Afterlife Department

Chapter 393 – Quinn

As soon as Iris appeared, everyone immediately sat on their seats around the long table. Iris frowned when he saw an empty seat. One of them is missing. 

He turned to Lin Ze. "Is Quinn still not up yet?" he asked, displeasure is in his voice. 

Lin Ze bowed. "I've called fourth young master's housekeeper for the second time. He said that fourth young master is still asleep." He answered. 

Iris' expression now turned ugly. "He's really not giving me face, huh!" he sneered. 

Harris' expression didn't change. Rene's eyes flashed in schadenfreude for Quinn. Rhyan felt jittery, while Odrey stared at the dishes before them, thinking when can they start eating. 

Iris must have sensed his other children's hunger, so he calmed himself. "If he won't come, then he won't. I'll transfer to Rhyan all the projects in Quinn's hands." he said as he picked up his fork and knife. "Let's eat first." He said. 

Harris nodded, feeling pleased, since he doesn't want to have more projects in his hands. He picked up some dishes and began eating. Rene resumed drinking her tea while she had a servant pick her some dishes. Rhyan wanted to refuse Iris' proposal, but since Iris already said 'eat', then he was forced to suppress his words and then started to pick the dishes. Odrey is the happiest of them. Before Iris could finish his words, he already grabbed some dishes and then eat. 

Surprisingly, even though they were missing one person, the meal is more harmonious than before. After their meal, they all went to the gazebo to chat. 

"Elder sister, you're drinking more tea than usual." Rhyan spoke as he looked at Rene's third cup. 

"Men like you wouldn't understand how to be more careful of your health while you are young." Rene said. 

"… you're still just twenty-six…" Rhyan muttered. 

"Hmph." Rene ignored him and turned to Harris. "How about you? Aside from business, do you have other interesting things you are busy with?" she asked. 

"I am pursuing someone." Harris answered. 

They were all surprised. After all, Harris is just only one step away from being a monk. This last step is shaving his head bald and wear the clothes of the monks and carry a beaded necklace. 

"Who is it?" Rhyan excitedly asked while stealing a snack from Odrey, which he was hit in return. 

"Luris Gregor." Harris answered. 

"… is it the 'Luris' that we are thinking about?" they asked. 

Harris nodded. 

Iris could see clearer than them. "You're not doing this to sacrifice yourself in exchange for future cooperation with the G Holdings?" he asked Harris.

"Father and Luris are friends since forever. I don't see any problem for me to sacrifice myself for our businesses." Harris said. 

"… but, Luris, is… fifteen years older than you?" Rhyan spoke with much difficulty. 

Iris is older than Luris, nearing forty. Meanwhile, Luris is younger than him. Although Luris is already in his thirties, but if he stood beside his son Luren, one would think Luris is Luren's older brother. 

"Age doesn't matter. Feelings do." Harris succinctly spoke. 

No one spoke again with the topic. "Is Quinn still not up yet?" Iris asked Lin Ze, looking more irritated than earlier. 

"I've already called fourth young master's housekeeper. He said that fourth young master returned in the wee hours in the morning, looking tired and heavily drunk." Lin Ze explained. 

The housekeepers naturally wouldn't dare wake them up, more especially that they all have their tempers. 

Iris clicked his tongue. "Let him be. Transfer all the projects currently in Quinn's hands to Rhyan." He said. 

Rhyan started. He almost forgot this. "Father, I… I can't…" he said. 

Iris looked at him. "Don't be afraid of your younger brother. He won't dare get mad at you since he has made a mistake." He told him. 

"T-that's not it…" Rhyan said. "I – I'm not good in business deals…" he explained. 

"I'll give you Quinn's personal secretary to walk you." Iris answered. 

Rhyan shut up. He turned to look at Harris, asking for help. But, Harris avoided his gaze. Although Iris didn't say anything earlier regarding his coming out and confession for Luris, but he knows Iris is definitely mad. He just didn't lash out at him to give him face. So, he doesn't want to help Rhyan to not make Iris angrier. 

