Chapter 235 Trapped in the Wine Cellar
Luann Weaver's red lips curved into a distant and polite smile.
She was calm and showed no surprise at being unjustly accused.
Instead, there was a hint of irony.
"Mr. Gilbert, if you're going to accuse someone, could you please find a better way to do it?" she asked.
"Why would I choose a private room to talk with you? Don't you find it odd for a married woman?"
Wilber Gilbert's throat tightened.
"I... Of course, I found it strange!"
Luann Weaver tilted her head slightly.
"You found it strange, yet you still came?"
Wilber Gilbert met her piercing gaze and found himself speechless for a moment.
He admitted that, indeed, in that instant, he had harbored inappropriate thoughts.
"It was... it was the waiter who said... you wanted to see me!"
Luann Weaver nodded pensively. "So, this isn't something I've directly told you, right?" Grace retorted with determination, "That's pure sophistry! It wouldn't be hard for you to bribe a waiter, now would it?" Myron Curtis, who had been silent, thinly parted his lips, sarcasm brimming in his eyes. "Would you really believe anything that came out of Wilber Gilbert's mouth?"
Grace found herself at a loss for words and turned to Vito Curtis for support. "Grandpa, you have to stand up for me and find the killer!"
Luann chuckled lightly. "Now, I'd like to ask you, with the reputation of the Ye family, do they even qualify to attend your celebration party? Grace, why would you invite someone of such status over? Could it be that by inviting Wilber Gilbert, you had some unsavory secret to hide?"
Grace was stunned. She knew there were indeed some holes in her plan, which she hadn't intended to patch up. She was aware that when Wilber Gilbert and Luann Weaver crossed paths, everyone present would be so outraged they wouldn't think about the reasons behind it all. But then... her plan suddenly shifted. The victim went from being Luann Weaver to herself.
"Speak up!" Luann coerced, "Why invite someone who wouldn't normally appear here?" Grace trembled uncontrollably, whether from fear or cold. "It was Juliet Weaver..." She scrambled for an excuse. "Juliet Weaver begged me to invite Wilber Gilbert because it seemed she still had feelings for him, so I just..." "I agreed..."
Myron Curtis interjected coldly, "No need for such a complex interrogation. Just call out all the wait staff in the villa, let Wilber Gilbert..." Grace panicked, interrupting him with a sharp shout. "I know it! I know who it is!"
"It must be Juliet Weaver! She and my sister-in-law have always been at odds. She wanted to use my celebration as a chance to make her move but never expected it would backfire on me!" "That must be it... It has to be!"
Wilber Gilbert would surely identify the culprit if Myron Curtis brought all the wait staff out. At that point, her plans would be thoroughly exposed. "Grandpa!" Grace's voice was hoarse with desperate screaming. Vito Curtis looked on impassively. He was no fool and had been seriously considering Luann Weaver's words.
Every invitation was carefully handwritten by Grace and even more personally delivered by her.
The truth was now revealed to Vito Curtis. He let out a heavy sigh and rubbed his forehead, feeling disheartened. He had believed Grace was superior to Joshua, but it seemed siblings could be equally ruthless. Suddenly, Vito Curtis felt extremely tired.
Just then, Luann Weaver softly called out, "Grandpa."
"What should we do with them?" Vito Curtis snapped back to the present and met Luann Weaver's gaze. Her face appeared calm, but her dark eyes swirled with an undercurrent of emotion.
Vito Curtis slowly extended his hand, "Take the two of them and lock them in the old house's basement."
Grace's pupils dilated in shock, "Grandpa! Why, Grandpa? I'm innocent! Grandpa!" Immediately, some people stepped forward and took the two bundled-up figures away. Grace's wailing voice slowly faded into the distance.
Myron Curtis spoke indifferently, "Do we need to call over all the servers to see?"
Vito Curtis shook his head, "The way she quickly tries to pass the blame, I knew she did it."
Luann Weaver grinned, "Aren't you going to investigate further? What if Grace is misunderstood?"
Vito Curtis let out a long sigh. Misunderstood? He had experienced more of life than these youngsters could even fathom. Sometimes, things were glaringly obvious without being spelled out.
Vito Curtis slowly rose to his feet and reached out to Emma. This granddaughter he had overlooked for so long, he didn't expect her to be the most innocent of them all. "Let's go back home."
Emma bit her lip, wanting to speak up for Grace, but feared provoking her grandfather's anger. She decided to discuss it with her brother once they returned home.
After everyone had left, Myron Curtis held Luann Weaver's hand, slightly worried. "Why didn't you come to find me?" He was referring to her realization that Grace intended to harm.
Luann Weaver smiled faintly, "Because I can handle it myself."
Myron Curtis pulled her into an embrace, gently patting her back. "I'm glad you're alright."
He was relieved Luann Weaver was smart otherwise... the consequences would have been unimaginable.
Hearing Myron Curtis's nearly fearful words, Luann Weaver couldn't help but mutter softly, "Hey, stop underestimating me, okay? I'm pretty good at looking after myself."
"Sure, Luann is amazing," he affirmed.
Luann Weaver snorted lightly, "That praise didn't sound sincere enough."
"I mean it, Luann is amazing," Myron Curtis said as he stepped back a bit and looked sincerely into her eyes. "I'm so grateful to have you."
Being with Luann Weaver was the happiest thing in his life.
Luann's cheeks flushed as she gave a gentle nod. "Me too."
"Let's go home," he said.
After he took Luann home, Myron didn't rush to rest; instead, he made a trip to the old family house. Grace and Wilber Gilbert were placed in the basement of the house.
Though it was called a basement, it was actually a wine cellar used specifically for storing bottles of wine. The temperature in the cellar was quite low, chilly even, probably around fifty-five degrees Fahrenheit.
Wilber and Grace shivered uncontrollably, the blanket becoming their only source of warmth.
"Give it to me!" Grace wrapped the blanket around herself and kicked Wilber hard.
"Scumbag! Get away from me!" She glared at Wilber, feeling she had never been so disheveled in her life.
For the sake of his dignity, Wilber resigned himself to curl up in a corner, naked and trembling.
Grace felt sick to her stomach every time she thought about what had happened between her and Wilber. "How long are we going to be locked up here?" Wilber asked tentatively.
Grace turned her face away, unwilling to listen to him speak.
Biting his lip, Wilber suddenly stood up and walked toward the cellar door. He pulled at the door with all his might, but it wouldn't budge.
