............"Hey, don't lump me with those greedy fools from the Starcrest Family. It's just me here, serving my Lord!" Astrid's voice dripped with disdain as she spoke about her family, her eyes locked onto Phia's, challenging her silently."Heh, pretty confident there, Astrid Starcrest. But do you really think you can compete with me? Hmph!" Phia's smirk grew wider as she retorted, her eyes gleaming in response to Astrid's challenge.'But this is good,' Phia thought to herself, her mind racing with possibilities.'It seems Astrid is making her move independently, not taking orders from her family,' she concluded, maintaining her condescending smile as she observed Astrid's changing expression."We'll see. Anyway, I didn't call you here to argue, but to warn you!" Astrid's expression turned serious as she sat up straight.Astrid pulled out an object that looked like a small umbrella, resembling a toy."What... why are you setting up a barrier?" Phia's curiosity peaked as she recogn
............"I wanted to warn you about the heir of the Everglen Family, who, according to my sources, should be arriving tomorrow. So, expect chaos in the city!" Astrid finally revealed, her posture relaxing as she slouched down and began to sip her drink."Before I go, can you tell me why you're being so cooperative in sharing all this info?" Phia asked, her eyes narrowing with curiosity and suspicion."Oh, just trying to show some goodwill by sharing what I know," Astrid replied with a grin, swirling her drink."Do you think I'll let you off easy just because of this?" Phia rolled her eyes, not buying Astrid's act, before she stormed off, leaving her alone."Fufufu!" Astrid couldn't help but chuckle at Phia's reaction as she savored her drink before eventually leaving the pub herself.Meanwhile, after Phia passed on the information to her family, the Lumara Family wasted no time in making their move.Even if the information wasn't entirely reliable, they knew there was a possibil
............As the new morning dawned in Grace Neighborhood, the first light of the day peeked through the curtains, accompanied by the melodic chirping of birds.Their cheerful songs echoed through the quiet streets, gradually awakening the sleeping residents.Amidst the tranquil scene, a sudden outburst shattered the peaceful ambiance."Shut your damn bird, you old asshole!" a man's voice boomed across the neighborhood, cutting through the morning calm.In response, the elderly neighbor, unfazed by the disturbance, fired back with equal fervor. "Yeah, yeah, you fucking dork, useless bum!"Such exchanges had become a daily occurrence in the neighborhood, and the other residents had grown accustomed to the bickering that marked the start of each morning.Amidst the usual morning commotion, another household seemed to buzz with an unusual liveliness, catching the attention of their neighbors.It was the Veridian house, known for its quietness, now alive with activity."Hey, looks li
............"Thank... thank you for helping me, and I am deeply sorry about everything," Elara composed herself, quickly changing her tone and expression as she expressed her gratitude to Aarav and apologized for the chaos she had caused in their home."Hmmn..!"Aarav simply nodded at Elara, his expression heavy with understanding as he observed her deep in thought. She sat with her head bowed, strands of her tousled hair falling messily around her face, a reflection of the chaos within her mind.The room was bathed in a soft morning light, casting gentle shadows across the furniture. The aroma of freshly brewed coffee lingered in the air, mingling with the faint scent of lavender from a nearby destroyed vase of flowers.Elara's emotions churned inside her, her thoughts weighed down by the weight of her situation. She sat in silence, her eyes focused on a spot on the floor, lost in her own turmoil.Birds chirped merrily outside the window, their cheerful songs a stark contrast to
............"Alright, let's get going! I don't want to be late," Aarav shouted as he emerged from his house, dressed in his work clothes."Coming, my lord! Wait for me!" Astrid came running shortly after, her graceful smile lighting up her face.The Aurora Imperium roared to life as Astrid took the wheel."Vroom...Vroom!" "Take care, Aria. Don't trouble Phia too much. And Phia, can I leave her in your hands? Now that everything seems fine with her, I want you to look for a college where she can finally start her education after a long break," Aarav turned to Aria, making sure she understood not to cause trouble for Phia.He also discussed his plans with Phia, wanting her to assist his sister in a particular matter."Yes, leave it to me. I'll take good care of Young Miss!" Phia replied cheerfully.Aarav nodded before taking a seat beside Astrid in the front, and she sped away.Earlier, after Elara left their house, both Astrid and Phia had shown up. Aarav was ready to leave for Astr
............"Well... shit... that was definitely not normal," Aarav muttered to himself, shaking his head before refocusing on treating the second patient, the memory of the eerie sound lingering in his mind."Just like earlier, I instructed, make another concoction. No, scratch that, bring a larger container and concoct a larger quantity as we need it for others too," Aarav turned to the earlier Nurses who had prepared the medicine, realizing they would need more for the number of patients awaiting treatment.Three hours later,Treating two hundred or so patients took a toll on his energy and time. After treating the last patient, he retired directly to his office space, feeling drained yet accomplished."Here, my lord," Astrid said, back to her usual self after three hours, handing him a glass of water, her hands steady despite the exhaustion evident in her eyes."Thanks," Aarav replied gratefully, taking a sip of the warm water before relaxing into his chair, with Astrid standin
............"It belongs to...."Before Astrid could finish speaking, Aarav's phone interrupted them with its insistent ringing."Ring... Ring...!""Who is calling me?" Aarav glanced at his phone with an annoyed expression, his brows furrowing in irritation at the interruption, but his annoyance softened when he saw who was calling, a flicker of concern replacing his initial irritation."Yes, Bella. What do you need?" Aarav answered the call gently, his voice filled with a mixture of curiosity and concern, as he tried to discern the reason behind her unexpected call."Um, I'm sorry for disturbing you, but... but, can you help me..." Bella's voice came through weakly, her tone quivering with uncertainty, like a fragile thread on the verge of snapping."What happened? Is there a problem? Tell me where you are..." Aarav's concern grew as he sensed something was amiss in her shaky voice, his mind already racing through the possibilities of what could be troubling her. Bella's uncharacte
............"So, Bella Rossi, what have you thought about our previous proposal? Think carefully before you answer!" Lorei's expression also turned serious as she awaited Bella's response, her gaze piercing."What proposal? I'm sorry, but I don't think we have anything to discuss," Bella sharply said, her fists clenched under the table with anger, her knuckles turning white.Ever since her family company, Rossi Energy Solutions, went bankrupt, cutting off her company's main investment and leading other investors to withdraw, Bella had been left with nothing. Despite having some profits from previous products, they barely covered production costs, office rent, and staff salaries, leaving her with zero balance.These two snakes sitting across from Bella saw an opportunity to trap her in their schemes, but she was wise to their nature and didn't fall for it.Now they were here again, and Bella knew she couldn't simply make them leave peacefully like last time, as they had discovered h