Rising from the Ashes BY Only For You

Chapter 688 Aspen did not say a word. Her lips trembled as she crouched down, reaching toward the skeleton. Her fingers found the metal ring resting on the bony remains of a hand. She pulled it free, her breath catching in her throat.

It was a signet ring-made of reinforced alloy, untouched by the decay around it. Etched into the surface was a single word: Woods.

Aspen's mind went blank for a moment before a wave of dread crashed over her. She mumbled, "Mr. Woods... is dead."

Her heart pounded erratically as the truth she had tried so hard to deny solidified into cold, undeniable reality. That ring was Gordon's-a personal item he never went anywhere without. Yet, here it was, buried with this broken, rotting corpse.

The implications were crystal clear.

Jackie stumbled back, his face deathly pale. "W-Who the hell did this? Who the hell in Jayrodale is capable of taking him down?"

Bruce sucked in a sharp breath. "Miss, t-this has to be Mr. Woods. There's no mistake. We need to inform the family immediately. Mr. Woods was Bridgefields' Stevens family's strongest asset. Mr. Stevens needs to know about this."

eyes burned into Bruce's.

about. He was the family's pillar of

tightened. She snarled through gritted teeth, "Listen here we can't let Dad or our family in Bridgefields know about

lip so hard that it was

panicked. "Miss, a-are you seriously planning to hide

spat, "You idiots, think it through! If word gets back to Dad, what do you think will happen to us? I'll survive-I'm his daughter, his golden girl. He'll punish me, sure, but he won't kill me. But you two? You're nobodies. You're disposable. He'll blame you for Mr. Woods' death and have you executed to make an

words hit like a slap to the face. They immediately stiffened, realization dawning

trembling. "If word gets out about Mr. Woods' death, we'll all be

ring in her hand. Her eyes glinted with

ret

disbelief. "That's impossible, Miss. Andrew? Against Mr. Woods? No way. Mr. Woods said it himself—if his body hadn't been acting up that day at the Moonlit Apothecary, he could've