The Real Heiress's New Family Adored By All novel Chapter 281

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Chapter 281 The Hale Family’s Past Tragedy

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But those gentle, clear eyes rarely held true joy. They were always filled with quiet sorrow.

“Zora, Jensen grew up alongside Asher. We’ve been searching for him all these years. We just want to confirm if your mentor is him, and whether he’s still alive. We would never hurt him.”

Leighton saw the look on her face and knew for sure. Her mentor was Asher.

But Asher had never told her the truth about his identity.

The shock and unfamiliarity in her eyes when she saw the photo were genuine. She really hadn’t known who he was before.

She might have guessed a little, but she’d only just confirmed it the moment he showed her the picture.

“You won’t find him. I don’t know where he is either. He told me not to look for him, so you shouldn’t keep searching too. He must have his own plans.”

Zora lowered her gaze, hiding the sadness flashing in her eyes.

Leighton didn’t miss her hurt expression. He reached out and gently ruffled her hair, his voice soft.

“You still have us.”

“Leighton, how did you figure out my mentor is Asher?” Zora asked.

If they’d suspected it long ago, why had they waited more than a month to ask her?

“Your harp fingering. Jensen recognized it right away.”

Jensen and Asher had practically been inseparable as kids.

Jensen’s mother and Asher’s mother were best friends. The two boys had grown up together and knew everything about each other.

The second Zora’s harp video was sent to their group chat, Jensen had grown suspicious.

They hadn’t connected the dots at first.

Her unique massage techniques had made them doubt a little, but not enough to confirm anything.

Their real suspicion started after they learned about her poor health, failed to trace the ingredients of the White Jade Balm, and got confirmation from his grandpa.

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Chapter 281 The Hale Family’s Past Tragedy

Later, her harp playing and special fingering only strengthened their guess.

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“Now that you know who my mentor is… do you know why the Hale family moved overseas 20 years ago? And what caused the explosion three years later?”

Zora rested her head on her arms and looked up at Leighton beside her.

If he had private family photos of the Hales, he definitely knew more than the others.

“Twenty years ago, Mrs. Hale suffered a severe illness that no local medicine could cure. Medical technology abroad was far more advanced back then, so Mr. Hale immediately decided to move his wife and son overseas.”

Leighton did know some of the details.

When Sabrina fell critically ill, Marvin had even discussed treatment options with Leighton’s grandfather.

Foreign medical care was indeed superior at that time.

Sabrina’s sudden sickness had caught the Hales completely off guard.

Marvin made the final call to move his family abroad. Nothing mattered more than his wife’s

life.

“What about the explosion?” Zora pressed. “I heard it was brutal. Why did it happen out of nowhere?”

She desperately wanted to know who had targeted her mentor’s family.

“We believe it was an internal conflict within the Hale family. The explosion happened too suddenly. By the time we got news, Marvin and Sabrina were already gone.

“The Marlows sent people to collect their remains and hold their funeral. They questioned the branch families back then, but no one talked. Still, we’re certain the Hale branch families were

involved.”

Leighton didn’t know the full story.

His own family had faced huge troubles that same year. He’d been in a daze back then and only heard bits and pieces.

“I’ll have my people look into it for you.”

Leighton frowned, noting curiosity mingled with gloom in her eyes.

The explosion 17 years ago was definitely the doing of the Hale side branches.

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11:26 Sun, May 31

Chapter 281 The Hale Family’s Past Tragedy

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Otherwise, why would only the three members of the main Hale family meet with the accident, while none of the branch families were affected?

If Asher was still alive, he would never let them get away with it.

Like the MZ Group overseas, which had been slowly taking over Hale Group’s business.

The person behind the MZ Group might very well be the one they’d been searching for all along.

“Thank you.” Zora didn’t refuse his help.

A cold glint flashed across her eyes.

If the Hale branch families were truly the culprits…

She would do absolutely anything to make them pay.

Time quickly passed to Friday afternoon.

Zora finished her last class in the morning and headed home early.

Leighton walked into the classroom and ran straight into Elara who was just arriving.

“What are you doing here?”

Elara looked elegant and gentle in a pale yellow dress with pearl buttons and a white shawl draped over her shoulders, her hair neatly tied up.

She stared in surprise at her tall nephew, who was dressed up neatly with even hair gel in his hair.

“I’m here for the parent-teacher conference.”

Leighton wasn’t wearing a formal suit that day. He dressed simply yet stylishly, in a black shirt under a camel coat and black casual pants.

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11:26 Sun, May 31

The Real Heiress’s New Family Adored by All