Better Late, But Never His Again novel Chapter 144

Stepping out of the precinct, Julian's expression was significantly darker than when he arrived.

Sean Sutton's body had been held in the cold storage. The moment the medical examiner pulled back the white sheet, even Julian—who was accustomed to gruesome criminal cases—felt his stomach churn.

There wasn't a single patch of intact skin on his body. Bruises overlapped with open gashes, leaving him entirely unrecognizable. His face was so swollen it barely resembled a human being, but the most alarming detail was the deep purple ligature mark wrapped tightly around his neck.

The detectives stated he suffered severe blunt-force trauma to the head and was strangled simultaneously. Both injuries were fatal. The killer was either a group of people or someone who harbored a terrifying amount of hatred toward him.

Julian pushed open the glass doors and walked down the steps. The cool night air hit him, washing away the lingering stench of formaldehyde and bleach.

His assistant followed closely behind, looking thoroughly sick. He was mentally filtering through everyone in Sutton's circle. The man had plenty of enemies, but someone capable of this level of brutality didn't immediately come to mind.

Everyone except Evelyn...

Right then, his phone rang.

Evelyn's name flashed on the screen. Before Julian could even speak, her terrified, trembling voice came through the speaker.

"Julian, I just saw the news. Is Sean really dead?"

Julian's voice softened instinctively. "Yes. Don't be scared, Evelyn. We'll talk about the details when I see you."

"Okay, I'll wait for you."

Half an hour later, his car pulled up outside Apex Holdings. Before the vehicle even came to a complete stop, Evelyn rushed out of the lobby.

She was sprinting in a panic, her heels clicking sharply against the pavement, her hair whipping wildly in the wind.

As soon as Julian opened the car door, she threw herself into his arms, her hands tightly gripping the fabric of his shirt.

Julian lightly patted her back, then smoothly gripped her arms to pull her slightly away from his chest.

Evelyn looked up at him, her eyes red, unshed tears glistening on her lashes.

"Do you know what happened to him? Why did he suddenly die? He just kidnapped Hazel, how could this happen so fast?"

"Don't panic. The police haven't found the killer yet." Julian looked closely at her. "But shouldn't you be relieved, Evelyn?"

Evelyn's expression froze for a second. "We lived together for years. Hearing that he died... it's just hard to process right now."

She bit her lip, as if a sudden thought struck her. "Julian, do you think... it could be Hazel?"

Julian's expression turned cold. "Evelyn, watch your words. Hazel has been keeping to herself lately. How could she possibly have the means to do this?"

"But he just attacked her not too long ago, and now he's dead."

Her voice carried a cautious undertone. "It's really suspicious."

Julian offered a faint smile. "Hazel isn't capable of something like that. We've been married for years; I know exactly what kind of person she is."

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