Chapter 63
Maxine stared at the photo, her mind racing.
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According to Ivanna’s story, she’d grown up in a poor village on the outskirts of Gludon, orphaned early and raised by grandparents who died when she turned eighteen. A life of hardship.
Yet here was Nathan–teenage Nathan–posing in front of a lavish mansion, his life once cushioned by wealth. ‘How did these two even meet?‘ Maxine mused.
Maxine flipped through the album quickly, finding only this photo with such clues.
Maxine carefully removed the photo from the album and scrutinized it under a magnifying glass.
Minutes stretched by before she froze–there, in the mansion’s shadowed corner, stood a weathered sign.
The engraved letters had faded with time, their edges blurred by the photo’s grainy quality.
Leaning closer, Maxine barely made out the first few words: Campbell Farm…
Maxine muttered under her breath as she flipped open her laptop and typed Campbell Farm into the search bar.
Page after page of results flooded the screen–over a dozen farms with the same name scattered across the country.
But details were sparse. Frustrated, she called Cleo.
“Campbell Farm? Spicy!” Cleo said. “Fax me the photo!”
Ten minutes later, Cleo called back. “Juicy! This old photo’s a goldmine. The farm’s still out west in Astriva―abandoned now. Satellite images show the mansion nearby!”
Maxine’s pulse quickened. “Who owns it? Any local ties?”
“Hold on,” Cleo said. “My guy’s still digging-”
“He’s calling me! Hang on a second!” The line went dead.
Maxine paced, phone clutched tight, every second stretching like hours.
An hour passes with no callback. Maxine checked her phone again, a flicker of unease twisting her stomach.
Maxine checked the time–her dinner with Valerie loomed.
Maxine tried Cleo once more–straight to voicemail.
Seconds later, a text buzzed: [Let’s talk tomorrow. It’s messy.]
Maxine frowned in thought for a moment, not wanting to push Cleo too hard. She tapped out a quick reply: [Take your time.]
After tidying up, Maxine headed out to meet Valerie,
Valerie had chosen a music bistro for their meeting. Though not overly loud, the constant flow of couples and clinking glasses grated on Maxine’s nerves–she’d always preferred quiet.
From the moment Maxine entered, her frown deepened. Valerie noticed immediately. “Maxine!” she pouted, “I told you to pick the spot! You’re just like Sebastian–allergic to fun, allergic to crowds-”
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Chapter 63
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Maxine cut bey off with a raised hand. Yorget the noise. What’s so urgent that you chose a place this open for a private talk?”
