Chapter 728

Just as Jane was about to close the surveillance video on her laptop, a knock sounded at the door. Before she could respond, Mina had already pushed the door open a crack, clutching a pillow and poking her round little head inside. "Jane, I'm here to sleep with you again!" Jane: "..." She actually didn't mind her sister joining her as long as Mina stopped bringing up that embarrassing drooling incident! Mina bounded into the room, tossed her pillow onto Jane's large bed, then gave a little hop and launched her petite frame onto the mattress as well. Noticing the open laptop, she scooted closer to peer at the screen. The footage showed a car crash scene cordoned off by police. Mina's eyes immediately locked onto the license plate of the struck vehicle. Her face drained of color as she gasped, "Jane... Ainara... is dead?" Without a word, Jane rewound the video and paused it on the frame showing Ainara's car parked near the accident site. Mina's expression cycled through shock, confusion, then dawning comprehension. After a long pause, she finally whispered, "Ainara must have suspected Rory would try to kill her... so she switched cars midway?" Jane nodded grimly. "That's the most likely explanation." Mina grabbed her sister's arm urgently. "What do we do now?" Setting her jaw with uncharacteristic severity, Jane replied, "Let them fight it out first. Remember how the police investigated Veronica's death for months without finding any leads? That proves whoever harmed her covered their tracks extremely well." She continued in a measured tone, "We'll wait until they've weakened each other. When they start confessing their crimes to save themselves, gathering evidence will become much easier." As Mina nodded slowly, sudden realization flashed across her face. "Wait you planned this all along, didn't you? That story about us visiting the mountain villa tomorrow for clues... that was just a cover?" "Ehehe..." Jane offered an awkward yet endearing smile, her dimples appearing as she avoided direct eye contact. That mountain villa where they dumped the bodies the cops have practically turned the place upside down already. What evidence could possibly be left to find? She hadn’t wanted to dampen her sister’s enthusiasm earlier, so she’d just gone along with what her sister said. "Come on, sis, let’s get some sleep. We can chat while we drift off," Jane said, patting her sister’s pillow and coaxing her to lie down. Mina, lost in her own thoughts, didn’t argue and obediently settled in beside Jane. But after a moment, she frowned and asked, puzzled, "Jane, something doesn’t add up to me. How did Ainara get out of juvenile detention so quickly? I thought she’d be locked up for ages!" Jane had been wondering the same thing. When she’d orchestrated Ainara’s arrest, she’d pinned the theft of classified research data on her a charge that usually wouldn’t lead to such a speedy release. Then again, maybe they’d investigated and found Ainara’s background clean, realizing her actions were just personal vendetta-fueled revenge. If so, they might’ve just given her a stern warning and let her go. That’s how Jane explained it to her sister. But as she spoke, she noticed her sister’s breathing had evened out. Turning her head, she saw Mina curled up on her side, fast asleep. Jane quietly pulled the blanket over her sister, her heart aching. Back when Mina first came to live with them, Jane had noticed how she slept curled into a tight ball a classic defensive posture. It was then she realized her sister wasn’t as fearless as she seemed; deep down, she was insecure. But in recent weeks, when their older brother had assigned Mina to share her room, she’d started sprawling out in a carefree starfish shape at night. And now… Jane sighed softly to herself before obediently closing her eyes and drifting off to sleep. At this moment, in the Brown family, Rory and her mother Aaliyah were wide awake, unable to sleep a wink. Both women sat with grim expressions, anxiously scrolling through news updates. When they came across a report about an out-of-control SUV crashing into a sedan on the ring expressway, they exchanged glances and let out a sigh of relief. But before they could fully relax, Rory's phone rang. Seeing the name "Ainara" flashing on the screen, her brows furrowed so tightly they might as well have been knotted. Still, she answered the call. The moment the line connected, Ainara's mocking voice came through, dripping with sarcasm. *"Cousin, surprised to hear from me? Or should I say... thrilled?"* Rory gritted her teeth but held her tongue. Ainara continued, *"Originally, out of respect for family you being my dear cousin and aunt I was willing to settle this for just two million. But now, thanks to you, I’ve lost a car and one of my friends is seriously injured. I’ll cut you a deal 20,000 for the car, 800,000 for my friend’s medical bills. Add that to the original two million, and let’s call it an even three million. Fair, don’t you think?"* Before Rory could respond, Aaliyah suddenly snapped. She leaped up, snatched the phone from her daughter’s hand, and shouted into the receiver, *"Ainara! Don’t push your luck! Or have you forgotten? If it weren’t for me, your whole family would’ve starved on the streets!"* Ainara’s voice turned icy, far colder than her years would suggest. *"Auntie, you must be misremembering. When the Atlas family hit rock bottom, I was already... elsewhere. It wasn’t exactly a five-star resort, but at least I wasn’t starving. As for the rest of the Atlas family whether they lived or died what’s that got to do with me?"* Aaliyah was stunned. She never imagined Ainara could say something so callous. Fury surged through her, making her chest heave violently her heavily pregnant belly rising and falling with each ragged breath. Rory reached to take the phone back, but then she saw it her mother’s face drained of color in an instant. Aaliyah clutched her stomach with both hands, panic flashing in her eyes. *"Ven....Veronica! Call an ambulance! My stomach... it hurts so bad—!"* Rory’s heart lurched. The baby in her mother’s womb was her last bargaining chip. She couldn’t afford to lose it—not now, not ever. Without a moment's hesitation, she grabbed her phone and hastily said to Ainara, "Once my brother is born and Mom gets the money, I'll pay you back immediately!" Hanging up, she immediately dialed 120. Then she sprinted to Cayden's study, pounding on the door with frantic urgency. "Dad! Dad! Come quick! Mom's in pain—she might be going into labor!" Before Cayden's door could open, Camillie's bedroom door swung wide from two rooms away. "Veronica! What did you say? Your mother's in pain? She's having the baby?" "Quick, call the hospital! Get a doctor—hurry!"