pulling Nell away with her gloved hand.

    Nell''s chin quivered as she released me, her eyes full of tears. "Edward Newgate. If there is anything, anything at all I can do to repay you—I will do anything!" Nell vowed.

    I laughed slightly and said, "Well, if you can act—"

    "I will learn and become an actress, just for you!" Nell vowed again. "I promise!"

    Slightly taken aback, I smiled wryly and said, "Don''t push yourself too hard. Now that you''re finally free, just do what you want to do, not what I want you to do. Remember what that judge said?"

    As Nell talked with Theo, Harvey nudged me with her arm and whispered, "We can get a free actress."

    "I don''t want to take advantage of the vulnerable," I whispered back to Harvey.

    Suddenly, Theo took off her glove and extended her hand to me, wanting to shake it. "I, too, am grateful for your help, Mr. Newgate."

    "Thank you, Theodora. I hope that you will get your PhD soon." I shook her hand, unaware of the special ability she possessed. It was why she always wore gloves. Backed by her intense curiosity, she finally used her ability on me.

    ...

    [Theo POV]

    I was told by my mother about a gift our family possesses. Like my grandmother, I learned that I have the ability to sense and absorb the emotions and physical sensations of others through touch.

    This empathic skill allows me to understand the feelings of those around me, but it also exposes me to their pain and trauma, making it both a gift and a burden. Another term for this ability is psychometry. I didn''t tell anyone about it, but my sister Shirley has a vague idea what I could do. Nell also knew slightly about it.

    With this gift, I have helped many people in my therapy practice, especially children who suffered abuse at an early age.

    Since yesterday, my world has been turned upside down. Nell and Luke brought us to the spirit of our mother, who explained how the house had driven her to madness, nearly leading her to harm them. She revealed that the reason Dad doesn''t share much is to preserve our memory of her as the kind, smart, and caring mother we all remember.

    Mom told us that the shackle the house had on her spirit was broken, all because of the presence of a special individual. It shocked me to think that someone could possess such an intense aura that it could cleanse a haunted house filled with over fifty ghosts.

    Although she didn''t reveal his identity, I could figure it out myself. Nell and Luke had escaped being the house''s sacrificial offerings simply by holding his hand. I was curious to know what kind of person he really was.

    I removed my glove to shake his hand, driven by an urgent need to understand.

    ''I want to know.''

    ''I need to know.''

    The moment I touched his hand, my entire world was blinded by a radiant light. In an instant, I found myself transported to a vast field of blooming flowers, their colors more vibrant than anything I had ever seen. The air was thick with an otherworldly warmth that enveloped me, wrapping around my heart like a soft embrace.

    As I stood there, awe-struck, an overwhelming sense of peace and love radiated from him, a presence so pure it seemed to exorcise the very shadows lurking in my mind.

    Drawn by an inexplicable force, I looked up, and my breath caught in my throat. Above him was a glowing ring, shimmering with ethereal light that pulsed in rhythm with my own heartbeat.

    ''Ah, it''s so beautiful.''

    ...

    [Edward POV]

    "Theo?" Nell called out to her sister, who was acting strangely. Theo''s entire body jerked, and she looked up at the sky. Suddenly, she flopped down onto the floor, landing on her knees.

    Blood trickled down her nose as she panted heavily, clutching her chest.

    "Hey, are you all right?" I asked, my voice laced with panic. Theo stopped me from helping her and slowly stood back up. "It''s fine. I''m all right."

    "Are you sure? You should go to the hospital," Harvey urged. Theo wiped the blood from her nose with a tissue and replied, "Seriously, I''m fine. It''s just that my nerves can finally relax—"

    No one believed her, especially since she wore the same fanatical expression that Nell had when she looked at me. To be honest, many of my fans had that same look on their faces, so it wasn''t entirely unusual.

    Theo also promised to do anything for me for some reason, but I didn''t really have anything for her to do. After we got back from court, Theo applied for a job at my company in a position for which she was overqualified, demanding only the smallest salary possible.

    Shirley and Steven returned to their respective families, but Luke and Hugh stayed behind in California. Nell, Theo, Hugh, and Luke all rented a house together, and Luke never touched drugs again after this.

    "This has been a weird couple of days," I mumbled to myself on the drive home.

    After the incident, I left the courthouse and returned home, fully aware of the work awaiting me. The quantum channel network was set to officially launch in just three days, and the distribution of the SIM card was now nationwide. We had also executed an intensive marketing campaign for the new telecom network.

    I even collaborated with Marvel to hire RDJ as Iron Man for an advertisement, which garnered a lot of positive feedback from the public. Currently, 300,000 SIM cards have been distributed, and I strive for at least 2 million people to subscribe to the network within a month. I thought it would be a slow start, but we had actually gotten more than 1 million people paying to use the network in just three days.

    "Once I finish this, I can finally rest easy until it''s time for the tour," I murmured as I settled into the CEO''s chair in the company building, towering stacks of documents piled in front of me.

    As I was working, I suddenly received a text from Jenna. "A New Year''s Eve party at her house? I guess I can go." I replied and accepted her invitation, but just minutes later, I received another invitation from Selena. Then, Haley mentioned that she was hosting a New Year''s Eve party at Jay''s house.

    "Now, which of these parties should I go to?"