The Fake Heiress and Her Purrfect Partner novel Chapter 44

**TITLE: Dreams Rise Again by Braxton**

**Chapter 44**

With a gentle care that belied his stature, Thomas handed the peacefully sleeping Cody over to the nanny. “Take him to rest,” he instructed softly, watching as the nanny cradled the child with a tenderness that made his heart swell. Once she had departed, he reached into the pocket of his tailored suit and pulled out a business card, its edges crisp and professional. He extended it toward Nina, his tone respectful yet firm. “Ms. Summer, this is my personal contact information.”

The atmosphere around them shifted, a palpable buzz of astonishment and envy rippling through the onlookers. This was no ordinary moment; it was the first time they had witnessed Thomas, the formidable real estate mogul, showing such regard for someone outside his usual circle.

Nina accepted the card, her fingers brushing against his as she did so. “Mr. Niles, you’re far too generous,” she replied, her thoughts racing. The implications of his offer began to unfold in her mind like a well-planned blueprint. *The Niles Group reigns supreme in the real estate sector, and they even have a construction arm. With this connection, securing funding for the zoo renovations could be a breeze. Perhaps it’s finally time to upgrade the animals’ habitats, too.*

Turning his attention to Simon, Thomas declared, “Mr. Reed, I’ll arrange for a grand banner to be printed and sent to the Jelasburg Police Department Headquarters. Let’s give you the full small-town-hero parade you rightfully deserve.”

Simon, maintaining his composed demeanor, responded, “It’s just part of our job, Mr. Niles.” His modesty was a stark contrast to the admiration that the crowd felt for him.

Meanwhile, Alex, the so-called “case-solving genius” who had made quite the entrance in Samuel’s helicopter, found himself awkwardly lingering at the fringes of the gathering. He felt like a mere shadow, invisible to those around him. The two officers he had brought along stood beside him, equally uncomfortable, their minds echoing the same thought: *If only Professor Summer had chosen to collaborate with Nina from the start, the case would have been solved ages ago—and we might have walked away as heroes!*

Just then, two men were ushered forward by the bodyguards, their presence sending a chill through the crowd. One was the murderer, and the other was the unsettling figure Nina had encountered in the forest. Claire instinctively took a few steps back, trying to meld into the crowd, her instincts screaming at her to distance herself from the danger.

Nina’s finger shot out, pointing directly at the man clad in a plaid suit. “That’s the one who murdered Penny,” she declared, her voice steady but laced with urgency.

Thomas’s face shifted from curiosity to recognition as he drew a sharp breath, disbelief etched across his features. “Why—it’s you?” he exclaimed, the shock evident in his tone.

Out of respect for Penny and a desire to shield Thomas from further embarrassment, Nina chose her words carefully. She refrained from revealing the full extent of the murderer’s connection to Penny, opting instead to inform Simon that the squirrels had witnessed the man entering Penny’s room and then sneaking out shortly thereafter.

Quentin, ever the vigilant protector, nodded toward the bodyguards. They quickly understood the unspoken command and began ushering the guests out of the hall, guiding them back to their rooms with firm yet polite insistence.

Simon rifled through the file handed to him by the butler, his brow furrowing as he scanned the list. “This guy isn’t on the guest list, Mr. Niles. Do you happen to know him?” he inquired, his voice steady despite the tension in the air.

“His name’s Sam Carter,” Thomas replied, his tone dripping with disdain. “Just a lowlife my son associates with for booze and cards.” He shot a venomous glare at Sam, his voice rising with indignation. “Getting my boy tangled up in your gambling wasn’t enough for you, was it? Now you want to run off with my grandson?”

Sam retorted defiantly, “Like your son ever considered me a real friend. Your damn family is swimming in cash. Why shouldn’t you share some with me? What’s it to you? I’m drowning in debt collectors, and you just stand there, watching me sink. How can you be so heartless?”

Thomas’s expression darkened, fury radiating from him. “The Niles family’s wealth didn’t just appear out of thin air. I built this empire from nothing. If all you wanted was money, I could have arranged that. But why did you have to murder Penny?”

Sam sneered, a cruel smile creeping onto his face. “Why don’t you ask her? Guess how I managed to sneak into Pinehill Manor?”

The color drained from Thomas’s face as the implication hit him hard.

Cornered and desperate, Sam revealed, “She wouldn’t let me take Cody. She backed me into a corner.”

Thomas exploded, his voice a thunderclap of rage. “You bastard!”

Quentin wasted no time, barking orders for the bodyguards to escort Sam away.

As Sam was led out, Thomas pointed at the other man, his voice laced with disdain. “So that was the murderer. What about this one?”

Simon had already pieced together the puzzle. His observations told him that the creep harassing Nina and Sam were not in cahoots. “Mr. Niles, you should get some rest. This one is from a different case entirely,” he stated, his tone authoritative yet respectful.

Exhausted by the whirlwind of events and the toll it had taken on him, Thomas waved his hand dismissively and turned to leave, the weight of the world resting heavily on his shoulders.

Simon, however, was not done. With a swift motion, he drove his boot into the creep’s knee, demanding, “Name!”

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