Chapter 400

Victoria stepped forward urgently. "Harrison, how did you locate Dr. Sinclair's fan?"

A knowing smile played on Harrison's lips, her eyes glinting with secrets. "That's my concern. Right now, I'm here for my father's remains."

Margaret moved swiftly to block Harrison's path. "You can't—"

Harrison's voice turned icy as she met Margaret's gaze. "Going back on our deal? Do that, and your precious fake Dr. Sinclair disappears. Every cent you paid will be lost."

Margaret hesitated, guilt flashing across her features. "I gave you my word. It's just... today isn't appropriate. We'll arrange another time."

"I'm taking my father home today." Harrison's tone brooked no argument. "Every day is suitable for this."

With that, Harrison pushed past Margaret and marched toward the Whitmore estate.

The official seal still barred the entrance. Harrison reached out, tore it away decisively, and shoved the heavy door open.

The hinges groaned in protest as she stepped inside.

She moved directly to the grand hall where ancestral portraits lined the walls. In a shadowed corner, she spotted Benjamin's photograph immediately.

Dust-covered and partially obscured by a stained cloth, the neglected frame made her chest tighten.

Harrison couldn't fathom such disrespect toward her father.

Gently lifting the portrait, she wiped away years of neglect with her sleeve. Her pale eyes shimmered with unshed tears. "I'm bringing you home, Dad."

The urn sat behind the frame. Harrison cradled it against her chest, carefully gathering the photograph before turning to leave.

Margaret called after her, "Where exactly do you plan to take him?"

"Anywhere that isn't here." Harrison didn't look back. "To him, home was never this place."

Her footsteps echoed with finality as she departed.

The moment Harrison left, Victoria rushed to Margaret's side, anxiety written across her face. "She has Benjamin's ashes now. What if she discovers how he really died?"

Theodore and Frederick closed in, their worry palpable. This was the Whitmore family's most guarded secret.

Theodore voiced their collective fear. "If Harrison uncovers the truth, she won't let it go. She's changed—become unpredictable. If she seeks vengeance..."

Margaret scoffed, her expression dripping with contempt. "You're frightened of ashes? Do you honestly believe she can detect poison in them? You overestimate her capabilities."

Benjamin had been murdered by poisoning.

The tension in Theodore and Frederick's shoulders eased slightly. In their minds, Harrison lacked the resources to conduct such forensic testing.

Margaret's eyes narrowed to slits, her voice dropping to a venomous whisper. "Benjamin brought this on himself. We showed him mercy by taking in that roadside orphan. He owed us everything. When he learned Harrison's true origins and tried taking her to the Capital..."

Her unfinished threat hung heavy in the air.