To Love a Shadow, To Be the Sun novel Chapter 260

After speaking, she turned her gaze away, hiding the faint trace of disappointment in her eyes.

Suddenly, Summer seemed to remember something and burst out laughing. "Gregory’s birthday party—he’s been hounding Ignition Dynamics, calling them nonstop to get you to come. But with your foot injury, you’ve got the perfect excuse to turn him down."

Hearing this, Elara’s eyes darkened thoughtfully.

Meanwhile, in a remote mountain village near Clearwater City—

After landing, Zane switched to a helicopter, finally arriving at dawn.

In front of Surplus’s gravestone, a village woman pulled out a faded red string, threaded through with an equally faded seashell.

"This was the only thing she had on her when we found her," the woman explained. "Nothing else, just this keepsake."

Quincy Shelton took the string from her and handed it to Zane.

Zane studied it carefully—it looked almost identical to the one he’d made all those years ago.

For a moment, he seemed to hear her voice from deep within his memory, calling him “Larry”...

His expression grew solemn.

"You’re certain the one buried here is the girl you adopted?" Quincy asked.

The woman nodded quickly. "Absolutely certain."

Quincy motioned with his hand. "Then let’s dig."

The woman hurriedly blocked his way. "She’s already dead. Why are you digging her up?"

Quincy replied flatly, "If we don’t exhume her for identification, how do we know she’s really the one we’re looking for?"

The woman grew agitated. "How do you do identification on a cremated body? Are you just trying to get out of paying us?"

...

Outside The Serpentine Club—

Ellis had just opened his car door, foot barely touching the ground, when a young man on a battered motorcycle screeched to a stop right in front of him.

"What the—"

Before Ellis could finish his protest, the young man shoved him violently back into the car.

In the next instant, he swung a heavy wrench down, striking Ellis’s knees with brutal precision.

The whole attack was over in a heartbeat.

Before the bodyguards could even react, the young man vaulted back onto his bike, the engine roaring as he sped off.

Ellis’s face twisted in agony as he screamed, "Useless idiots! Get me to the hospital, now!"

Elara, her right ankle in a brace and leaning on a cane, hobbled through the entrance.

Summer stayed close by, whispering as they walked. "How is he affording a place like this on a retired guy’s pension?"

Elara didn’t answer.

As they neared the main hall, they spotted Gregory chatting animatedly with friends, his beloved daughter Ingrid at his side.

Ingrid was striking in a low-cut white dress, every bit the center of attention.

Gregory looked to be in excellent spirits.

"It was all a misunderstanding last time," he was telling his friends, "We’re all among friends here. Between us, Mr. Vincent’s marriage is basically over..."

He gestured around with a smug grin.

"See this place? Mr. Vincent rented the whole mansion just for Ingrid."

One of the older men chuckled and teased, "Sounds like the Goldsmiths are about to have some good news?"

Gregory’s face lit up with pride. "That’s right. Mr. Vincent is about to ask my daughter to marry him."

Just as the words left his mouth, Gregory’s gaze flicked toward Elara across the room, and his smile faltered for a split second.