The Return of the Cannon Fodder Trillion Heiress - Chapter 333

Chapter 333: Chapter 333 Talking About Minerva’s Involvement 3
He couldn’t understand why he was being linked to these crimes when he had no apparent connection to them. However, as he examined the file more closely, he noticed something significant: some of the victims were his missing artists who had been reported to the police. While not all of the victims were his, many were celebrities who had met gruesome deaths, the kind that only a psychopath could inflict.

However, there hadn’t been any news reports about a serial killer, yet the victims were all documented in this report. Was this being shown to him because some of the missing victims were his artists, to see if he was somehow connected to the crimes? But then again, Gerald’s earlier statements didn’t match up with this line of thinking.

He felt as though he already knew the answers to all his questions, but his mind was in denial, fearing what he might do once he accepted the truth. The longer he flipped through the pages, the more sluggish his movements became, until he reached a point where he could no longer turn the pages. He just stared at the report, which detailed that most victims were fed to sharks and crocodiles to ensure no remains were found, preventing the case from advancing if anyone caught wind of the crimes.

Or to prevent anyone from identifying the victims, since sharks and crocodiles would have surely digested the bodies by then. The remains were scattered in areas teeming with hungry sharks and wild crocodiles that devoured anything with flesh. Rafael was baffled by how Gerald managed to gather this evidence; perhaps he had sent someone to investigate, and luck allowed them to catch the culprits red-handed while disposing of a body.

With Gerald and his team’s ability to gather such intel, it was no surprise that Gerald was more effective than the police. The police hadn’t gotten any leads, and how could they, given the criminals’ meticulous methods of disposing of evidence?

They are utterly deranged and heartless, to say the least. He couldn’t fathom why they would inflict such suffering on the women they kidnapped, sexually abused, and tortured. To call them unlucky is an understatement; they must have committed heinous crimes in their past lives to deserve such a miserable fate, dying without even a trace of their remains.

He felt this couldn’t have been the work of a human; it was too much for him to bear. His mind buzzed nonstop as he stared at the pictures, and no matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t bring himself to turn to the next page.

He felt a growing sense of dread in his heart as his head buzzed. He remembered what Hera had said earlier at the university—that she needed to talk to him about Minerva. Did Minerva fall into the criminals’ hands? But that didn’t seem right either; if she had gone missing, the bodyguards at her door would have raised an alarm. Or had his people been killed so swiftly that no one could make a sound?

He felt like he was on the verge of losing his mind, obsessing over what this all meant and why Minerva was mentioned. He couldn’t muster the courage to turn the page, knowing that the last few pages might hold answers to all his questions but could also shatter his beliefs and heart. His intuition told him it would be devastating, and that’s why he hesitated, even though he could feel the intense gaze of Gerald and, most intensely, Hera’s.

He felt as if Hera was watching his every move, judging him with each action he took. Sweat began to bead on his forehead, and fear started to grow in his heart. The thought, ‘Would she forsake me if I make a wrong decision?’ made his heart tremble.

“What’s wrong, Mr. Briley? Afraid to move forward and uncover more about this case?” Gerald taunted. Though he had no personal grudge against Rafael, seeing him hesitate frustrated Gerald. He was eager to see Rafael’s reaction when he connected the heinous crimes to his sister and how he would choose between right and wrong.

He could sense his Young Miss’s increasing nervousness as she watched Rafael stare at the same page for over ten minutes. Her eyes followed his every expression—his frowns, the purse of his lips, and the subtle deep breaths he took to mask his unease whenever he encountered something particularly disturbing for the first time.

The longer Hera watched Rafael hesitate, the more her nervousness grew, bordering on fear. She worried that Rafael might disregard all caution and protect his sister, regardless of the consequences. It wasn’t that she didn’t want him to protect his sister, but she feared that such an action would reveal Rafael’s willingness to ignore right and wrong when it came to those he cared about. If that were the case, he would revert to the Rafael depicted in the novel—the very person Hera had worked so hard to help him overcome, guiding him to understand right from wrong.

If Rafael truly regressed to the character depicted in the novel, it would mean that no matter how much effort she put into helping the male leads become a better version of themselves, her efforts would be undermined whenever such issues arise. When their interests are threatened, they might not hesitate to lash out at anyone in their way or fight anyone.

Hera pursed her lips, contemplating all the possibilities until the sound of a page flipping caught her attention. She heard Rafael’s audible gasp and turned to see his hands trembling as he gripped the folder tightly. His eyes were red with anger, and his entire presence radiated a menacing fury that overwhelmed even Hera. She could sense Rafael struggling to contain his rage, though he couldn’t hold back the torrent of curses that followed.

“FUCK!!! WHAT THE FUCK IS THIS?!!!” he muttered under his breath, clenching his jaw so tightly that a vein throbbed at the corner. Veins also pulsed in his forehead and hands as he seethed with anger, struggling to contain his rage. He resisted the urge to lash out at those around him or the surroundings, knowing it wouldn’t help him process the shocking information he had just read.

“Gerald, are these things true, or are you using my sister to target me?” Rafael demanded, his eyes blazing with intense emotion as he stared at Gerald, who sat directly in front of him. Gerald met his gaze unflinchingly, showing no sign of being intimidated.

Gerald shook his head calmly, holding Rafael’s gaze for a moment before responding nonchalantly. “If I were targeting either of you, I would have sent this folder to the police and let them handle it without involving myself. The fact that I contacted you through Miss Ainsley first means that I want to hear your perspective on this evidence, and nothing more.”

Gerald’s words offered little clarity, and Rafael inhaled sharply as he studied the page. It revealed that all the victims listed in the folder had had conflicts with Minerva over Alexi. These women had either flirted with, shown interest in, or pursued Alexi, with or without Minerva’s presence. Minerva had confronted them and, before leaving, had issued a warning to watch their backs.

And what did she mean by that, beyond what was stated in the report?