Chapter 569 Arthur's Background
Harper's eyes were all red, and she didn't know what to say. Vincent was always so kind and thoughtful, putting others first.
Then, he had someone bring over a wedding dress that was exactly like the one Harper was wearing!
Harper blurted out, "Vincent, where did you get an identical one?"
Vincent grinned, "Just in case something went wrong, I got two sets of your whole outfit and jewelry."
Harper felt a bit awkward, "Vincent, you really went all out."
Vincent joked, "If you really want to thank me, just play your part well today and make it look real."
After Harper finished her makeup and hair, Jasper came backstage to check everything again. Once he made sure everything was good, he took her hand and walked her out slowly.
Since Vincent had already told the Perry Family that they had registered their marriage in Windcrest, there was no need for another ceremony in Emerald Isle. And because Harper was pregnant, they skipped all the complicated stuff. They just needed to show up briefly and toast Gabriel.
Since it wasn't a real wedding, Jasper didn't want Harper to go through all the formalities. At the banquet, he handed Harper over to Vincent and whispered, "Take good care of her."
"Of course," Vincent replied.
Harper said, "You guys don't have to be so serious; it's making me nervous."
They heard Harper say this and all laughed.
"Let's go," Vincent said, taking Harper's hand and walking towards the guests.
Harper looked around; there were quite a few people, but mostly from Emerald Isle. Since it was a fake wedding, considering various factors, they didn't invite anyone from outside Emerald Isle, except for Rhodes, who had previously worked with the Perry Family abroad.
Sensing Harper's nervousness, Vincent gently patted the back of her hand and said, "Just stick close to me."
Luckily, they got through everything quickly. Vincent, using the excuse that Harper was tired, took her back to rest.
As they were about to reach the exit, a deep male voice suddenly said, "Ms. Murphy, why are you leaving so soon?"
Harper looked up to see Arthur, with his hair slicked back, a face that had aged gracefully, and an air of sophistication. He was a middle-aged man but carried himself with great presence.
He was dressed in a red velvet suit, the striking color looked particularly luxurious under the light. However, he wore it effortlessly, as if he was born to wear such opulent colors.
Arthur's gaze slowly swept over Harper, and their eyes met. Harper's mind went blank, and she instinctively took a step back.
Luckily, Vincent noticed and quickly reached out to steady her, preventing her from falling. But the small commotion didn't escape Arthur's notice. His lips curved slightly, "Ms. Murphy, do you know me?"
Although his tone was calm, it carried an oppressive feeling, like an interrogation. Harper's body trembled slightly, her face turning pale. An indescribable feeling of fear gripped her.
Harper knew she had lost her composure. She took a deep breath and said, "I'm sorry, sir, I just twisted my ankle. I don't know you."
Arthur didn't buy Harper's explanation. In a deep, rich voice, he asked, "Then why do you look so scared of me?"
His sharp eyes were cold and threatening. Harper's heart pounded, and she felt super uneasy under his intense gaze.
Vincent jumped in just in time, "Arthur, it's not fear. She's just cold. Dreamlandia's climate is warmer than Emerald Isle's, and she's not used to the chill here."
"Is that so?" Arthur clearly didn't believe Vincent, but he didn't push it further.
"Harper, this is my father's good friend, Arthur," Vincent introduced calmly, subtly supporting Harper from behind, helping her stand more steadily.
In that brief moment, she had been leaning entirely on his hand. Her slightly trembling body was hidden by the wedding dress; only Vincent knew she was scared. Vincent was puzzled as to why Harper would be afraid of Arthur, as they had never met before.
Harper sensed Vincent's support and felt a bit braver. She composed herself and politely greeted, "Hello, Arthur."
Harper's soft voice momentarily softened Arthur's heart. Arthur thought, if his child hadn't been lost, she would be about Harper's age now. He wondered who the child would resemble, but with his and Elodie's genes, they would surely be beautiful.
"Arthur, I'll take Harper back to rest now," Vincent said, ready to leave.
Arthur was momentarily lost in thought, his sharp eyes falling on Harper's wedding dress, as if seeing through it. He said, "Ms. Murphy, you're pregnant, so take care not to catch a cold. It's not good for the baby."
This statement startled Harper again. She felt that when Arthur mentioned her babies, his expression was very sinister.
Vincent calmly shielded Harper behind him and replied steadily, "Of course, I will take good care of Harper."
Arthur chuckled, "Good."
"Then we won't disturb you any longer," Vincent said, leading Harper away.
They hadn't taken more than a few steps when a young man rushed forward, eagerly trying to hug Harper. Vincent frowned slightly and reached out to stop him, halting his excited steps.
Noah realized his mistake, scratched his head, and warmly called out, "Ms. Murphy!"
Seeing Noah, Harper felt a warmth in her heart, "Noah, what are you doing here?"
"My father couldn't make it, and I happened to be on break, so I came," Noah said happily.
Who would have thought that Noah, who once disliked studying, was now pursuing a master's degree?
After starting college, Noah developed a great interest in scientific research and became deeply engrossed in it. He had been studying for many years, and during this time, they hadn't seen each other. It wasn't until Harper returned to Northfield that Noah got in touch with her via email.
Despite not seeing each other for years, their close bond felt natural, and they never felt awkward when they met.
Vincent, noticing the cold outside and worried about Harper catching a chill, suggested, "Let's go inside and talk."
Harper replied, "Alright, let's go."
The three of them walked together. They didn't notice Arthur behind them, watching Noah with a peculiar look.
