Chapter 667
Aubree’s face turned ashen in an instant. She hurriedly pushed open the doors of the private booth and made her way to the restroom in the hallway, where she leaned over the sink and began to vomit until her eyes reddened.
The guy hadn’t expected such a reaction and felt a flush of embarrassment that only subsided when Brielle produced a credit card as compensation, prompting the
disgruntled group to leave willingly. This is property © of NôvelDrama.Org.
The booth was thick with the scent of alcohol and perfume, yet Ricardo’s senses honed in on the faintest trace of blood amidst it all. He glanced toward Dustin, whose silhouette was obscured by the shadows, revealing only a hand clutching an unlit cigarette–a concession to the enclosed space and the presence of a lady.
Brielle made to stand and check on Aubree, but Ricardo held her back. “Ms. Haywood, let
her be for a moment.”
Aubree had braced herself for tonight’s ordeal yet still found herself overwhelmed. She’s probably feeling upset right now.
Reluctantly, Brielle sat back down.
Dustin had come tonight to inquire about the Sunflower Children’s Home, having heard that Brielle had grown up there. Their investigation had led them only as far as that orphanage before hitting a dead end. The trail was deliberately erased.
The Lynch family had spent years mingling in North American high society, rubbing shoulders with the offspring of the wealthy and influential and securing their top–tier status. Yet, their domestic influence paled in comparison to the old–money dynasties.
Dustin had already partnered with the Clements family, but even they could only dig up leads pertaining to the orphanage.
Tonight Dustin had learned that Brielle had undergone a DNA test, which had ruled out the possibility of her being the missing sister in Dustin’s family.
The orphanage’s records were incomplete. They were historically managed by the enigmatic director Mark, and a fire had destroyed much of the documentation. The new director of the Sunflower Children’s Home was clueless about past procedures, and Mark had vanished without a trace.mThe mystery deepened.
Dustin’s questions weren’t limited to the orphanage. He was also interested in Mark. Investigations into Mark painted him as an unremarkable retiree, divorced, and out of the spotlight.
Dustin hadn’t initially suspected anything amiss about Mark until the Clements family’s inquiry into his ex–wife hit a dead end. A divorce was one thing, but her complete disappearance was another. Either she had gone off–grid to a place where no digital
09:30
footprint was required, or someone had meticulously altered both Mark and his ex–wife’s
identities.
The one person who had frequent interactions with Mark was none other than Brielle. Dustin couldn’t fathom the coincidence, even warming to the thought of it.
Noting Brielle’s distraction, Dustin chose not to broach the subject but instead presented her with gift boxes. “Bri, this is for you.”
Brielle, pulled from her reverie by his words, focused on the gift boxes before her.
Not one, but two.
Dustin was a gentleman. He would never leave a lady giftless, especially when meeting two. If Aubree were present, she wouldn’t feel slighted.
“Go on, open it.”
Dustin had given many gifts before, but presenting something to Brielle felt different, special somehow.
Brielle unwrapped the gift to reveal a diamond that nearly blinded her with its brilliance. “Mr. Lynch?” The diamond was easily worth millions, its purity unmatched, and its cut was the work of a master. Infinity Brilliance, the global diamond authority, would never offer anything but the exquisite.
“It’s too valuable, I can’t accept this.”
“Keep it. Aubree has one, too.”
Dustin’s tone was nonchalant, the unlit cigarette still between his fingers. Brielle felt less inclined to refuse and resolved to return the favor with a gift of her own at some point. “Alright, thank you, Mr. Lynch.”
Dustin chuckled, his eyes twinkling. “We’ve got bigger ones at home. If you ever travel abroad with me, you can toss these away.”
Brielle’s lips twitched in a half–smile. The world of the wealthy was beyond her imagination. “I heard Infinity Brilliance owns a private jet decked out in diamonds?” She had read about it in the news, finding it outrageous, but with the way Dustin casually spoke about diamonds, it seemed plausible.
“Yeah, grandma always said girls love sparkly things. She wanted to use that jet to pick up my sister when she finally came home. But, it’s never been used.”
His sister was still missing.