However, Stephen was growing impatient, his fury burning in his eyes as he stared down Vera."Vera, don't overstep your bounds. I'm not afraid of you."With these words, a surge of energy erupted from Stephen. A short blade materialized in his hand, and his face contorted with rage as he glared at his opponent.Yet, Vera showed not the slightest sign of fear. On the contrary, his eyes gleamed with mockery. He placed a hand over his mouth, chuckling."Stephen, you are frightening. But I like it! Ahahaha!!!"Initially, Stephen just wanted to intimidate Vera a little. But, seeing Vera's mocking expression and noticing no defense of him, Stephen's mock threat turned into an actual attack. The blade in his hand lunged directly toward Vera's chest."Ah, Stephen, you dare to attack?"Suddenly, Vera's figure vanished, evading Stephen's lethal strike. He couldn't help but clutch his chest and shout in indignation.But to Stephen, Vera's actions seemed a mockery, fueling his wrath even further.
"Stephen, you've frightened me quite a bit earlier. Now, I will show you what it means to cross me!"Vera's fingers tightened around Stephen's throat as he spoke, seemingly intent on crushing it."Wait...wait!"Standing at death's door, Stephen had no choice but to yell out, hoping Vera would cease his actions.Indeed, his outcry had some effect. Although Vera's grip remained firm, his actions slightly paused, no longer applying further pressure."So, are you begging for mercy now?""No...that's not it!""Then why ask me to stop?"Hearing Stephen's response, Vera's expression turned impatient and annoyed. Once more, his grip tightened, causing Stephen's neck to emit a series of cracking sounds.In the end, panic filled Stephen's heart. Before Vera could crush his throat, he urgently yelled out once more."Stop...stop, I...I have a secret...I want...to trade...with you..."Even now, Vera's hand still held him firmly. However, Stephen could sense the pressure lessening significantly."S
At this moment, although Stephen couldn't see Ethan's presence, his cultivation and powerful strength allowed him to perceive an invisible entity appearing before him through his instincts.This sensation was far more terrifying than the voice that had just emerged in his head. Stephen's body trembled slightly instantly, and he hastily retreated several steps.Simultaneously, Ethan's voice echoed once more. But this time, he didn't use the system to transmit sound directly into Stephen's brain. Instead, Ethan used his genuine voice to communicate with him."How about it? Do you believe me now?"Upon confirming that someone was present before him, Stephen's worries didn't ease; instead, he became even more fearful of Ethan.After all, whatever he could see, no matter how dangerous it was, he could think of a way to counter it. But now, Ethan was like a terrifying existence that, despite appearing before him, was still beyond his grasp.This feeling further added to Stephen's apprehensi
Upon seeing the woman's face, Ethan couldn't help but recoil in terror, swiftly retreating backward, for he recognized this figure all too well. Wasn't this the woman who emerged from the stone coffin? Yet, he had evaded her back then. Why had she appeared here now? A whirlwind of thoughts swirled in his mind, but before he could voice any questions, the space before him shattered abruptly. Then, he heard the woman's slightly angered cry echo. "Ethan, Ethan! Wake up, quickly!" His body jolted violently. Ethan slowly opened his eyes. He was no longer in the temporal chaos. Instead, he found himself lying on a large wooden bed, blanketed by a thick quilt. Glancing at the scenery outside, Ethan saw snowflakes gently falling. For someone born in the tropics, this sight was a complete novelty. However, the previous voice again rang out before Ethan could fully comprehend his situation. "Ethan, Ethan! Have you awakened?" It was only now that Ethan's eyes could discern the figure befo
"Mother, it's me, Ethan. Your son!"He wanted to say something like that to Ariel at that moment.However, his tumultuous emotions prevented the words from leaving his lips.Seeing this, Ariel shot him a glance before quickly closing the door."Mother!"In the end, Ethan did call out, managing to stop Ariel's action.But the look in Ariel's eyes when she turned to him was one of discomfort."What are you doing here? You're no longer welcome in this house.I implore you, leave!"As she said this, Ariel's expression was devoid of any emotion.Hearing this, Ethan felt as if his world had collapsed.He stood there, frozen, watching as the iron door silently closed in front of him.At this moment, Ethan just wanted to scream out.He wanted to ask why Ariel was treating him this way.Yet, Ethan didn't have to wait for long.At that moment, the distinct chatter of a man echoed from within the house.“Damn it, who were you just talking to? Sounded like Ethan.Could it be, Ethan has returned?”
Seeing this, Savannah finally let out a soft sigh.However, her face remained somewhat stern."Ethan, I know my father loves you very much.In this house, you are the one he cares for most."But do you realize," Savannah began, her voice a mixture of resentment and sorrow, "that it was your disgraceful actions several years ago that led to my father's demotion from his deputy director position in the factory, forcing him to take on the role of a supervisor. Eventually, he had no choice but to retire prematurely. Had it not been for my mother's efforts in these past years, our family would have been in a dire state."As Savannah's words hung in the air, a look of surprise crept onto Ethan's face. He hadn't anticipated that his father's sudden retirement was due to his actions. However, he was at a loss on how to explain himself to Savannah. Should he admit he was duped into a set up and falsely imprisoned years ago? Such a confession would be of little help now."Ethan," she continued,
However, Atticus paid them no attention, causing Hubert to feel a prick of annoyance. Had it not been for his first visit, he might not have bothered to be so tactful with Atticus. After all, he was the scion of a wealthy family and could marry any number of beautiful women.Still, he was utterly smitten with Savannah from the moment he laid eyes on her. To compound matters, his parents had recently issued an ultimatum, insisting he must marry by year's end, or his brother would inherit the family fortune. He could at most expect a minor share.This frustrated him greatly, but in the presence of his parents and brother, he dared not voice his complaints. Hence, he had gone to great lengths to prepare gifts for his first visit to Savannah's family."Father, apart from the pipe that I ordered from England, this is a specialty from Italy. A friend working there had to place the order half a month in advance so that it could be shipped to me. It cost me over a thousand pounds. Father, do
"Alright, enough of this. Ethan, it's been a while since we had a chance to catch up. I don't have much to say, but let's toast to this reunion!" As he speaks, Atticus fills two glasses with wine. He holds one and offers the other to Ethan.Ethan, without a word, decisively accepts the glass and drinks it all in one gulp. Watching this, Atticus is content, bursting into loud laughter. "Ha ha ha, truly my son!"Hearing Atticus's laughter, a bright smile bloomed on Ethan's face, a sight not seen for many a long year. His foster father's mirth had become a rarity, the harsh grind of everyday life often stealing away the jovial ease of his demeanor. Being reunited with his loved ones after so many years apart stirred a whirlwind of complex emotions within Ethan.However, observing this warm exchange between Atticus and his foster son from the sidelines only served to inflame Hubert's irritation. In his view, this was his territory, and Ethan was an intruder. After all, he was to become an