bChapter /bb559 /b

bShe /bbquickly /bturned her bface /bbaway/bb, /bflustered. Whether bBowen /bbwas /bsober or drunkb, /bshe’d heard all kinds bof /bsweet btalk /bfrom him bbefore/b, bso /bshe bjust /bchalked this up as banother /bbone /bof his linesb–/bbeven /bbif /bthis was bby /bbfar /bthe most blunt thing he’d bever /bbsaid/b.

“bWow/bb, /bhe breally /bjust told bme /bstraight bup /bthat he’s btotally /bcraving my body, Aubree thought, her heart bskipping /bba /bbbeat/b.

“What’s the brush/bb? /bbIf /bbwe /bbgo /bnowb, /bbwe /bbwon’t /bbget /bany useful information. bJust /bbwait /bba /bbit blonger/bb,” /bbBowen /bsaid.

He added, “Ethan just texted me. bHe /bbsaid /bthere might have been some kind of deal between David’s family and the bvige /bchief’s family regarding the demolition. Looks like this bvige’s /bbgot /ba lot bof /bbsecrets/bb./bb” /b

Mistmere bgged /bbsignificantly /bbehind modernityb, /bbrevealing /bbits /bpersistent issues. In this bvige/b, the words of the local boss bor /bbvige /bchief bwere /bbabsolute/bb–/bbeven /bthe police held no authority.

bPeople’s /bmindset here seemed quite outdated. In just a few daysb, /bAubree noticed girls who were barely eighteen or neen bwere /balready pregnant and walking around the bvige/b. When she inquired about itb, /bshe learned that most girls in this area were engaged and married shortly after finishing junior high or high school. Surprisingly, none of them considered this situation unusual.

Stuff like bthat /bbwas /bjust beveryday /blife to them, and no one even batted an beye /bat it.

Meanwhile, Samuel walked up to Josephine’s door with his bbags /band knocked.

The bwidow’s /bfull name bwas /bJosephine Walls. She married into Ridgehaven Town from outside. Her husband worked in the mines but unfortunately died in an underground ident. After his death, Josephine receivedpensation money and has been raising their son on her own ever since.

She was educated, good–looking, and had a killer figure. Most days, she made ends meet by modeling for clothing shops in town or doing gigs for online bstores/b. It was enough to keep her and her kid afloat.

The vigers noticed how she always had new outfits and didn’t need to do hardbor to make money. Soon enough, the gossip mill started churning out rumors about her.

In a bce /blike Ridgehaven Town, it was natural for a woman, especially a pretty one, to get gossiped about or targeted by men.

Regardless of whether it’s true or not, the reputation of being “easy” was pinned on her for good.

Her ce was an old tile–roofed house with two doors–one in the front, one in the back. The whole ce was split into three parts: the living room sat smack in the middle, with a bedroom on one side and the kitchen and bathroom on the other.

Samuel knocked on the door, and before longb, /ba well–cared–for, fair–skinned boy peeked out before eximing, “Samuel!”

The boy’s eyes sparkled when he bsaw /bSamuel, as he had received many delicious treats from him during Samuel’s visits to his mother.

Like always, Samuel pulled a handful of snacks from his pocket and handed them over to Mattias, asking, “Mattias, is your mom home?”

b“/bYep, she’s home!” the boy chirped cheerily.

With that confirmation, Samuel stepped inside, ncing around like a thief before closing the door behind him.

Mattias’s eyes darted around, looking a little confused about what Samuel was up to.

Samuel set the food and drinks on the table, then turned on the TV in the living room. He instructed, “Mattias, you stay here and watch some TV, okay? I need to go talk to your mom for a bit.”

Little children are always so innocent. Mattias nodded obediently, sat down on the couch, and even pointed out which room his mom was in.

The door creaked open, and Josephine was lying on the bed, fast asleep.

Clothes were still scattered across the floor, and her phone was left out on a stand, not fully put away.

Samuel bstared /bat the woman sleeping soundly on her side, her back was facing toward the door and desire surged in his eyes.

Josephine had been uptest night doing ba /bphoto shoot, and for some reason, Mattias was gued by nightmares and kept fussing all night.

She only got ba /bchance to brest /bwhen it was almost dawn.

Even in her sleep, she looked restless as her brows bwere /btightly knit.

Luck and she bwere /bplete strangers. Now in her thirties, she felt as if she had never experienced a single moment bof /bbgood /bluck in her entire life.