Chapter 460: The Human Heart Is More Terrifying Than Ghosts
No one could find that waitress anymore. Cecilia Vaughn, unable to find any clues, temporarily decided that the woman must be Katherine North.
Because Katherine North was originally similar in height and build to Cecilia, and with today’s makeup techniques resembling face-changing, in such deep night, if Katherine had put on a makeup mimicking hers, people from afar could easily mistake her for Cecilia Vaughn.
...
Since Katherine North dropped out of school, Cecilia Vaughn had not seen her again, losing all contact.
However, Cecilia Vaughn remembered that when Katherine dropped out, Chloe Alden made financial compensation, and Fiona Vaughn, being Chloe’s best friend, should naturally be aware of it.
...
In the deep courtyard, the cold wind howled by, stinging painfully against the skin.
Fiona Vaughn never expected Cecilia would come to ask her about Katherine North, and thinking about sending two thugs to take care of that woman, she immediately showed a guilty look.
"Sister, I... why are you asking me? How could I know?"
Cecilia, seeing Fiona anxiously twisting her fingers, her expression panicked, had thoughts flashing in her beautiful almond eyes.
"Are you afraid? What exactly do you know?"
Cecilia leaned down and grabbed Fiona’s chin.
"Now that your best friend has died an unnatural death, are you not even a bit sad or upset? Do you realize it might have been Katherine North who killed her! I vaguely saw Katherine’s figure on the ship!"
Fiona bit her lip, eyes welling with tears of grievance.
"Why are you being mean to me! Even if you’re mean to me, I still don’t know!"
...
Cecilia sneered as she saw Fiona trying so hard to refute, clearly showing she really had some guilt in her heart.
"Fiona Vaughn, the old saying goes, ’A clear conscience laughs at false accusations.’ Aren’t you worried Katherine North might kill Chloe Alden and then come for you?"
"After all, when she was humiliated by the manager at the hotel, you were involved too!"
At that time, it was a joint effort between Chloe Alden, Fiona Vaughn, and Katherine North to destroy Cecilia, but it backfired on Katherine herself.
...
Seeing Cecilia questioning like this, Fiona shivered, her face instantly turned pale.
"No! It’s impossible! Katherine North could never have killed Chloe!"
"Why is it impossible that it was Katherine? Unless the murderer is you?"
Cecilia frowned, completely unable to understand why Fiona was so agitated, and her pallor was unnerving.
Although her words were a ploy to probe Fiona, Cecilia never actually suspected her as the real mastermind.
First, Fiona lacked the motive to kill and had an alibi, second, although her relationship with Chloe was artificial, Chloe was still her best stepping stone, and her death would do more harm than good.
...
Fiona’s eyes reddened as she tightened her grip on Cecilia’s hand in fear, nearly bursting into tears.
"Because Katherine North is already dead!"
"???"
Cecilia was taken aback, never thinking this situation could involve such a secret.
Fiona thought of those thugs she sent after Katherine, afraid of being exposed, her heart faltered, yet she put on a sorrowful face.
"I... I was just worried that Katherine, after dropping out, would be unhappy, so I went to check on her place. But I heard from neighbors that half a month ago she accidentally fell into water, and by the time they retrieved her, she was already cold."
"I suspect... Katherine likely wasn’t accidental but rather chose to commit suicide out of depression. If you don’t believe me, you can check the records at the Stellerton Police Station; the case was considered an accident and closed."
Cecilia’s grip on Fiona’s chin loosened suddenly.
She staggered back a step, her eyes full of shock.
"Katherine North is dead?"
How... how could it be.
A perfectly fine person drowned half a month ago.
Chloe Alden also drowned; could it really be such a coincidence?
Tears streamed down Fiona’s pretty yet frail face, she looked miserably at Cecilia.
"Sister, what should I do? You said you saw Katherine on the cruise; could it be her spirit, restless after the seventh day, coming to claim our lives?"
Cecilia felt her hair stand on end from Fiona’s words, chills running from her tailbone up.
"It’s broad daylight, what nonsense are you talking!"
...
Seeing Fiona crying relentlessly in a dramatic manner, Cecilia felt a headache coming, knowing she probably couldn’t extract any useful information here, so she decided to leave.
The wedding banquet on the Isle of Whispers turned from a celebration to a funeral.
Fiona was exposed for having an affair with Chloe Alden’s uncle, and she was like a wilted eggplant, soon excusing herself with illness to return to Stellerton to recuperate. Online discussions were rife, and her scheduled activities were delayed.
Amidst all this, Fiona was furious but could only post a condolence tweet on her Weibo for Chloe Alden.
Ironically, two days later, when the Alden family held Chloe’s funeral, Fiona claimed pregnancy discomfort as an excuse not to attend.
Out of sight, out of mind, as they say.
...
The investigation hit continuous obstacles, and Cecilia could only return to Veridia with Adrian Law.
Cecilia, a firm materialist, didn’t believe in ghosts, yet it was hard to dismiss the coincidence of wearing a dress identical to hers.
"Adrian, do you believe in ghosts? Walter Sinclair sent a message; even though the dress wasn’t a limited edition, it had been bought by several ladies of leisure, who have no apparent motive for murder. Do you think there really might be ghosts..."
Cecilia couldn’t continue, feeling a chill, and leaned into Adrian for comfort, asking softly.
The man’s magnetic voice filled their small space as he tucked an errant strand of hair behind her ear.
"Cecilia, are you afraid of ghosts?"
Cecilia pondered for a while before replying, "You know I don’t believe in such things, but if ghosts really do exist, I think the human heart is far more terrifying."
Adrian gently nodded.
"Indeed, Wyatt went to Stellerton’s police headquarters on my behalf and retrieved the records showing Katherine’s death by drowning. It indicated that when they recovered her body, it was so waterlogged that the features were unrecognizable, but the clothing and DNA confirmed it was her."
Katherine North... truly has already died.
The case grew increasingly perplexing. Cecilia nursed a headache, idly drawing circles on Adrian’s chest.
"So frustrating..."
Feeling a rising warmth, Adrian clasped Cecilia’s wandering hand.
"Cecilia, let me help you forget your troubles!"
Before the words were finished, Adrian pulled Cecilia down under him!