Chapter 658

Thalia's world turned upside down. She and Charlie shared a deep, long-standing relationship; they were indispensable to each other. The Kelley family company's potential failure or even a collapsing sky wouldn't have mattered to Thalia—but Charlie was dead. Her world was shattered.

Looking at Charlie's cold body, covered by a white cloth, Thalia cried until her eyes ached. The grief was overwhelming, unrestrained, excruciating. She felt as if she were dying.

“Ah!” Thalia cried.

Afterward, Thalia returned to the soon-to-be-expanded villa. Holding Charlie's urn, she reminisced. She cherished Charlie's affection for her. Even in their old age, their love remained strong. She loved his gentle, helpless gaze as he compromised with her. But now, she could no longer see him.

In a daze, Thalia turned and saw the villa engulfed in flames. Sandra's face flickered in the firelight. The strong smell of gasoline filled the air. The raging fire and thick smoke were suffocating. Instead of fleeing, Thalia hugged Charlie's urn, sat quietly on the sofa, and whispered, “Honey, wait for me. I’m coming.”

The flames consumed her. After a night of fire, the villa was reduced to ruins.

Thalia woke, crying, convinced it was reality. Waking to her familiar bedroom and the bedside lamp, she was disoriented. Charlie lay beside her, his face ruddy.

Tears streamed down her face. "Fortunately, it was a dream," she thought.

Hearing the commotion, Charlie awoke to find his wife crying. He sat up, comforting her. "What's wrong? Did you have a nightmare?"

"I dreamed of you," Thalia said, recounting the dream's vivid details. It felt so real.

Charlie's expression grew solemn.

Chapter 638 (Note: There's a discrepancy in chapter numbering. This is likely a typo and should be corrected to 659 or a similar consecutive number)

He, too, had dreamed the same thing, though from a different perspective. Thalia dreamed of a home incident and humiliation at the hands of Jeffrey. Charlie dreamed of his rage at Tiffany's taking the blame for a woman Kenneth liked, and Stan's theft of Kelley family assets leading to his hospitalization. He was conscious but unable to speak, watching Sandra remove his oxygen tube and leave him to die. Charlie's dream felt as real as Thalia's.

“What the hell?” Charlie thought. “How could this be so coincidental?” Thalia was frightened, her limbs stiff and cold. "We dreamed this at the same time. Could it be a warning?"

"It's impossible, right?"

Charlie shook his head. Even considering his hospitalization and need for funds, he wouldn't have been so desperate as to borrow from Jeffrey. Yet… the way Jeffrey humiliated Thalia in her dream troubled him. Would Jeffrey truly be so heartless in reality?

Thalia pondered, her dream deeply disturbing. She couldn't face Jeffrey directly, and an idea struck her.

"How about… we test him?" she suggested.

"How?" Charlie asked, unsure whether to laugh or cry. Testing seemed childish. What if Jeffrey harbored no ill intent? The test could cause unnecessary misunderstanding and estrangement.

Thalia understood the logic, especially given Jeffrey was her brother. If not for the trauma of her dream, she wouldn't be so suspicious.

"Alright, don't overthink it. It's just a dream," Charlie said, patting her back, his gentle voice calming her.

It was 2:00 a.m. Tiffany stood outside her parents' bedroom. Her expression was hidden in the darkness, only her bright eyes visible. She had used the Treasure Box to show her parents glimpses from their past lives, planting seeds of suspicion about Jeffrey, though not enough to immediately alert them.

“Now… it's time to uncover that family’s sinister plot,” Tiffany thought, quietly returning to her room. She found Richard lying on her bed, shirt partially unbuttoned.

He rested his head on his hand, looking relaxed. Seeing her, he chuckled softly. "Mrs. Hampton, I'm here to offer myself."

His magnetic voice filled the quiet room. Tiffany blushed, her heart racing. "Didn't you say you'd stay in an empty room tonight?" she asked, surprised by his presence.

Richard's smile widened. He sat up, extending a hand. "Come here, let me hug you." The coldness in his eyes softened under the warm light; he looked doting.

Tiffany locked the door and rushed to him, knocking him over in her haste.

"What's the hurry?" Richard chuckled, spreading his arms mischievously. "I'm ready. Go ahead."

Tiffany blushed, shyly complying. The night was long.

Outside, the moonlight bathed the ground. In the charity foundation's warehouse, Zoe, after double-checking the goods, sighed in relief. "That's enough. Everyone, get off work," she told the staff, who had been sorting goods all night.