She frowned, "Then why does everyone say you personally killed Shelly? If you didn’t kill her, then... who did?"

Si Yuheng clearly had said enough and didn’t want to continue, "I just ask you, do you trust me?"

"Then tell me, what actually happened?"

"It seems you still don’t really trust me." He smiled coldly and walked forward.

She mustered the courage to shout at his back, "Si Yuheng, if you don’t explain clearly what happened, how can others believe you?"

He didn’t stop his steps and continued to quietly push the stroller forward, "Forget it, let’s leave it at that."

What he had said to her today was already more than enough.

This matter, he had never mentioned to anyone and had no plans to ever bring it up.

He thought it would remain forever buried in his memory.

It’s really funny, that he brought it up just to improve this woman’s impression of him.

Yet she doesn’t believe him at all.

She would rather believe other’s rumors than believe him.

She restrained the turmoil in her heart and silently followed behind him.

Whether Shelly was killed by him or not, what does it have to do with her, why did she have to get to the bottom of it, she was leaving anyway.

If she found out Shelly wasn’t killed by him, that he isn’t a murderer, would she stay?

Was she desperately looking for a reason to stay and continue living with him?

...

The two silently took a walk on the lawn.

Xiaoxiao got tired, calmed down, with little bubbles puffing from her mouth as she sweetly slept.

Just then, a trusted aide crossed the lawn and approached, "Hall Master, some matters about the cooperation with the Huo Family require your attention."

Si Yuheng turned his head and looked at Liang Anya.

Just troubled over how to be alone with Xiaoxiao, the opportunity presented itself. Liang Anya met his gaze and quickly said, "It’s alright, you go ahead."

"We agreed I would accompany you and Xiaoxiao this afternoon." He raised an eyebrow.

She hummed twice, "Business is important. You’ve just started working with the Huo Family, there must be a lot going on."

His eyes suddenly flashed with something, "Then you and Xiaoxiao..."

"It’s getting late anyway. I’ll stroll around a little more, then hand Xiaoxiao over to Vivi, and go upstairs myself."

There was an unclear meaning in his eyes, but he didn’t say anything, just called out, "Beth, take care of Miss Liang and Miss Miyasha."

Then he bent down, gently hooked his slender finger, and lightly scraped Xiaoxiao’s pink nose before leaving with his subordinate.

She watched as the two slipped through the castle doors, her heart racing, suddenly speaking up, "Beth, Xiaoxiao will be hungry as soon as she wakes up. Can you please go upstairs and defrost and heat the frozen breast milk in the fridge?"

Beth did not overthink, agreed, and left.

Liang Anya pushed the stroller under a patch of shade, then picked Xiaoxiao up from it, and slowly walked towards the west gate entrance of the private forest.

...

At the same time.

The mantis stalks the cicada, unaware of the oriole behind.

Behind the castle’s main entrance, a sharp light flickered in Si Yuheng’s increasingly cold eyes, silently watching the woman’s every move in the distant lawn.

"Hall Master, it seems Miss Liang really is up to something. She definitely can’t leave on her own, someone must be helping her... Should I stop her now?" The subordinate took a sharp breath.

He was silent for two seconds, "No need. Wait a little longer."

Wait a little longer.

He didn’t even know what he was waiting for.

Was he waiting to see if she would actually run away?

Hoping that at the last moment, she would still have some attachment to him, unwilling to leave?

Weren’t the facts right in front of his eyes? She had long been prepared.

Once he deliberately left, she immediately couldn’t wait to hold Xiaoxiao and looked for a chance to slip away.

On the terrace yesterday, she had stirred his heart, smoothing out his wounds, and even said she would prepare a birthday gift for him every year.

Was it really all just lies before running away?

...

Liang Anya held Xiaoxiao and dared not to move too quickly, afraid of alerting the people of Beiming Hall nearby.

At first, she walked leisurely like she was taking a stroll.

As she neared the west gate, she quickened her pace.

She knew Fei Han was there waiting for her, and soon, there would be a free sky ahead of her and Xiaoxiao.

She would no longer have to bear the title of mistress, trapped by him in the castle.

But why...

Why was she not as excited as before?

Her mind was filled with how last night he, drunk on the terrace, relived the days of orphaned childhood with that face of despair and sadness.

In her ears were his words just now, "I just ask you, do you trust me..."

Fei Han’s lover was shot by a third party...

She finally understood why, upon hearing about it, she felt that inexplicable eerie familiarity.

Si Yuheng’s fiancée Shelly was also shot by him.

Fei Han’s lover...

Si Yuheng’s fiancée...

Could there be a connection between them?

Could it be—

The same person?

No way...

People in Western countries dying from gunshots and gunshot cases aren’t uncommon, it must just be a coincidence...

But, what if it’s not a coincidence?

If Fei Han’s lover is indeed Si Yuheng’s deceased fiancée, then Fei Han’s purpose...

Sweat beads surfaced, her steps abruptly faltered, she took a deep breath, and lowered her head to look at the still-sleeping little bundle of joy:

"Xiaoxiao, should I trust your dad this time?"

——

At the west gate entrance, Fei Han awaited Liang Anya’s arrival.

Finally, footsteps approached, and the breathless young girl, cradling the tender baby, stood before him.

His tense brows relaxed, this Asian girl indeed had some skill, managing to join up with him.

"My car is just there. I’ll drive you to the city now, stay in a hotel for half a day, and you can take the night flight to leave. As for Beiming Hall, I’ll handle it." He extended his hand to her.

Liang Anya, however, did not immediately step forward.

"You can go now, Anya, what are you waiting for?" Fei Han’s eyebrows flickered, sensing something amiss.

She took a few slow steps forward, still keeping some distance from him, "Fei Han."

Fei Han paused, "What’s wrong?"

She spoke softly, "Can you tell me, what is the name of your fiancée?"

The words spread out in the silent, deserted forest.

Fei Han’s expression darkened, "What are you doing? Asking such silly questions at a time like this? Don’t you want to leave?"

"Tell me, Fei Han." She tightly hugged the swaddled infant.

Fei Han stared at her, "Do you suspect me of something?"

"I just want to know the name of your fiancée." She was resolute.

After a moment of silence, Fei Han’s usually gentle eyes gradually cooled, uttering two syllables with desolation and yet some deep emotion, "Shelly."

Shelly... It really is Shelly!

Liang Anya’s face turned white as a sheet, stunned on the spot.

Fei Han’s lover, shot dead, was indeed Si Yuheng’s fiancée!