Traveling back thirty years to Conan, intercepting Princess Eri

Lin Xiuyi took the paper and unfolded it. Just as Horiuchi Shizuka had said, it was indeed a draft of a divorce agreement, dated half a month before the incident.

The terms of the agreement were increasingly harsh: not only would Shizuka Horiuchi not receive any share of the valuable villa, but she would also have no claim to Shingo Horiuchi's company shares or bank deposits. Even the jewelry they purchased together after their marriage was stipulated to "belong to the husband."

In other words, once this agreement takes effect, Shizuka Horiuchi will essentially be left with nothing.

The paper has obvious signs of repeated folding along its edges, and in some places, even small cracks have appeared, indicating that it has been examined multiple times.

Lin Xiuyi observed Horiuchi Shizuka's reaction without making a sound, and found that her gaze unconsciously followed the paper, and her fingers, painted with red nail polish, were unconsciously twisted together.

"It seems your conflict is more than just a comeback,"

Lin Xiuyi stared sharply at Horiuchi Shizuka.

"This divorce agreement and the will you mentioned are completely different in terms of property distribution. The will states that your husband will leave all his property to you, but this agreement leaves you with nothing. This is too strange."

Horiuchi Shizuka's facial muscles twitched almost imperceptibly, but she quickly regained her composure.

"The will was written by Zhenwu when we were newly married and our relationship was at its best,"

Her voice suddenly softened, tinged with a hint of nostalgia.
"Although this divorce agreement is recent, it is only a draft, and Shingo did not sign it. Even if it is taken to the court, it will be invalid."

Lin Xiuyi's gaze shifted back and forth between the divorce agreement and Horiuchi Shizuka.

Judging from the repeated folds on the paper, it was most likely caused by Horiuchi Shizuka repeatedly checking it after learning about it.

He noticed that when Horiuchi Shizuka was saying these words, her eyes unconsciously glanced to the upper right, which was a typical sign of lying.

Since Shingo Horiuchi was prepared to leave his wife with nothing in the agreement, it shows that his feelings for Shizuka Horiuchi had long since faded, and he probably wouldn't take the agreement seriously, much less review it repeatedly.

Only Shizuka Horiuchi, after learning that she might not receive any property, would repeatedly review the terms, trying to find room for rebuttal in the clauses, or to confirm her husband's heartlessness.

But as Shizuka Horiuchi said, this unsigned draft cannot be used as evidence that she murdered her husband.

At most, it can only prove that Shizuka Horiuchi did have the motive to kill her husband and seize his property. The contrast between "inheriting all the property" and "leaving with nothing" is enough to make people have evil intentions.

But motives are one thing, without concrete evidence, it's all just speculation.

"Alright, you've seen what you needed to see. Now you can leave, right?"

Horiuchi Shizuka suddenly gave them the order to leave, her impatience no longer concealed.
"The police have searched this place several times and found all the evidence they needed. If you still have any questions, go ask the police directly and don't bother me."

"Hey! We're helping you solve a case!"

Yukiko retorted, dissatisfied, her brown curly hair swaying with the movement.
"Your actions have already affected the filming schedule and put the movie at risk of being pulled from release. How can you have this attitude?"

"Little girl, this is not your place to lecture me!"

Horiuchi Shizuka's face instantly darkened.
"If it weren't for the director's sake, I wouldn't have let you in at all. Now that you've finished watching, get out of here right now!"

Lin Xiuyi tugged at Yukiko, who still wanted to argue, and gently shook his head, signaling her not to be impulsive. He nodded to Horiuchi Shizuka, then turned to lead everyone away.

But when they reached the villa's entrance, Lin Xiuyi suddenly stopped, turned around, and asked, "By the way, I have one last question. When the robbers broke in, which window did they pry open?"

“The room you just looked at only has one window that opens onto the garden,” Horiuchi Shizuka said impatiently, waving her hand.

With a bang, the heavy solid wood door slammed shut behind them, and Lin Xiuyi and the others were completely driven out of the villa.

Shingo Horiuchi's parents were nowhere to be seen in the courtyard; it was unclear whether they had gone to find reporters or the police.

"What's wrong with this woman?!"

As soon as she left the villa, Yukiko couldn't help but stomp her foot in annoyance.
"When they first found out we were there to investigate a case, they at least pretended to be very welcoming, offering to buy us coffee and saying they would cooperate with the investigation. How come they turned on us so quickly?"

"At first, she probably thought we were sent by the director to 'help her',"

Lin Xiuyi leaned against a sycamore tree by the roadside, analyzing the situation in a calm tone.
"She felt that we would side with her and help her 'clear her name' as soon as possible so that the movie could be released smoothly."

"But later I took the initiative to find out about the situation from the elderly couple, and carefully examined the clues in the study. These actions showed that I was really there to investigate the case, not just to do superficial work for her."

"She was worried that I would find some evidence that would be detrimental to her, so she naturally turned against me."

“The fact that she turned on you means she has something to hide and is afraid that you will actually find out the truth.” Eri pushed up her glasses. “Her husband’s murder may really be related to her.”

As she spoke, she suddenly looked at Yukiko.
"Hey, you stinky fox, when the director sent you to ask Shuichi for help, did he give any hints?"

"hint?"

Yukiko paused for a moment, tilted her head, and looked somewhat bewildered.

"What does it imply? The director is saying that he hopes Shuichi can find out the truth as soon as possible, clear Horiuchi Shizuka's name, and allow the crew to continue filming normally."

“Idiot,” Eri Kisaki pouted, “I mean, did the director hint that Shuichi should ‘not be certain’ that Shizuka Horiuchi is the murderer? Regardless of whether she is the real culprit or not, as long as there is no conclusion, it will reduce a lot of trouble for your production team, right?”

"I'm not stupid!"

Yukiko puffed out her cheeks and retorted, then fell into thought, her fingers unconsciously twirling the ends of her hair.

When the director found her, his face was full of anxiety. He repeatedly said, "If we can't find out the truth, the movie is ruined." He added, "If Shizuka Horiuchi really has a problem, we'll cut all of her scenes."

After thinking for a long time, she shook her head.
"There shouldn't be any hints. Actually, Shizuka Horiuchi doesn't have many scenes in the movie. Just like the director said, even if all her scenes are cut, the movie can still be released normally. It just needs to reshoot a few transitional scenes."

"Huh? If she's practically irrelevant in the movie, why did you even cast her?" Kogoro Mouri scratched his head, puzzled. "Wouldn't it have been cheaper and less troublesome to cast a newcomer?"

"What else could it be for? Of course, it's for generating buzz and publicity!"

Yukiko said matter-of-factly, her tone carrying a hint of familiarity typical of someone in the industry… (End of Chapter)