Lin Ze watched them and secretly sighed. Suddenly, his mobile phone rang. He immediately answered it. "… WHAT?!" he exclaimed when he heard what the person from the other line said. He looked at Iris who turned to him when he heard him shout. "Sir…" he called, his voice shaking in fear and trepidation. "Fourth young master… is dead." He told him. 

They were all stunned. "WHAT?!" Iris' voice rose and he abruptly rose from his seat. "How did that happen?! Weren't he in his villa right now and is sleeping?!" he asked. 

Lin Ze's face paled. "The housekeeper said that he was worried I'd call again so he decided to check on the fourth young master this time. Then, he found out that the fourth young master wasn't breathing!" he explained. "He already called the police…" he added. 

They were stupefied. Earlier, they were expecting for Quinn to arrive, but now it was the news of his death that arrived. They should've known. No matter how devious Quinn is, but Iris is his father, after all. All of them, including Quinn, deeply respects Iris. So, Quinn would have definitely come for lunch, since it was Iris summoned them. He never failed Iris' summon before. It was only today, and it's because he's actually dead. 

Iris immediately calmed down his agitation. "All of you… stay here. We don't know how your fourth brother died, so stay here and be safe. Don't think of sneaking out!" he told his children before he left with Lin Ze. 

Everyone is smart so they understood. Iris suspects that Quinn was killed. As to how, they yet to find out. Iris also called Yi Bing along the way. Lin Ze already told him this morning that Yi Bing called last night asking about Quinn. 

"… f*ck!" Huo Ling cursed from the other line. "How can he die?!" he asked. 

Iris frowned. "I'm asking you this! Are you sure you didn't do anything strange on Quinn?!" he asked through his gritted teeth. 

Huo Ling is equally irritated so he snatched Yi Bing's mobile phone. "We didn't! We spent whole night until the dawn in Fughlia, staring at the pool area! Isn't your son's villa located at the other end of the city, directly opposite of Fughlia?! How can we just suddenly appear there?!" he asked. "If it wasn't for your son acting suspicious, we wouldn't have inquired about him from you!" he told him. 

Iris brows furrowed. "What 'acting suspicious'?" he asked. 

Huo Ling sneered. "Wasn't he in charge of the project of building the swimming pool of Fughlia?" he asked. Before Iris could answer, he continued. "But, he took it from someone else's hands." he added. 

Iris fell silence. He can guess what the other party means. "What do you think he did?" he asked, resignation in his voice. 

"He killed Renton and buried Renton's corpse beneath the swimming pool." Huo Ling directly answered. 

Iris sharply inhaled. "You – " he gnashed his teeth. 

"Mr. Hudgeson." Huo Ling spoke in a cold voice. "I know you know that we can't harm anyone, the humans… especially the ghosts since they are souls." He said. 

Iris pressed his lips into a thin line and ended the call. He actually knows Yi Bing and Huo Ling can't kill Quinn, since if they wanted to kill someone, no one would even find out about it. So, Quinn's death is a mystery to him. 

"Lin Ze. Investigate who was Quinn with before he went home, and the suspicious people around with him." he said. 

"Yes." Lin Ze nodded and made a call. 

But, just as they arrived, they saw the policemen were holding someone down. 

"Let go of me! I didn't do it!" a voice belonging to a teenager spoke. 

Iris and Lin Ze looked at each other as they closed the door of the car. "Sir, this voice belongs to…" Lin Ze spoke as they approached. 

Iris walked in the front so he immediately saw the person the policemen caught. He has a delicate face and is wearing a school uniform Iris is the most familiar with, since he is the one who designed it for their school's brand. 

" – Prille Devogne." Lin Ze continued as he stopped a step behind Iris. He was looking at Prille who is red-faced in shame and anger. 

There's also a trace of guilt in his eyes which he tried to suppress, but Lin Ze and Iris have caught since they were closely observing him, being high-strung after receiving the news of Quinn's death. Yi Bing and Huo Ling, who teleported to the other end of the city after receiving Iris' call, watched everything from the roof, especially Prille's act. 

"This is becoming more complicated… and interesting." Huo Ling said.