The Real Heiress Is Coming Back (Hannah Carter) novel Chapter 134

Chapter 134

Chapter 134

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“Yeah, but Iris, honestly, what’s the point of being out on bail? It doesn’t feel any different from being stuck inside,” Gemma said with a mocking tone.

On the other end of the line, Iris spoke gently, trying to soothe her.

“Auntie Gemma, you have to learn to be satisfied. Don’t get too greedy. Now that you’re out, isn’t this the best chance to calm down the public uproar caused by the Baker family?”

Gemma pictured the two military police posted outside their gate and gritted her teeth. “They’ve got guards stationed right at our front door. You really think this is supposed to settle things down? Looks to me like it’s just fueling the gossip even

more.”

“Really? I didn’t expect them to go that far,” Iris replied, her tone cool and detached.

Gemma’s anger flared as she listened to Iris’s lukewarm response. ‘Of course she’s calm, it’s not her neck on the line, Gemma fumed.

“Iris, don’t forget, I did all that for you back then. Do you really think you could just watch from the sidelines if something happened to me?” Gemma said, her voice low and threatening.

“Gemma Baker, are you threatening me?” Iris shot back.

Gemma could tell Iris’s tone had shifted, no more polite words, and she’d dropped the usual endearments, going straight to calling her by her full name.

Gemma clenched her fists. She still needed Iris’s help, so she couldn’t just blow things up right now.

Forcing herself to sound more conciliatory, she said, “I wouldn’t dare. But you can’t just let me be humiliated like this, can you? I’m still part of the Thole family, after all.”

“So what exactly do you want?” Iris asked, her tone impatient.

Gemma didn’t bother to be polite. “Tell them to get rid of those guards and give me my freedom back.”

Iris paused for a moment before replying, “It’s not that simple. Money can get you bail for false charges or bribery, but when there’s a murder involved, it’s a whole different ball game.

“Sure, the Thole family is top dog among the four big clans, but we still have to play by the rules…”

Plus, rumors from Southmart suggested Cavalor School was digging back into Yvette’s case. They had closed it far too quickly before and were now pushing for a complete do-over. For Iris to get involved then would have been pure folly.

‘Bullshit! You just don’t want to!’ Gemma seethed inside.

“But you know perfectly well the deaths of Yvette and her mother have nothing to do with me!” Gemma snapped.

“I know, but the police need evidence,” Iris replied gently. “Unless they find a new suspect who can completely clear your

name…”

Gemma narrowed her eyes, realizing what Iris meant. She needed to find a scapegoat, someone who would take the blame for killing Yvette and her mother, so she could finally cut herself loose from all this.

But this scapegoat couldn’t be just anyone. It had to be someone with some actual link to the case, someone she could trust, control, and who wouldn’t betray her.

Her mind raced through a list of possible names, but in the end, one face stood out, so familiar it made her heart skip a beat.

Chapter 134

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Meanwhile, by the time Hannah and Ethan landed at Southmart Airport, night had already fallen.

As soon as they stepped off the plane, Hannah felt her head spinning, like she was about to come down with a cold or a

fever.

She suspected her illness could be traced back to catching a chill at the hot springs, followed by the physical whiplash of flying from north winter to south, which had overwhelmed her body.

She told Ethan she was heading to the restroom, then pricked herself a few times with the gold needles Barnaby had given her. It kept the fever at bay, though her head was still pounding a little, but it wasn’t a big deal.

“Ms. Carter, are you not feeling well? Why don’t we just crash at a hotel tonight and head out in the morning?” Ethan suggested.

When Hannah came out of the restroom, she looked a bit better than when she’d just gotten off the plane, but she still seemed pretty out of it.

“I’m fine. Let’s just stick to the plan,” Hannah said. “By the way, Ethan, you don’t have to be so formal. Just call me Hannah Carter.”

She didn’t want to hold everyone up because of her. The sooner they got their hands on the box Yvette had mentioned, the better, before anything else goes wrong.

Ethan was a little surprised. Hannah had always given off this icy, untouchable vibe, like she was some high-society princess.

But after spending more time with her, he realized she wasn’t nearly as aloof as she seemed, and she could really tough it out when she had to.

“Calling you by your full name feels way too formal. How about I just call you Hannah?” Ethan said with a grin. “And you don’t have to be so stiff with me either.”

He was ten years older than Hannah.

“Works for me, Ethan,” Hannah replied.

The Banyan Grove of Linxire was deep in the countryside, and getting there from the airport was no joke, it’d take about five hours by car.

With the place being that far out, Hannah just couldn’t wrap her head around how Yvette and her mom managed to make it all the way there without using planes or anything else that could be tracked. Seriously, how did they even pull that off?

After they left the airport, they grabbed a cab to a restaurant. Once they got out, Ethan couldn’t help checking in. “You sure you’re alright?”

“Yeah, just got a bit of a headache, that’s all. I’ll be fine after a little rest in the car,” Hannah said, shaking her head.

Ethan nodded. “Alright, let’s eat first and wait for my buddy to get here.”

“Okay,” Hannah replied.

Hannah wasn’t really hungry and barely touched her food. While they were eating, Ethan got a call, and not long after, a black SUV pulled up outside.

Ethan paid the bill, grabbed the receipt, and said to Hannah, “Let’s go, the car’s here.”

Ethan’s buddy Vincent Forest worked at the local police station. The moment he saw Hannah, his eyes lit up, and with a cheeky smirk, he whistled, “Ethan, is this your girlfriend? Not bad, man.”

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Chapter 134

Hannah was at a loss for words.

“Knock it off?” Ethan jabbed him in the arm, then leaned in and whispered so only Vincent could hear, “Be serious, she’s with Mr. Barnaby Thole.”

Vincent instantly straightened up, dropping the swagger, and greeted Hannah formally, “Hi, I’m Vincent Forest.”

“Hannah,” she replied coolly, then got into the back seat.

“Man, she’s got that ice queen vibe,” Vincent whispered to Ethan.

Ethan just grinned. “She’s slow to open up, so don’t get any funny ideas.”

Vincent just pouted, hopped into the front passenger seat, and told Ethan to drive for now, he’d take over later.

Just as the door closed, Hannah called out from the back seat, “Ethan, leave the interior light on.”

Ethan looked a little confused, but he turned the light on anyway.

Five hours later.

Hannah was slumped in the back seat, half-asleep, when someone gently shook her awake.

“Hannah, wake up, we’re here,” Ethan said softly.

Hannah opened her eyes. The interior light was still on, but outside, it was pitch black, only the two headlights cutting through the darkness, and it looked like they were surrounded by a forest.

It was a cloudy night, no moon in sight. Hannah got out of the car, and as she stared into the darkness all around, a cold sweat broke out on her skin.

Vincent grabbed three high-powered flashlights and two shovels from the trunk, then joked, “Seriously, out here in the middle of the night with shovels? We look just like a bunch of tomb raiders about to dig up someone’s grave.”

Ethan noticed Hannah was looking uneasy, laughed, and nudged Vincent, “Don’t freak her out, man.”

Then he turned to Hannah, concern in his voice, “Are you sure you’re alright? If you want, you can wait in the car while we go dig around.”

From her reactions, he could tell Hannah really wasn’t a fan of the dark.

The bright beams from the three flashlights made Hannah feel a bit less nervous.

She asked, “So, how are we going to find it?”

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