Chapter 137

Before long, Kelly came back with the kids, and Brandon showed up too.

He didn't seem to notice anything different about me, probably clueless about where I'd been today.

Brett had a blast at the amusement park, and both he and Briar were sporting headbands from the park.

Excitedly, he showed me, "Mom, check out my headband! Isn't it cool?"

I nodded and smiled, "It looks awesome. Both yours and Briar's look great."

Brett hugged me, pouting playfully. "I had so much fun today. It's been forever since I had this much fun. You and Dad never had time to take me to the amusement park before."

"The only thing missing today was you, Mom. Can we go again when you and Dad aren't busy?"

Brett looked at me with hopeful eyes.

I glanced at Brandon, my tone hinting at something more, "Well, that depends on your dad. He's the busy one in the family now."

Brandon picked up Brett and chuckled, "No matter how busy I am, I'll always make time to take my kids out. That's a promise."

Though Brandon wasn't great at many things, he sure knew how to play the role of a good dad and husband. That's why I trusted him for so many years.

With everyone gathered, Eugene started bringing out the food, filling the table to the brim.

We sat down to eat. After a long day, I was pretty hungry.

After dinner, I felt like taking a walk to digest, so I asked Savannah to join me.

I wanted to bring Kathy along, but she said she needed to catch up on sleep after gaming all night.

Savannah and I teased her, saying only kids play games all night, and she was already in her thirties.

As Savannah and I headed out, we didn't notice Brandon and Eugene leaving too.

We strolled around Suncrest City, which looked stunning at night with its colorful lights making the old city feel vibrant and alive.

Savannah sighed, "I wonder what it's like growing up here. It must be wonderful."

I nodded. "Life here is slow-paced, with plenty of resources and a great climate. Most people choose to stay. It's rare for someone like me to move to another city."

"I must have been crazy back then."

I couldn't help but laugh at myself.

Savannah shook her head, "It wasn't your fault. Brandon tricked you. You were just too young to see through him."

Her serious expression made me laugh. "Alright, you're right."

We wandered around until it got late.

As we headed back, we passed by a yard next to my house and heard voices.

I knew the nearby yards belonged to my family and had been empty for a while, except for a few tenants and old neighbors. The voices were strange.

Savannah and I exchanged glances and moved closer to listen.

After a while, I recognized Brandon and Eugene talking.

"Has Mrs. Sharp shown any signs of anything unusual?" Brandon's deep voice asked.

Eugene shook his head. "No, she's been busy with the kids. But I do suspect something."

I leaned in, listening intently.

"What is it? Spill it!" Brandon urged.

"I think Mr. Sharp left more than one property. There might be other assets for Caroline."

Brandon's eyes lit up, and I could imagine his greedy expression.

"What do you mean?" he asked excitedly.

Eugene continued, "I saw some documents in Mrs. Kelly Sharp's room, including an urban renewal agreement for another property nearby. It seems Mr. Gerald Sharp bought another house. Combined, these properties could be worth a lot more now."

"I'm not sure if Mrs. Sharp told Caroline about this."

Brandon, thrilled by the news, quickly calmed down. "Mrs. Sharp probably didn't tell Caroline. If she knew, she would've told me right away."

Hearing his low opinion of me, I couldn't help but chuckle. Brandon was stuck in the past.

Just wait and see how I outsmart you.

I was also relieved that Brandon didn't know the full extent of my dad's assets.

"I've been a dutiful son-in-law for years, doing so much for them. And they didn't tell me about this? Caroline's family is truly ungrateful."

I laughed quietly. Brandon's words were both absurd and infuriating.

Who's really ungrateful here?

"Keep an eye on Mrs. Sharp. Inform me immediately if anything changes. I need to control that urban renewal money."

Hearing his determined tone, I couldn't help but sneer.

"By the way, I heard about someone named Castillo in a recording. Does he visit often?"

I was surprised. Despite not being around, Brandon knew everything happening here, even Royce's visit to see Kelly.

"Not often. I've only seen him twice. He's Caroline's classmate and has some connection with Mrs. Sharp. He visits once a year, stays briefly, and leaves."

Brandon nodded suspiciously. "He seems important. Keep a close watch on him."

"Do you think he has a relationship with Caroline?"

Brandon shook his head. "Caroline's always at home. They can't be close. I'm more concerned about any business he might have with Mrs. Sharp. Keep a tight watch on him."

I breathed a sigh of relief. Brandon didn't suspect Royce's identity or our relationship.

Though he had surveillance here, he couldn't monitor us all the time.