On the way home, Shirley Thorne took a deep breath and said to Ethan Grant, "Mr. Grant, thank you for taking the time to help me. I know you're very busy."
Ethan Grant didn't answer, just tossed her an unlocked tablet.
Shirley Thorne took it and saw it was the investigation report on the chandelier incident. All the evidence pointed to a temporary hotel worker who harbored a hatred for the rich.
The reason for sabotaging the chandelier was also simple: a classic case of have-not resentment. He couldn't stand seeing Shirley Thorne marry rich.
Shirley Thorne frowned a little as she read the results.
She distinctly remembered that weaselly-faced reporter. Before the chandelier fell, his eyes were full of schadenfreude, his expression dripping with ridicule. He might as well have had "I'm in on it" tattooed on his forehead.
Yet, there was no record of it on the tablet.
This was too strange!
Ethan Grant seemed to sense her confusion and said, "The matter with the reporter is still under investigation."
Shirley Thorne quickly asked, "Any progress?"
Ethan Grant's brows knitted, a hint of confusion in his eyes. "For now, we haven't found any connection to the chandelier."
Huh??
Shirley Thorne's frown deepened.
Ethan Grant turned his head to look at her, his tone icy. "From now on, take bodyguards when you go out. I don't want to hear about you going out alone again."
"Oh..."
Shirley Thorne felt a little wronged at his words. 'Being the richest man's wife is so suffocating,' she thought. 'I can't even go out by myself freely.'
Perhaps sensing her dejection, Ethan Grant added, "Those people... they won't just try to harm you once."
"Who are 'those people,' exactly?"
Shirley Thorne couldn't contain her curiosity. She'd actually been wanting to ask for a while now: who exactly could stir up trouble right under the nose of the country's richest man and not get caught!
Ethan Grant casually swiped open another folder on the tablet and let her see for herself.
Shirley Thorne looked at the tablet suspiciously, and what she saw made her break out in a cold sweat.
The file detailed all the unfortunate incidents, big and small, that had befallen Ethan Grant's first three wives. From a flowerpot falling on a foot to being hit by a luxury car, nearly every event had been ruled an "accident."
'But were they really all accidents?'
Shirley Thorne had never believed the rumors about the "wife-jinxed" billionaire, but after reading all this, she couldn't help but waver.
'The mastermind behind all this must really hate Ethan Grant to be so determined to saddle him with the reputation of a wife-jinx.'
She recalled Ethan Grant's words—"they won't just try to harm you once"—and couldn't help but shudder.
'Speaking of which, there was a question she had been ignoring for a long time.'
'Why was she reincarnated into this body?'
'If she was possessing this body, what happened to the original soul?'
Shirley Thorne racked her brain and finally dredged up a clue from the deepest corners of her memory.
'She had been poisoned!'
'The original Shirley Thorne had felt dizzy after drinking some Pu'er tea. That's why she went to lie down on the bed, and then... she had arrived!'
Once she put the logic together, Shirley Thorne's hands were shaking so badly she could barely hold the tablet.
"Mr. Grant, we have to take the initiative!"
Shirley Thorne closed the tablet, forcing herself to calm down. She looked at the man beside her. "The enemy is in the shadows while we're out in the open. We have to drag them out!"
Ethan Grant raised an eyebrow, somewhat surprised.
He had shown her the tablet to propose a partnership, but he hadn't expected this girl to be so sharp and suggest it herself.
His face remained impassive as he said seriously, "We can cooperate, but you have to listen to me."
Shirley Thorne nodded, signaling that was no problem!
'She trusted the billionaire's intelligence!'
Step one of Ethan Grant's plan: draw their fire!
Force the mastermind to make a move!
Shirley Thorne frowned. "I get the principle, but why do we have to stir up trouble at the family banquet?"
Ethan Grant couldn't be bothered to explain further. He only said, "Because the enemy is in the family."
Shirley Thorne was startled. Her first instinct was that it was impossible. 'Aren't they all Grants? Is having a "wife-jinxed" billionaire in the family something to be proud of?'
But on second thought, the only people who could likely evade the richest man's investigation would be members of his own family.
'Besides, a position like his invites so much jealousy. What kind of despicable things wouldn't people do for wealth?'
Having figured out the logic, Shirley Thorne gave him a mock salute and promised, "Don't worry. When the banquet starts, I'll be so obnoxious that even the dog at the front gate will want to bite me."
Ethan Grant ignored her antics and instructed, "Just keep it under control."
Shirley Thorne nodded solemnly.
「Soon, it was time for the family banquet.」