Chapter 3

The alarm on Candy's phone suddenly went off.

Usually, she would have been awake at this hour and started chipping away at her exercises. As a senior, her schedule was very hectic.

I wiped away my tears before grabbing the phone to turn off the alarm.

Immediately after I had done so, the display switched to the call logs.

The first few logs on the list were calls made to Julius, with the earliest one timed at six o’clock in the morning.

The officer mentioned that the scumbag had barged into Candy's hotel room at six o'clock.

That meant Candy had called Julius for help.

How did things still turn out like this?

I clicked the log and pulled my phone out so I could record it.

Candy's voice was filled with fear. “Dad, where are you? Some old guy just barged into the room. He says you were the one who told him to come here.”

Julius' voice was filled with indifference. “Yes, I did. Just stay in the hotel. He’ll keep you safe.”

Candy grew frantic at this point. It sounded like she was going to cry.

“But I need to go to the physics competition today.”

“Ronald has always dreamed of attending Prirose University. You shouldn’t take that away from him.

“Just stay put, or else that man will beat you to put you in your place!”

Then, the call ended.

It was followed by several other calls, all of which were filled with the harrowing cries of Candy pleading with Julius for help.

The entire time, he remained indifferent as ever. He even accused her of putting on an act to deceive him.

After listening to all the recordings, I held a hand over my mouth and could not stop my body from trembling.

As it turned out, it was Julius who let that disgusting man into the hotel room so he would keep an eye on Candy.

He did it to prevent Candy from joining the competition and claiming the prize—an admission to Prirose University.

Only one person could be admitted into the university.

Julius had chosen to help Ronald and willingly sabotaged Candy’s future.

I could not imagine the sheer desperation that must have filled Candy at that moment.

Completely furious, I decided to call Julius.

This time, the call was connected on the first try. However, his ephemeral lover, Brienne Leigh, answered the call.

“Hey, Julius is picking a present for Ronald. Did you need something?”

“Tell him to answer the call!”

I was so angry that my teeth were chattering.

Candy was dead, but he was still busy choosing a present for Ronald!

“Have I not made myself clear enough? Julius is busy picking a present for Ronald! Why don’t you wait until he gets home to talk to him?”

With that, she hung up without giving me time to respond.

I was so furious that I almost flung my phone to the ground.

A pair of cunning wenches!

Just they wait. I’ll make them pay for my daughter's death!

Since I was a lawyer, I was aware that recordings could not serve as substantial evidence.

Besides, that scum on the phone never explicitly stated that he worked for Julius.

I had to gather more evidence before calling the police.

The next day, Candy's teacher called me to tell me that some of Candy’s belongings were still at the school.

Since it was Monday, I knew Julius would have to give a routine speech for the weekly flag-bearing ceremony.

So, I drew up a plan.

After collecting Candy's belongings, I noticed the flag-bearing ceremony commencing in the field.

Julius was giving a speech on stage, pouring his heart into it.

“I would like to congratulate one of our senior students, Ronald Leigh, from class one! He won first place in the physics competition yesterday and is the only student in our school who has been admitted to Prirose University!

“There is no such thing as luck. If you want something, you have to put in the work.

“Fellow students, I hope you all will be inspired and work harder!”

I clenched my fists. What a ridiculous speech.

Ronald had stolen it from Candy! It was completely shameless to attribute it to hard work!

It was then the two reporters I had contacted arrived on the scene. They were my former clients that I’d helped win a lawsuit and were more than eager to help me.

After I gestured to them, they immediately rushed up to the stage.

“Mr. Stoppard, we heard news that your daughter Candy Stoppard was also supposed to participate in the competition yesterday. She was an exemplary student, but had died in a tragic accident in a hotel last night. Do you have anything to say about what happened?”

Upon hearing this, Julius cringed and suddenly turned stiff. A sheet of gloom came upon his face.

“You… What did you say?”