Upon hearing this, Lindsay Windson’s expression darkened. “No, I’m going home.”
“Home?”
Chris frowned at her response.
Truth be told, Chris had never fully understood Lindsay Windson’s family background. He was surprised to learn that her family resided in Riverton-a revelation that caught him off guard.
Curious, Chris asked, “Lindsay, during the last party in Middleton, I saw you with Eagle Noire. I heard you were engaged to him. What’s going on with that?”
“I…” Lindsay opened her mouth to respond, but her eyes turned red with emotion.
“Mr. Shelby, it’s a long story. Everything ties back to my family. I don’t even know where to begin.”
Seeing her reluctance to talk, Chris waved his hand dismissively. “Lindsay, I was just asking casually. If it’s not convenient for you to explain, don’t worry about it.”
Lindsay nodded. “Understood, Mr. Shelby.”
An hour later, their plane landed smoothly in Riverton.
“Mr. Shelby, where are you planning to go?” Lindsay asked.
“I…” Chris hesitated.
He had traveled to Riverton to search for fragments of the Dragon Emblem but was unfamiliar with the city. Riverton was entirely new territory for him.
Seeing Chris’s uncertainty, Lindsay smiled. “Mr. Shelby, why don’t you stay at my place for a while?”
“That wouldn’t be appropriate,” Chris replied.
“What’s wrong with it? When I went to the East Coast, I stayed at your house. Now that you’re in Riverton, it’s only fair for me to host you.”
“Alright, then,” Chris agreed after a moment of thought.
With no other accommodations planned, staying with Lindsay seemed like the most practical option. Moreover, as a Riverton native, she might have knowledge about the city’s four major salt merchant families, which could prove useful.
The two of them exited the airport together.
Suddenly, the roar of an engine filled the air.
A car sped toward Lindsay at an alarming pace.
“Watch out!” Chris shouted, pulling Lindsay out of harm’s way just in time.
With a deafening crash, the car slammed into the roadside barrier and flipped over.
Lindsay’s face turned pale. If Chris hadn’t acted so quickly, she might have been killed.
Soon, the local authorities arrived.
After conducting an alcohol test, they determined the driver had been heavily intoxicated and declared him dead on the spot.
However, Chris felt something was amiss. He was convinced the car had deliberately targeted Lindsay. If he hadn’t been there, she might not have survived.
With that thought in mind, Chris turned to Lindsay. “Lindsay, do you have any enemies here in Riverton?”
“Enemies? Mr. Shelby, what do you mean?”
“I think the car was aiming directly at you. Someone might be trying to kill you.”
“What?” Lindsay’s face turned pale with shock.
Moments later, her expression shifted to fury. “Unbelievable! Do they really want me dead that badly?”
Chris narrowed his eyes. The situation was far from simple. Someone clearly wanted Lindsay out of the picture.
As his employee and Esther’s close friend, Chris couldn’t stand idly by and let harm come to her.
“Lindsay, what’s going on?” he asked.
Lindsay let out a bitter laugh. “It’s probably related to my family…”
She explained the situation.
Lindsay belonged to the Wind family, one of Riverton’s four prominent salt merchant families. As the eldest daughter, she was the rightful heir to the family.
But life in a sprawling family like hers was rife with scheming and betrayal. Tired of the infighting, Lindsay had left to pursue a career as a celebrity in East Coast.
Her engagement to Eagle Noire was orchestrated by certain family members, but she had no desire to go through with it. Eventually, she fled from Middleton to escape the arrangement.
This time, Lindsay returned to Riverton because her grandfather had fallen gravely ill, and she felt obligated to come back.
However, her grandfather’s illness had only intensified the power struggles within the Wind family. It seemed her return had already made her a target.
After listening to her story, Chris couldn’t help but sigh. Large families were often breeding grounds for ruthless power plays.
It reminded him of his own painful memories-the Shelby family’s internal strife that had left him and his mother as casualties. To protect themselves, they had been forced to leave everything behind and live on the streets.
Now, Lindsay found herself in a similar predicament.
Lindsay looked at Chris with gratitude. “Mr. Shelby, thank you so much. If it weren’t for you, I might already be dead.”
Chris waved his hand dismissively. “It was nothing. I just did what anyone would do.”
Suddenly, the roar of an engine echoed again.
A Bentley pulled up in front of them.
An elderly man stepped out and approached Lindsay with a respectful demeanor. “Miss, I’ve come to pick you up.”
Lindsay nodded and turned to Chris. “Mr. Shelby, this is our family’s butler. Let’s get in the car together.”
The butler glanced at Chris, his expression unreadable.
It was clear the butler had never seen Lindsay bring a man home before.
The two of them got into the car and headed for the Wind family estate.
The Wind family was an enormous clan. Lindsay’s grandfather had multiple sons, and her father had been the eldest. Unfortunately, Lindsay’s parents had died in a tragic accident, leaving her devastated and prompting her to leave the family.
She held little affection for the Wind family, except for her grandfather, the only family member who had ever shown her genuine kindness. His illness was the sole reason she had rushed back to Riverton.
Half an hour later, they arrived at the Wind family estate.
Chris studied the property, his face revealing a hint of surprise.
The Wind family estate was a classic southern-style garden, complete with pavilions, bridges, and flowing streams-a masterpiece of elegance and refinement.
According to Lindsay, the Wind family had been established in Riverton for centuries. This estate, built by their ancestors, had been passed down through generations.
Chris couldn’t help but marvel at the grandeur of the Wind family, one of the city’s four great salt merchant clans.
“Well, well, isn’t this Lindsay? Left the family for years, and now you’re back because Grandpa’s sick? I bet you’re here to claim your share of the inheritance!”
A woman dressed in garish clothing approached with a sneer.
Lindsay’s face flushed with anger. “Emily, stop making baseless accusations! I’m only here to see Grandpa. I have no interest in the family’s inheritance!”
This was Emily, Lindsay’s cousin, who had always been at odds with her.
The moment she saw Lindsay, Emily wasted no time launching into her usual mockery.
Emily smirked. “Who knows if you’re here to visit Grandpa or to stake your claim to the family fortune?”