CHAPTER 409: CHAPTER 409: I SAW HER

"Ah..."

The darkness descended, immediately triggering screams of panic.

All around was the sound of glass shattering, as people, in their nervous state, tried to make their way out, knocking down glasses and bottles which crashed down from the cabinets.

Anna Thornton was still in a daze when suddenly she felt someone grab her hand.

In the darkness, she could feel the firm fingers of the other person gripping tightly.

It was a man’s hand, large!

With a protective gesture, he completely enveloped her small hand within his palm.

With a strong tug, Anna was pulled into a corner by the other person.

Avoiding those rushing outside from bumping into her.

"Finn?"

Since the start of the banquet, Anna had been with Finn Grant.

So she assumed it should be him!

However, unfortunately, it was too dark for her to see that when the name "Finn" left her lips, the man holding her hand clenched his back teeth.

"It should be a power outage or a trip, but the Hawthorne Family will handle it swiftly, don’t worry!" Anna tried to reassure him in return.

She even patted the back of ’Finn’s’ hand.

For no other reason than feeling the person’s grip on her hand was a bit too tight.

Tightness wasn’t an issue, but it did hurt a little!

Anna guessed correctly, the sudden power outage was indeed due to a circuit issue.

The Hawthorne Family had professionals to handle it, and soon the lights in the hall came back on.

The once pitch-black hall returned to brightness, taking about thirty seconds or so.

Anna had a look of ’see, I told you so’ on her face, about to boast a few words with Finn.

However, as she patted the man’s arm, she raised her eyes only to see it was Conrad Sterling who was holding her?

"Why is it you?" Anna instinctively queried in surprise.

She remembered before the power outage, Conrad was standing quite far from her!

The genuine confusion made President Sterling’s already unpleasant expression grow darker.

Not Finn, disappointed?

Conrad’s gaze at Anna at that moment seemed to say just that.

But he did not verbalize it.

Knowing if he asked in such a way, Anna would certainly aim to irritate him, nodding and saying ’yes’.

Thus, Conrad merely let out a chilly, somewhat sour snort and released Anna’s hand without a word.

He stuffed his hands in his pockets and walked in the opposite direction!

As if, he had never come to pull Anna at all.

Anna: "..."

"Anna, where did you run off to?" Finn, when the lights went out, had meant to protect Anna too.

But reaching out nearby, she was already gone.

He was just marveling, how quick she was to disappear.

If an accident happened, there wasn’t even a chance to play hero.

Yet seeing Conrad’s back, Finn narrowed his eyes, full of crisis: "Did that Sterling just take the chance to mess with you?"

"No!" Anna spoke the truth.

Indeed no!

Maybe Conrad had the intention, but at that time Anna’s calling out ’Finn’ had blocked him.

Though he didn’t say a word, Anna could sense the man was angry!

Ha, what’s there to be angry about?

Just a case of mistaken identity?

It was pitch-black, you didn’t speak, who can you blame?

Anna didn’t bother with Conrad; after all, the highlight auction of the charity banquet was about to begin.

She prepared to sit down with Finn when suddenly from the inner residence of the Hawthorne Family came a scream.

Different from the initial scream during the blackout, this one stemmed from a deep-seated fear.

The voice lacked sharpness, yet was hoarse, male, and heart-wrenching.

Anna saw a slender-faced middle-aged man stagger out from the Hawthorne inner residence.

His expression was fearful, wearing a gray Taoist robe.

As he crossed the threshold, his frazzled mind caused him to stumble heavily.

Seeing this, someone quickly went to help him up.

"Second Master, are you alright?"

Hearing the term ’Second Master’, Anna realized this middle-aged man was Hawthorne Family’s second son, Miles Hawthorne.

Just as Finn had said, Miles Hawthorne indeed seemed bizarre.

After being helped up, he muttered, seemingly talking about ghosts.

"Second Master, the eldest miss is hosting a banquet today. There are many people outside, let me help you back to your room to rest."

It was clear that the Hawthorne Family was accustomed to Miles Hawthorne’s oddness.

But on such an occasion, with Aethelgard’s elite and celebrities gathered, it was rather embarrassing.

Especially when a servant tried to escort him back to his room, and Miles suddenly broke free: "I’m not going back! There’s a ghost in my room!"

The second master has been practicing Taoism for years, though he seems odd.

He usually doesn’t bother others, and no one dares bother him.

Today, for unknown reasons, he seemed possessed, swinging wide sleeves of his robe, his gaze frantic, insisting he saw a ghost.

Even with so many people in the hall, Miles Hawthorne couldn’t calm down.

His eyes filled with panic, scanning the crowd as if searching.

Finally, his eyes landed on Marvin Hawthorne.

"Elder brother, I saw her! I saw her ghost!"

Marvin Hawthorne looked like a man weary of life, too dispirited to care and interact, without giving Miles any response.

Yet as a butler moved to drag the second master away, Miles broke free again, forcefully shaking Marvin’s shoulders: "Brother, wasn’t she your favorite? I really saw her! You must recognize her! It’s her!!!"

Miles’s words caused Marvin, originally unresponsive, to suddenly recall something, his whole body trembling.

"You said... you saw whom?"

"It’s her! Mercy! She’s back!"

"Where is she?"

"I just saw her by the pool! She was burned to death back then, she said she’s afraid of fire!"

...

The Hawthorne brothers spoke together, telling a ghost story.

Others couldn’t understand their conversation, looking bewildered.

Then, involuntarily shivered.

Those observing closely could notice, not only Marvin Hawthorne and Miles Hawthorne, but even their wives had pale faces at that moment.

Unknown whether they recalled something terrifying, but the look was indeed frightening.

In this situation, only Rainie Hawthorne maintained her composure.

Stepping forward in high heels, she first pulled the frantic Miles away: "Second Uncle, you haven’t rested well lately, starting to talk nonsense! How could there be ghosts in this world? Besides, there are so many people at home today."

Initially, Rainie wanted to turn and console Marvin.

But who would have thought her father lost control too, heedlessly rushing towards the backyard pool.

Chanting: "...Mercy...Mercy..."

In less than two minutes, there was a ’splash’ from outside.

Servants screamed in panic: "Marvin is drowning! Help!"