If Harper only reminded Arthur of Elodie, then in Noah, he clearly saw a reflection of his younger self. That strong sense of familiarity was impossible to shake off.
Arthur furrowed his brows, rarely showing such a loss of composure.
Then, Francis, who had changed into a different suit and was leaning on a black cane, stood alone in a corner with a panoramic view. He saw Harper and Vincent, arm in arm, smiling and greeting guests. He also saw her leaning on Vincent just as she used to lean on him.
Previously, Francis always thought Vincent was not good enough, but at this moment, he found himself quite envious of him.
After Harper and the others left, Francis noticed Arthur in the red velvet suit. Arthur's gaze was deeply fixed on the backs of Harper and Noah, lost in thought.
Francis didn't know much about Arthur Hernandez, who didn't have much contact with the Hernandezes in Southvale. But knowing that Arthur was Audrey's uncle, Francis made a double check.
After catching up with Noah for a while, Harper, not feeling well, sensibly excused herself to rest. Noah smiled, "It's okay, Ms. Murphy, you rest first. I'm planning to stay here for a few days. Vincent has arranged a place for me. When you're feeling better, we can catch up."
Vincent smiled gently, "Make yourself at home. If you need anything, just let me know."
"That sounds great. Noah, I'll contact you when I'm feeling better," Harper said.
After Noah left, Harper dropped her calm facade, her arms slightly cold.
"Harper, what happened just now?" Vincent asked with concern.
"I..." Harper couldn't speak, her arms still trembling.
Vincent brought over a blanket and draped it over her, softly saying, "I'll get Jasper to come over. Don't worry. Whatever it is, I..." Vincent paused, realizing his mistake, and lightly coughed, "We will handle it."
Harper nodded, just about to speak when Jasper entered.
"Harper!" Jasper, worried, crouched slightly and gently held her arm, asking with concern, "Vincent said you're not feeling well. What's wrong? Should I get a doctor?"
Harper shook her head, "No, it's not a physical issue."
By this time, Vincent had already left the room for Jasper and Harper, quietly stepping out.
Even though Harper said she was fine, Jasper was still worried. "Are you sure it's not a physical issue? If you don't want the Perry Family's doctor, I can take you to see another doctor."
Jasper stood up, ready to take Harper out. Harper stopped him and said, "No, Jasper, I just saw Audrey's uncle, Arthur Hernandez."
Jasper frowned, "Did he trouble you?"
Harper shook her head, "No. Jasper, I was very scared when I saw him. His gaze terrified me. I feel like I've seen him before."
"Seen him before?" Jasper didn't know much about Arthur but thought it was unlikely that Arthur and Harper had ever met. Because it was said that Arthur had been abroad since Harper was very young. He hadn't returned to Northfield in all these years.
Although he was from the Hernandez Family, it seemed his relationship with his family wasn't very good.
"Harper, maybe you haven't rested well, and the stress is getting to you?" Jasper deducted.
He held Harper's hand, comforting her, "Your main job now is to take care of your pregnancy. I'll handle everything else."
"Have the gifts been delivered?" Harper asked.
"Yeah. Don't worry, we'll see Mom soon."
Harper was taken to her room to rest by Isla. Jasper, recalling Harper's words, felt uneasy and asked for the surveillance footage from the scene.
Due to the angle, the surveillance couldn't capture Arthur's expression clearly. But it was evident that Arthur's gaze followed Harper and the others as they left.
Jasper fell into deep thought. Even if Arthur didn't like interacting with the Hernandezes, he was still Audrey's uncle, and naturally, he would be biased towards Audrey.
The case of Audrey's death had long been closed. According to the forensic report, the fatal injury resulted from a lack of timely medical intervention after Stanley cut her lip, which subsequently led to respiratory arrest induced by severe coughing.
Moreover, Audrey wasn't just a victim; evidence found at her residence indicated she was involved in many cases, but since she was deceased, her other responsibilities couldn't be pursued. However, her crimes were recorded.
In the case, the prosecution had kept Harper and Francis's identities confidential for their protection. Without access to important documents, it was impossible to know that Francis and Harper were involved in the operation against Stanley.
So Arthur shouldn't know that Harper was present when Audrey died, but it couldn't be ruled out that he did. In any case, Jasper would pay special attention to Arthur.
At the same time, in the hotel, Francis sat in front of his computer, looking at all the information on Arthur.
Arthur was highly cautious, with no significant information leaked. The data showed that he had been in business abroad for many years, with extensive connections, including ties to some nobility. With these connections, he could easily access projects out of reach for others, bringing in substantial profits.
In Emerald Isle, he was even considered the most wealthy man. This was why Arthur was highly respected by the two major families in Emerald Isle.
Although the two families were prosperous, they had large populations and needed funding, and Arthur's major projects often required collaboration, bringing mutual benefits. Moreover, Arthur had a well-trained elite force under his command, comparable to those trained by the Charles Family and the Perry Family. With mutual interests at stake, no one would be foolish enough to engage in bloody conflicts.
Francis reviewed the scant information on Arthur, finding nothing amiss on the surface.
Arthur seemed to prefer solitude, living abroad for many years, with an uncertain residence. Sometimes in Novaria, sometimes in Emerald Isle, like a nomadic traveler.
Arthur was single, with no complicated romantic relationships, making it difficult to gather information through such means.
Francis stared at the brief information, his eyes growing dry. If nothing could be found about a person, they were either very simple or very complex.
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