The Ex-Wife's Burning Elegance

This incident had served as a wake-up call for the world's wealthiest families.

There were no deep-seated grudges passed down through generations-no old blood feuds to justify a fight to the bitter end. So, for years, these powerful dynasties had maintained a delicate balance, none daring to disrupt the uneasy peace.

Sherman laid out the results of his investigation, one by one.

"The Gardners are the richest family on the planet, with unimaginable wealth, but they've always kept a low profile. There are rumors, though people say the Gardners are cursed. They're blessed with brilliance, fortune, and power, but every last one of them meets a terrible end."

Sellers' brow furrowed slightly.

He'd heard the stories about the Gardners before, from Mr. Burton. The old man knew countless secrets and scandals from decades past. Whenever the Gardners came up, Mr. Burton would always sigh with a kind of helpless pity.

Sherman continued, "Every single head of the Gardner family has died tragically. The first patriarch was butchered, stabbed so many times his body was unrecognizable. The second was run down in a hit-and-run, his remains barely collected. The third died in an explosion-there wasn't even a body left to bury. The fourth died in a murder-suicide with his wife. The fifth was strangled to death by his own father. The Gardner family is ancient, but it seems none of its leaders has ever made it to thirty."

Sherman paused, then added, "And families closely tied to the Gardners? Their fates aren't any better. No matter how close the relationship once was, it always ended in betrayal and disaster. That's why almost no one wants to get too close to the Gardners. After the last patriarch died, there was a period of chaos within the family, but nobody outside knows who ended up taking over."

Sellers' expression darkened.

told, he

Truth be told, he had no desire to

associate with the Gardners. It wasn't because of the supposed curse, but because Mr. Burton had once treated them as a doctor. He knew the real reason behind the Gardners' gruesome deaths: a genetic flaw. Madness ran in their bloodline.

The Gardners had tried to find a solution, but even the best doctors in the world couldn't fix a genetic illness. Unless they stopped having children-or unless the next generation wasn't a true Gardner by blood. Some had tried that route, but it ended in tragedy.

The Gardners were already half-mad Betrayal only drove them further over the edge. When one woman tried to cheat the bloodline, both she and her lover's entire family were wiped out in revenge.

Mr. Burton had shaken his head in despair when he told Sellers about it. Even with all his medical skills, he couldn't cure that kind of madness.

Sellers was a rational man. He had no interest in getting tangled up with lunatics. But right now, if he wanted to resolve this crisis, he had no choice but to find the Gardners.noveldrama

His voice was cold. "Find me the Gardner patriarch's contact information. I'll speak to him myself."

Sherman nodded. "I'll get right on it."

Very few people had ever met the current head of the Gardner family, but getting

his business contact wasn't that difficult-the Gardners still ran companies, after

all.

About ten minutes later, Sherman handed Sellers a slip of paper with the number. Sellers dialed.