Chapter 290

Cynthia had walked only a few steps before encountering the casino manager, Oliver. He greeted her with exaggerated politeness, bowing his head. "Ms. Jones, if you had let us know you were coming, we would have prepared in advance! Mr. Reeves already instructed us to be on our best behavior if you showed up; otherwise, he said he'd toss us all into the crocodile pit."

Oliver's words stunned Luke. He knew exactly who controlled this place—a figure so elusive that no one ever saw him there, yet his reputation was legendary. In the underworld, everyone knew him as Edmund Reeves. Luke was shocked that Cynthia was somehow connected to Edmund. The mere mention of "crocodile pit" unsettled him.

He figured that since Shirley was facing over a decade in prison, her secret would soon be worthless, so he might as well capitalize on its current value.

"Hey, wait!" he called out.

Cynthia turned back gracefully. "You've thought it through?"

Luke approached her. "I do have something on Shirley."

"And that is?"

"She committed murder!"

Even though Cynthia had a hunch, hearing the word "murder" still shocked her. Shirley had always been reckless and careless; it was hard to associate her with such a serious crime.

Cynthia's expression grew serious. "Who did she kill?"

"Her father. She killed her own father," replied Luke.

Cynthia was completely shocked. "Are you saying Dennis Erwin was murdered by Shirley?"

"I don't know the guy's name. All I know is she called him 'Dad' when she killed him."

Cynthia's face turned cold and stern. "What exactly happened?"

Luke hesitated, as if lost in memory, and then said, "It was years ago. I remember going to an old apartment complex to try my luck, as there was no property management around. I found nothing of interest, and just as I was about to leave, I heard a commotion from a first-floor apartment, and a woman's cries of pain. Out of sheer curiosity, I went to the window. There, I saw a drunken man beating his wife; her face was battered, and she was curled up on the couch. Their daughter, seemingly used to it, sat at her computer with headphones on, ignoring everything, even continuing her game. Then the man, losing control, turned on the girl. He yanked her headphones off and slapped her hard. The girl fought back, but she was no match for his strength. Soon, he had her pinned to the ground, whipping her with a belt. Her mother rushed over, shielding her and urging her to escape. The girl crawled out, but instead of running away, she grabbed a fruit knife from the table and plunged it into the man's chest."

Luke shivered before continuing, "Blood was everywhere, and the man went down fast. I was terrified. Afterward, the girl seemed like a completely different person, kneeling there as she and her mother spoke in hushed voices. Then she ran off. Not long after, I heard police sirens, and I left too. Later, I followed the news. Her mother took the blame, confessing to the police, while the girl disappeared for a long time. That's when I knew this secret could be worth something. I tried to track her down, but it was like she'd vanished. Later, I learned why I couldn't find her. I learned her real identity—she's the true heiress of the Jones family, switched at birth. Her mother took the blame and went to prison for her, her father was dead, and she returned to her wealthy family, changing her surname and getting a new ID. There was no trace of the girl named Shirley Erwin. Then, a few months ago, I saw her face in the news when she embarrassed herself at the Pillere Design Competition. I could hardly believe it was her, but it was… So, I approached her. And, honestly, she was so easy to fool. I told her I had a video of the murder, and she bought it."

Cynthia frowned. "So you never actually had a video."

"I didn't even think that far back then, let alone record anything," replied Luke.

Cynthia found this absurd. Shirley must have been feeling guilty, which is why she believed Luke.

The fact that Shirley had killed Dennis genuinely caught Cynthia off guard. Even when the case was reinvestigated, nothing unusual was discovered. Of course, that was mostly because Rachel had confessed to an accidental killing, so no one questioned it further. But based on what Luke said, this wasn't excessive self-defense; it was deliberate murder in a fit of rage.

Cynthia took a moment to compose herself. "That information is indeed worth 5 million dollars. I have one more question."

Luke was thrilled. Just one more question, and his debt would be settled. "Of course, ask away!"

"How exactly did Silas die, and what was his relationship…"