Chapter 35

Based on Felicia's information, locating the loan shark known as Lance in Khogend proved straightforward. Following the clues, Melvin's name surfaced.

The investigator continued, "Mr. Fuller, the last contact on Lance's phone was Melvin. We discovered that Melvin visited the Fuller residence before Ms. Felicia's kidnapping…" The investigator offered no further details. Surveillance footage, both inside and outside the Fuller residence, easily revealed Melvin's visitor. Indeed, it was common knowledge.

This was particularly significant given Melvin's pursuit of Kayla, a subject of much recent discussion.

At that moment, Dexter and Myra both turned to Kayla. "Kay, what's going on?"

Kayla hadn't anticipated her earlier actions would have such immediate consequences. However, she wouldn't admit to anything.

She pouted, feigning innocence. "Melvin came to check on me because he heard I was sick. What's wrong with that?"

While her explanation seemed plausible, the timing felt suspiciously convenient. Myra recalled Kayla hinting that Felicia's kidnapping might have been staged, even citing the twin sisters as an example. This theory, however, could easily apply to Kayla as well: the younger sister resenting the elder and seeking outside help to target her.

The thought stunned Myra. It couldn't be true. Having raised Kayla, she knew her well. Kayla was kind and innocent, too gentle to harm even a small animal, let alone her own family. This had to be Melvin acting alone.

Myra grasped Dexter's hand firmly. "We need to go to the Chavez residence and demand an explanation," she said quietly.

"Wait," Dexter countered. "Right now, we only have a potential lead. There's no concrete evidence. Unless we find Lance and get him to confirm Melvin's involvement, they could easily accuse us of slander."

Myra trembled with anger. "So, even if we find this Lance, how could he possibly testify against Melvin? He's just his lackey!"

It felt like a fruitless endeavor.

Dexter sighed. "Darling, calm down. I'll find a way to resolve this. I promise we'll get to the bottom of this for you and Felicia."

"Even if you do, we're still stuck with this loss, aren't we? The Chavez family is one of the four prestigious families. If we confront them, we'll be the ones who suffer."

As their argument escalated, the maid remained silent. Kayla sat looking wronged and teary-eyed.

Felicia watched calmly, like an outsider observing a performance. It seemed they were arguing for her benefit, yet every word was clearly directed at her.

Felicia tossed her spoon onto the table with a sharp clatter. "Don't push me to flip this table."

Myra and Dexter stopped abruptly and turned to Felicia. "Licia, it's our fault…"

"Stop," Felicia interrupted, her gaze sharp and dismissive. "I've never known this Melvin. Why would he want to kill me? That's what we should be focusing on. Don't try to shift the blame or change the subject."

Their attempts to deflect and change the subject were clearly aimed at protecting Kayla. Both Myra and Dexter relentlessly directed their anger toward Melvin, trying to deflect any blame from Kayla. They wanted Felicia to believe Melvin was solely responsible, absolving Kayla of any involvement.

Chapter 36