A taxi was about to drive away when a car pulled up behind it. Tiffany turned and saw one of Richard's subordinates, John, who got out and knocked on her window.

"Miss Kelley," he said.

"You?" Tiffany subconsciously glanced into John's car, hoping to see someone specific.

John explained, "I've been sent to take you back."

"I see, thank you." She opened the door, and with John's help, carefully got into his car. Her leg wound still ached; she hadn't taken any painkillers, so it was healing slowly.

Once inside, John stowed her crutches. He intended to take her home, but Tiffany said, "Take me back to school."

"Okay," John replied readily.

Soon, the black car vanished into the morning mist. Hidden behind a bay window, Richard watched John help Tiffany into the sedan. He didn't turn away until they were out of sight. His usually striking eyes were cold and lifeless, devoid of warmth.

Seeing Richard's demeanor, the other servants exchanged glances and quietly left, unwilling to disturb him.

Soothing music played in the car. Tiffany gazed out the window as John said, "Miss Kelley, actually…" He hesitated. Intrigued, Tiffany teased, "Are you trying to say Mr. Hampton is a straightforward man? Unreasonable, yet gentle?"

John, having mentioned this before, simply nodded. "Yes, just as I'm taking you back to school now—it was Mr. Hampton's order." He tried to sound pleasant, hoping to ease the tension between them.

Tiffany smiled, but said nothing. She knew Richard wouldn't normally order his men to do this; at most, they'd help her down the stairs.

After a moment, she remembered something. "By the way, how are the assassins?" She assumed Richard had taken their investigation seriously, both for her and Kenneth's safety.

John replied, "We've uncovered some clues. They weren't from Lovell City, so tracing the mastermind is proving difficult. However, one thing is certain."

"What?"

"The mastermind is very well-hidden, and their background is significant."

Tiffany was stunned. She hadn't offended anyone powerful; she suspected Sandra, or perhaps the Booth or Lee families. But on reflection, something felt amiss. The Booths lacked the resources to hire such expert assassins; it wasn't a matter of money alone. The Lee family, meanwhile, was in ruins; Conner's assets were sold, and he faced crippling penalties. They barely had enough to stay afloat.

A name suddenly sprang to mind. "John, is the mastermind from Traron?" she asked.

Only the Ashton family, one of Traron's prominent families, held a deep enough grudge. She'd clashed with their daughter several times.

John shook his head. "I've checked. It's not them."

"What?" Tiffany frowned, leaning back. "If not them, then one of the other three prominent families." Her takeover of Whispering Winds in Traron would have spread, creating numerous potential enemies.

John praised, "Miss Kelley, you're as sharp as I thought." Then, he added, "Don't worry. With Mr. Hampton, this won't happen again."

Tiffany smiled. "Thank him for me."

"Will do."

The car pulled up to the school. Tiffany got out, turning to thank John before heading inside.

Many students were nearby. Seeing her emerge from the Hampton family's car caused an immediate stir. "Hey, look at the license plate. It looks familiar."

"That's the Hampton family car! See that logo? It's unmistakable!"

"Tiffany just got out of a Hampton car! What…"

The passage has been edited for grammar, punctuation, and flow. The awkwardly placed advertisement has been removed.