Chapter 17: Agnes Ward Hunched Her Shoulders

Agnes Ward hunched her shoulders, not daring to speak another word. How could she? These people could actually send her to jail.

Mayor Martin Reed beamed, his heart swelling with pride. Officers from the military academy coming to the village for development work? This was a monumental political achievement. He eagerly led Adrian Stone toward the village, chatting animatedly along the way.

Calvin Ward kept his head down, his expression dark.

A village woman supported Elena Ward, sighing in pity. "Poor child. Those without parents always have the hardest lives."

Pinehaven Village wasn’t far from the reservoir—just a ten-minute walk.

Mayor Reed brought the group to Elena’s old family home. Unoccupied for four years, only Daniel Ward had bothered to tidy it up during his rare visits. The interior was barely livable, but the exterior walls were crumbling.

The mud-brick house couldn’t withstand the elements. It needed a fresh layer of mud plaster every year, but with no one to care for it, the place looked especially dilapidated. The house stood alone at the foot of the mountain, the nearest neighbor over a dozen meters away.

Adrian frowned at the heavy padlock on the door. The door itself was intact—Daniel had made repairs whenever he returned.

"Where’s the key?" Adrian demanded coldly.

Calvin jerked his head up, meeting Adrian’s sharp gaze. Panic flashed across his face. "I—I’ll go find it!" He turned and bolted.

Agnes had already vanished. Not a single member of the Ward family remained.

Mayor Reed rubbed his hands awkwardly. Dealing with such troublesome relatives was exhausting. The group stood idly outside Elena’s house.

Half an hour passed, and Calvin was nowhere to be seen. The mayor’s expression grew increasingly grim.

Elena glanced at Adrian’s stern profile and knew The Wards had thoroughly humiliated themselves.

She tugged lightly on the mayor’s sleeve. "Uncle, maybe we should break the lock? We can’t keep everyone waiting forever."

The mayor hesitated. "That… doesn’t seem right. Breaking into private property is—"

"This is my home!" Elena’s voice was clear. "How is returning to my own house trespassing?"

The group finally realized—of course, this was her home!

Adrian raised a brow. The girl was sharp. How had she been bullied so badly?

"Alright!" The mayor slapped his thigh. "It’s your house—you decide!"

Calvin came panting back, empty-handed.

"Mayor, I can’t find the key…" He forced a smile. "Maybe we should call it a day. Once I find it, I’ll clean up—"

Before he could finish, he noticed the odd looks everyone was giving him.

"Break it," Elena said firmly.

Calvin flailed. "Elena, the lock is perfectly fine—"

Adrian waved a hand, and two cadets stepped forward with tools.

"Uncle, since you can’t find the key, breaking it is simpler." Elena moved closer to the mayor. "Next time, Grandma might not 'accidentally' hurt me—she might actually kill me." She deliberately revealed the wounds on her arm.

Adrian remembered her injuries and immediately ordered, "Get the medic. An infected wound can be fatal."

Patrick Lewis hurried off.

The mayor waved impatiently. "Enough! This was Elena’s parents’ house. If she says break it, we break it. How dare you talk about being wronged? If not for the soldiers, this child would be dead today!"

Calvin retreated, his face ashen. He knew—once that door opened, the house would never be his again.

With a loud clang, the padlock fell to the ground.