Chapter 220: Gemma Returns to Find Her Past
Robin’s laughter broke the awkward silence.
The tension in the car loosened up instantly,
“Don’t get me wrong,” Robin said, still grinning.
“I just saw some folks arguing back there. Thought it was fimny.”
After saying that, he quickly straightened his face, pretending like he hadn’t said anything at all.
Cassius, “…” That explanation didn’t help. At all.
Still, with Robin cutting in, Gemma dropped the subject.
Cassius‘ secret–zero dating experience but a way with words. -was now safely buried forever.
The road ahead wound into the mountains.
The GPS started glitching, losing signal here and there.
But Gemma knew these roads by heart.
She took over as their navigator.
The mountain path forked in several places.
A wrong turn here meant trouble
No turning back, no room to U–turn, just a long, one–way detour into the unknown.
Behind them, the convoy followed closely.
Their cars slithered through the twisting roads like a giant serpent disappearing into the mountains.
Gemma’s village was the poorest in the region.
Over the years, many young people had left for work elsewhere, cutting the population in half.
Yet some stayed. They survived on the village’s barren fields, growing just enough to get by. Come winter, when farming paused, they’d drink dark beer and play poker to pass the time.
“We’re almost at my village,” Gemma said.
They had left in the morning. By the time they arrived, the sun was already setting.
The villagers were cautious. Strangers weren’t common here. A few locals ran off to fetch the village chief.
Gemma stepped out of the car, scanning the familiar surroundings.
Not much had changed.
Most houses had stone foundations, with brick walls and curved roofs.
But time had worn them down-
Windows rotted, door frames loosened.
The kitchens, right by the entrance, had windows stained thick with grease, their yellowed film an eyesore,
The village roads had been flattened over the years but were still dirt.
When it rained, you’d sink ankle–deep into mud with every step,
She remembered hearing back in college that a philanthropist had donated money to fix the roads. Her village was even on the list. Yet, nothing had changed. Robin was right–too much corruption here.
The village chief arrived soon after.
Fifty–five years old, dressed in a navy jacket. His right shoulder was stained dark, like it had been rubbed with soot.
A long smoking pipe in hand, he grinned, revealing yellowed teeth–one with a bit of food stuck in it.
It wasn’t the most welcoming sight.
Robin had seen worse–unspeakable things. A man with bad hygiene wasn’t going to faze him.
He stepped forward, taking the lead.
“We’re here for some sightseeing. Thought we’d check if this place had potential for development.”
“If the conditions are right, I might invest in building a mountain resort.”
The chief took Robin’s business card, squinting at it from a distance before nodding.
“Well, well, a big boss, huh? Go on, take a look around.”
He spoke in the local dialect.
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Chapter 220: Gemma Returns to Find Her Past
Gemma translated.
That simple act made the chief pause and really look at her.
First, she was a woman–a pretty one at that.
Second, she looked… familiar.
His stare made Gemma’s skin crawl. She instinctively stepped behind Cassius.
Cassius didn’t say a word. But his mere presence–the weight of his gaze, the quiet authority in his stance–was enough to make the chief lower his
eyes.
“Let’s go,” Robin said, motioning for the team to move.
The chief watched them leave, tapping his forehead like he was trying to jog his memory.
Then, with a flick of his lighter, he lit his pipe, taking a long drag.
And suddenly, something clicked.
“Shortie,” he called out.
“Go to Kelestine’s place. Ask Dan how his daughter’s been doing lately.”
Shortie, the village loafer, barely scraped by, bumming meals where he could.
Nobody liked him.
This was the first time the chief had ever spoken to him directly.
Shortie practically jumped with excitement. Without hesitation, he bolted toward Kelestine’s house.
Gemma rubbed her temples.
Even with distance between them, she still felt a prickling sensation–like a pair of unseen eyes boring into her back.
A chill ran down her spine.
“What’s wrong?” Cassius asked.
He had already stationed his men around the village, keeping watch.
Now, only he, Brooke, Robin, and Gemma remained.
No need for secrets.
Gemma glanced behind them.
Curious villagers stood at a distance, watching.
Nothing overtly threatening, just… unsettling.
“I don’t know,” she muttered. “I just feel uneasy. Like something’s off.”
She pressed her fingers against her forehead.
“Maybe I’m just paranoid from lack of sleep.”
Robin shook his head.
“Always trust your gut.”
His gaze swept over the villagers.
“Someone here might be hiding something.”
“They’re watching us not out of curiosity–but fear. Ther’re fear that we dig something out.”
After a moment, he asked.
“Ms. Kelestine, is there anywhere in this village where someone could hide?”
Gemma thought for a moment, then pointed toward the mountains.
“There’s a cave up there. Big enough for a dozen people. If someone needed to disappear, that’d be the place.”
“As soon as the sun sets, the temperature here drops fast. Without proper shelter, you’d freeze to death.”
Then she hesitated, frowning at Robin.
“Even if the old murder suspect hid there once… it’s been years. Is it really worth checking now?”
Robin smirked. “Always. The best evidence is usually at the original scene,”
*Fine, I’ll take you. There’s a path that’s not too steep,”
Before she could move, Cassius caught her wrist.
“Not yet.”
Gemma, “???”
Setting
19.30
Chapter 220: Gemma Returns to Find Her Past
A second later, the village chief reappeared–this time, with company.
His face was all smiles, his tone exaggeratedly friendly.
“You’re honored guests! Can’t have you freezing out here in the wind. I’ve prepared a meal at my place. You must join us.”
Gemma translated. Before she could react, Robin grinned. “Sounds great. We’d love to.”
Gemma, “!!!”
She had feared the chief since childhood.
The last thing she wanted was to step into his house.
Cassius must have sensed her distress. His fingers curled around hers, his thumb tracing slow, soothing circles over her sweaty palm.
“Don’t worry,” he murmured. “I’m here.”
Her tensed shoulders finally relaxed.
But the moment was short–lived.
Because then, the chief clapped a hand on someone’s back and said, “This here’s Dan. Thought I’d invite him over for drinks with our honored
guests.”
Setting
